I know that myself and The crazy Volvo guy both are professional truck drivers, so ask us questions about what it's like, where we've been, crazy stuff, or even highway questions. But keep the questions clean and professional.
When you're off the clock, how much time do you get to actually enjoy wherever you've stopped for the night?
As someone who is seriously considering getting a Class A CDL: Why do drivers put up with driving for Schneider Nat'l when you're limited to well under the speed limit on most non-urban freeways?
Quote from: on_wisconsin on July 26, 2014, 10:05:53 AM
As someone who is seriously considering getting a Class A CDL: Why do drivers put up with driving for Schneider Nat'l when you're limited to well under the speed limit on most non-urban freeways?
Seeing how they don't pay their OTR drivers very well, I'm not quite sure; but then, people drive for Werner, Swift and C.R. England... the 3 worst companies to drive for, period. And Werner pays OTRs worse than Schneider. Schneider is at least a halfway decent company to drive for.
Quote from: The Nature Boy on July 26, 2014, 08:50:31 AMWhen you're off the clock, how much time do you get to actually enjoy wherever you've stopped for the night?
10 hours minimum by law. That said, I usually have enough time to where I can take an extra hour or two, and still make delivery with time to spare.
What's the largest rig/combo you've driven? Some of the Michigan configurations are impressive: http://www.hankstruckpictures.com/martin_phippard_trailers_07.html
How much of a role does CB radio serve anymore for truck drivers, with all the new technology available (cell phones, GPS, etc.). Some of my friends and I used to drive around with them 20 years ago (in cars), and there were still plenty of truckers on channel 19. This Father's Day my wife bought me a portable CB with a little magnet mount antenna, probably after hearing me talking about it once, and I tried it out. I heard very little chatter, even out on the highways. There used to be a lot of locals on the other channels (at least where I was at the time in the Philadelphia area) back in the early 90s which I figure have probably migrated to the internet for 'social time', but I thought I still might get a few trucks here and there. To be fair my test run was a bit limited, but it did include some freeway time.
Quote from: Roadrunner75 on July 26, 2014, 02:28:12 PM
How much of a role does CB radio serve anymore for truck drivers, with all the new technology available (cell phones, GPS, etc.). Some of my friends and I used to drive around with them 20 years ago (in cars), and there were still plenty of truckers on channel 19. This Father's Day my wife bought me a portable CB with a little magnet mount antenna, probably after hearing me talking about it once, and I tried it out. I heard very little chatter, even out on the highways. There used to be a lot of locals on the other channels (at least where I was at the time in the Philadelphia area) back in the early 90s which I figure have probably migrated to the internet for 'social time', but I thought I still might get a few trucks here and there. To be fair my test run was a bit limited, but it did include some freeway time.
We use CB to figure out traffic jams, what lane to be in.
Some do. Most of these sensitive girls shut their radios off all the time because they don't want to hear "BS on the radio" - mine's on unless I'm sleeping.
Quote from: SteveG1988 on July 26, 2014, 02:48:09 PM
Quote from: Roadrunner75 on July 26, 2014, 02:28:12 PM
How much of a role does CB radio serve anymore for truck drivers, with all the new technology available (cell phones, GPS, etc.). Some of my friends and I used to drive around with them 20 years ago (in cars), and there were still plenty of truckers on channel 19. This Father's Day my wife bought me a portable CB with a little magnet mount antenna, probably after hearing me talking about it once, and I tried it out. I heard very little chatter, even out on the highways. There used to be a lot of locals on the other channels (at least where I was at the time in the Philadelphia area) back in the early 90s which I figure have probably migrated to the internet for 'social time', but I thought I still might get a few trucks here and there. To be fair my test run was a bit limited, but it did include some freeway time.
We use CB to figure out traffic jams, what lane to be in.
Good to hear CB is not completely dead then. There was a MAD Magazine article many years ago (probably 80s or 90s) called 'Get a Life' with one of the examples being "If you still use CB Radio and you're not a licensed trucker - Get a Life!". This was with a cartoon of some guy in a small car yapping on a CB while a trucker looks scornfully down at him. We probably got some of that, but we mostly stayed on the other channels. Someday I will find out if 'Mousetrap' is still 'shooting skip' down at the Dunkin' Donuts.
Why do truckers drive side by side down an interstate for 20 miles so no one can pass? I've had this happen late at night many times
iPhone
Because desk jockeys who wear a suit and tie and make entirely too much money to drive a desk all day seem to think road-speed governors are a great idea for everyone. In reality it just results in 63mph drag races, because too many people are stubborn.
The government needs to ban these things, but the in$$$urance companies and the ATA have too much $$$pull$$$ for that to happen.
Quote from: Arkansastravelguy on July 26, 2014, 03:54:51 PM
Why do truckers drive side by side down an interstate for 20 miles so no one can pass? I've had this happen late at night many times
iPhone
When your truck is governed at 64, and you're passing a truck that's governed at 62, or even doing it on a hill, you will have problems
Well, driving side by side for 20 miles is more like a truck that's governed to 64.7 trying to pass a truck that's governed to 64.4. Of course the "change" in those figures is mainly due to different tire wear.
Also, I should note that when I see a truck slightly passing me, I turn the jakes on and drop a few mph to let the passing truck get on by.
This is extremely uncommon today. The selfishness phenomenon that has a stranglehold on society as a whole is to blame for this.
Quote from: Crazy Volvo Guy on July 26, 2014, 05:47:02 PM
Also, I should note that when I see a truck slightly passing me, I turn the jakes on and drop a few mph to let the passing truck get on by.
This is extremely uncommon today. The selfishness phenomenon that has a stranglehold on society as a whole is to blame for this.
I try to do that as well, also letting trucks pull ahead of me since I know my truck will block em on the hill. Dd13/435hp with a 10sp auto pulling 75k up a hill is fun
Quote from: SteveG1988 on July 26, 2014, 07:03:32 PM
10sp auto
There are big rigs with automatic transmissions now? How well do they work?
I've always been under the impression that heavy trucks require manual transmissions in order to properly handle hills, although I suppose it is theoretically possible to design an automatic that takes that into account.
Something else I'm curious about: who is responsible for maintaining the vehicle (replacing/rotating tires, keeping fluids at proper levels, etc.)? Are the intervals at which these things are required similar to cars or can a truck handle more miles between work?
Quote from: SteveG1988 on July 26, 2014, 07:03:32 PMI try to do that as well, also letting trucks pull ahead of me since I know my truck will block em on the hill. Dd13/435hp with a 10sp auto pulling 75k up a hill is fun
Damn, Maverick's been bitten by the 13 liter bug too? They held out with the DD15s for awhile. That's a shame. What's the torque? My old truck had an ISX15 Cummins, 435/1550, I could out climb a lot...
Current truck has a DD13 "500" and a 10 speed road ranger. It's cut back in the most infuriating way possible, there's an artificial turbo lag programmed into it above 55. When you hit/get below 55 pulling a hill you can feel it suddenly pick up the power (and hear the turbo suddenly spool up a lot more). So stupid, and a huge waste of fuel (forcing me to downshift much sooner and more frequently is a GREAT IDEA to save fuel!...if you have an IQ of -15.)
Quote from: Duke87 on July 26, 2014, 08:24:36 PM
Quote from: SteveG1988 on July 26, 2014, 07:03:32 PM
10sp auto
There are big rigs with automatic transmissions now? How well do they work?
I've always been under the impression that heavy trucks require manual transmissions in order to properly handle hills, although I suppose it is theoretically possible to design an automatic that takes that into account.
Something else I'm curious about: who is responsible for maintaining the vehicle (replacing/rotating tires, keeping fluids at proper levels, etc.)? Are the intervals at which these things are required similar to cars or can a truck handle more miles between work?
First question. They don't make them like a car.
The transmission in this truck is an eaton fuller 10 speed non syncromesh gearbox, with an automated shifter (X/Y axis) and clutch, air operated, so mechanically it is a manual with an automated bit tacked on. They work fairly decent though, just hill starts require using the brake pedal with the left foot.
The Maintence stuff....Depends on what you are.
Are you a company driver, using a company truck? If so, then you only top off fluids, and you get scheduled for Preventative Maint. 50,000 mi is a typical oil change inverval, due to a 40+ quart oil sump. The tire wear can be tricky to gauge, basically it all depends on what you are doing, are you doing 75,000 lb gross weight runs? or are you doing mostly 50k runs? Do you have super singles, one wide tire versus duals, etc. With my company all i am allowed to do is replace the light bulbs on the tractor/trailer, top off fluids, and clean it. I am not even allowed to wire in my own CB or radio.
Mr. Volvo, can you state your experience level, since it is higher than mine.
For me: Less than 2 weeks on the road experience, been around the industry for almost two years, was a fuel guy at my last company, driving the fuel truck around their trucking company yard, so i picked up some pearls of wisdom on the maint side of things.
Quote from: Crazy Volvo Guy on July 26, 2014, 08:37:04 PM
Quote from: SteveG1988 on July 26, 2014, 07:03:32 PMI try to do that as well, also letting trucks pull ahead of me since I know my truck will block em on the hill. Dd13/435hp with a 10sp auto pulling 75k up a hill is fun
Damn, Maverick's been bitten by the 13 liter bug too? They held out with the DD15s for awhile. That's a shame. What's the torque? My old truck had an ISX15 Cummins, 435/1550, I could out climb a lot...
Current truck has a DD13 "500" and a 10 speed road ranger. It's cut back in the most infuriating way possible, there's an artificial turbo lag programmed into it above 55. When you hit/get below 55 pulling a hill you can feel it suddenly pick up the power (and hear the turbo suddenly spool up a lot more). So stupid, and a huge waste of fuel (forcing me to downshift much sooner and more frequently is a GREAT IDEA to save fuel!...if you have an IQ of -15.)
DD13/435/1550, The axle gearing may be the problem, geared to get about 7.8 mpg. It pulls fine, just in the hills of arkansas/tn/ky it loses power. Otherwise it is great on the highway. I think it likes to stick in 10th on hills, as i am with a trainer i do not want to experiment with the manual mode just yet.
Quote from: Duke87 on July 26, 2014, 08:24:36 PMThere are big rigs with automatic transmissions now? How well do they work?
I've always been under the impression that heavy trucks require manual transmissions in order to properly handle hills, although I suppose it is theoretically possible to design an automatic that takes that into account.
Yes, although they are only automatics in the sense that they shift automatically. They are in fact automated manuals
Quote from: Duke87 on July 26, 2014, 08:24:36 PMSomething else I'm curious about: who is responsible for maintaining the vehicle (replacing/rotating tires, keeping fluids at proper levels, etc.)? Are the intervals at which these things are required similar to cars or can a truck handle more miles between work?
