Suggested project for do-gooders

Not to be argumentative but say air-conditioned rooms are provided. I have a hard time my first night sleeping in a strange motel room. What if the quality of rest is no good in a motel. What to do then?

My prediction is you're going to see a premium paid for local product and less long-haul trucking.

Well in this world there are those who see a problem and try to come up with a workable solution, and there are those who are just against everything and spend their time coming up with reasons why this or that won't work.

I try to be in the former, but not always successfully.

As with any problem you have to look at the scope. How many sleep-deprived drivers are on the road at any given time?

I know UPS has bid runs from, for instance, New Stanton, PA to Columbus and back with the double trailers. They don't use one driver or one team to haul freight across the country. They break it up.

If I was Yellow or J. B. Hunt or Schneider I'd have sleeping rooms at my terminals across the country and send my drivers on shorter trips back-and-forth across the country.

Tractor wheels don't have to be turning all the time - trailer wheels do.

shermangeneral wrote:I would suggest either provide climate controlled cabs or motels.

Do you find that unreasonable?

Those are not exclusive or take it/leave it suggestions.

Just suggestions.

Sherm, I suggest that you take a job of Roofer, ..... or Blacktop re-surfacer, ...... or Flagman on a road job ...... for a couple weeks ....... and then you might appreciate your truck driving job.

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Well Sam I have done some of those.

And I do appreciate my job thank you.

That has nothing to do with the subject, as usual.

None of those jobs require you to sleep in a truck without a/c in 90 degree weather, far as I know.

If they are away from home they sleep in an a/c motel.

You hit the head square on the head. Sherm wants to be put in a motel every night. Either that or he wants a state of the art APU system that will run his air, TV, satellite, computer, fridge, microwave and every other piece of electronic equipment that he has to have in his home away from home mandated by the federal government. His company could provide him with a unit that would keep him comfortable but it wouldn't be enough. No matter what they do, it will never be enough.

The companies you mentioned do have sleeping rooms in all of their terminals and they will route drivers to their terminals to provide service on trucks using their mechanics instead of using road service.

Trucking has been government regulated since 1935 when regulations were issued governing the transportation industry, pre-dating the DOT by 31 years.

The 14 hour on duty rule/11 hour driving is relatively new as it's only been around for about 3 or 4 years. Prior to that, drivers could be on duty for 15 hours but drive only 10 hours. The mandatory time off has also been increased from 8 to 10 hours and the requirements to meet the off duty criteria has been strengthened. One other major change is that a drivers hours automatically reset if they are off duty for 34 consecutive hours. Under the old regulation, the only time a driver gained all 60/70 hours back was if he didn't work for a week.

That change has been struck down by the 4th Circuit (I believe) but was stayed as the government appealed the decision. Personally, I hope it stays 14/11/10 instead of going back to 15/10/8.

And the industry is addressing the problem. For Sherm to imply otherwise is at the very least, naive.

The thing is, I see the Sherms of the world everyday. Drivers who have nothing to do but set behind a wheel and listen to talk radio and identify all that is wrong with the world. My dad drove a truck for 44 years, I've drove for 12 years and have managed and dealt with drivers for 10+ years so I feel confident in saying, that collectively as a group, there isn't a bigger bunch of whiners in the world, and that includes maternity wards.

With diesel fuel over $5/gallon I'm sure the rules in some marginal companies tend away from idling for extended periods. I don't doubt it.

Your dad never had an A/C unit on his old R model Mack. They'd better not catch him sleeping in there no matter what the temperature.

Ah, no he didn't have an AC, not until 1977 I think. He died in 79. He did have a much tanner left arm though.

For years he drove a day cab and his sleeper was a board over the seats. He wouldn't know what to do in today's trucks with today's roads.

You are a helluva man Aaron.

Ah, no he didn't have an AC, not until 1977 I think. He died in 79. He did have a much tanner left arm though.

Yeah, I know what you mean.

For almost 35 years I lived many hours a day with my left arm hanging out the window. Even now, years later- even in the dead of wintertime- my left arm is much darker than my right arm. And with more brown moles, too- from all that exposure to sunlight, I presume.

The first truck he got with AC with a standard sleeper that also had AC was in 74, not 77. I was mistaken. On the second run, my uncle had the steering wheel lock up and they went over Sewell Mountain leading into Rainelle. He had just gotten out of the bunk and was thrown threw the windshield. It was one of the first Mack’s that didn't have a divider or he would have likely been cut in half. Among 13 broken bones, his left leg was nearly cut off just above the knee. It took over 500 stitches to sew the knee up. It could have been worse. I have a picture of the sleeper crushed in, cutting his pillow in half.

He was a real truck driver, nothing like the steering wheel holders we have today.

And thanks Sherm. I appreciate it.

You lost your father far too young, Aaron. I'm sorry to hear about that.

Thank you Stephanie. He was 44 when I was born and drove a truck so he wasn't an at home dad. He passed when he was 58. While I missed much, I can't help but think he missed more. It's why I've passed up opportunities to move on to bigger things and I don't regret it for a minute.