I'm a trucker. Ask me anything about trucking.

[Tobin S.]

I'll throw this out there to get us started. Trucks are generally slower than cars, especially on hills. Even when I'm running empty it still takes me longer to speed up and I can still get slowed down on a hill. Throw a 40,000 pound load on me and it can take what seems like forever for me to get up to highway speed by car standards. So I'm not just being a slow poke out there. I wish I could pull hills and speed up as fast as cars.

[xchrom]

1. how many truckers does it take to screw in a light bulb?

something i've always wanted to know.

[Tobin S.]

2. 1001

1 to do the job and 1000 to tell him how to do it better.

A popular old saying in trucking is, "You drive your truck and I'll drive mine," usually said on the CB after one driver complains about another's driving.

[WillParkinson]

3. What's your favorite state that you've driven through?

And your favorite driving season?

[Tobin S.]

5. As far as scenery goes, my favorite state is Montana

The weather starts to get bad this time of year, though, and it won't improve much until April. My favorite driving season any time it doesn't snow, which could be all the time in the southern part of the country and 7 months out of the year in the northern part.

[MiddleFingerMom]

11. I think I've already recommended this book...

.
.
.
..."Winter" by Richard Bass -- about his gig as a young man housesitting
for the winter on the Montana/Canada border in "the last valley without
electricity" in the 1960's (70's?).
.
.
.
Beautiful. Deadly. Truly a true love/hate relationship.
.
.
.

[HopeHoops]

4. What's that little doohickey next to the thingamabob on the gizmo panel?

You know, the one that's red, or maybe blue, sometimes just black, and it might even be white or orange.

[Tobin S.]

6. That's the eject button. Don't touch that.

:)

[HopeHoops]

8. Tooo LAAAAAAAAAAAaaaaaaaatttttteee.

Ouch.

[wain]

7. I remember advice you've given before:

When a truck signals to change lanes, let him do it (or in other words, get out of the way).

I've read elsewhere, when passing a truck, do so quickly.

I remember advice from a California highway patrolman: at night DO NOT stay in the outside lane - that's where the drunks are with their lights off driving at a high rate of speed. You'll never know what hit you.

[Tobin S.]

18. I think of it more along the lines of

give truckers plenty of room. As far as the turn signal thing goes it is a courtesy to let someone over whether they be in a big truck or a little car. There's no law that says you have to. I've found a disturbing trend, though, among truckers. It's seems like they are more likely to cut people off now days than they used to be. That's why it's a good idea to let them out. The way I've seen some truckers drive here lately, you could find yourself in a bad situation if you don't.

[raccoon]

9. Do yall truckers still use the CB Jargon--like "That's a big 10-4?" nt

[Tobin S.]

16. Yes, but it has changed over the years

There are still certain words and phrases that mean nothing to anyone but truckers. Some of them are as old as the CB radio, others have just been coined. You'd have to listen to the CB to get a feel for it.

[AngryAmish]

10. Do you sleep in your cab?

And can you go pee-pee and poo-poo in there?

[Tobin S.]

19. Yes. My truck has a sleeper and I use it most of the time

Every once in a while I'll get a hotel room if I'm going to be waiting a while on a load. I was in one last night.

You can't do number 2 in here, but I have a bottle ready for emergencies that I can do number 1 in. Most of the time it's not a problem and when I do use a bottle, I dispose of it properly.

[Demoiselle]

134. I love the idea of that sleeper cab. It sounds cozy.

Of course, I hadn't thought about basic bathroom needs.
Have you considered traveling with a pet? That sounds appealing to me.
(Clearly I know absolutely nothing about trucking....but I do tend to romanticize travel.)

[47of74]

12. How many states have you been to?

[Tobin S.]

20. All of them except Alaska and Hawaii

I've also been to a good chunk of Canada.

[begin_within]

13. Can you explain the weigh stations?

I've never understood the whole thing about weigh stations. Why do they need to be weighed every time they cross a state line? Even at a county line in some places? (San Diego county line both at Temecula and Camp Pendleton). How do they do the weighing? What is the information used for? What are those things that hang down? That whole weigh station thing always been a mystery to me.

[blueknight]

14. why do trucks always use those re-treaded tires?

are they way cheaper then new ones?

[Tobin S.]

22. Yes they are cheaper

and a good retread can last a long time. Unfortunately, not all retreads are good retreads and they can blow out under a heavy load or in hot temperatures. I have retreads on my drive axles on my tractor and they've done a good job for me. Next time I buy I'm going to get new tires, though. They last longer.

[Tobin S.]

21. Sure

Trucks are only allowed to be a maximum of 80,000 pounds unless they have a special permit for specialized freight. So the weigh stations check the gross weight of the vehicle. Also, the weight must be distributed properly on the truck. Generally, on the steer axle you are allowed anywhere from 12,500 to 20,000 pounds depending on the state you are in. On the tractor tandems and the trailer tandems you have to be 34,000 pounds or less. That's pretty uniform across the states. The reason they have weight restrictions is that heavier loads tear up the roads quicker. They weigh the trucks with big scales built into the ground.