That depends. Company drivers are responsible financially for nothing (unless damaged or excessively worn items are classified as "driver abuse" which at some companies can result in termination, and at most companies will result in the cost of repair/replacement being deducted from the driver's pay.) Lease-operators and owner-operators are responsible for everything, although depending on the company, they may get a discount for using the company's preferred partners and/or the company's shops.
Quote from: Crazy Volvo Guy on July 26, 2014, 08:41:32 PM
Quote from: Duke87 on July 26, 2014, 08:24:36 PMThere are big rigs with automatic transmissions now? How well do they work?
I've always been under the impression that heavy trucks require manual transmissions in order to properly handle hills, although I suppose it is theoretically possible to design an automatic that takes that into account.
Yes, although they are only automatics in the sense that they shift automatically. They are in fact automated manuals
Quote from: Duke87 on July 26, 2014, 08:24:36 PMSomething else I'm curious about: who is responsible for maintaining the vehicle (replacing/rotating tires, keeping fluids at proper levels, etc.)? Are the intervals at which these things are required similar to cars or can a truck handle more miles between work?
That depends. Company drivers are responsible for nothing (unless damaged or excessively worn items are classified as "driver abuse" which at some companies can result in termination, and at most companies will result in the cost of repair/replacement being deducted from the driver's pay.) Lease-operators and owner-operators are responsible for everything, although depending on the company, they may get a discount for using the company's preferred partners and/or the company's shops.
Quite good answer.
Maverick is picky about their trucks, due to their 5 year trade cycle. They do not want to have them abused/misused.
Quote from: on_wisconsin on July 26, 2014, 10:05:53 AM
As someone who is seriously considering getting a Class A CDL: Why do drivers put up with driving for Schneider Nat'l when you're limited to well under the speed limit on most non-urban freeways?
It is due to them taking...ANYBODY...yes ANYBODY. My company, Maverick, will not hire just anybody, they put you through orientation, a week long job interview, which has both a DOT and a company physical, fail the company physical, you go home. But that means you can go work for CR England, or Swift, etc. Basically, if you need a fresh start they are the ones who will be most likely to work with someone that has a bad driving record, as a bad driving record becomes part of the company's CSA score. That CSA score can cost contracts.
Quote from: SteveG1988 on July 26, 2014, 05:31:29 PM
Quote from: Arkansastravelguy on July 26, 2014, 03:54:51 PM
Why do truckers drive side by side down an interstate for 20 miles so no one can pass? I've had this happen late at night many times
iPhone
When your truck is governed at 64, and you're passing a truck that's governed at 62, or even doing it on a hill, you will have problems
And you should stay behind the guy doing 62. You're making your problem everybody else's.
Quote from: bugo on July 26, 2014, 09:01:28 PM
Quote from: SteveG1988 on July 26, 2014, 05:31:29 PM
Quote from: Arkansastravelguy on July 26, 2014, 03:54:51 PM
Why do truckers drive side by side down an interstate for 20 miles so no one can pass? I've had this happen late at night many times
iPhone
When your truck is governed at 64, and you're passing a truck that's governed at 62, or even doing it on a hill, you will have problems
And you should stay behind the guy doing 62. You're making your problem everybody else's.
I kinda agree with this. When I'm traveling and I'm on an unfamiliar stretch of road (particularly mountain roads) if I'm holding up traffic I pull over and let the faster traffic pass. It's road etiquette.
iPhone
Quote from: Arkansastravelguy on July 26, 2014, 09:05:00 PM
Quote from: bugo on July 26, 2014, 09:01:28 PM
Quote from: SteveG1988 on July 26, 2014, 05:31:29 PM
Quote from: Arkansastravelguy on July 26, 2014, 03:54:51 PM
Why do truckers drive side by side down an interstate for 20 miles so no one can pass? I've had this happen late at night many times
iPhone
When your truck is governed at 64, and you're passing a truck that's governed at 62, or even doing it on a hill, you will have problems
And you should stay behind the guy doing 62. You're making your problem everybody else's.
I kinda agree with this. When I'm traveling and I'm on an unfamiliar stretch of road (particularly mountain roads) if I'm holding up traffic I pull over and let the faster traffic pass. It's road etiquette.
iPhone
Sometimes though you do not wanna be behind that unit because you want to have a better sight line ahead, and also more reaction time. it is actually safer in the long run to pass, also it doesn't take that long to pass a 62mph truck at 64, the truck i am in has an automatic braking thing for the cruise, it will keep some space between me and a slower vehicle, and that can be annoying when you are going down an declinewhere you can pick up speed to use to get up the next incline
I like this thread and hope to learn more about truck courtesy. I'm a 4 - wheeler but I always have Ch 19 on when I'm on the road.
What are the most common, or worse mistakes we 4 - wheelers make when interacting with rigs on the highway?
And is there a truckers' code that they don't communicate with a 4 - wheeler even in a "situation" on the road, like pulling out to pass or pulling in front of me?
Thanks.
Quote from: rocky roads on July 26, 2014, 09:29:23 PM
I like this thread and hope to learn more about truck courtesy. I'm a 4 - wheeler but I always have Ch 19 on when I'm on the road.
What are the most common, or worse mistakes we 4 - wheelers make when interacting with rigs on the highway?
And is there a truckers' code that they don't communicate with a 4 - wheeler even in a "situation" on the road, like pulling out to pass or pulling in front of me?
Thanks.
I do not know about the CB thing, but one of the "Sins" you can commit as the driver of a passenger vehicle, Maverick hates the term 4 wheeler, it dehumanizes the car, since by saying 4 wheeler, you take the person out of it.
The main one, if you see us trying to change lanes, do not zoom past us, particularlly on the right hand side, you will dissapear into a blind spot. The other sins, do not ride the rear bumper, remember this fact, the vehicle weighs up to 80,000 lbs, and it takes a lot longer to stop than your car, and that is not even including the ammount of time it takes to react and throw on the brakes, and if i lock up the brakes i will jack knife. If you see my turn signal on, do not try and go around me though, as that will just cause issues.
I try at all costs not to pass on the right hand side of a rig unless the driver flat out refuses to get over (which isn't often). The only problem I have with trucks is when they impede the flow of traffic. I try to be as cordial as possible, most truckers are good people just tryin to make a living
iPhone
I drive a smaller truck every day and I must say it does seem that large trucks are considerate for the most part. Downtown Columbus especially is a confusing stretch for unfamiliar motorists but in general I can count on the trucks to get right into the middle lane after the heavy merge points and hang out, so thanks for being predictable and leaving the right lane open for grandmas to croak along :)
Quote from: SteveG1988 on July 26, 2014, 09:34:14 PM
The other sins, do not ride the rear bumper, remember this fact, the vehicle weighs up to 80,000 lbs, and it takes a lot longer to stop than your car, and that is not even including the ammount of time it takes to react and throw on the brakes, and if i lock up the brakes i will jack knife. If you see my turn signal on, do not try and go around me though, as that will just cause issues.
Pretty sure that me riding your rear bumper will have no impact on your stopping distance (unless it's in the positive). In fact, you getting up my ass is a lot scarier, especially in traffic where stops happen suddenly.
How often are runaway truck ramps actually used?
Are there more of you on the road late at night, or does it just seem that way because there are fewer of us? This is when the car-truck negotiations seem to be most involved.
When I was working for the city street department, I drove a Peterbilt Automatic Transmission tandem real axle dump truck. It was really nice not having to shift manually, especially since almost all of or driving was in the city.
Quote from: 6a on July 26, 2014, 10:29:27 PM
I drive a smaller truck every day and I must say it does seem that large trucks are considerate for the most part. Downtown Columbus especially is a confusing stretch for unfamiliar motorists but in general I can count on the trucks to get right into the middle lane after the heavy merge points and hang out, so thanks for being predictable and leaving the right lane open for grandmas to croak along :)
Quote from: SteveG1988 on July 26, 2014, 09:34:14 PM
The other sins, do not ride the rear bumper, remember this fact, the vehicle weighs up to 80,000 lbs, and it takes a lot longer to stop than your car, and that is not even including the ammount of time it takes to react and throw on the brakes, and if i lock up the brakes i will jack knife. If you see my turn signal on, do not try and go around me though, as that will just cause issues.
Pretty sure that me riding your rear bumper will have no impact on your stopping distance (unless it's in the positive). In fact, you getting up my ass is a lot scarier, especially in traffic where stops happen suddenly.
It is more like, you may run Into me, due to me having to make a quick stop. Since you will be unable to see it, you will have less reaction time.
I used to have a CB in my old car. If a truck driver had a tire sparking because the steel belt was showing, or a light out on their tractor or trailer, I would let him/her know about it. Do y'all, as truck drivers, appreciate those reminders?
Quote from: andrewkbrown on July 26, 2014, 11:57:08 PMHow often are runaway truck ramps actually used?
It varies by location, but I recall (from an Arizona DOT study of the I-17 truck ramps) that a typical ramp is used several times a year.
My own questions:
* If an eighteen-wheeler goes down a runaway truck ramp, is it still drivable, or is the undercarriage completely ruined?
* Is there a trucking firm for which use of a ramp is not grounds for instant termination?
Quote from: J N Winkler on July 27, 2014, 01:43:25 PM
Quote from: andrewkbrown on July 26, 2014, 11:57:08 PMHow often are runaway truck ramps actually used?
It varies by location, but I recall (from an Arizona DOT study of the I-17 truck ramps) that a typical ramp is used several times a year.
My own questions:
* If an eighteen-wheeler goes down a runaway truck ramp, is it still drivable, or is the undercarriage completely ruined?
* Is there a trucking firm for which use of a ramp is not grounds for instant termination?
First question, depends on speed and ramp design. Some have flipped trucks.
Quote from: J N Winkler on July 27, 2014, 01:43:25 PM
* Is there a trucking firm for which use of a ramp is not grounds for instant termination?
Surely that would have to be decided on an individual, case-by-case basis. Equipment can fail on anybody at any time.
For runaway ramps my faves are at Fancy Gap on I-77 coming into NC. If you get distracted by the gorgeous view to your left on that 7 mile descent you can count on a runaway ramp every mile or so on the right.
Quote from: hbelkins on July 27, 2014, 04:39:41 PM
Quote from: J N Winkler on July 27, 2014, 01:43:25 PM
* Is there a trucking firm for which use of a ramp is not grounds for instant termination?
Surely that would have to be decided on an individual, case-by-case basis. Equipment can fail on anybody at any time.
Correct. Some companies consider certain accidents avoidable/preventable, rear end something, you could have prevented it, stuff like that.
