Profile For ColeTrucker

Wow. You've really jumped head first into the deep end of the cynicism and conspiracy pool in short order my friend! You need a trip to Uganda or Costa Rica to see how the rest of the world lives if you think we have it so bad.

Geesh!

Sometimes I have to laugh at myself too! Maybe I should be a storyteller?

Anyhoo, I am first generation American with parents from Panama and my husband is Jamaican. To me, you are comparing apples to oranges because American truckers started out they way things are there now.

As I mentioned, I've never looked into how things worked with the cameras (thank you Errol for giving an example). The time before and after an "event" recording makes sense to me. I'm sure the definition of "event" will trigger another story from me but, I wont go there just now,lol. The camera thing don't bother me. Its the audio that have me looking sideways.

Yes, camera's are everywhere but there is a big difference from cameras catching a snippit of you from time to time vs cameras that are focused on the driver however many hours a day for all the weeks you are in their truck. OK,it is what it is, but whats up with the audio too? I never read the debates anywhere about the camera's b/c i just assumed it was video only. Audio? For real? Whoa! And I don't care why!

I'm a Company OTR driver, driving 560+ miles on a regular. That means I can only have private (from company)conversations with my family, doctor, lawyer, whomever outside of the truck or supposedly while the truck of off in the place I sleep for weeks at a time,wth?

Safety gets to look,listen blah,blah blah but, what stops them from telling everyone your business? When I decided to become a driver, I was like,"Wow, great for me"! ref the "shortage". Now, I just lol when I see all these articles about the trucking storage of "good" driver's when what they really mean is they want "good guinea pigs", or good reasons to push the autonomous truck agenda, or possibly increase subsidies from the gov't to "train" drivers. I'm so over it!

Pls forgive the late reply. Laptop issues abound!

Thank you all for your suggestions. I will work on them and keep you updated.

52K is an exaggeration, lol. However, my KW is very light compared to the other trucks I've driven. The largest load I've had so far was around 50k and I've never been over gross. I've only had to adjust my tandems once to clear a little over 34 on the rear.

Well? How's it going for ya?

Glad you asked b/c that means there is something you may need to work on in order for it NOT to be an issue as you reach for your goal. In other words.....pretend it DOES matter and figure out what you need to do to not make it matter to YOU. Get it? We females ALWAYS have to come up with something to get where we want to be.Cole

I'm working for a different company and drive a KW which I absolutely love! But, I have no love for the seat belt at all! It not only rubs my boobies it holds me too tight!!! I am constantly having to pull it away from me b/c it gets too tight after bumping up and down the interstate for a while. I only wear it as a lap belt and place the part that supposed to go across my chest up under the arm rest on the left side. So I wear it like a double lap belt now.

Of course everybody and their mama calls my company to say I'm not wearing my seat belt because they're mad that I left them in the dust going up a hill with 52k in the trailer. Safety is having a fit but don't feel my pain soooo it is what it is.

Any suggestions???

Local police or DOT should only stop you if they have probable cause for something.

They can ask for your green card all they want. However, you have the RIGHT to politely decline their request. Your immigration status is none of their business. They are not immigration officers.

Erm, there's the law, and then there's the practicality of being detained. A commercial truck rolling down the highway is a pile of probable cause to an officers. The sheer volume of regulations that are required to be adhered to by law for a CDL holder is amazing. One light out is sufficient for the officer to pull you over and ask for relevant identifying paperwork.

Erm, the OP specifically asked the following question;

When you get pulled over for whatever reason, can they ask you for your green card instead of just drivers license?

My reply is valid and it IS THE LAW! Reading and comprehension is also very important for a Professional Class A CDL driver. Cole

Local police or DOT should only stop you if they have probable cause for something.

They can ask for your green card all they want. However, you have the RIGHT to politely decline their request. Your immigration status is none of their business. They are not immigration officers.

If they ask you for your driver's license you may give it to them. Your driver's license must be valid in whatever country you hail froM.

You have the right to be silent. Let them know that you are exercising that right If you chose. You have the right to ask them why you are being detained. You have the right to ask them if you are free to go.

Find out what your rights are for your county, local police, and find someplace where you can be educated about your Bill of Rights.

I am a former 911 dispatcher. My husband is an immigrant and we have two sons in their twenties. We all took a course about our Bill of Rights. We also found out what our rights are in reference to the county and local law enforcement. We role played different scenarios about encounters with law enforcement.

Welcome to the USA!

Nervousness is normal. All of us have been there with that knot in our stomachs , lol. Nervousness means that you care, that you worked hard and want to do your best. On the day of the test, take that nervous energy and channel it towards you successfully passing the test.

Shoot, I was so nervous that my left hand was shaking like a leaf. I had to tighten my grip around the steering wheel so that my instructor wouldn't notice, lol!

You will do well! Good luck to you and let us know how it went. Cole.

Welcome to TT Kara!

How blessed are you to have your wife hit the road with you! My husband wouldn't have any of that, lol.

Please keep us updated on your new adventure. Cole