Some weigh stations have what's called "Prepass." There is a transponder in the truck and when it goes under one of those deals that hang down over the road, it communicates with it electronically and tells the trucker if he or she has to go into the weigh station or can bypass it. A green light on the transponder means it's okay to bypass. A red light means you have to go in.

Weigh stations are also used for motor carrier law enforcement. They are about much more than weighing trucks. They can inspect your log book, inspect your equipment, and inspect your permits like your registration, insurance, fuel tax permit, hazmat permit, and such. They can also check a driver's license to be sure he or she is in compliance and not wanted by the law.

Every state has weigh stations because they have to enforce motor carrier laws within their states.

[LNM]

128. How would you get a green "Prepass"?

Would it be that the truck had been checked at the previous weigh station so it could skip this one? I've just recently noticed those things hanging over the freeway and wondered.

[begin_within]

131. Thank you!

[A HERETIC I AM]

25. To expand on Tobin's answer, one reason for weighing is for compliance with the "Bridge Formula" (Ed

http://ops.fhwa.dot.gov/freight/sw/brdgcalc/calc_page.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_Bridge_Gross_Weight_Formula

It is called the Bridge Formula for pretty much the reason you might expect; so that weight is not too concentrated and therefore poses no danger to bridges. All bridges have a weight capacity but if you spread weight over a long enough distance and among enough axles and tires, the potential damage to a bridge or indeed the roadway itself is dramatically lessened.

The overwhelming majority of highway combination tractor trailers in this country have 5 axles, and as Tobin said above, there are limits to how much each axle is allowed. For the purposes of the formula, the "tandems" on the tractor and trailer are each treated as an axle. Exceptions exist for so-called "Spread" axles where the trailer tandems are not right next to each other, but separated by several feet, like this;



As opposed to a typical trailer tandem set that looks like this;



Edited at add that the tandems on the trailer above can be slid backward and forward for the purposes of properly meeting the bridge formula. I have never come across a spread axle trailer that allowed for either axles to move. If you move the axles forward, more of the weight of the trailer is borne by the trailer axles and if it is moved to the rear, more is borne by the tractor.

I am willing to bet a weeks pay that Tobin has had to slide tandems in the past and he'll probably admit that the process can be a major pain in the ass, especially when the weight is real close to max gross.
The advantage of the spread is it is allowed more than the 34,000 lbs Tobin mentions, but it does NOT allow for a higher overall gross weight. In other words, you can put more of the weight on a set of spreads, but as a consequence, your tractor tandems will be lighter as well as most likely your steer axle.

The last truck I drove had spreads and they have distinct advantages and disadvantages.



One advantage is in backing up. The trailer will turn depending on which axle bears more of the weight. It will turn shorter if the majority of the weight is on the front and longer if the weight is on the rear. One option offered by makers of spreads is a "dump" feature on the air suspension which allows the driver, from a control on the dash, to dump the suspension air pressure (air bag suspension) in either the front or the rear axle,, thus transferring weight to the other. This can make a huge difference when trying to back up into a tight space. The dump feature is controlled through an extra accessory wire in the electrical "pigtail" connector that is standard to every tractor and trailer in the US and Canada. The extra wire can be used for other purposes instead, like for control of lights.

[begin_within]

132. Wow, thanks!

[jmowreader]

133. This one I'l take, just to help Tobin

A weigh station is a money magnet. That's their primary reason for existing. (The secondary reason is to keep trucks from tearing up the roads any worse than they do, but come on: is a truck with 34,100 pounds on the drive tandems, which is illegal, going to tear up the roads any more than one with 33,900 pounds on it?)

The reason they scatter weigh stations around is to maximize the trucking community's ability to help pay a state's bills. If someone builds a place that ships heavy loads, the state WILL build a weigh station close to it. (Truckers are a favorite target of the state police for one simple reason: they move around so frequently they will pay their fines--or, more exactly, they'll send the "truckers legal aid" service every driver is a member of to pay the fines--rather than coming back to court and fighting the ticket. Also, the cops know the trucker will pay the fine because a suspended license means death to a driver.)

How the weighing is done: on a scale, of course. A trucker is worried about two different weights. First is the weight of the whole truck. According to the DOT, most trucks are allowed to weigh 80,000 pounds--and that's the whole schmear, tractor, trailer and load combined. There are also length, width and height limits. It's possible to get the truck permitted for outsize loads--I met a man who carries nothing but 57,000-pound aluminum ingots--but it's unusual because you have to prove you need it and you have to pay a lot of money. You don't do it just so you can run 34,500 on the trailer tandem.

Next is axle weights. A single axle--like the front, or 'steer' axle, or the single axle on a trailer in a two-trailer "doubles" or three-trailer "triples" rig, can weigh 20,000 pounds. A tandem axle--two axles, close together--can weigh 34,000 pounds. In reality, if your drive tandem and trailer tandem both weigh around 34,000, the steer axle can't weigh more than 12,000.

To be sure you won't give lots of money to the state, you go to a truck stop and give them $9 to weigh your load. (Most trucking companies will reimburse you.) The scale will print out:

STEER 11,900
DRIVE 31,600
TRAILER 33,400
TOTAL 76,900

This is a totally legal load--neither tandem is over 34,000 and the steer axle is under 20k--so you get back in the truck and motor down the road.