Quote from: Arkansastravelguy on July 26, 2014, 10:00:03 PM
I try at all costs not to pass on the right hand side of a rig unless the driver flat out refuses to get over (which isn't often). The only problem I have with trucks is when they impede the flow of traffic. I try to be as cordial as possible, most truckers are good people just tryin to make a living
Is it still considered discourteous to pass on the right when the truck has chosen to stay in the middle lane (of 3) to avoid repeated lane changes? If I'm cruising in the right lane and I come up on a truck going slower in the lane to my left, does the driver prefer that I cut over two lanes just to go around him on the left instead of the right?
I used to have a CB in my old car. If a truck driver had a tire sparking because the steel belt was showing, or a light out on their tractor or trailer, I would let him/her know about it. Do y'all, as truck drivers, appreciate those reminders?
This is the typical situation that I was wondering about in my above post about truckers not talking to non-trucker vehicles on the road. Is it a waste of time to tell someone he left his blinker on for the last 5 miles or one of his running lights is out?
I'm just full of trucker questions here tonight and this is the place I might get some answers.
For example, when breaking channel for a rig you're following most drivers call out the carrier name on the back of the trailer. When responding to a break and if you don't know who you're talking to you just hail that person as "driver".
Protocol for truckers? Do I dare use these terms as a non trucker?
Quote from: empirestate on July 27, 2014, 07:10:20 PM
Quote from: Arkansastravelguy on July 26, 2014, 10:00:03 PM
I try at all costs not to pass on the right hand side of a rig unless the driver flat out refuses to get over (which isn't often). The only problem I have with trucks is when they impede the flow of traffic. I try to be as cordial as possible, most truckers are good people just tryin to make a living
Is it still considered discourteous to pass on the right when the truck has chosen to stay in the middle lane (of 3) to avoid repeated lane changes? If I'm cruising in the right lane and I come up on a truck going slower in the lane to my left, does the driver prefer that I cut over two lanes just to go around him on the left instead of the right?
As long as you do it in a quick manner, and not ride along the side, I have no issues with this, I try to ride the right lane, only using the center as needed or if there is a left exit
Quote from: Arkansastravelguy on July 26, 2014, 09:05:00 PM
Quote from: bugo on July 26, 2014, 09:01:28 PM
Quote from: SteveG1988 on July 26, 2014, 05:31:29 PM
Quote from: Arkansastravelguy on July 26, 2014, 03:54:51 PM
Why do truckers drive side by side down an interstate for 20 miles so no one can pass? I've had this happen late at night many times
iPhone
When your truck is governed at 64, and you're passing a truck that's governed at 62, or even doing it on a hill, you will have problems
And you should stay behind the guy doing 62. You're making your problem everybody else's.
I kinda agree with this. When I'm traveling and I'm on an unfamiliar stretch of road (particularly mountain roads) if I'm holding up traffic I pull over and let the faster traffic pass. It's road etiquette.
Texas drivers are great. They will actually pull over onto the shoulder to let you pass them on two lane highways. It doesn't hurt that many Texas 2 laners have nice wide paved shoulders.
Quote from: Steve Gum on July 26, 2014, 09:10:48 PM
Quote from: Arkansastravelguy on July 26, 2014, 09:05:00 PM
Quote from: bugo on July 26, 2014, 09:01:28 PM
Quote from: Steve Gum on July 26, 2014, 05:31:29 PM
Quote from: Arkansastravelguy on July 26, 2014, 03:54:51 PM
Why do truckers drive side by side down an interstate for 20 miles so no one can pass? I've had this happen late at night many times
iPhone
When your truck is governed at 64, and you're passing a truck that's governed at 62, or even doing it on a hill, you will have problems
And you should stay behind the guy doing 62. You're making your problem everybody else's.
I kinda agree with this. When I'm traveling and I'm on an unfamiliar stretch of road (particularly mountain roads) if I'm holding up traffic I pull over and let the faster traffic pass. It's road etiquette.
iPhone
Sometimes though you do not wanna be behind that unit because you want to have a better sight line ahead, and also more reaction time. it is actually safer in the long run to pass, also it doesn't take that long to pass a 62mph truck at 64, the truck i am in has an automatic braking thing for the cruise, it will keep some space between me and a slower vehicle, and that can be annoying when you are going down an declinewhere you can pick up speed to use to get up the next incline
It's not safer for the "four wheelers" behind you. They tend to get bunched up and will often ride your ass until you are allowed to pass them. They also have to slow down which is dangerous.
Once I was on I-40 eastbound between Webbers Falls and Sallisaw in Oklahoma and a UPS truck pulled out in front of me to pass another truck. He stayed even with the truck for at least 15 miles despite me flashing my lights at him and honking my horn. He was obviously doing this just to be an asshole. When I exited onto US 59, he was still micropassing the other truck. So I lay on the horn and flipped him off when I exited. What a dick.
Quote from: Arkansastravelguy on July 26, 2014, 10:00:03 PM
I try at all costs not to pass on the right hand side of a rig unless the driver flat out refuses to get over (which isn't often). The only problem I have with trucks is when they impede the flow of traffic. I try to be as cordial as possible, most truckers are good people just tryin to make a living
I have to pass trucks on the right all the time. I'll be driving on a 6 lane highway and the truck will be in the far left (passing) lane and there will be no cars in the other two lanes and they will refuse to get over. They get honked at and/or brake checked when they pull that shit.
Quote from: Steve Gum on July 27, 2014, 06:48:20 PM
Quote from: hbelkins on July 27, 2014, 04:39:41 PM
Quote from: J N Winkler on July 27, 2014, 01:43:25 PM
* Is there a trucking firm for which use of a ramp is not grounds for instant termination?
Surely that would have to be decided on an individual, case-by-case basis. Equipment can fail on anybody at any time.
Correct. Some companies consider certain accidents avoidable/preventable, rear end something, you could have prevented it, stuff like that.
Do they punish you if, say, your brakes fail? That seems unfair.
Quote from: Crazy Volvo Guy on July 26, 2014, 10:35:26 AM
Quote from: on_wisconsin on July 26, 2014, 10:05:53 AM
As someone who is seriously considering getting a Class A CDL: Why do drivers put up with driving for Schneider Nat'l when you're limited to well under the speed limit on most non-urban freeways?
Seeing how they don't pay their OTR drivers very well, I'm not quite sure; but then, people drive for Werner, Swift and C.R. England... the 3 worst companies to drive for, period. And Werner pays OTRs worse than Schneider. Schneider is at least a halfway decent company to drive for.
Quote from: The Nature Boy on July 26, 2014, 08:50:31 AMWhen you're off the clock, how much time do you get to actually enjoy wherever you've stopped for the night?
10 hours minimum by law. That said, I usually have enough time to where I can take an extra hour or two, and still make delivery with time to spare.
Swift: Sure Wish I Finished Training!
I also was a professional truck driver for eight years (October 1999-January 2008). I drove for an expediting company out of Cincinnati with a six-wheel truck that maxed at 65 mph. I had a Class B CDL and drove all across the country. It was a job I enjoyed a lot.
In response to the opinions on the slow trucks "racing", I knew the limitations of my vehicle and would pass only when I knew I could complete it. There were some times I started to pass, realized I could not get by, and just settled in behind the vehicle ahead of me. Of course, out in the Midwest and West, I lived in the right lane in the lands of 75 mph speed limits.
I hated the split speed limits in some of the states, especially Ohio and Illinois where it used to be 55 mph. It sure would be better to drive a truck in those states now as the speed limit is now uniform. I could go further in 10 or 11 hours if I had to go to the Northeast or Upper Midwest.
So, if anyone has questions about driving for an expedited company or for a company which uses the six-wheel trucks (I dislike the term "box truck"--sorry) and does local only deliveries, feel free to ask me.
Quote from: bugo on July 27, 2014, 10:07:27 PM
Quote from: Steve Gum on July 27, 2014, 06:48:20 PM
Quote from: hbelkins on July 27, 2014, 04:39:41 PM
Quote from: J N Winkler on July 27, 2014, 01:43:25 PM
* Is there a trucking firm for which use of a ramp is not grounds for instant termination?
Surely that would have to be decided on an individual, case-by-case basis. Equipment can fail on anybody at any time.
Correct. Some companies consider certain accidents avoidable/preventable, rear end something, you could have prevented it, stuff like that.
Do they punish you if, say, your brakes fail? That seems unfair.
It depends on the company. I would say that 3 out of 4 times that the brake failure is preventable. It also depends on how much the payload weighs.
There are many places along our interstate system where they have trucks six wheels and over pull off to check brakes before heading down a mountain. Some of these places are:
-I-64 east of Beckley, WV at exit 133 before heading down Sandstone Mountain
-I-68 east of Morgantown, WV at exit 15 before heading down the mountain toward Cheat Lake
-I-24 eastbound at the top of Monteagle Mountain
This does not necessarily mean that the brakes may not fail. I did smoke my brakes heading down Sandstone once because I was carrying 12,000 pounds in my six-wheeler. Once I saw they were smoking, I pulled over by the runaway truck ramp (the first one) and sat there for 30 minutes until the brakes cooled down. I sure did not want to start a fire as that would engulf not only the tires but the box as well.
How many states have split speed limits still? I know Michigan does, but are there others?
Is there a good reason for them?
I believe California does still. Arkansas either still does or used to (70/65). Tennessee has them in the Knoxville/Great Smoky Mountains area (65/55).
The general opinion on split speed limits was to slow down the heavier vehicles to prevent "really bad accidents." Of course, it would not matter if you were involved in a wreck with an 18-wheeler going 55 or 70, you were going to get hurt very badly or die. The reasoning behind the Knoxville split speeds is that trucks would use less emissions while driving through the area and would not harm the ecosystem as much.
Another opinion was that these split speeds were in place for law enforcement to catch those truckers who would go over the 55 mph speed limit and increase the local government's income.
What happened with some of the states that rescinded the split speeds is that they found traffic flowed better with a uniform speed limit. Before, you would have trucks jockeying for position, cars stuck behind the slower trucks while a train of traffic going 65-70 was in the left lane trying to avoid getting behind said trucks, and there was just no "flow" with the traffic. Like I said above, I disliked the split speeds. I felt I was in many people's way.
Quote from: The Nature Boy on July 27, 2014, 10:57:07 PM
How many states have split speed limits still? I know Michigan does, but are there others?
Is there a good reason for them?
Indiana does - 5 mph slower than auto traffic (70/65, 65/60)
Illinois does in IDOT District 1 (Cook, DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry, & Will Counties) - 55 mph
1. Can an Owner-Operator actually make any decent money anymore, or is it just a lot less? Fifteen years ago, it seemed the truck firms were paying something like 40-45 cents a mile to the O/O, and about half as much to those driving the company's vehicles. Fast-forward to today, and it seems the typical O/O rate at many firms hasn't changed, unless I'm mistaken.
Having seen the tremendous maintenance and repair bills at heavy truck repair shops let alone the exotic sports car prices for new or used rigs, it even floors me to think how expensive that could get for a privateer.
