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Ask a professional truck driver questions.

Started by SteveG1988, July 26, 2014, 08:49:25 AM

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Brandon

Quote from: vdeane on August 25, 2014, 10:20:47 PM
How are people so bad at driving that people slam into vehicles pulled over on the shoulder?

The ones who do are usually (99% of the time) drunk over the limit.  Yet, we need the law to address drunk twits who won't pay any heed to the law anyway.
"If you think this has a happy ending, you haven't been paying attention." - Ramsay Bolton

"Symbolic of his struggle against reality." - Reg


PColumbus73

I think it's perfectly reasonable to move over, or at least slow down, when passing stopped vehicles on the Interstate/freeway. It is the same concept as moving over to let a car merge onto the freeway.

PColumbus73

Here is another truck question: Which is better, Flat nosed trucks or Long nosed trucks?

Crazy Volvo Guy

Classic long hoods with the set-forward axle ride and track better due to their long wheelbase.  Cab-overs (flat nose) really shine in tight spaces, at the expense of ride quality and tracking down the road (being more sensitive to steering input isn't as good as it may seem on the highway).  Modern aerodynamic hooded trucks, with the set-back axle, are a bit of a compromise.
I hate Clearview, because it looks like a cheap Chinese ripoff.

I'm for the Red Sox and whoever's playing against the Yankees.

SteveG1988

Volvo, what is your least favorite interstate. For me it is a tie between I-77/64 (west Virginia Turnpike) and I-68, due to the terrain. I have not been out near the rockies as we rarely haul out there.
Roads Clinched

I55,I82,I84(E&W)I88(W),I87(N),I81,I64,I74(W),I72,I57,I24,I65,I59,I12,I71,I77,I76(E&W),I70,I79,I85,I86(W),I27,I16,I97,I96,I43,I41,

02 Park Ave

What is VMT?

What is your opinion about driving on the I-80/94 in Nw Indiana & Chicagoland?
C-o-H

SteveG1988

Quote from: 02 Park Ave on September 16, 2014, 05:59:22 PM
What is VMT?

What is your opinion about driving on the I-80/94 in Nw Indiana & Chicagoland?

Vehicle Miles Traveled, it has to do with the IFTA i think, as a driver i do not deal with that.

And it is about the same as traveling in any other city, just be on guard and do your best. Avoid if needed.
Roads Clinched

I55,I82,I84(E&W)I88(W),I87(N),I81,I64,I74(W),I72,I57,I24,I65,I59,I12,I71,I77,I76(E&W),I70,I79,I85,I86(W),I27,I16,I97,I96,I43,I41,

Crazy Volvo Guy

Quote from: SteveG1988 on September 16, 2014, 03:19:38 PM
Volvo, what is your least favorite interstate. For me it is a tie between I-77/64 (west Virginia Turnpike) and I-68, due to the terrain. I have not been out near the rockies as we rarely haul out there.

I-40 through the gorge, in western NC, hands-down.  50mph and no passing.  And it's not the 50mph that bugs me, it's actually about as fast as you want to go through there, it's the no passing, because there's always someone holding everyone up going 35-40.  Often times it's some punk asshole in a car who thinks he's being real funny.

Quote from: 02 Park Ave on September 16, 2014, 05:59:22 PM
What is your opinion about driving on the I-80/94 in Nw Indiana & Chicagoland?

Hate it.
I hate Clearview, because it looks like a cheap Chinese ripoff.

I'm for the Red Sox and whoever's playing against the Yankees.

Crazy Volvo Guy

And since I deem this to be The Official Truckers' Thread of AARoads™, I'm going to add this thought:

There need to be more Sheetz truck stops.  Like, a lot more.  Only two I know of are in DuBois, PA and Mt. Jackson, VA.

And the Mt. Jackson location is almost all blind-side parking, so F a bunch of that.
I hate Clearview, because it looks like a cheap Chinese ripoff.

I'm for the Red Sox and whoever's playing against the Yankees.

SteveG1988

Quote from: Crazy Volvo Guy on September 18, 2014, 10:42:37 AM
And since I deem this to be The Official Truckers' Thread of AARoads™, I'm going to add this thought:

There need to be more Sheetz truck stops.  Like, a lot more.  Only two I know of are in DuBois, PA and Mt. Jackson, VA.

And the Mt. Jackson location is almost all blind-side parking, so F a bunch of that.