If, OTOH, the scale prints out:

STEER 11,900
DRIVE 30,600
TRAILER 34,400
TOTAL 76,900

you have to adjust the load to compensate. There are three ways to do it. The first is to get in the trailer and move a couple thousand pounds of freight way forward, but in reality you probably can't do this--most consignees get REAL pissy if you open their skids and start moving product around. The second is to slide the fifth wheel--the big plate that connects the trailer to the tractor. This you do if you're pulling something like a chip trailer that has fixed axles. Most common is to slide the rear axles on the trailer. If you look under a trailer you'll see a rail, on which the tandems are mounted, and it's got holes in it. Each hole shifts 300 pounds of weight from one axle to the other. If you disengage the carriage's locking mechanism then slide the axles forward (by locking the trailer brakes and backing up) the trailer axles get heavier; slide them backward (lock brakes and pull forward) the drive axles get heavier. To make this load legal I've got to slide the tandems back two holes, but if I'm sliding the tandems on this load I'm going to slide them six holes--this will make the loads at both ends about even and make the truck handle nicer.

Now having said that, there are quite a few kinds of scales. The cheapest are "single axle" scales. You drive over the scale--sometimes you have to stop on each one, sometimes not, and this is something they test your ability to do when you go to get a CDL--and it weighs your axles individually. The second is the three-axle scale. This is what truck stops have, and they're more accurate: you pull onto the scale and stop, and there's a different scale for each axle. There's also a platform scale, which you only see at shippers. You can "axle" a truck by pulling onto this scale one axle at a time, stopping for a few seconds, and writing down the weight each time you stop. A little math will give you the weight of each axle.

What they do with the information: they use it to fine your ass. If you're within weight, AND there's nothing wrong with the truck you can see from ten feet away, they let you go. Sometimes the cops will tell you to go to an inspection area for a further inspection, but that's not super common.

Now, the things that hang down. I assume you mean the three things that hang down over the roadway. There's a company called Prepass that sells "fast weigh station clearance." Every truck that subscribes to it has a transponder in the cab. The truck or trucking line has to go through a lot of inspections and weigh stations to get a record the Prepass people can use. Anyway, if you have a truck that always passes inspection because you're doing your job with it, and you're always within weight, the system will either assume, or it will weigh your truck on the freeway if the weigh station has the really deluxe Prepass equipment, that you're okay this time too. Truckers like this because it takes a gallon and a half of diesel to get back up to freeway speed, so if you don't have to do it, it saves you money. (And with that, the state of Louisiana is actually the most progressive in this--they have preweigh scales before every weigh station. Any truck that is within weight gets to see a sign: "Cleared to bypass station." They don't make you subscribe to Prepass to use the on-highway weighing. And the cops like this because any truck that actually comes in to the weigh station is going to make them money.)

[snooper2]

15. Do you have to have to be D.O.T. certified

or licensed to run the safety dept. for a trucking company that runs under federal regulations?

[Tobin S.]

23. I don't think so

But many safety department people used to be truckers and have a CDL.

[Lyric]

17. What's your 20?

:hi:

[Tobin S.]

24. I'm in the Ihop parking lot in Forest Park, Georgia

And I'm about to go in there and chow down on some banana bread french toast. :9

I'm wating on my load and I dropped my trailer at one of our terminals.

[Haole Girl]

26. Why do truckers like to drive side-by-side, sometimes, taking up all the lanes on the freeway?

:shrug:

[Tobin S.]

27. Many trucks are governed

That means that they their speed is limited. It's common for trucks to be governed from 65-70 mph. So, if you have a truck that's governed at 65 and one that's governed at 67 trying to pass it, it can give the impression that they are just riding along side each other to block the road. Some truckers who drive faster trucks may be passing, but not want to come off of the cruise control. I see people in cars do that, too.

Another reason trucks may be riding beside each other is the presence of a hill. A driver might get out to pass another driver not knowing that there is a hill coming up and might get caught out there in the left lane on the hill. He or she will be going as fast as they can but be unable to get enough speed going to get on by quickly.

[Haole Girl]

28. Thanks

Do you ever ride in a convoy with other truckers?

[Tobin S.]

29. No. Convoys may be a thing of the past.

I never see any intentional convoys now days. If you see a long line of trucks riding together, chances are that it's coincidental. Sometimes I'll see two or three trucks intentionally riding together, but that's about the closest thing I see to a convoy now days.

[Haole Girl]

30. Interesting

Because I see groups of trucks all the time in the DFW area. Must just be a coincidence. Thanks, again.

[Joe Fields]

31. Have you ever driven the "Hawk's Nest?"

[Tobin S.]

32. Maybe, but I've never heard that term before.

Can you give me a little more info?

[Joe Fields]

74. It's W.Va. equivilant of the "Grapevine" in California.

Harrowing for a trucker. If you've been through it, you know it.

[AlecBGreen]

33. how do you pass the time?

Ive noticed many truckers smoke, and some Ive met are very religious (so Im assuming they spend a lot of time thinking about God).

How do YOU pass the time? :) Good idea for a thread! :hi:

[Tobin S.]

34. I post on DU. I have a laptop in my truck

which is where I'm posting from now. I also talk to friends on the phone and read books. That's in my down time. I sometimes socialize with truckers, too.