2. Do you get paid to perform exhaust regeneration as necessary? Seems to kill a good 45-60 minutes out of your month (sorry if this is a sore spot with you).
[Simple logic...I've never understood the slower truck limits for anything other than a winding road or somewhere very steep.]
Quote from: formulanone on July 28, 2014, 03:59:31 PM1. Can an Owner-Operator actually make any decent money anymore, or is it just a lot less? Fifteen years ago, it seemed the truck firms were paying something like 40-45 cents a mile to the O/O, and about half as much to those driving the company's vehicles. Fast-forward to today, and it seems the typical O/O rate at many firms hasn't changed, unless I'm mistaken.
Mistaken. Freight rates are all over the place, but the average for being an O/O or L/O for a big company is around 1.10/mi at the moment. Most companies pay on a sliding scale depending on the mileage of the run, now, but it's rarely less than $1.00/mi. Deadhead (empty) miles average around .75/mi.
Quote from: formulanone on July 28, 2014, 03:59:31 PMHaving seen the tremendous maintenance and repair bills at heavy truck repair shops let alone the exotic sports car prices for new or used rigs, it even floors me to think how expensive that could get for a privateer.
Just gotta remember that not all the money the truck makes is yours, and act as such.
Quote from: formulanone on July 28, 2014, 03:59:31 PM2. Do you get paid to perform exhaust regeneration as necessary? Seems to kill a good 45-60 minutes out of your month (sorry if this is a sore spot with you).
I never have to manual regen unless I'm doing a 34-hour reset in the summer, as my truck is opti-idle and has no summertime idle reduction equipment, and it won't auto-regen when idling, only when going down the road. I usually have to regen once per reset in that case.
Quote from: formulanone on July 28, 2014, 03:59:31 PM[Simple logic...I've never understood the slower truck limits for anything other than a winding road or somewhere very steep.]
Well, I completely under$tand the logic behind the $plit $peed limit$. If they really wanted to keep everyone safe by splitting the car/truck speeds, they'd need to have the truck speed be 35mph or less. That's never going to happen on a freeway, so...
Quote from: amroad17 on July 27, 2014, 10:34:46 PMSwift: Sure Wish I Finished Training!
Swift: See What I F#%#-up Today. Stop Whining, I'm F@%$ing Training. See What Insurance Fixes Today.
Werner: We Employ Retards, No Experience Required.
C.R. England: Caution Recruits, Every New Graduate Leaves After Ninety Days.
Crete: C.R. England Training Equipment.
J.B. Hunt: Just Been Hired, Unfortunately Not Trained.
U.S. Xpress - Useless Xpress
Here's another question. Seeing all the trucks that willfully sit in traffic on the Cross Bronx makes me wonder...
How much freedom do you have as a driver to determine your own route? Are you allowed to take a route that is longer distancewise to avoid traffic and get there faster? If not, why not?
Depends on the company. Mine has been very flexible in this regard, but some companies do have forced routing. I will not go through NYC unless there is no way to avoid it; a recent example being a multi-stop load I hauled a couple months back. Stop 1 was in Edison, NJ, and stop 2 was in North Grosvenor Dale, CT. Bypassing NYC in that situation would have likely taken as much time as sitting in the traffic did, so I just went through. Otherwise, I take 81 to 84 to 90 when going to New England.
Where I work, routing isn't exactly forced, you are told it is zip code to zip code and are told how many mi the company says it will take, you get paid for that, keeping it under 10% out of reccomemded route miles, like a 100 mi trip, go 108mi, you're fine, 112 they question. Do it under, they look at that for performance based pay, up to 6 cents per mile more for performance based pay, they look at a lot for that, safety, out of route, mpg, etc.
RM-824_nam_att_101
Is C.R. England that bad?
I had a friend who did the training and got fired soon after. It did a number on his self-esteem.
We've heard about the crappy truck companies, so which ones are the 'good' companies? From the driver's perspective.
Quote from: triplemultiplex on July 29, 2014, 03:10:17 AM
We've heard about the crappy truck companies, so which ones are the 'good' companies? From the driver's perspective.
Maverick is one of the best, only three divisions, or business units as they call them. Glass, flat bed, temperature control. Pay is towards the upper end, 35 cents per mile with an average between 2100 and 2400 depending on division. Glass starts at 40 cents.
I've heard prime can be decent. Tmc as well, but tmc is 100% flatbed. Rohel might be good, but the instructors at my driving school had no info on em, good or bad.
What's the general feeling about the show-biz trucking companies–Upstaging, Clark Transfer, Janco, Stage Call etc.? Good reputation as companies to work for, or not so much? Is it a relatively elite niche, or more towards the bottom?
Quote from: empirestate on July 29, 2014, 08:31:46 AM
What's the general feeling about the show-biz trucking companies–Upstaging, Clark Transfer, Janco, Stage Call etc.? Good reputation as companies to work for, or not so much? Is it a relatively elite niche, or more towards the bottom?
Odds are they are Teamster jobs, 99.9% sure of that. So their pay must be somewhat decent, I would put them down as salaried drivers, who do not do a lot of miles.
How do you feel about engine brake prohibitions? I have mixed feelings as an engineer. I would prefer that trucks be able to maximize their braking at all times for safety reasons, and a properly adjusted jake brake doesn't spit out much noise, but those trucks with improperly modified jake brakes are incredibly obnoxiously loud. Another example of a few ruining it for the masses.
Quote from: SteveG1988 on July 29, 2014, 06:49:06 AM
Maverick is one of the best, only three divisions, or business units as they call them. Glass, flat bed, temperature control. Pay is towards the upper end, 35 cents per mile with an average between 2100 and 2400 depending on division. Glass starts at 40 cents.
What does "glass" mean in trucking?
How much experience do you have?
Quote from: Crazy Volvo Guy on July 28, 2014, 10:16:02 PM
Swift: See What I F#%#-up Today. Stop Whining, I'm F@%$ing Training. See What Insurance Fixes Today.
Werner: We Employ Retards, No Experience Required.
C.R. England: Caution Recruits, Every New Graduate Leaves After Ninety Days.
Crete: C.R. England Training Equipment.
J.B. Hunt: Just Been Hired, Unfortunately Not Trained.
U.S. Xpress - Useless Xpress
what about Gordon?
I've had two Gordons nearly kill me in the last few years.
one was a "move over or slow down" automaton who jerked the wheel left when I was passing him. I ended up in the median, and had to slam the brakes nearly down to 0mph (on the freeway!) to not end up in a bridge abutment when the median narrowed.
the other one was passing three-wide up a hill on US-12 in eastern Washington. two lanes uphill, one lane down. I was coming down the hill, and there he was in my lane. I have no idea how we managed to get four wide on a three-lane road, but somehow we did.
Quote from: kkt on July 29, 2014, 01:01:23 PM
Quote from: SteveG1988 on July 29, 2014, 06:49:06 AM
Maverick is one of the best, only three divisions, or business units as they call them. Glass, flat bed, temperature control. Pay is towards the upper end, 35 cents per mile with an average between 2100 and 2400 depending on division. Glass starts at 40 cents.
What does "glass" mean in trucking?
You haul glass. Like a lot of it, at once, on a flat bed.
Wow, I was way off on the O/O bit - definitely remembered that amount incorrectly.
Do you ever use the truck stop showers? Or would you rather check into a hotel to de-funk?
Average miles driven per year?
Quote from: Crazy Volvo Guy on July 28, 2014, 10:58:28 PM
Depends on the company. Mine has been very flexible in this regard, but some companies do have forced routing. I will not go through NYC unless there is no way to avoid it; a recent example being a multi-stop load I hauled a couple months back. Stop 1 was in Edison, NJ, and stop 2 was in North Grosvenor Dale, CT. Bypassing NYC in that situation would have likely taken as much time as sitting in the traffic did, so I just went through. Otherwise, I take 81 to 84 to 90 when going to New England.
I've heard stories about trucks going through NYC that sound like something that should be on Snopes. Stuff like being stuck in traffic and having people break into the back of the truck. Any truth to that? My first reaction would be the driver's in on it but you never know these days.
Quote from: formulanone on July 29, 2014, 04:01:25 PM
Wow, I was way off on the O/O bit - definitely remembered that amount incorrectly.
Do you ever use the truck stop showers? Or would you rather check into a hotel to de-funk?
Average miles driven per year?
Truck stop showers are decent as long as it's a major chain. Used one at a petro that was on par with a hotel shower only unit, kept really clean too, with a private toilet. You earn free showers with a 50gal purchase of fuel. Average per year for miles varies, 20-2400 a week is average
Quote from: 6a on July 29, 2014, 04:57:27 PM
I've heard stories about trucks going through NYC that sound like something that should be on Snopes. Stuff like being stuck in traffic and having people break into the back of the truck. Any truth to that? My first reaction would be the driver's in on it but you never know these days.
More likely to happen on local streets than on the highway. And more likely to have happened in the 70s and 80s than in the 21st century.
I don't know about that particular scheme but the idea of someone, say, getting robbed at gunpoint at a red light would have been not unheard of in those days. There used to be neighborhoods in the city where smart drivers understood that a red light meant "slow down, make sure no one's coming the other way, then keep going", since stopping could get you into trouble.
Couple of weather questions :)
What is the craziest weather phenomenon you've seen?
Has your truck ever been blown over or ever been close to being blown over by strong crosswinds?
Quote from: ET21 on July 30, 2014, 01:11:30 AM
Couple of weather questions :)
What is the craziest weather phenomenon you've seen?
Has your truck ever been blown over or ever been close to being blown over by strong crosswinds?
Deadheading from Ottawa to Chicago (Illinois) one day, I found myself under a pop-up thunderstorm. Got hit with a severe wind gust, glanced in the mirror to find the trailer tandems up off the ground on the left side. I quickly pulled over and had to sit there and regain my composure for a few minutes.
Quote from: Crazy Volvo Guy on July 30, 2014, 09:18:29 AM
Deadheading from Ottawa to Chicago (Illinois) one day, I found myself under a pop-up thunderstorm. Got hit with a severe wind gust, glanced in the mirror to find the trailer tandems up off the ground on the left side. I quickly pulled over and had to sit there and regain my composure for a few minutes change my underwear.
FIFY.
Quote from: hbelkins on July 30, 2014, 11:38:11 AM
Quote from: Crazy Volvo Guy on July 30, 2014, 09:18:29 AM
Deadheading from Ottawa to Chicago (Illinois) one day, I found myself under a pop-up thunderstorm. Got hit with a severe wind gust, glanced in the mirror to find the trailer tandems up off the ground on the left side. I quickly pulled over and had to sit there and regain my composure for a few minutes change my underwear.
FIFY.
Fortunately there is a rest area for that just past Brisbin Road (Exit 116). :bigass:
Change my underwear? More like pull my underwear out of my asshole, along with a foot or so of seat cushion...