We need WaWa truck stops, or at least Co-Branding with a truck stop. Wawa-Flying J?
Roads Clinched

I55,I82,I84(E&W)I88(W),I87(N),I81,I64,I74(W),I72,I57,I24,I65,I59,I12,I71,I77,I76(E&W),I70,I79,I85,I86(W),I27,I16,I97,I96,I43,I41,

hbelkins

Quote from: Crazy Volvo Guy on September 18, 2014, 10:30:45 AM
I-40 through the gorge, in western NC, hands-down.  50mph and no passing.

No passing?


Government would be tolerable if not for politicians and bureaucrats.

Scott5114

That section of I-40 bans trucks from the left lane, so there would be no way for a truck to pass.

As an aside, my dad is from North Carolina and has a fervent belief that trucks should not be allowed in the left lane at any time. We instantly understood where this belief came from the first time we entered NC and saw the restrictions.
uncontrollable freak sardine salad chef

SteveG1988

Quote from: hbelkins on September 18, 2014, 02:29:06 PM
Quote from: Crazy Volvo Guy on September 18, 2014, 10:30:45 AM
I-40 through the gorge, in western NC, hands-down.  50mph and no passing.

No passing?

Sometimes you may see passing lines, but doing that on a mountain can be a major risk in a semi, since sometimes the road has an odd crown, shifting your weight when you go over it.
Roads Clinched

I55,I82,I84(E&W)I88(W),I87(N),I81,I64,I74(W),I72,I57,I24,I65,I59,I12,I71,I77,I76(E&W),I70,I79,I85,I86(W),I27,I16,I97,I96,I43,I41,

Crazy Volvo Guy

Quote from: Scott5114 on September 18, 2014, 02:59:16 PMmy dad is from North Carolina and has a fervent belief that trucks should not be allowed in the left lane at any time.

Let's stick 'im behind the wheel of one of these things and watch how fast he changes his mind about that.
I hate Clearview, because it looks like a cheap Chinese ripoff.

I'm for the Red Sox and whoever's playing against the Yankees.

hbelkins

Quote from: Scott5114 on September 18, 2014, 02:59:16 PM
That section of I-40 bans trucks from the left lane, so there would be no way for a truck to pass.

I suspected as much. It's been awhile since I've been on that stretch and I couldn't remember if that was the case or not.


Government would be tolerable if not for politicians and bureaucrats.

SteveG1988

To be fair, no vehicle should occupy the left lane except to pass.
Roads Clinched

I55,I82,I84(E&W)I88(W),I87(N),I81,I64,I74(W),I72,I57,I24,I65,I59,I12,I71,I77,I76(E&W),I70,I79,I85,I86(W),I27,I16,I97,I96,I43,I41,

allniter89

#166
Quote from: Crazy Volvo Guy on September 18, 2014, 10:30:45 AM
I-40 through the gorge, in western NC, hands-down.  50mph and no passing.
Yeah I 40 is a pita through there. I cant recall the number but it was a huge fine if you got caught in the left lane. But after following a 30-35mph truck a few miles, some of us took the chance and used the left lane at night. But only if I could pass quickly, I didnt pass trucks running above 45mph. Usually I'd wait for a local driver (Roadway, Yellow, ABF etc) to go 1st b/c they ran that stretch multiple times daily so they knew where the bears usually hung out. IIRC the lane restriction is b/c too many supertruckers tried to go too fast and rolled their truck closing the road, there is plenty of room for two trucks to pass. I've ran 60mph thru there in the very early a.m. when theres little traffic, it depends what kind of freight I was carrying.
Quote from: SteveG1988 on September 19, 2014, 07:31:25 AM
To be fair, no vehicle should occupy the left lane except to pass.
AMEN!!!
Quote from: SteveG1988 on September 16, 2014, 03:19:38 PM
Volvo, what is your least favorite interstate. For me it is a tie between I-77/64 (west Virginia Turnpike) and I-68, due to the terrain. I have not been out near the rockies as we rarely haul out there.
Like SteveG1988 one of my least favorite interstates is I/77/64 b/c I'd load 44k of beer from the old Strohs Brewery in Winston-Salem and carry it to somewhere in Ohio so most of the trip was mountains. Beer is very unstable freight so even when I got to the relatively flat area south of Charleston I had to behave b/c the road followed the river & it was one curve into another. , I Also I 68 b/c its all hills, I 80/94, complete chaos, I 95 too busy!
Quote from: Crazy Volvo Guy on August 28, 2014, 12:17:01 AM
Classic long hoods with the set-forward axle ride and track better due to their long wheelbase.  Cab-overs (flat nose) really shine in tight spaces, at the expense of ride quality and tracking down the road (being more sensitive to steering input isn't as good as it may seem on the highway).  Modern aerodynamic hooded trucks, with the set-back axle, are a bit of a compromise.
I drove a cab-over a 13 letter shit spreader International truck the 1st 13 yrs of my career, god awful truck, no protection if you get hit in front, awful ride, when you drove over a painted line on the hwy you felt the bump :-D Finally I got my Volvo hood, night & day difference. I was ready to quit driving after 13 yrs in the cab-over, I got the Volvo & I drove another 14 yrs. I could put a cup of coffee w/out a top in the cup holder and wouldnt spill a drop on a relatively smooth hwy, try that in a cab-over!
BUY AMERICAN MADE.
SPEED SAFELY.