When I'm driving I listen to a lot of radio. I have satellite radio in my truck and listen to music as well as some lefty talk channels and also NPR and CNN. I also smoke. It seems to be a pre-requisite for truckers.

[KamaAina]

35. How long is your average run?

And at what distance does it become more efficient to ship by rail? (not that I'm trying to put you out of business or anything :-) )

[Tobin S.]

37. I was running from Ohio out to the west coast quite a bit

Those runs were anywhere from 2200-2500 miles. Last week I did a couple of Ohio to Florida runs at 925 miles a pop. Right now I'm going to be getting a load out of Atlanta going to Omaha- about 1000 miles. A better gauge to tell a how busy a trucker may be is average miles per week. I'm getting about 2800 on average right now. That's pretty good, but not excellent. I'd like to get 3000-3500 a week.

I don't know much about rail freight, but I do see semi trailers being hauled on them quite a bit. I also think that rail freight capacity is limited and most shippers have no choice but to use trucking. Last I heard, trucks moved about 73% of all the freight moved in this country, no matter the length of haul.

[DainBramaged]

36. Who are more clueless about trucks' capabilities, import drivers or import drivers?

And why aren't side skirts covering the wheels mandatory to prevent rain splash and tire shrapnel from exploding across lanes?

[Tobin S.]

38. The rate of cluelessness between import and domestic car drivers

seems to be about equal. :) Most people do alright.

You know, I'm not sure about the tire skirt deal. You might be on to something there. It might be because it would make inspection of the tires into a big job. Both truckers and motor carrier enforcment officers need to be able to check the condition truck tires on a regular basis. There are standards that truck tires must meet in order for them to be considered safe.

[DainBramaged]

91. If you had half doors that hinged on top and lifted up and away

the tires could be inspected easily. You could use a simple latching mechanism like on a garage door or pickup truck cap to hold them closed. You don't need much to keep spray and shrapnel inside the wheel well and projected down or out the back so the car next to the trailer isn't sprayed and to keep the 'fog' down behind the truck..

[Tobin S.]

102. Get to work, DainBramaged

You might make a million dollars with that idea.

[rug]

39. What do you think of Ice Road Truckers?

And have you met any truckers that look like Lisa?

[Tobin S.]

40. I've seen some good looking female truckers

I think ice truckers are crazy, though, and that's coming from a guy who has seen plenty of craziness in his time. I've actually only seen one episode of Ice Truckers and it was about driving across frozen lakes. I don't have any desire to do that no matter how well it pays.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

43. There's a new spinoff series

A few of the ice-road truckers are driving in the Himalayan Mountains on roads not much wider than goat paths. Their trucks are Tata Motors trucks with cabs made of wood.

I'm no truck driver, but I agree with you: There's nothing as nice as good pavement under the tires.

:hi:

[gmoney]

41. what kind of crazy stuff do you see looking down into the cars you pass?

or those that pass you...

[Tobin S.]

47. I don't do that very often

But I know a lot of truckers do. I'm usually up here jamming to some music and don't think to look inside the cars.

I'd say the craziet thing I've ever seen is a woman who was driving down the interstate dressed in nothing but her panties.

[ProfessorGAC]

42. What Do You Haul?

My dad drove a semi, but on short runs. He delivered milk to the supermarkets in Chicago's south suburbs. Did it for lot of years until the dairy industry went south due to the big co-ops in Michigan and Wisconsin.

And, i drove the band truck for many years! Does that count????
GAC

[Tobin S.]

48. I haul all sorts of stuff

Food, hazardous materials, building products, whatever. If they can fit it into a dry van trailer, I've probably hauled it. I haul LTL freight which means less than truckload. The company I'm leased to goes around a major city picking up small loads of freight all day. The city drivers bring it back to the terminal where it is sorted depending on where it's going. Then all of the small loads that are going in the same general direction are loaded into one big trailer. That's where I come in. I haul the combined load to it's destination and make the deliveries. I usually have from 2 to 5 stops to make and many of those stops are to different terminals where the freight is broke down and loaded on a city truck to make deliveries.

[jobycom]

44. Is that sudden air burst sound when a truck pulls alongside a car just to scare the driver to death?

And how come there are almost no rest stops in Louisiana?

[Tobin S.]

49. The sudden air burst may be the turbo

When the driver gets into the accelerator it fires up that turbo and it sucks a lot of air. If there is a bit of a whistling sound tpo go along with it that you've noticed it's more than likely the turbo.

I don't know about the rest areas in Lousiana. It's kind of a poor state, so maybe they don't have the extra dough for things like rest areas.

[jobycom]

52. This is more like a sudden pop of air, like the nozzle of an air compressor.

Sounds almost like an air gun. Makes me jump every time, even when I'm half expecting it. :)

[Tobin S.]

54. It's the purge valve for the air tanks

Truck brakes are operated by air pressure. When you are driving down the road, air slowly leaks out of the tanks causing the air compressor to engage. The air compressor will actually overfill the tanks a bit to ensure that there is enough pressure there. The purge valve then releases the excess air in the tanks. Then the cycle repeats.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

45. How do you deal with fatigue?

Do you think your driving is impaired when you're tired? Not that fatigue is unique to truckers. I can feel it when I'm driving a car or a bike.

