|
 I-40 in Arizona Welcome to the Trucker's Lounge. Post pictures and stories and erotic fanfiction and whatever else. Find the problem with this steer tire:  Louisiana roads can eat a bag of dicks. This happened on the ramp from I-12 E to I-10 E. I was going 40 and snapped the levelling rod for the air suspension.  THAT'S NOT SNOW  I-80 in Utah near "the sculpture" that blurry black spot to the left is an SUV buried to the frame in salt. I count 16 sets of tandems on this heavy hauler, 8 in front 8 in back, spotted at a Pilot in western Iowa.  Sorry about the bug splatter.
|
#
¿
Aug 10, 2013 03:58
|
|
|
|
| # ¿ May 10, 2024 10:42 |
|
|
Dangit, I forgot to mention that the TV options here in the lounge are NCSI, Weather Channel, and Fox News. Sideways fire at the Sinclair refinery in Wyoming, I suck at framing photos.  Amish in southern Iowa.  Mt Shasta, I'm probably 20 or more miles away. 
|
|
#
¿
Aug 16, 2013 04:10
|
|
|
DonVincenzo posted:Right sorry for the image dump but it appears in the 3 years I've been doing this sometimes This may not look like much, but it's actually the Mighty Mississippi near Bmedji MN where it's a slow swampy creek.  The file name on my computer is coltrane.jpg  SCIENCE   This grade is in the middle of nowhere Utah, check out the smaller sign to the side. Not visible in this photo: beautiful desolation.  Wyoming.jpg please note I'm not driving and trying to take a picture in that mess, I'm in the jumpseat. 
|
|
#
¿
Aug 27, 2013 04:32
|
|
|
Synonamess Botch posted:565 outisde of Huntsville, right? That was my commute to class for a year or so before I moved to the northeast. Surprisingly cool place, you know, given its location.
|
|
#
¿
Aug 28, 2013 23:58
|
|
|
InterceptorV8 posted:Wasn't that long ago there was what was called West Coast and East Coast trucks, ones with engine brakes, and ones without. You can go down a grade without a engine brake, put your four ways on, go to the low side, and just crawl. It's like worse than going down the grapevine.
|
|
#
¿
Sep 2, 2013 00:31
|
|
|
Muffinpox posted:IT SAID SWIFT.  (USER WAS PUT ON PROBATION FOR THIS POST)
|
|
#
¿
Oct 8, 2013 22:50
|
|
|
InterceptorV8 posted:You wish almost came true! Some of the retarded Ikeas are poorly built two story places where the docks are on the second floor. Guy smacked the wall and ripped down a overhead sign post and dropped it in the parking lot or something. I had to deliver to an Office Max where the loading dock was underneath an abandoned Circuit City on the side of a mall or something. So many birds flying in and out making GBS threads all over the place.
|
|
#
¿
Nov 16, 2013 03:11
|
|
|
Javid posted:To avoid the nasty poo poo you're driving a loooooong way out of your way. Pretty much unless you go all the way to Bakersfield and take 40 across you're looking at good odds of snow you may or may not be prepared for. Are you feeling good about chaining up that thing, including the trailer, on the side of the freeway in the snow? CommieGIR posted:Its a Jetta with a Beetle body. If he was driving an actual air cooled monstrosity through the snow, then it might suck more. CannonFodder fucked around with this message at 21:55 on Dec 2, 2013 |
|
#
¿
Dec 2, 2013 21:52
|
|
|
InterceptorV8 posted:Heh, you mean low freight volume. Unless you are UPS and fell asleep at the switch, this year was pretty chill. Which means they went stupid trying to get the next holiday in the door because of low sales. Yeah, who delivered Valentines poo poo and BBQers on Xmas?
|
|
#
¿
Jan 2, 2014 05:53
|
|
|
InterceptorV8 posted:So help me god if I find out they put loving golf balls inside the tire or something.
