Profile For Mike B.

Hey guys any tips on passing the hazmat exam? I’ve been doing the practice tests online wondering if that’ll be enough.

So I may be temporarily switching to OTR bc of Coronavirus but a little worried about the Rockies and mountains like it I originally drove the Great Lakes for 2 years but now I’ve just been doing Vegas to Los Angeles I have a 10 speed freightliner cascadia for the mountain pass and cajon pass I usually just drop to 9th gear and jake when I’m heavy and that tends to hold was just wondering if the different mountains would require lower gears? Thanks.

Hey gang, thinking about switching over to flatbed driving was wondering how it is I’ve only pulled reefer trailers.

Yes you are right me and 4 other drivers are the go to guys in Nevada, our terminal is in Ontario so we don’t have the luxury of getting our trucks serviced by the shop there like the guys living in Cali

I’ll take this opportunity to plug the mega-carriers, if any anyone ‘considering a career‘ has read this far….

One of the definite benefits of working for one of the larger carriers like Swift/Knight, Prime, or Schneider is that these companies have very deep pockets, plenty of resources, and a strict adherence to safety. They’re a lot less likely to allow tractors and/or trailers with defects to continue being driven. For example, on one occasion the gate operator would not let me out of one of our OCs because the trailer I was pulling had defects attributed to it, defects someone had listed on their post-trip inspection report. The defects had been addressed and fixed, but I still had to go over to the shop and have the service advisor clear them out before I was allowed to leave with the trailer.

This attention to defects in the tractors and trailers leads to a higher rate of passing inspections with zero violations and thusly lower CSA scores. And that means drivers with those companies are less likely to be pulled in for inspections. I’ve driven into California numerous times on I-15 from Nevada, and have yet to be pulled in for an inspection. Of course this means next time I’ll get the dreaded Level One, but I’m not going to stress over it.

They aren’t only open 24/7 they are open on major holidays 24/7, you got people smoking meth in downtown LA on the streets but yeah let’s make it our number one priority to screw truck drivers

Is it a 24/7 scalehouse?

If not, I would alter my driving schedule if necessary to avoid any extra visits with those inspectors. As you're experiencing, once a violation is found, you will be more likely to have another inspection there next time, too.

Doesn’t sound worth it gang but thanks for the help guess I just gotta deal with inspections every couple months, I shuttle from Vegas to Ontario Cali back to Vegas so I have to deal with these guys on a regular basis

All of the above, I just didn’t think a fingernail sized abrasion on an air line would put me out of service especially when it’s not leaking

Nipton road is after the scale the scale is only on the southbound side so that doesn’t really answer the question

Same way you were told 3 months ago when you asked the same question.

Errol said

BTW, that scale is out in the desert. I side roads except to head in I-40 Any 18 wheeler on a side road out there would be a obvious as a Las Vegas showgirl in a church.

Exit 286 Nipton Rd right/South toward Searchlight NV. In Searchlight go north on US 95. That ends up in Boulder City. Enjoy the trip

Really? Maybe I can help you help yourself, since you can't get the answers you hope to hear.

Got a current road atlas? How about a GPS? How about access to Google Maps? How about a thorough pre trip and post trip inspection? Are you reporting discrepancies to your dispatch and maintenance department, or are the DOT inspectors finding simple things (minor issues as you put it) that were overlooked before your trip began?

Nipton road is after the scale the scale is only on the southbound side so that doesn’t really answer the question

Same way you were told 3 months ago when you asked the same question.

Errol said

BTW, that scale is out in the desert. I side roads except to head in I-40 Any 18 wheeler on a side road out there would be a obvious as a Las Vegas showgirl in a church.

Exit 286 Nipton Rd right/South toward Searchlight NV. In Searchlight go north on US 95. That ends up in Boulder City. Enjoy the trip

Anybody know a way around the Nevada California scale house in southern Cali? I’m so sick of getting chewed out by my safety manager bc these ****suckers put you out of service for minor issues.

I’ve been at the same company since my start, about 3.5 years ago. Thinking about looking into becoming an owner operator. Anybody have any tips about this?