[Tobin S.]

50. I stop and rest

There is no substitute for dealing with fatigue in my view. You have to rest.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

46. Are you still looking for a dog (or a dawg)?

As long as you're in Georgia ...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=105x9544320

[Tobin S.]

51. Nope. I don't think dawg and I were made for each other

We both like women. :)

[WildEyedLiberal]

53. Do you own your own rig, or drive for a company?

I have (well, had - one of them is retired and the other's in West Virginia so I don't know if he still drives) three uncles who are truckers. I think all of them owned their own rig and were independent operators. If you are an independent operator, how do you contract out for jobs? Do you take them weeks in advance, or days, or what? Are you given a timeline to deliver your goods (like you have to take a shipment from Atlanta to L.A in 48 hours, or something)?

This is a neat thread, thanks for posting it! I've enjoyed reading all the answers, and learning new things about trucking.

[Tobin S.]

56. I own my truck, but I am not considered an independent

because I have leased my truck to a company. I'm just an owner-operator. I have agreed to haul this company's freight in return for set rates.

My home terminal is in Cincinnati. I will start out there after calling them and telling them I'm ready to roll. They will load me and send me on my way, usually to another large city. In route to make those deliveries I will call the terminal that will be nearest to where I'm masking my deliveries. When I'm done with the Cincinnati load, I will then head to the next terminal and do the same deal.

I also have the flexibility with this company to haul outside loads if I find myself in an area where no terminal is close. I negotiate the rate and then the company I'm leased to handles the paperwork for a fee. So far I haven't had to do that, but I probably will after I delver my next load.

I'm glad you are enjoying the thread. :)

[WildEyedLiberal]

58. Very cool - thanks for the info

I bet you've eaten at some good roadside joints - any particular recommendations that stand out? Have you been to Wall Drug? Is it overrated? I love roadside Americana :)

Safe travels!

[Tobin S.]

60. I've been past Wall Drug, but I've never stopped in

From the highway, it doesn't look like they have much in the way of truck parking. I think the Petro truck stops have the best truck stop restaurants as far as the big chains go. One of the best meals I've ever had was at a motel resturant in the L.A. area. Awesome Mexican food. :9

[A HERETIC I AM]

85. Tobin, I've been into Wall Drug with an 18....

They have rather large parking areas, not only for cars but for busses and RV's. Unless it is totally packed, you wouldn't have a problem parking.

It's worth it, if for no other reason than to say you've been!

[cyndensco]

55. Have you ever been forced to use a runaway truck ramp?

If you have, once the truck stops, are you able to go in reverse, down the ramp, and rejoin traffic?

Must you report it so a highway crew may even it out for the next runaway truck?

I have always wondered......

[Tobin S.]

57. No, and when a truck uses one of those ramps it's a big deal

When going down a mountain grade, if a trucker uses his or her brakes too much they will start to heat up. As the brake drum heats up it also expands. The hotter it gets the more it expands causing the brake pads to have to reach farther and farther out to make contact with the drum. The drum will then expand the point where the brake pads cannot make sufficient contact with them to slow the truck. Then you have a runaway truck.

When a truck enters the runaway ramp it will sink down into it. This is by design as it helpes to slow the truck. The truck will then have to be pulled out of the ramp, the driver may be cited (I'm not sure about that one), and the truck may be in need of repair. It is also possible for the brakes to get so hot that it will cause the truck to catch fire.

[cyndensco]

61. Thanks for the information.

:hi:

[JonLP24]

59. Have you driven when your trailer brakes go out?

I drove semi-trucks in the Army. I'd close to 20,000 miles during my deployment and I had the trailer brakes go out on me twice. Not terribly difficult, just gotta increase your stopping distance.

[Tobin S.]

63. No, and Army trucks may be set up different than civilian trucks

as far as the braking system goes. On civilian trucks the brakes are operated by air pressure. When you lose air pressure to the trailer air supply the brakes will actually engage making you unable to move the trailer. The only ways you can lose the trailer brakes are if they are badly out of adjustment or if they are so hot that the drums have expanded past the contact point with the pads.

[JonLP24]

65. The trucks I used were air brakes

The first time it happened I must of turned to sharp because the hoses you connect from the trailer to the back of the truck snapped in half. Freightliner is the trucks and they have civilian counterparts. The second time I believe I got them too hot. Now that I think of it, (based on your other replies--you know far more about the vehicles than I do) I'm not sure what the issue was. All I know is it would take me longer to stop and I had to heavily rely on the engine brake.

Freightliner M915A2 is the truck if you want to look into it and maybe explain to me wth I'm talking about. :)

[Tobin S.]

67. The way I understand it on the older trucks

that were in civilian use you could lose the brakes, but the way I described it above is the way trucks have been since I've been a trucker which is 1996. The Army may have been using older technology. If I snap the air line going to the trailer, the trailer brakes will engage immediately.

[JonLP24]

70. Interesting

Anyways looking at it, it was the M915A3 we drove overseas, the A2 was driven in the US. I see the A3 was originally manufactured in 2000. I know the Army doesn't build them, they are manufactured at the Freightliner plant in Portland (which we as a unit visited several times--stationed Ft. Lewis, WA). The Army does up-armor them and customize them in several ways such as adding very bright ass lights--especially for lead vehicles. Though nothing performance based AFAIK.

