Profile For Steven N. (aka Wilson)

If anyone can find a break somewhere, you can.

-HM

Thank you. The difficulty will be in finding the right uniform as I'm ...well ...blue.

-mountain girl

Did you say blue???

Dare I suggest.....

MG, it's their loss. You will find the right company with no problem, I'm sure.

They accused you of floating a gear??!? What is the sin in that? At Melton's orientation, the instructor introduced the students in my class to floating gears. I found it wonderful. I rarely use the clutch any more. The learning curve for me has been steep. I have made so many mistakes since I have started I think I would have been sent home before you had I received the same scrutiny. No one is a perfect driver either at the beginning or otherwise. With your attitude, you will succeed; especially with your military work ethic!

I was driving my third week close to the limit. At the end of the week, my 70-hour clock ran out. Next week, I am going to attempt to drive 9 - 9.5 per day to keep my 70-hour clock stocked with hours everyday. I think it is called running on recap? I don't want to miss a delivery appointment again because I ran out of hours. It was really frustrating, too. I was in position to make it on time, but the 70-hour rule peed on my parade! I still have a lot to learn in time management.

Oh, I forgot to mention. I did well on my permit because of the High Road Training program.

Gratz on the permit! Nice feeling, isn't it?

When I went, I took all the tests at the same session and walked out with a permit with all the endorsements (save HAZMAT as that is only put on your actual license).

I think if you are entering the hwy and a truck moves left to make room for you, you should let them back over afterwards. I did this and there was a truck in front of me going about 61 and I'm governed at 62 and the truck that just entered pulled up beside me so I couldn't get back over and had to proceed to pass the other truck which took awhile and cars and other trucks stacked up behind me.

Now this happened to me today, not only with another truck, but also with 4-wheelers. You see them entering from the on ramp to merge and you know you have to get over to let them in. Then they pull up along side of you and you can't get back over.

About fighting the governor, that is an interesting concept. I may just try that for a week or two to see how it is.

Are there any other instances of trucking etiquette besides passing? Like in the truck stops or other situations?

Being a brand-new rookie, I have noticed there are things you do while driving that are considered polite driving practices. The other day, I was driving along minding my own business and I had the truck pegged at the governed speed I could go. Eventually, I come up to another truck that is doing perhaps 2 MPH slower than I was. Well, I didn't want to go slower so I patiently waited for an adequate opening to pass and I started to pass him. It took awhile to pass him, especially with the gentle rolling hills that were present. Once I was past him, I got back over into the right lane and started to mind my own business again when a truck that got behind me at some point passed me and blowing his road horn at me. I am thinking he may have been an O/O since his truck did not seem to be governed. Whether he was an O/O or not, he was very irate at me for taking *too* long to pass.

So I am thinking that I broke some kind of sacred etiquette law or something, hence this post.

What are these etiquette laws? I know all of you experienced drivers know them and probably practice them all the time. But I don't know them. Please comment on my passing a slower truck and also please list as many of these etiquette rules as you all can think of. I would like to be in compliance as a rookie.

Ooooo! This is good info!

I agree. These "jokes" are definitely not funny.

When I was with TMC I had a driver facing camera (they were just testing, i think less than 200 trucks had them). The camera wasn't always recording, it was just triggered either by a critical event (hard brake, collision) or if the driver pressed the button on the camera. The footage was then sent to a third party to evaluate (making sure it wasn't a false positive) before sending it on to the company. I never had mine record anything. If the camera worked as described above, I would always be fine with it. Any that the employer can just "peek in" for any reason, or no reason at all, I would have a problem with.

This is what I have in my truck. The company has no way of "activating the camera" to see what you are doing. It is event activated (or you can hit the button) and a third party reviews the recording. The company provides the criteria to the third party on what to look for (I think it is three or four different things) and if it doesn't involve any of the criteria, they don't want to see the recording. They told me in orientation that the camera is primarily for litigation. I think if you are doing what you are supposed to be doing, there should not be a problem with it. But if you like to fiddle with your phone while driving or have unauthorized riders and such things, sooner or later you will get caught. I like the idea because as a rookie, I feel like I am being protected.