|
|
#
¿
Jan 26, 2014 01:20
|
|
|
Thanks. I just hear the ads and had no idea how they actually work.Snowdens Secret posted:How do you mount a tire with water in it? Is this a matter of not drying your compressed air or are you saying people pull unmounted tires out of the rain and just chuck them on? Tommychu posted:Goddamn, recalling all this poo poo after nearly 2 years out of it and pursuing another career has got me wanting to do a 'stories from the tire biz' thread, like all those GBS 'stories from my job' threads from around 04-06 before GBS was a shitpile. I miss the tire business to the point where I look forward to running over nails and wearing a set out, cause it means I can go back to the old shop (though only a couple of guys from the old crew are left, high turnover rates are inherent to the business). I think I'll be drafting a couple up in Word when I get time, and if I like the result and nobody says it's a bad idea for an AI thread I'll make it happen. CannonFodder fucked around with this message at 19:56 on Jan 27, 2014 |
|
#
¿
Jan 27, 2014 19:51
|
|
|
It's the completely untreaded roads because Birmingham and Atlanta don't believe in 'salt' I threw chain in Atlanta, only to stop dead a half hour and 10 miles later and sat 18 hours. We went through the middle of town to avoid an accident that covered 4 lanes. Then between ATL and Birmingham a R&L set of doubles turned sideways and into the median on I-20 East blocking all lanes and 20 miles from anything. Glad I was going the other way. Now I'm in Orlando hoping it's cleared up because I just know they're gonna send us right back to ATL to get the freight to catch up.
|
|
#
¿
Jan 31, 2014 13:24
|
|
|
It's -12F in Denver, I don't know how some of you guys handle this all the time.
|
|
#
¿
Feb 7, 2014 05:46
|
|
|
InterceptorV8 posted:Avoid Atlanta period.
|
|
#
¿
Feb 10, 2014 15:55
|
|
|
EightBit posted:Carbon Fiber trailer? I can't imagine how expensive that must have been. Bring back the needle nose Petes 
|
|
#
¿
Mar 5, 2014 04:58
|
|
|
0rganDonor posted:PAM and USA are left unmentioned as well. ACEofsnett posted:Clearly it's western express, because I'm a felon with dozens of drunk driving convictions. (I'm not and it's none of these!) Actually now it's up in the air, I'm waiting for a much better company to get back to me. If they do I'm canceling my orientation with the existing company. CannonFodder fucked around with this message at 04:59 on May 3, 2014 |
|
#
¿
May 3, 2014 03:13
|
|
|
That's a mix of "You should never use the tractor for personal use" and dispatch getting to flex their rear end in a top hat muscle. Enjoy the tanker job, take it easy in the corners and KEEP YOUR FOOT DOWN ON THE BRAKE HARD when coming to a stop as the fluid rocks back and forth. Are you gonna drive a Mack? 
|
|
#
¿
Jun 3, 2014 03:05
|
|
|
digitalcamo posted:Meant to ask you how a Mack handles. I only have experience with a prostar+ with maxxforce engine. Going up a slight incline makes have to downshift.
|
|
#
¿
Jun 4, 2014 01:51
|
|
|
InterceptorV8 posted:poo poo is a lot easier when your company is like this:
|
|
#
¿
Jun 11, 2014 01:17
|
|
|
InterceptorV8 posted:He said UNDER not OVER. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mS00hb3zsVU
|
|
#
¿
Jun 19, 2014 19:49
|
|
|
This isn't good, is it? edit: attachment woes, trying imgur 
|
|
#
¿
Jun 27, 2014 21:36
|
|
|
Powershift posted:His turbo is probably being held on by one bolt simultaneously causing it to soot, and distributing that soot around the drivers side of the engine.. That's just what the airflow does to it. With my mack i can put my arm out the window against the door at -40*C and it won't be cold. I also just wanted to put a picture in a thread sort of about pictures.
|
|
#
¿
Jul 1, 2014 04:15
|
|
|
InterceptorV8 posted:My guess is no "valid" photo ID. OK, next question, how was he pinged for a random before he even got a valid ID? He was still on the temp ID. Shadokin, did you recently move, or did you just get the worst luck?