I wonder what it is--but perhaps if you're driving down the dangerous roads of Iraq or Afghanistan you can't have your trailer locking up. I know in my situations we weren't able to correct the problem until we got to our next destination. So that might be why they are different.

[Arugula Latte]

62. Do you got your chips cashed in? And what in the world ever became of sweet Jane?

Is it true she lost her sparkle and isn't the same?

;)

[Tobin S.]

64. Is that a reference to a Velvet Underground tune?

I'm not sure of the reference. If it's about dope, the hardest thing I do is a nicotine and caffeine cocktail. :)

[Arugula Latte]

137. Actually it's a reference to the Grateful Dead song "Truckin'"

First thing that popped into my head -- sorry! :hi:

[av8rdave]

106. It's the reds, vitamin C and cocaine that are getting to her

[madinmaryland]

66. Do you think that truck drivers should be allowed to have sex in toll booths??

It is illegal in Harrisburg, PA. I suppose that means it is legal in Delaware.

:shrug:

[Tobin S.]

68. Sure, as long as the toll booth is closed so no one gets held up

waiting for the happy couple.

[Old Troop]

69. What pisses you off most on the road?

[Tobin S.]

71. People who intentionally do dangerous things around other motorists

Cutting in front of someone closely and hitting the brakes because they want to punish the other driver for not driving fast enough for them. Motorcyclists doing wheelies in heavy traffic. Cutting people off. Road rage. Drunken driving.

Seriously, I try to think of other motorists as my friends. If you drive with that mentality you will be a much safer driver.

[cynatnite]

72. My husband is a trucker. I don't have anything to ask:) n/t

[Tobin S.]

73. Truck it up, Mr. cynatnite

:thumbsup:

[kimi]

75. Very interesting thread, thanks

I've driven a lot, mostly interstates in Iowa, Nebraska, Colorado, and my favorite, Wyoming. (Cause a lot of those roads are close to empty and you can just enjoy the drive without the traffic.)

I've stopped at accidents in CO and NE to assist medically. Usually extremely traumatic stuff, very bloody. I've seen truckers on the other side of the interstate stop at accidents too. Do you personally stop, if you see accidents, or what is the general "protocol" among truckers regarding motor vehicle accidents not involving their own rigs? I've always wondered.

[Tobin S.]

76. If I happen upon an accident scene

I will stop to see if I can help. But there is usually not much I can do aside from offering a blanket. If an inury ivolves anything more than a bandaid to fix up I'm clueless. I do have a cell phone and I will call for help when I see an accident happen. That's about the best I can do.

[kimi]

77. Thanks for the reply.

Some of my most vivid nursing memories involve stopping at those MVAs. One really hit me hard, to this day I can't see a whiff of smoke off in the distance without my heart starting to pound.

Offering a blanket is a great thing, actually. It can help in shocky situations. I stopped at one accident on I80 in Nebraska where a teenage kid was wandering around - on a broken ankle, no less - and his mom was in the bed of a Bronco while I tried to keep pressure on her facial wounds. I had the people there make the kid lay down with a blanket over him, he was totally in shock and first-responders hadn't gotten there yet.

Like I say, vivid memories.

[qnr]

78. How come we don't have flying semi-trailers yet? n/t

[Tobin S.]

79. I've often thought that I wish my truck could fly

Usually when I'm stuck in some massive traffic jam. :)

[sakabatou]

90. Like the one used in the Cowboy Bebop ep, "Heavy Metal Queen?"

Sorry, you'll have to wait.

[pokerfan]

80. So, in other words,

you're a Road Scholar!

[Tobin S.]

82. I guess you could say that :)

I've learned a lot out here on the road, and not just about trucking. I've learned a great deal about my own inner workings and about life in general. When you have to get down the road 11 hours at a time, you are bound to do some serious thinking. Especially if you are alone most of the time.

[Skittles]

81. is it true what they say about truckers?

TELL THE TRUTH, TOBIN

[Tobin S.]

83. I don't know

What do they say about truckers?

[Skittles]

84. that they're awesome in bed because if it gets worn out

they just get a new Peterbuilt :D

[Tobin S.]

86. lol

I thought of a few dirty ones when you asked me, but I restrained myself. It's probably a good thing, too, because I might have gotten a post deleted in my own happy little thread. :)

I haven't gotten a new Peterbilt yet because my old one is still going strong. Probably because it's a low mileage vehicle. :D

[A HERETIC I AM]

94. An oldie but a goodie....

3 women who are good friends have lunch together once a week.

One is the wife of a doctor, one the wife of a lawyer and the 3rd the wife of a truck driver.

The doctor's wife says "You know girls, things are really going well for me and my man, in fact they are going so well we are buying a new car."

The lawyers wife says "Yeah! Things are going real well for us too! In fact, we are about to go on an extended vacation in Europe."

The truckers wife says "well, things are going OK for us, I mean, I love my husband to death, but we can't afford to buy new cars and take long vacations, but I'll say this about my husband; When he has an erection, 12 canaries can sit on it."