Duke87

Quote from: Scott5114 on September 18, 2014, 02:59:16 PM
my dad is from North Carolina and has a fervent belief that trucks should not be allowed in the left lane at any time.

This makes some sense IF there are at least three travel lanes in each direction. Then "no trucks in the left lane" still leaves them two lanes to work with. Most NYC expressways prohibit trucks (along with buses and trailers) from the left lane, in order to help traffic flow. And it does work wonders - if you're stuck in traffic on the Cross Bronx, get in the left lane. It ALWAYS moves better than the other two lanes, sometimes a lot better. Until a truck breaks the rule and gets in it, then the left lane stops until the truck moves back over. Magic!
And even when there isn't congestion, it is fairly assumed that trucks will not be the fastest vehicles on the road.

But if there are only two travel lanes then it's kind of dickish to truckers to have such a policy.
If you always take the same road, you will never see anything new.

Zmapper

Quote from: Duke87 on September 20, 2014, 02:15:47 AM
Quote from: Scott5114 on September 18, 2014, 02:59:16 PM
my dad is from North Carolina and has a fervent belief that trucks should not be allowed in the left lane at any time.

This makes some sense IF there are at least three travel lanes in each direction. Then "no trucks in the left lane" still leaves them two lanes to work with. Most NYC expressways prohibit trucks (along with buses and trailers) from the left lane, in order to help traffic flow. And it does work wonders - if you're stuck in traffic on the Cross Bronx, get in the left lane. It ALWAYS moves better than the other two lanes, sometimes a lot better. Until a truck breaks the rule and gets in it, then the left lane stops until the truck moves back over. Magic!
And even when there isn't congestion, it is fairly assumed that trucks will not be the fastest vehicles on the road.

But if there are only two travel lanes then it's kind of dickish to truckers to have such a policy.

More broadly, a paradox with urban highways exists. Highways flow substantially better, even at peak hours, when all vehicles are travelling at or near the same speed, such as if trucks are banned. Anecdotal reports say that Lake Shore Drive in Chicago, where trucks are banned (several frequent bus routes use it, though) manages to avoid the worst congested that regular expressways (or your example of the Cross Bronx Expressway) incur. To improve traffic flow, divert trucks from urban highways.

On the other hand, trucks and urban areas don't mix. Truck drivers have substantially impaired vision compared to automobiles, are less nimble, and take up large amounts of road space. Bluntly put, the chance of a truck running over an eight year old is far higher on a city street than on a highway. To improve safety, divert trucks to urban highways.

SteveG1988

Quote from: allniter89 on September 20, 2014, 01:51:31 AM
Quote from: Crazy Volvo Guy on September 18, 2014, 10:30:45 AM
I-40 through the gorge, in western NC, hands-down.  50mph and no passing.
Yeah I 40 is a pita through there. I cant recall the number but it was a huge fine if you got caught in the left lane. But after following a 30-35mph truck a few miles, some of us took the chance and used the left lane at night. But only if I could pass quickly, I didnt pass trucks running above 45mph. Usually I'd wait for a local driver (Roadway, Yellow, ABF etc) to go 1st b/c they ran that stretch multiple times daily so they knew where the bears usually hung out. IIRC the lane restriction is b/c too many supertruckers tried to go too fast and rolled their truck closing the road, there is plenty of room for two trucks to pass. I've ran 60mph thru there in the very early a.m. when theres little traffic, it depends what kind of freight I was carrying.
Quote from: SteveG1988 on September 19, 2014, 07:31:25 AM
To be fair, no vehicle should occupy the left lane except to pass.
AMEN!!!
Quote from: SteveG1988 on September 16, 2014, 03:19:38 PM
Volvo, what is your least favorite interstate. For me it is a tie between I-77/64 (west Virginia Turnpike) and I-68, due to the terrain. I have not been out near the rockies as we rarely haul out there.
Like SteveG1988 one of my least favorite interstates is I/77/64 b/c I'd load 44k of beer from the old Strohs Brewery in Winston-Salem and carry it to somewhere in Ohio so most of the trip was mountains. Beer is very unstable freight so even when I got to the relatively flat area south of Charleston I had to behave b/c the road followed the river & it was one curve into another. , I Also I 68 b/c its all hills, I 80/94, complete chaos, I 95 too busy!
Quote from: Crazy Volvo Guy on August 28, 2014, 12:17:01 AM
Classic long hoods with the set-forward axle ride and track better due to their long wheelbase.  Cab-overs (flat nose) really shine in tight spaces, at the expense of ride quality and tracking down the road (being more sensitive to steering input isn't as good as it may seem on the highway).  Modern aerodynamic hooded trucks, with the set-back axle, are a bit of a compromise.
I drove a cab-over a 13 letter shit spreader International truck the 1st 13 yrs of my career, god awful truck, no protection if you get hit in front, awful ride, when you drove over a painted line on the hwy you felt the bump :-D Finally I got my Volvo hood, night & day difference. I was ready to quit driving after 13 yrs in the cab-over, I got the Volvo & I drove another 14 yrs. I could put a cup of coffee w/out a top in the cup holder and wouldnt spill a drop on a relatively smooth hwy, try that in a cab-over!