|
|
#
¿
Aug 1, 2014 00:25
|
|
|
InterceptorV8 posted:Some companies will hire you as a dispatcher because you have that degree. Now planners, those guys can go pound sand.
|
|
#
¿
Aug 11, 2014 07:44
|
|
|
InterceptorV8 posted:^^^gawd drat it^^^ One time I saw a work crew pulling a truck out of a runaway truck ramp on I-15 in California; they needed a crane. Oh and I'm now in a brand new Freightliner Cascadia Evolution. The Volvo got 5.5 MPG, the Cascadia got 8 mpg on the maiden voyage of 8000 miles. The automagic transmission takes some time to get used to, but it's awesome. NoWake posted:Nah, University of Toledo. If the system over there was anything like UT's, I can see why he went into that line of work. You'll never, ever be out of a job. (ours were in the shop more than they were out) CannonFodder fucked around with this message at 01:23 on Aug 18, 2014 |
|
#
¿
Aug 18, 2014 01:13
|
|
|
Ozmiander posted:Why do people think it's sane to cut off the freightliner pulling up to the red light? I mean, it even says student driver all over it...
|
|
#
¿
Aug 22, 2014 03:51
|
|
|
InterceptorV8 posted:Probably. Might be a bit harder to eat on the road, but I bet you can do it, after all, there are Hindu and Sikh drivers. And no more beef jerky for me, thanks. That kidney stone while 4 states from home was a rude awakening.
|
|
#
¿
Aug 25, 2014 03:45
|
|
|
nm posted:Or, you know, don't drive in socal. There's a spot near Industry where 60 and 57 cross, and if you want to stay on your highway you have to cross 3 lanes of traffic that is trying to get to the lane you are leaving. Blinkers don't mean poo poo.
|
|
#
¿
Aug 31, 2014 03:34
|
|
|
Shadokin posted:Biggest advice I have for someone just starting out is gently caress the bullshit companies. Find a niche to get in, tankard, flat bed or ltl and rock it. If you gotta put 6 months In at a crap driver mill company do so, but flee as fast as you can. Now I run terminal to terminal with FedEx and it's the bees knees compared to OTR random dispatch. I'm not on the road for a month at a time and I don't have to deliver paper rolls to a man-made cave in Kansas City, but most importantly I don't have to wander around trying to find an empty trailer or show up at the shipper after hours and then have to explain to dispatch that No, It's Sunday morning and the shipper is closed there is a sign stating the hours I don't care what the planner said I can't get in to pick up the trailer. Ozmiander: Work at a poo poo OTR rookie grinder if you want poo poo stories, or just go find a good LTL where you can get experience and actually make money and might actually like the work. Or a regional carrier. Or bulk or tanker or run reefer from NY to FL and back all day long (HOLY poo poo NO gently caress THE BELTWAY). double edit: R&L trucking is based in the Northeast and they run LTL and sometimes 53 footers. Just try to stay away from some fly by night outfit that may or may not pay you. CannonFodder fucked around with this message at 03:49 on Oct 4, 2014 |
|
#
¿
Oct 4, 2014 03:01
|
|
|
InterceptorV8 posted:Are you doing a turn and burn aka meet and greet, or are you doing cross country t-t work?
|
|
#
¿
Oct 4, 2014 08:05
|
|
|
Mr. Wiggles posted:Everyone look at EightBit who doesn't know anything. A dive in Quatrzsite AZ also counts. Ozmiander posted:Threw away all the good advice, i should be shipping out to Allentown, PA for Werner on tuesdays. Out And Look Be a jerk. Take up time. Just make sure you park it properly. CannonFodder fucked around with this message at 10:02 on Oct 18, 2014 |
|
#
¿
Oct 18, 2014 09:27
|
|
|
Mr. Wiggles posted:You just need a bigger tractor.
|
|
#
¿
Oct 27, 2014 20:21
|
|
|
kastein posted:Rolling, or sliding? The tires on those things aren't worth a gently caress of a lot on ice. Unless they have the worlds largest set of tire chains.