Well, the girls sit and chat for a while and then the doctors wife starts to feel a little guilty.

She says "Girls, I have a confession to make. Things aren't really going that well for us at all. In fact, what with the rising cost of malpractice insurance and the economy cutting down on elective surgeries, the reason we're buying a new car is because we had to sell the Mercedes and the Jag and we're buying a Buick."

The Lawyers wife starts to feel guilty as well and she says "Well, things aren't really going too well for us either. In fact, there has been a malpractice suit filed against my husband and HIS attorney suggested we get out of the country for a few weeks."

The truckers wife says "Well, since you are both being honest. You know those twelve canaries I was talking about?




...



"That 12th one has to flap pretty hard to stay on there."




Hee hee.

One of my favorite trucker jokes.

[Skittles]

105. LOL OMG STOP IT

:rofl:

[A HERETIC I AM]

112. ....

:evilgrin:

[lizerdbits]

87. Are there limits on what amuonts and types of hazmats can be in the tuck at once?

I ask because I've shipped various dangerous goods (formalin, ethanol, methanol) and as shippers we were told it was the person driving it that determines if they have to placard the vehicle (flammable, corrosive, etc). Most of mine were shipped by air according to IATA regulations, which for some things were more strict than ground transport, but I'm still curious.

[Tobin S.]

89. Shippers in trucking usually provide the placards that a trucker needs

It is up to the trucker to make sure that the placards are the correct ones by looking at the hazardous materials table and regulations, but I've never come across a shipper who had it wrong. I did run across a shipper that wanted me to transport a hazardous load without placards and that is a big no-no. I don't know why they wanted me to do that.

There is something called the Segregation Table that determines what hazardous materials can be loaded with other ones and how they must be loaded to be transported safely. I think the only limit on the amount of a hazardous substance that can be transported is the legal weight limit that the truck can carry for most anything else. There may be some exeptions, but I've never run across that.

[lizerdbits]

103. Is it cheaper to ship non hazmat?

It is when I use FedEx, there's always an additional charge for dangerous goods. Someone may have not wanted to ship according to regulations to avoid cost and paperwork (DG declaration), though I'm not sure how the cost issue works for large loads that you pick up as opposed to FedEx/World Courier picking up my 1 or 2 boxes. If there was no cost or paperwork increase for the shipper, then that's just strange.

[Tobin S.]

104. I think so. I get paid more to haul hazmat loads.

In trucking now days, a driver has to be certified by the federal government to get the hazmat endorsement. It is also more dangerous to haul hazmat and requires extra care and adherence to more regulations. A permit is also required. It costs more money for all of that and the extra cost probably gets passed on to the shipper.

[Inchworm]

88. You ever end up with "extra" freight?

A few times with my dad the guy at warehouse would say things like...

"We have you down for 100 boxes and you have 102.. take these with you."

Does that still happen?

:hi:

[Tobin S.]

93. Yes, at grocery warehouses

I try to stay away from those places despite the possibility of getting free stuff. But I've gotten a case of aluminum foil before, several cases of microwaveable popcorn, and a case of some kind of spice. I still dislike grocery warehouses though. Costco is the only one that I've found that will treat you like a driver instead of a dock worker or a financer of free labor (lumpers).

[sakabatou]

92. Does the show "Ice Road Truckers" come close to real life trucking?

[Tobin S.]

95. I've only seen one episode, but from what I can tell

ice road truckers face some challenges that most truckers don't have to deal with.

[sakabatou]

98. Would you ever want to do the Dalton

Or what they have now, any roads around the Himelayans or in India?

[Tobin S.]

100. I'm satisfied with trucking it up here in the lower 48

I get all of the adventure I can handle right here. I'm also sane. :D

[sakabatou]

101. Cool

[Tobin S.]

96. dupe

[Dappleganger]

97. Do you own your own rig or drive someone else's?

We had a neighbor back when we lived in VA who leased his own but now drives for someone else. He used to be gone all the time but now has a more limited route closer to home so he can be with his family. I know he's a lot happier although not making as much money.

[Tobin S.]

99. I own mine

Yeah, there are sacrifices that must be made in trucking no matter what kind of trucking you do. I'm currently a long haul driver, but there is a woman back home who I've gotten to know who I really like. Things are going to have to change if I expect to be able to be with her. She's not asking me to change, but I don't want to be in a relationbship where I only get to see someone for 48 hours once every two weeks. It wouldn't be fair to her and I wouldn't like myself very well.

[kimi]

111. Glad to hear this, Tobin.

That's cool!

[applegrove]

107. I had a summer job working for the department of motor vehicles. I used

to test truck drivers when they came to renew their license. I felt bad because there I was saying "wrong...sorry...(something about a fifth wheel coupler). You'll have to take the test again at some other date" when I had absolutely no idea what I was talking about but I had a multiple choice test and the 'key' to which choices were right or wrong. I always felt bad about that. Mostly drivers got the answers right...but still.

[travelingtypist]

108. Backing up.

I drove a F250/5th wheel combo for a while and couldn't back the damn trailer up to save my life. I know it's smaller scale, but what's the trick? How did you learn how to follow the trailer in?

[Tobin S.]