I got one for the crazy Volvo guy, i have a cobra 29lx for my starter CB (109.99 @ pilot flying j, plus a 20 dollar rebate) would you recommend I get a different microphone than the factory one?
Absolutely yes. The stock one sounds like shit. I don't know where all you go, but try to get to Bob's CB (Strattanville, PA, I-80 exit 70) and get either a Ranger SRA-198 or RF Limited CR-577. The Ranger is a noise-cancelling mic, the RF Limited is not. Both are great sounding mics, but the CR-577 cannot be beat for sound quality. Out of all the mics I have (and I have many) these two stand out distinctly as the winners in sound quality by a pretty good margin.
Whatever you do, don't buy a new RoadKing 56. They are junk. The old ones are pretty good, but are getting to be pricey when you do find them up for sale. They don't have a sticker or even a place for a sticker on the front, like the new ones have.
If you want to get the radio tuned up, which I would recommend, go to DTB Radio in Carlisle. I-81 exit 52 (52B if going northbound). Dave will not butcher your radio like many of the incompetent "techs" at some of these "shops" will. He is in the back of the gas station building here (http://goo.gl/maps/uTjAv), and you can park behind the hotel.
Cvg, thanks for the advice, did I get a respectable radio for a starter?
I wouldn't call a 29LX a starter radio. It's a good radio, period.
Quote from: Crazy Volvo Guy on August 04, 2014, 07:42:15 PM
I wouldn't call a 29LX a starter radio. It's a good radio, period.
I started out with it, so to me it is my starter, due to the price. I did get the RF Limited CR-577, i will pick it up when i get home in a few weeks with my truck. Paid 55 for it, new in box with free shipping. I read the reviews and decided it was right for me. I also am having my family pick up a 24 inch 1080P Tv from sears for my birthday, they got an RCA with a built in DVD player for 99 bucks. Plus a sheet set, are all cascadia beds the same size? 40x80? If so, then i will tell em to get me twin XL stuff.
Do you still have kids in cars give you the "honk honk" sign? Do you honk if you see kids doing it? As a kid, that was my brothers' and mine number one form of entertainment on the road: seeing how many truckers we could get to honk at us.
^^^ that's a great question! I used to do that as a kid and it was awesome when a trucker would honk back...
I've gotten it once. It's rarely done nowadays.
Quote from: tchafe1978 on August 08, 2014, 01:17:33 PM
Do you still have kids in cars give you the "honk honk" sign? Do you honk if you see kids doing it? As a kid, that was my brothers' and mine number one form of entertainment on the road: seeing how many truckers we could get to honk at us.
(btw I am 15 so I am in school) I was on a field trip last year to Atlanta and there was a group of kids in the bus that would do that. They did it pretty much the whole time lol. I think a few trucks honked but I wasn't paying attention as I was paying attention to the road lol.
Quote from: adventurernumber1 on August 08, 2014, 07:35:45 PM
Quote from: tchafe1978 on August 08, 2014, 01:17:33 PM
Do you still have kids in cars give you the "honk honk" sign? Do you honk if you see kids doing it? As a kid, that was my brothers' and mine number one form of entertainment on the road: seeing how many truckers we could get to honk at us.
(btw I am 15 so I am in school) I was on a field trip last year to Atlanta and there was a group of kids in the bus that would do that. They did it pretty much the whole time lol. I think a few trucks honked but I wasn't paying attention as I was paying attention to the road lol.
Whoops sorry, I meant I am
almost 15, lol. I've said I am
almost 15 so many times I guess I thought I was already 15 when I typed that but I still got a few months to go, lol.
I'll see how many my kid gets on the next road trip...
Quote from: SteveG1988 on August 08, 2014, 07:25:00 PM
I've gotten it once. It's rarely done nowadays.
When I was a kid all those many years ago, trucks were
cool. TV and movies were full of roads and cars and long-haul trucks. All this exposure meant we had a fascinating idea of the life the guy up there in the truck led, full of fast driving and solving mysteries. Getting a honk request honored was some pretty awesome stuff.
Quote from: Pete from Boston on August 09, 2014, 12:24:53 AM
Quote from: SteveG1988 on August 08, 2014, 07:25:00 PM
I've gotten it once. It's rarely done nowadays.
When I was a kid all those many years ago, trucks were cool. TV and movies were full of roads and cars and long-haul trucks. All this exposure meant we had a fascinating idea of the life the guy up there in the truck led, full of fast driving and solving mysteries. Getting a honk request honored was some pretty awesome stuff.
Yes, indeed. When is "BJ and the Bear" coming back to TV?
How long have you been a truck driver? How have things changed over the years?
Here's an article on Cracked I think you truckers may want to comment on.
http://www.cracked.com/article_21488_5-terrifying-things-only-truckers-know-about-highway.html (http://www.cracked.com/article_21488_5-terrifying-things-only-truckers-know-about-highway.html)
on that site, #2..is sadly VERY true, i got my license through my state unemployment agency, pay your 4000 bucks otherwise and you get a 6 or so week course on how to pass the CDL, then you get passed to a company, if the company doesn't train ya like mine does...then you're thrown to the wolves with a 80k lb machine and no knowledge of stuff other than what the DMV wants you to know.
#1...you can follow the rules, occasionally bend them, but not outright break, such as sometiems claiming off duty when you should really be on duty, just don't lie about driving, etc. Making money legally is doable, just be careful with your planning, should you really take a break every 3 hours or so...no, but a lot of drivers go from truck stop to truck stop...burning up time and then speeding to make it up
Is it very common for the jaw of the fifth wheel to open up while driving the truck? I've seen this happen 3 times that I can recall and the trailer became dislodged from the cab. All times I chalked it up to the driver not checking his load properly, perhaps the driver was in a rush or a rookie. But, since this thread exists, I figured that I'd ask a driver.
Quote from: signalman on August 16, 2014, 05:03:55 AM
Is it very common for the jaw of the fifth wheel to open up while driving the truck? I've seen this happen 3 times that I can recall and the trailer became dislodged from the cab. All times I chalked it up to the driver not checking his load properly, perhaps the driver was in a rush or a rookie. But, since this thread exists, I figured that I'd ask a driver.
It shouldn't happen at all, you're supposed to do a tug test before taking off, and make sure the kingpin is properly secured with the locking jaw, what can happen is someone pulls it out as a prank...a dangerous one, I always make sure to look for signs of dickery when I wake up or come out of a store.
One pet peeve I have developed is...drivers in passenger vehicles who see me put on a turn signal for a lane change on the interstate, and just speed up. It is annoying when I have to move over for a disabled vehicle or a cop on the shoulder, and you just speed up or dart around me.
Quote from: jemacedo9 on August 08, 2014, 02:37:16 PM
^^^ that's a great question! I used to do that as a kid and it was awesome when a trucker would honk back...
On a class field trip to NYC one time in the early 80's, we were doing that for pretty much every truck on I-95 between Norwalk and Manhattan. We thought it was great, but our teacher got quickly annoyed with it and made us quit.
Quote from: SteveG1988 on August 17, 2014, 05:50:11 PM
It is annoying when I have to move over for a disabled vehicle or a cop on the shoulder, and you just speed up or dart around me.
And it's annoying when you're cruising on the interstate and a truck pulls in front of you, especially since said truck will almost certainly be traveling at a slower speed.
Quote from: vdeane on August 18, 2014, 06:13:05 PM
Quote from: SteveG1988 on August 17, 2014, 05:50:11 PM
It is annoying when I have to move over for a disabled vehicle or a cop on the shoulder, and you just speed up or dart around me.
And it's annoying when you're cruising on the interstate and a truck pulls in front of you, especially since said truck will almost certainly be traveling at a slower speed.
I try to signal early.
Quote from: SteveG1988 on August 18, 2014, 06:14:22 PM
I try to signal early.
still doesn't address the problem. you're cutting me off. don't do that.
I don't consider it cutting you off If I immediately move back.
Quote from: SteveG1988 on August 18, 2014, 06:15:34 PM
I don't consider it cutting you off If I immediately move back.
it's the move over that defines it, not the move back. if you step in front of someone with a speed differential of ~15mph and cause them to need to slow down, then you are, by definition, cutting them off.
Quote from: agentsteel53 on August 18, 2014, 06:37:57 PM
Quote from: SteveG1988 on August 18, 2014, 06:15:34 PM
I don't consider it cutting you off If I immediately move back.
it's the move over that defines it, not the move back. if you step in front of someone with a speed differential of ~15mph and cause them to need to slow down, then you are, by definition, cutting them off.
And it might be a perfectly appropriate thing to do in some circumstances.
Another form of cutting someone off would be his original example, where you signal a lane change and someone in the left lane speeds up to block you–cut you off–from changing lanes. (And of course, that's not limited to truck-car interactions, either.)
signaling a lane change does not entitle you to that lane.
There's a balance there- if I'm in front of you and approaching a truck and you come up behind me going faster than me but not faster enough than me that I'm going to have to jam my brakes as I approach the truck so you can get around, I'm pulling into the left lane even if you have to brake. You should have sped up more to get around me before I had to jam my brakes.
I wait until the very last second before pulling that shit though, and will throw my left signal on as you approach to tell you to get the fuck out of the way because I'm approaching a truck before you'll pass me at the speed you're going, so either speed up or slow down. 95% of the time, the car in the left lane gets the point before it comes to me cutting them off.
I generally yield to the car in front of me- if you're in front of me and I see you'll need to get over before I can completely finish passing, I'll slow down or move right so that you know you can pass first. If I have to slow down to accommodate that, that's fine. It's the passing lane, not the fast lane- if other vehicles are using that lane to legitimately pass, and they are in front of me, they have a right to be there and to get into it even as I approach.
Obviously there's some common sense to use there- if I'm going 38 approaching a truck going 35 and you're going 75, I need to wait for you to get by so we don't all die even if I have to slow down, but when we're talking a safe distance to slow, yield to the car in front.
This is easier and safer than doing it in reverse where the slow car in front yields to the fast car behind- the back car can see two cars forward far better than the front car can see two cars back, and it prevents cars from getting stuck behind slow moving vehicles and having to accelerate an assfuck into a tiny gap to get up to the speed of the vehicles in the left lane
Quote from: agentsteel53 on August 18, 2014, 08:57:20 PM
signaling a lane change does not entitle you to that lane.
Indeed not; it would be something else entitling you to it, such as a deer that just jumped into your original lane, or simply the state law compelling you to move over for a stopped emergency vehicle. Or even more simply, your right-of-way on a public thoroughfare. The signal is used just to tell others what you're about to do, it's not for claiming title.
I'm pretty sure that every state with a "move over" law provides the option to slow down as an alternative. After all, sometimes you can't get over.