|
|
#
¿
Oct 27, 2014 23:28
|
|
|
Javid posted:Was the driver supplied with suitable straps or whatever to tie them all down? Or does your company pull the "buy $200 of straps and load locks yourself and we totally won't accidentally shred the receipt" maneuver like most of them? But don't worry, you'll still get in trouble for not properly securing a load that was bolt-sealed before you ever were assigned the load.
|
|
#
¿
Nov 1, 2014 03:54
|
|
|
I am so loving glad I am now on a dedicated run in the Southeast US, no more chains except for the occasional ice storm. Funny thing about FedEx: They pay the IFTA fuel tax if the truck gets under 8mpg, but not if it gets better than 8mpg. My truck gets like 7.8 right now, but since this run has no mountains and with PrePass I will be flying past the NINE scales / ag inspectors in Florida on every loop, that mpg might go over 8. In response to that, my boss might get rid of the 68mph governor and let me hit 75 on my way to Dallas. It's so weird to have a policy that punishes great fuel mileage. 8mpg when pulling doubles is like getting 9mpg pulling 53' trailers.
|
|
#
¿
Nov 11, 2014 09:07
|
|
|
NoWake posted:^^ Did you explain that backwards? If not, that's truly messed up. When I was driving cross country with FedEx (with my dad) we would try to stop in various states and get a fill-up just to even it out. The good thing is FedEx has their own fuel stations that are priced at wholesale instead of retail, so when in California or Connecticut the fuel cost 30 cents less than retail, but still had the tax added in so IFTA was happy.
|
|
#
¿
Nov 11, 2014 10:05
|
|
|
InterceptorV8 posted:Why the gently caress would he have to pay that month? IFTA is quarterly.
|
|
#
¿
Nov 16, 2014 08:33
|
|
|
ijustam posted:Do they track idle time? Go to bed pop on high idle, laugh all the way to the bank. I could also go into how there are lighter local runs and heavy long-haul runs and empty long-haul runs, but I'll just say this: I (we, driving with dad) got paid to bobtail from Denver CO to Billings MT to pick up two empty pups and took them to Rialto CA because Billings had too many empties on the lot and Rialto needed power units. FedEx is a weird duck sometimes but they make money by getting packages from point A to point B, not by making sense, and they are making money.
|
|
#
¿
Nov 23, 2014 09:25
|
|
|
InterceptorV8 posted:Now the question is this. I'm a night owl. Before trucking, I delivered pizzas from 5pm to 9pm and then worked 3rd at Target stocking shelves. It was crappy but my body got used to it and I actually didn't like days off where I had to do poo poo during the day. Now I drive 4PM to 4AM so yes I sleep when the sun is up. While bouncing down the road. I like it. Here's another thing that I worry about : The HOS is based on the time zone of the home office, so someone in the Eastern Time Zone who drives for CR England based out of SLC has to take their 34 hour restart with two breaks of 3AM to 7AM EST. The laws have no flexibility to deal with the things truckers have to deal with, and truckers have to be flexible as hell to deal with this poo poo.
|
|
#
¿
Dec 7, 2014 09:44
|
|
|
|
| # ¿ May 10, 2024 10:42 |
|
|
AllPraiseToAllah posted:Soon to be CDL grad. Werner is... ok. They have problems with lovely equipment. If you are ever moved to a used truck, LOOK THROUGH THE OUTBOUND QUALCOMM MESSAGES, you will find the problem you are looking for because the previous driver got fed up with that truck after complaning for a few weeks. My dad and I didn't have that problem, we took it straight to the appropriate dealer and said fix that poo poo. And the trailer situation is a horror show. But that holds for all OTR fleets compared to Thing is, the bigger companies are pretty much all the same poo poo. There are good regional and bad regional runs, and most of that deals with what the planner has set up and if the shippers are on the same time table (they aren't). It's all about one hand not knowing that the other hand is doing. InterceptorV8 posted:Watch out, quite a few megacarriers are moving to all automatic fleets, which will make you completely undesirable to other outfits. And I drive a flappy paddle auto in my small fleet and it's the bees knees.
|
|
#
¿
Dec 26, 2014 09:34
|
|