Amen, Also i love how it is all rolling terrain up to the VA state line on 77...then the mountains decide to fuck you in the ass with the 6.5 mi long 1,500 Ft rise. "welcome to the mountains, abandon hope all truckers who enter here"
Roads Clinched

I55,I82,I84(E&W)I88(W),I87(N),I81,I64,I74(W),I72,I57,I24,I65,I59,I12,I71,I77,I76(E&W),I70,I79,I85,I86(W),I27,I16,I97,I96,I43,I41,

Crazy Volvo Guy

Quote from: SteveG1988 on September 20, 2014, 08:47:18 AMAmen, Also i love how it is all rolling terrain up to the VA state line on 77...then the mountains decide to fuck you in the ass with the 6.5 mi long 1,500 Ft rise. "welcome to the mountains, abandon hope all truckers who enter here"

Even my gutless POS manages to maintain 40 up Fancy Gap, it's really not that bad.  Hell, I went up it for the hell of it this morning. (Okay, not really - I brain-farted and went the wrong way after pulling out of the Love's at the 1)  If you want a climb, try Sandstone on for size, or hell, try going up 219 southbound out of Ridgway, PA; steep enough that trucks aren't allowed going down into Ridgway (northbound).
I hate Clearview, because it looks like a cheap Chinese ripoff.

I'm for the Red Sox and whoever's playing against the Yankees.

SteveG1988

Quote from: Crazy Volvo Guy on September 23, 2014, 12:03:27 AM
Quote from: SteveG1988 on September 20, 2014, 08:47:18 AMAmen, Also i love how it is all rolling terrain up to the VA state line on 77...then the mountains decide to fuck you in the ass with the 6.5 mi long 1,500 Ft rise. "welcome to the mountains, abandon hope all truckers who enter here"

Even my gutless POS manages to maintain 40 up Fancy Gap, it's really not that bad.  Hell, I went up it for the hell of it this morning. (Okay, not really - I brain-farted and went the wrong way after pulling out of the Love's at the 1)  If you want a climb, try Sandstone on for size, or hell, try going up 219 southbound out of Ridgway, PA; steep enough that trucks aren't allowed going down into Ridgway (northbound).

Mine does 35-45 depending on load up it
Roads Clinched

I55,I82,I84(E&W)I88(W),I87(N),I81,I64,I74(W),I72,I57,I24,I65,I59,I12,I71,I77,I76(E&W),I70,I79,I85,I86(W),I27,I16,I97,I96,I43,I41,

Molandfreak

Passed my commercial permit test today... Under Steve Gum's logic, I'm now a professional truck driver. :-D
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on December 05, 2023, 08:24:57 PM
AASHTO attributes 28.5% of highway inventory shrink to bad road fan social media posts.

SteveG1988

Quote from: Molandfreak on September 23, 2014, 06:08:10 PM
Passed my commercial permit test today... Under Steve Gum's logic, I'm now a professional truck driver. :-D

No, you have to get hired by a company and get behind the wheel with a load before that starts.
Roads Clinched

I55,I82,I84(E&W)I88(W),I87(N),I81,I64,I74(W),I72,I57,I24,I65,I59,I12,I71,I77,I76(E&W),I70,I79,I85,I86(W),I27,I16,I97,I96,I43,I41,

Laura

These questions are for all of the truckers in this thread.

1. What is your travel range? Are there states you pass through more than others?

2. All of the companies previously named are long distance ones, correct? If you wanted to only drive locally, the companies that do that are local, right?

3. How often are you on interstates vs US highways and local roads?


iPhone



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