Quote from: agentsteel53 on August 18, 2014, 08:57:20 PM
signaling a lane change does not entitle you to that lane.
In the same step, is it really the end of the world to show some courtesy and slow down to let a left-signalling truck in? Speed is just a number, and those of us in trucks governed to the low 60s often have a very good reason to be signalling left, since we rarely pass.
My observation is that the number of people who are completely self-absorbed in their driving on the roads today is absolutely astounding - in both cars and trucks. We really have a problem here, folks. I'll say it again: speed is just a number, so calm the fuck down.
Personally, when I'm on the interstate, I don't want to take off the cruise control for anything or have a larger vehicle in front of me obstructing the view (since I drive a Civic, "a larger vehicle" describes just about every vehicle on the road).
Quote from: vdeane on August 19, 2014, 08:08:18 PM
Personally, when I'm on the interstate, I don't want to take off the cruise control for anything or have a larger vehicle in front of me obstructing the view (since I drive a Civic, "a larger vehicle" describes just about every vehicle on the road).
Oh God, are you one of those people that passes others at .2 MPH faster than the car parallel to you because you don't want to turn your cruise control off?
Quote from: corco on August 19, 2014, 08:27:36 PM
Oh God, are you one of those people that passes others at .2 MPH faster than the car parallel to you because you don't want to turn your cruise control off?
I'm one of those that doesn't want to take the cruise control off for anything ... so if I'm approaching a car ahead of me with a tiny speed differential, I'll just add another 5-6mph of speed and pass them in an efficient manner.
Quote from: agentsteel53 on August 19, 2014, 08:28:32 PM
Quote from: corco on August 19, 2014, 08:27:36 PM
Oh God, are you one of those people that passes others at .2 MPH faster than the car parallel to you because you don't want to turn your cruise control off?
I'm one of those that doesn't want to take the cruise control off for anything ... so if I'm approaching a car ahead of me with a tiny speed differential, I'll just add another 5-6mph of speed and pass them in an efficient manner.
Yeah that's fine- I usually do that too with the cruise unless I'm slowing to let somebody in as I stated above.
Quote from: vdeane on August 19, 2014, 08:08:18 PM
Personally, when I'm on the interstate, I don't want to take off the cruise control for anything or have a larger vehicle in front of me obstructing the view (since I drive a Civic, "a larger vehicle" describes just about every vehicle on the road).
Well, I don't want to hold doors for people when it's cold or raining, etc. out...and I don't have to...but I do it anyway. *shrugs* What's the difference here?
It's a truly strange phenomenon. The nicest, most curteous person, in-person, can get in a car and become the rudest, most aggressive, selfish prick...truly boggles one's mind. It's not universal...but I do know people like that.
What's cruise control? Being from NJ, I rarely ever get an opportunity to use it, since I'm going to have to shut it off in a half mile anyway when traffic grinds to a halt.
Quote from: Roadrunner75 on August 19, 2014, 10:02:37 PM
What's cruise control? Being from NJ, I rarely ever get an opportunity to use it, since I'm going to have to shut it off in a half mile anyway when traffic grinds to a halt.
Had cruise control on my last two cars (88 Prelude and 99 Contour). I always called it my "traffic generation" button. Because, no matter how empty or free flowing the highway is when I engage it, I'll have to shut it off within two miles due to a sudden increase in traffic or decrease in average speed.
This is one of the reasons I decided cruise control wasn't a necessary requirement when shopping for my present car (which doesn't have it).
Quote from: roadman on August 20, 2014, 09:05:11 AMHad cruise control on my last two cars (88 Prelude and 99 Contour). I always called it my "traffic generation" button. Because, no matter how empty or free flowing the highway is when I engage it, I'll have to shut it off within two miles due to a sudden increase in traffic or decrease in average speed.
This is one of the reasons I decided cruise control wasn't a necessary requirement when shopping for my present car (which doesn't have it).
I have had three cars: 1978 Chevrolet Impala, 1986 Nissan Maxima, and 1994 Saturn SL2. All but the first have had cruise control. I missed it so much on the Impala that I considered installing an aftermarket cruise control system, in spite of the many limitations associated with those. I would even go so far as to say that total failure of the cruise control system ranks with complete failure of a major powertrain component (engine or transmission) as one of the few reasons for me to junk a car. I would never consider buying a car without cruise control, and I have accepted rentals without it only because I felt coerced by circumstances.
I routinely use cruise control on city streets, in heavy traffic, and even occasionally on residential roads. Unless the level of service is really bad (say LOS D or thereabouts, which is pretty typical for the five PM rush in these parts), there are extended periods of time when my speed is not limited by vehicles in front and cruise control is a very useful speed limit compliance tool. I want to pay attention to the other traffic, not to whether there are police cruisers in it, I don't want to be looking down at the speedometer all the time, and I think people fool themselves when they insist they can gauge their speed accurately by looking at how fast the scenery moves past.
I tend to oppose initiatives to reduce the general speed limit within cities from 30 MPH to 25 MPH--not because I prefer 30 MPH as a default cruising speed, but rather because most cruise control systems won't accept set speeds below 25 MPH.
I have to say, though, that newer cruise control systems with a hand-operated cancel function have an advantage over older ones in moderate to heavy traffic, largely because following drivers treat a brief flash of brake lights (to disengage cruise control) as a signal to change lanes and cut you off.
I don't like using cruise control, it makes me feel disconnected from the driving process, for some reason. I'll use it if my foot becomes slightly itchy or legs need a quick stretch but ten seconds later, I'm usually turning it off. The only exception is if I'm driving through some stupidly low construction speed limit, for which I know I'd never be able to maintain for several miles, for fear of a costly citation.
I'm pretty slow to wrath behind the wheel. Only twice have I been cut off by a truck to the point where I was going to get hit by the last third of a trailer. And no, it wasn't because I was "hanging out in his blind spot", it's because that driver apparently thought his truck wasn't 48-53 feet long.
Still, I've been cut off dangerously by more G35 coupes and BMW 3-series drivers in an average week in South Florida than by all trucks (or any other makes and models) put together.
Cruise control is a blessing from God if traffic conditions allow its use. It's hard to use on some roads (such as the stretches of I-64 I typically drive at the times I drive them) but it's wonderful on less-busy roads like the Mountain Parkway. I wouldn't have a vehicle without it now.
I have cruise control in my current vehicle (2011 Dodge Caliber), but not in my previous one (2002 Chrysler PT Cruiser). I tend to use it only in lighter traffic on flat rural interstates, and the occasional two-lane. Being as the Caliber is a manual transmission, it will not automatically downshift on cruise control.
I absolutely love cruise control. I'll use it whenever I can. I used to use it to/from work, but traffic volumes are too heavy now to use it then, but on any trip involving the highway and light traffic, I have it engaged.
Quote from: corco on August 19, 2014, 08:27:36 PM
Quote from: vdeane on August 19, 2014, 08:08:18 PM
Personally, when I'm on the interstate, I don't want to take off the cruise control for anything or have a larger vehicle in front of me obstructing the view (since I drive a Civic, "a larger vehicle" describes just about every vehicle on the road).
Oh God, are you one of those people that passes others at .2 MPH faster than the car parallel to you because you don't want to turn your cruise control off?
I usually add a bit of speed if it's close, especially if there are people behind me. Often I have to because many drivers start going faster when being passed (of course, the don't ever make the pass unnecessary by keeping that speed up!). It appears to happen less often now that I have my new car with a digital speedometer and have subsequently adopted my family's practice of driving 72 on the Thruway. Between my old analog speedometer reading high and keeping it at 70 on the old car, there are fewer people near my speed now.
Quote from: J N Winkler on August 20, 2014, 10:35:19 AM
I have to say, though, that newer cruise control systems with a hand-operated cancel function have an advantage over older ones in moderate to heavy traffic, largely because following drivers treat a brief flash of brake lights (to disengage cruise control) as a signal to change lanes and cut you off.
That was actually an annoyance for me when I got my current car. Honda disabled the ability to turn off the cruise control with the clutch and I had to re-learn everything.
Dumb question time. The way I understand it, triples are allowed on the Ohio Turnpike and Indiana Toll Road, but neither bordering state allows them. Does this have any real advantage? How do you get them *on* the turnpikes? Is it just to ferry shit around between the two states?
Quote from: J N Winkler on August 20, 2014, 10:35:19 AMmost cruise control systems won't accept set speeds below 25 MPH.
definitely a flaw. I'd love to set it to 22 and parade down the main drag of some small town, looking out for actual road hazards as opposed to revenue generation points.
my current car doesn't have cruise control but it's also a very noisy little manual transmission vehicle. I can tell how fast I'm going based on engine sound.
Quote from: 6a on August 20, 2014, 05:24:09 PM
Dumb question time. The way I understand it, triples are allowed on the Ohio Turnpike and Indiana Toll Road, but neither bordering state allows them. Does this have any real advantage? How do you get them *on* the turnpikes? Is it just to ferry shit around between the two states?
There are staging areas at every interchange on those roads for hooking up to or dropping the 3rd trailer.
Popular on the NY thruway are the "turnpike doubles" - legal also on the Ohio Turnpike and ITR, but nowhere near as popular - this is two 48' or 53' trailers. And because each axle is a tandem axle in this setup, they track much better than the standard doubles and the triples, which are nicknamed "wiggle wagons" for good reason.
Quote from: Crazy Volvo Guy on August 20, 2014, 11:44:04 PM
Popular on the NY thruway are the "turnpike doubles" - legal also on the Ohio Turnpike and ITR, but nowhere near as popular...
Would that be because they are
illegal in Pennsylvania? (I don't know that they are, I'm just speculating.)
And then the corollary: do you get a black market of sorts for truckers trying to sneak a turnpike double through Erie County without getting into a bear trap?
Quote from: agentsteel53 on August 18, 2014, 08:57:20 PM
signaling a lane change does not entitle you to that lane.
True, signaling a lane change does not entitle you to that lane, but if the person changing lanes gives plenty of warning, there should be no problem with others letting them in.
One of the things that have irked me the most recently are people going slow or stopping in a merge/accel lane. Once, I was on an entrance ramp and the car in front came to a complete stop!
1.) Have you all ever had the issue of cars/trucks/etc. creeping or stopping on an onramp/merge lane/etc.?
2.) Also, I was wondering how truck drivers feel about roundabouts in general. Do you all have trouble making the turns, or cars not giving you space?
Quote from: empirestate on August 20, 2014, 11:57:27 PM
Quote from: Crazy Volvo Guy on August 20, 2014, 11:44:04 PM
Popular on the NY thruway are the "turnpike doubles" - legal also on the Ohio Turnpike and ITR, but nowhere near as popular…
Would that be because they are illegal in Pennsylvania? (I don't know that they are, I'm just speculating.)