117. You have to think in reverse of the way you back a car

It just takes some practice and it's easier to learn if you have someone to show you how it's done. I'm still not the world's best backer. I see a some drivers who are better at it than I am. But I can get the job done.

[travelingtypist]

124. My dad, trucker, tried to show me.

It was a disaster -- that turn the wheel right if you want the trailer to go left thing is really hard.

Next question -- do you drive at night mostly? And if you do, do you set out to run with a group of trucks or does it happen by accident when you're on the road? If a car were to want to hang with you for a while, what's best, in front, in back, or not at all?

I pay attention to trucks because of Dad and I always love the thanks I get from you guys when I yield or flash hey, you're past me now.

[zen_bohemian]

109. Do you honk your horn when little kids in passing cars do the "pull the horn" sign?

just wondering, I used to do it all the time when I was a kid

[kimi]

110. Oh yeah!!

When my dad was military we drove across the States many times. Kept a tally of the truckers who'd respond to that.

My brother and I had a competition of who'd get the most "Honks".

He won every time. :(

[Tobin S.]

118. Yep

Unless I'm in heavy traffic. I don't want to startle anyone.

[Orrex]

113. How many trucker-bombs have you left on the roadside?

And where?

[Tobin S.]

119. If you are refering to throwing out piss bottles, I don't do that.

[Capn Sunshine]

114. WTF are "Jake Brakes" ?

And why are there signs in some towns saying "no jake brakes"?

[Tobin S.]

120. A jake brake is an engine compression brake

Their proper use is for down grades. I'm not sure exactly how they work, but they somehow create more compression in the engine that helps keep the truck slowed down so the trucker doesn't have to use his or her brakes so much on a grade and risk over-heating them.

An engine brake on a truck with straight pipes is very noisy. That's why they are outlawed in some towns.

[A HERETIC I AM]

125. The Jacobs Engine retarder essentially alters exhaust valve timing.

The device opens the exhaust valve just before Top Dead Center on the compression stroke. By releasing this compressed air and by eliminating the combustion, no new energy is transferred to the down-stroke of the piston. Since the forward motion of the vehicle is essentially forcing the piston up, if the compressed air is released at the right moment, the engine and thus the vehicle slows down. When installed on a typical in-line 6 cylinder Diesel, it is a simple matter to allow for either 2, 4 or all six cylinders to be activated, thus the term "3 stage Jake".

This page from the Jacobs website shows how they work pretty well;

http://www.jakebrake.com/products/how-the-jake-brake-works.php

As far as their "Proper use" is concerned, they are perfectly suitable for use at all times as an extra measure of safety, as leaving the switch to the on position allows the Jake to be engaged either when the accelerator pedal is released, the air brakes are applied or the cruise control is de-activated, which can be done on all trucks so equipped with a simple tap of the clutch pedal.

[likesmountains 52]

115. Ia a "jake brake" the same as an engine brake? Why do some towns have signs stating

"Use of engine brake prohibited"? I did a lot of interstate driving in the 70s and learned that when passing a semi to flash my brights as warning...then when merging back in to the right hand lane the trucker would flash his lights to show me that it was safe to get back in his lane. Are these old customs that have died?
I love your tales Tobin and thanks for this thread.

[Tobin S.]

121. Yes. Look to the post above yours for the jake brake deal

Truckers still flash their lights at each other during lane changes, but probably not as often as they used to.

[MrMickeysMom]

116. Do you think I-80 should be tolled in PA?

I'll bet you're going to say, "who cares, I don't drive that avenue", eh?

[Tobin S.]

122. No. I have to cover the toll road expense so I think they should all be abolished

:)

Are they thinking about turning that stretch of 80 into a toll road?

[MrMickeysMom]

126. Yeah, they were....

Don't worry, our new Republican Governor and useless General Assembly will be too busy not taxing the Marcellus Shale industry, who will fix all the roads to their water treatment plants!

:sarcasm:

[guitar man]

123. Are the brokers treating you good

Getting good loads?

I remember when I was real young back in the late 60s and Dad was a O/O it was a rough way to go. He worked his ass off at it and didn't make much money at all. I hope that has changed for all you O/Os out there.

[DoBotherMe]

127. I don't understand the road tax thing

I live in Iowa and there is considerable truck traffic along the 80 corridor, and the state is constantly maintaining it. I'm just wondering how the upkeep gets paid for because I know truckers have to pay for permits, licenses, and such. Do you get levied in Iowa? Thanks! Dana ; )

[Bertha Venation]

129. Will any truckers be driving on Thanksgiving day?

I am driving that day to Tennessee. Normally there's pretty heavy truck traffic. What kind of traffic do you think I can expect that day -- two weeks from tomorrow?

:hi: :hug:

Edited to add: will be driving from Washington, DC area to Knoxville, TN area. Most of the drive is on 81.

[Old Troop]

130. Tobin thank you so much for this OP. It is one of the most interesting

that I've read in a long time.

[Manifestor_of_Light]

135. I will NOT ask about self-employed women in truck parking lots...

:D

[Bucky]

136. How do you stay awake on the long hauls?

When I had a job that involved driving between major Texas cities, I'd have to sing along with the oldies to stay awake (better than coffee). What technique do you use to keep from plowing into Pintos full of orphans?