And then the corollary: do you get a black market of sorts for truckers trying to sneak a turnpike double through Erie County without getting into a bear trap?
They are only legal on the turnpike, hence the name "turnpike doubles" - they are definitely not allowed in PA on I-90, nor in OH on the non-Turnpike section of I-90. I don't frequent the free segment of I-90 much, but I have never witnessed, nor heard of anyone trying to sneak triples or turnpike doubles through PA.
Couldn't a trucker or trucking firm run a turnpike double on I-90 in Pennsylvania, to make the connection between the Thruway and the Ohio Turnpike, using the permitting process for extralegal loads?
Theoretically, yes; however it's far cheaper to break them up and have two trucks carry the trailers across PA, then hook them back up at the NY toll plaza staging area. Overdimensional permitting is not cheap or easy.
What is the worst city to haul in?
Quote from: PColumbus73 on August 21, 2014, 06:33:57 PM
Quote from: agentsteel53 on August 18, 2014, 08:57:20 PM
signaling a lane change does not entitle you to that lane.
True, signaling a lane change does not entitle you to that lane, but if the person changing lanes gives plenty of warning, there should be no problem with others letting them in.
One of the things that have irked me the most recently are people going slow or stopping in a merge/accel lane. Once, I was on an entrance ramp and the car in front came to a complete stop!
1.) Have you all ever had the issue of cars/trucks/etc. creeping or stopping on an onramp/merge lane/etc.?
2.) Also, I was wondering how truck drivers feel about roundabouts in general. Do you all have trouble making the turns, or cars not giving you space?
I usually let people in if they're being nice, but if someone's a jerk (such as cutting in front of me and then wanting to move over again when I enter an exit only lane, or using the acceleration lane as a passing lane) I reserve the right to close the gap before the vehicle in front of me.
The slowing down when merging is annoying on my morning commute and disastrous on my evening commute. It actually combines with the behavior of passing in the acceleration lane. Around 4:30, every day, while traffic is merging onto the Northway and cars are using the acceleration lane to pass, eventually someone encounters a truck and tries to play chicken. The truck then slows down let them in, traffic behind the jerk has to slow down to get in behind the truck, traffic on the mainline has to slow down to not rear end anyone (or just slows down because they see brake lights in the adjacent lane and don't know about the merge), traffic merging has to do the same, and the next thing you know you have bumper to bumper, stop and go traffic on the ramp and all Northway lanes. This can happen in less than 30 seconds and my commute is timed such that I can often observe it happen.
Quote from: Roadrunner75 on August 19, 2014, 10:02:37 PM
What's cruise control? Being from NJ, I rarely ever get an opportunity to use it, since I'm going to have to shut it off in a half mile anyway when traffic grinds to a halt.
I don't even try anymore. I bet it was a really bid deal in the '80s and before when VMT was half what it is today.
I've made a number of trips from my home in Massachusetts to my parents home in eastern Tennessee, and I may as well not even try to use the cruise control until I get to I-287 in NJ, and have no real hope of consistently using it until I get to I-81 in PA.
Quote from: spooky on August 22, 2014, 02:56:56 PM
I've made a number of trips from my home in Massachusetts to my parents home in eastern Tennessee, and I may as well not even try to use the cruise control until I get to I-287 in NJ, and have no real hope of consistently using it until I get to I-81 in PA.
I don't know how you could think about using it on I-81 in Virginia, for the trucks and the terrain.
Here's a question about trailer skirts: Is there a big noticeable difference in fuel consumption pulling a trailer with the skirts vs. without them?
And other equipment one I've always wondered about: why do UPS trucks–and only UPS trucks–have those little brush things over their trailer wheels?
Quote from: empirestate on August 23, 2014, 09:17:24 AM
And other equipment one I've always wondered about: why do UPS trucks–and only UPS trucks–have those little brush things over their trailer wheels?
I think to keep down road spray
Quote from: SteveG1988 on August 24, 2014, 02:42:30 AM
Quote from: empirestate on August 23, 2014, 09:17:24 AM
And other equipment one I've always wondered about: why do UPS trucks–and only UPS trucks–have those little brush things over their trailer wheels?
I think to keep down road spray
So...no other company but UPS is affected by road spray?
Shut up Steve Gum.
I asked a UPS mechanic, he said since their trailers are usually in tandem that was the solution to keep not only road spray but other debris from both collecting on tires and hitting the back trailer. He also said salt spray was a problem for the back trailer - they don't want them rusting out with packages inside, it helps keep the trailers cleaner, and it's a "hell of a lot easier than replacing a bunch of mudflaps all fuckin day" (his words.)
Quote from: vdeane on August 19, 2014, 08:08:18 PM
Personally, when I'm on the interstate, I don't want to take off the cruise control for anything or have a larger vehicle in front of me obstructing the view (since I drive a Civic, "a larger vehicle" describes just about every vehicle on the road).
The situation described was that of a disabled or emergency vehicle alongside the road. In many states, it's the right lane driver's explicit responsibility to move over whenever practical to do so. I would say it is the
implicit responsibility to facilitate that, much as it is our implicit responsibility to allow folks clearing the way for an emergency vehicle to get over.
When you see the flashing lights, be accommodating. It's not about annoyance or cruise control, it's about safety and common sense.
Quote from: hbelkins on August 22, 2014, 06:24:13 PM
Quote from: spooky on August 22, 2014, 02:56:56 PM
I've made a number of trips from my home in Massachusetts to my parents home in eastern Tennessee, and I may as well not even try to use the cruise control until I get to I-287 in NJ, and have no real hope of consistently using it until I get to I-81 in PA.
I don't know how you could think about using it on I-81 in Virginia, for the trucks and the terrain.
I found that it's workable if you understand how (most) truckers drive. There are still times when I have to override it.
It also helps control my speed. I had a problem once with a Smyth County trooper who clocked me at 88. I was going to say "but officer, I was just about to go back in time!", but he didn't seem like he had much of a sense of humor.
I-81 in Virginia and I-684 in New York have all been quoted as examples of roads where cruise control cannot be used because of the sheer volume of traffic. I have used cruise control on both, as well as on freeways in Los Angeles. Admittedly, I have not driven on either coast in eleven years, and I tended to schedule my driving fairly early in the morning to avoid both heavy traffic and summer heat (every A/C-equipped car I have owned has gotten much better gas mileage without the A/C running).
However, I think there is an underlying difference in philosophy on use of cruise control. Some people seem reluctant to use it unless traffic is so light that they can run for miles and miles without disengaging it. Others, like me, will turn on cruise control for distances as small as a few hundred yards, just to regulate speed on straight level roads where speed adaptation tends to be a problem.
In my experience, sharp curves at any altitude and steep grades at high altitudes are almost the only dry-weather circumstances that are prohibitive for cruise control. Most cruise control systems are vacuum-actuated and will disengage automatically when they cannot get enough vacuum to maintain the set speed, and this usually happens on uphill grades where the vacuum goes down while the engine effort required to maintain the set speed goes up. Combine this with thin air at high altitude, such as on I-70 over the Colorado Rockies, and you are better off using the throttle pedal and shift control lever to force downshifts as necessary. On downhill grades above a certain steepness, cruise control doesn't work well because it has a tendency to apply throttle pressure at inappropriate times, so you are usually better off allowing the car to coast down in gear, downshifting as necessary to regulate speed. Sharp curves and cruise control are also a bad combination because no cruise control system is "smart" enough to produce the subtle variations in throttle pedal pressure that are necessary to find the apex of each curve.
Quote from: empirestate on August 24, 2014, 04:50:28 PM
Quote from: SteveG1988 on August 24, 2014, 02:42:30 AM
Quote from: empirestate on August 23, 2014, 09:17:24 AM
And other equipment one I've always wondered about: why do UPS trucks–and only UPS trucks–have those little brush things over their trailer wheels?
I think to keep down road spray
So...no other company but UPS is affected by road spray?
Mudflaps are more likely to get damaged, so having them up there helps keep it down and make it easier to maintain, having just one set on a trailer is no big issue, but when you have 3 trailers, each with 2 mud flaps each, it adds up. Probably cheaper in the long run, but can potentially damage tires if something gets stuck in it.
Quote from: Pete from Boston on August 24, 2014, 06:44:19 PM
Quote from: vdeane on August 19, 2014, 08:08:18 PM
Personally, when I'm on the interstate, I don't want to take off the cruise control for anything or have a larger vehicle in front of me obstructing the view (since I drive a Civic, "a larger vehicle" describes just about every vehicle on the road).
The situation described was that of a disabled or emergency vehicle alongside the road. In many states, it's the right lane driver's explicit responsibility to move over whenever practical to do so. I would say it is the implicit responsibility to facilitate that, much as it is our implicit responsibility to allow folks clearing the way for an emergency vehicle to get over.
When you see the flashing lights, be accommodating. It's not about annoyance or cruise control, it's about safety and common sense.
Those laws allow people to slow down if they aren't able to change lanes easily. It's surprising how few people (even police!) know that. I'll move over for emergency vehicles and tow trucks. Disabled vehicles depends on the circumstance. My civic can leave a decent amount of space without changing lanes, I just need to ride my tires right up against the lane lines. Obviously, a truck or SUV wouldn't be able to do this. One of the advantages of having a smaller car ;)
I honestly don't understand how we got to a point where such laws even became a suggestion. How are people so bad at driving that people slam into vehicles pulled over on the shoulder? Are people that incapable of staying within their own lane (or, if on the pulled over vehicle, of watching traffic and choosing a time with no cars coming to get in/out)? People never cease to amaze me, and not in a good way!
Truckers: How do you feel about roundabouts?
Small multi-lane roundabouts can deep-throat a blue whale's dick. They don't belong on truck routes, but if they're large and single lane, they work alright.
Quote from: Crazy Volvo Guy on August 26, 2014, 09:22:17 AM
Small multi-lane roundabouts can deep-throat a blue whale's dick.
C'mon, tell us how you really feel. :-D
Quote from: Pete from Boston on August 09, 2014, 12:24:53 AM
Quote from: SteveG1988 on August 08, 2014, 07:25:00 PM
I've gotten it once. It's rarely done nowadays.
When I was a kid all those many years ago, trucks were cool. TV and movies were full of roads and cars and long-haul trucks. All this exposure meant we had a fascinating idea of the life the guy up there in the truck led, full of fast driving and solving mysteries. Getting a honk request honored was some pretty awesome stuff.
That probably had to be the mid-1970s, when the 55-mph speed limit was the law and CB radios were a huge fad (anybody remember the song "Convoy"?). Back then, my friends and I were too young to drive, so we would play "CB" on our bikes.
Quote from: vdeane on August 25, 2014, 10:20:47 PM
Those laws allow people to slow down if they aren't able to change lanes easily. It's surprising how few people (even police!) know that.
Sure, but the example in question is not such an instance. We were talking about a case where someone coming up behind you speeds up just to prevent you coming over. In other words, you
could change lanes easily if it weren't for the interference of the other driver.
Quote from: vdeane on August 25, 2014, 10:20:47 PM
I honestly don't understand how we got to a point where such laws even became a suggestion. How are people so bad at driving that people slam into vehicles pulled over on the shoulder?
Yes.
Humans are by far the most dangerous component of any motor vehicle.
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.
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.
Here is another truck question: Which is better, Flat nosed trucks or Long nosed trucks?
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.
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.
What is VMT?
What is your opinion about driving on the I-80/94 in Nw Indiana & Chicagoland?
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.
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.
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.
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?
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?
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.
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.
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.
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.
To be fair, no vehicle should occupy the left lane except to pass.
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!
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.
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.
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"
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).
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
Passed my commercial permit test today... Under Steve Gum's logic, I'm now a professional truck driver. :-D
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.
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
Quote from: Crazy Volvo Guy on September 18, 2014, 10:30:45 AM
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.
Agreed, and I drive it often enough as a car driver. I politely call it "combat driving" due to the various driving styles and assholes on display. The Borman must have the highest per capita level of fucktards I've seen anywhere, and that's after having done my trip to the south and DC. It was like the assholery on display was welcoming me back. :ded: :banghead:
Here's another question.
Why do so many truckers drive like stark raving idiots in inclement weather and/or when road conditions are less than ideal?
Because the load has to get there come hell or high water (or rain, sleet, or snow)!
I drove for eight years and it was something I noticed, not just when I was on the job but off as well. In 2000, I was coming back to Northern Kentucky from Kalamazoo, MI in January. Naturally, there was a snowstorm so instead of taking two-laners to Ft. Wayne I decided to take the Toll Road from US 131 to I-69. At one point, a car passed me going around 60 (as I was only going 40) and right on the car's bumper was a tractor-trailer. Fortunately, the car swung back in the right lane and there was no incident. I never believed a load was important enough to risk injury or death in all the years I drove.
Quote from: hbelkins on October 02, 2014, 08:53:23 PM
Here's another question.
Why do so many truckers drive like stark raving idiots in inclement weather and/or when road conditions are less than ideal?
Because they are super truckers. That's all you need to know. (They think they're cool, but they're really the laughing stock of decent drivers everywhere)
Quote from: Laura on October 02, 2014, 10:45:06 AM
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?
What do you mean by travel range? With full tanks 1000-1200 miles. The travel range the co drove in was 48 states. We had regular freight from Mobile, AL to Chicagoland so I saw alot of I 65, of course the states are AL,TN,KY,IN,ILQuote2. 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?
Sure there are plenty. For example Conway, SAIE, UPS, your local pop companies run 18s local as do Brewerys if you live near oneQuote3. How often are you on interstates vs US highways and local roads?
Interstate 90%, US hwys 5%, local roads 5%
iPhone
Quote from: allniter89 on October 03, 2014, 01:19:21 AM
Quote from: Laura on October 02, 2014, 10:45:06 AM
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?
What do you mean by travel range? With full tanks 1000-1200 miles. The travel range the co drove in was 48 states
Quote2. 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?
Sure there are plenty. For example Conway, SAIE, UPS, your local pop companies run 18s local as do Brewerys if you live near one
Quote3. How often are you on interstates vs US highways and local roads?
Interstate 90%, US hwys 5%, local roads 5%
iPhone
Awesome, thanks. What I meant by number 1 is if you personally drove through all 48 states with the company or if you were mostly delivering in a region of the country.
Quote from: Crazy Volvo Guy on September 18, 2014, 10:30:45 AM
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.
How about I-70 between the West Virginia/Pennsylvania border and New Stanton?
That is certainly the worst section of Interstate I have driven in a long time - and an assortment of PennDOT projects (http://www.i-70projects.com/default.html) to make repairs will probably make things worse before they get better.
Quote from: Crazy Volvo Guy on October 02, 2014, 10:54:12 PM
Quote from: hbelkins on October 02, 2014, 08:53:23 PM
Here's another question.
Why do so many truckers drive like stark raving idiots in inclement weather and/or when road conditions are less than ideal?
Because they are super truckers. That's all you need to know. (They think they're cool, but they're really the laughing stock of decent drivers everywhere)
I've had a few incidents that I remember over the years. One was on I-81 in the Bristol, Va. area. One afternoon it came a hellacious summer thunderstorm. Most four-wheelers were going about 45 mph because the combination of rain, road spray and darkness made travel above that speed dangerous. The trucks were still going 65-70 mph in the left lane.
Another was on I-79 in West Virginia. I got in a snowstorm just as darkness was approaching and instead of stopping for the night at Weston, which I gave some serious thought to doing, I pressed on to Charleston. Road conditions quickly deteriorated and most four-wheeler traffic was going about 40-45 mph. Several cars were even slower. Yet the trucks were still going normal speed.
Both instances were pretty scary and I've been driving a few years.
This is the reason that, when I was coming home from Washington DC several years ago, I bailed from I-81 and took what little of Corridor H was open at the time, and the parallel state and US routes where it wasn't open. I'd rather deal with a mountainous two-lane snow-covered road than I would an interstate with snow on it because of having to deal with the trucks driving like it was sunny and clear.
One year I was in northwest Ohio and a snow and ice storm hit overnight. I lost count of the number of jackknifed big rigs I saw on the Ohio Turnpike/Indiana Toll Road. Guess those "super truckers" forgot to put their capes on that day.
A loaded truck can go a bit faster than a car in rain and snow, so much as sight distance allows (more weight means more traction, simple really) but you have to be an idiot to just keep going 70.
They used to be called "billy big riggers" but now everyone says "super truckers". Either one applies, they think laws do not apply to them and that they are invincible because "AH GAWTS FOWTY YEARS OF 'SPURRIENCE Y'ALL"
This thread is old, but by the power of greyskull I bring it back.
In the year plus that this thread has been dormant, have there been new questions?
What is your favorite 'brand' of truck stops?
Do you have a section of interstate/road you like most?
Quote from: TravelingBethelite on November 23, 2015, 10:36:39 AM
What is your favorite 'brand' of truck stops?
Do you have a section of interstate/road you like most?
My company fills up at Pilot/Flying J, and Loves. If i have to pick one to go to, it will be a Flying J, if it has to be one that i have points for showers. If it is just to park for the night, grab food, do laundry, a Petro is great since it is like a mini-city at times, a mall for truckers.
Quote from: TravelingBethelite on November 23, 2015, 10:36:39 AM
What is your favorite 'brand' of truck stops?
Do you have a section of interstate/road you like most?
Petro is my fav.They usually have plenty of parking & a well laid out parking lot.
I watch for non-branded "mom & pop" independent truck stops. They usually have great food & large servings & very friendly employees. There are fewer & fewer independents so I like to patronize them when I can.
Favorite interstate is I 70 west of Denver. I try to drive during daylight thru there to checkout the awesome scenery!
Interstate i like to run...Ohio Turnpike, if i have to do a run where time is critical, as in i need to maximize my day on the road, i will do best on that road, the service plazas are some of the best in terms of stuff for the drivers. Free showers, pay laundry, a lounge area.
Do lower truck speed limits on freeways actually improve safety? Are they just an enforcement tool -- for example if the posted speed limit is 65 car/55 truck, the trucks probably won't get ticketed below 65, but when they do it'll be a fine for 10 over?
Quote from: kkt on November 24, 2015, 12:20:52 PM
Do lower truck speed limits on freeways actually improve safety? Are they just an enforcement tool -- for example if the posted speed limit is 65 car/55 truck, the trucks probably won't get ticketed below 65, but when they do it'll be a fine for 10 over?
That is a more political move. It is safer to have all vehicles moving at a similar speed
What are some of your favorite Mom & Pop truck stops?
Quote from: kkt on November 24, 2015, 12:20:52 PM
Do lower truck speed limits on freeways actually improve safety? Are they just an enforcement tool -- for example if the posted speed limit is 65 car/55 truck, the trucks probably won't get ticketed below 65, but when they do it'll be a fine for 10 over?
Some places you can go at car speed others.... *cough* Indiana *cough* You will definitely want to do EXACTLY the truck speed limit, and the lowered limit. 50 on 65 inside Indy is 50 mph for trucks, whatever cars feel like doing for cars. Indiana has been known to give trucks tickets for 1mph over.
Quote from: kkt on November 24, 2015, 12:20:52 PMDo lower truck speed limits on freeways actually improve safety?
FHWA looked into this a number of years ago. Short answer: No.
I have a question that is motivated by reading a lot of research material on runaway truck ramps.
Brake failure due to overheating is usually cited as the cause of runaway trucks. But from the truck driver's point of view, what is the sequence of events that leads to the truck running away and needing to use an escape ramp? How and why do other solutions that don't involve use of the brakes, such as gearing down, become unavailable?
Quote from: J N Winkler on November 29, 2015, 12:32:16 PM
I have a question that is motivated by reading a lot of research material on runaway truck ramps.
Brake failure due to overheating is usually cited as the cause of runaway trucks. But from the truck driver's point of view, what is the sequence of events that leads to the truck running away and needing to use an escape ramp? How and why do other solutions that don't involve use of the brakes, such as gearing down, become unavailable?
If your truck is a stickshift, having it in too high of a gear and the jake brake going, you will be forcing your brakes to be heated up. Recently i found out on my brand new truck freightliner did not install the air lines properly. meaning that i only had one set of functioning brakes on the tractor, the trailer braked worked too, i was able to smoke the brakes fairly quickly trying to go into the I-70 rest area in MO about an hour from St Louis which is on a mild hill. Now, put that into a worse situation. Mont Eagle TN, let's say i didn't know that my air lines going to the rear brakes on the tractor was coming out, and was leaking badly. you set down mont eagle heading west, there is no truck brake check going that way. You start to apply the brakes, within the first half mile you smell burnt brakes, you're glazing the drums over....and cannot blow off the heat, your jake brake is going off extremely loud and obnoxious. you have no escape ramp going this way, and you have to basically hope you can keep your speed down.
The escape ramp is for if you cannot get down your speed at all, the parking brake will cause a definite jack knife if you throw it, that will definitely engage all your brakes at 100% since air brakes work opposite of hydraulic ones, in an air brake system you let out pressure to engage the shoes/pads, as they are being held back by air pressure, with massive springs to engage them once pressure drops.
You risk tearing up the engine if you downshift at too high of an RPM, once you go past i think 75mph you're risking it if you try to do anything but stay in 10th gear on a 10 speed. you're supposed to down shift before you get to the hill, to allow for the truck to be able to jake brake effectively. On my 10 speed auto the jake works best in 8th gear, at 35-45 mph.