Profile For Daniel (Turtle)

I once picked up a load of Campbell soup in Cincinnati OH, took it to Miami FL.. Waited there for them to swap the plastic brown trays to ones without the logos on them.. They then put back on truck and sent me back to exact same place in Cincinnati OH.. There they swapped the brown trays back to ones with Campbell soup logo on them, and back to Miami FL I went.. From there they got put on a ship..

I was later told that the company did this to show a mistake was made and a loss was made and was used to be a write off for taxes.. lol

G-Town I think we've got all the Sams and old Wal-Mart trailers at the Loveland DC... they're everywhere. XD

LOL.. I think they send all trailers to Loveland to die it seems.. That open lot so full of old ones.. Hermiston OR is another place full of them..

Eventually “what”, is going to happen? The inverse of your concern; companies will need to purchase auto-shift trucks in order to find any qualified drivers. Maybe not before I retire, but l’ll bet during your career this will occur.

I disagree with that notion as for the current company I work for do not hire student.. And now will not hire those with this restriction on the license.. Smaller companies that are under 500 trucks Are not going to Auto shifts.. And you are missing the point of why I brought this up.. I have had potential drivers who are calling me and saying "I got screwed by being force to test in an Auto, the only ones that will hire me are the big companies that I do not want to go to.." The point is that taking a test in an auto is Limiting drivers to where they can go.. Sure Auto is good for those with certain disabilities and such.. I would never knock someone who needs or want one.. The issue is I am finding several companies that are sending new students through and forcing them to do Auto shifts when taking the test.. Making them get the restriction. And NEW DRIVERS need to know that they are being limited as to what companies will hire them in Future..

Cost wise for a smaller company is repair.. Less goes wrong with a manual shift.. Sure you replace clutch and adjusts and such with Manual like 10 speeds.. But the over all cost of an auto shift and weight is why many smaller companies are turning away from them.. As far weight, our 2014-16 Pete 386 fleet is what we have a few Auto shifts.. They each weigh right at 300lbs more then the 8 speeds of same make and model.. Stat on the auto transmission that we have is 969 lbs.. The Manuals are 656lbs..

G-Town, I know you work for a big company and you been years on the same route running dedicated.. But the industry is much bigger then what works for your situation and life style..

I am replying to this feed only in the hopes to see it back near top of Discussion... And wanted to add my 2 cents worth now that I have been doing some recruiting on side for my current company..

I really wish and hope that new drivers make sure they test out in a manual transmission.. I personally have worked on about 10 applications that was great applications driving for a few years, nothing on record, decent PSP etc etc.. And I could not hire a single one, cause the company I work for only have 8 and 10 speed trucks for most part.. The Company bought about 5 Automatic few years ago, to see how they do.. Fuel, was not bad, but the extra weight hurt us.. The Boss decided he would not buy more, and only hire employee's that did not have the Automatic Restrictions on your license. So I have told 10 really decent truckers, over the past month "Sorry I can not hire you".. Not cause of anything they have done but cause of restrictions..

Drivers who are going through schools and testing in these are really limiting themselves to who can hire them in the future.. And I think they need to be aware of this.. Sure you can go to many big companies that have them.. But later in life, if you are looking for that smaller company you are limited..

So glad this is my last week in office doing recruiting, and being back to driving next week..

PJ is very correct in many of the things he stated.. I would like to share my story in the hopes that it will help you.. will try to keep it short..

My now ex wife and I split up after 2 years of Marriage.. She was pregnant at the time with my son.. She left and moved to her family in Ohio and I lived in Kentucky at the time.. In Ohio you can not file for Divorce while pregnant so she waited till after my son was born.. We went to court a month or so after he was born.. I went to court at my date and had all the stories of the things she did.. Her lack of work, education, etc etc.. I did not have a Lawyer.. (No Lawyer).. I gained Custody of my Son at 3 month old.. Again, with no lawyer.. The Judge found that I could provide better financially, and educationally then she could.. I was in the best interest of my child.. At the time I was an OTR.. But I knew an infant would not be good on road and I came off to be local.. (it was the one thing the judge asked me to do even tho I had a good family support system).. In 2002 was still kinda new for a man to get custody, much less to send infant across state line to another state..

I did come off the road, and did some crap jobs and such to be home daily till he was 8.. I do not know your situation, or your kids age.. But these things along with reason why you got your kid does come into play.. Jobs, and family network are also important.. Open road is not a place for a kid.. Sure its ok for summer break and such but they miss out on so much like school, friends, etc etc.. And I would suggest you look for a company that have both OTR and Local.. Drive Local during the school year, and take out on road during the summer.. Gives you stability, and more important your kid..

Tucking and family is always a hard life for the family.. You did not get custody of your kid for your parents to raise and for you to watch grow up in pictures.. And as a fellow single father, I know what challenges you have in front of you..

As a new driver my advice is if she takes you to court.. Remind them why you was giving custody.. explain your situation that you need to gain 12 months OTR to be able to go to a better local employment in this industry, and that is why your kid is with your parents.. Then if judge does not like the 12 months then make sure he knows that you are willing to come off road to do what is necessary.. The judge may be just looking for that little extra from ya to give you the 12 months to do so..

I wish you the best man..

I messed up.. This picture was suppose to be on my previous post.. lol

Must say interesting post.. The majority of companies do not have matching trucks and trailers.. But there are a few that do.. Race car drivers, certain small reefer companies, and some car haulers... Its one thing to take pride in your ride.. But if your with any type of big company you will go get 100s of trailers of different labels.. Comes with the territory..

Check with DB Schenker they are a global company and I know they have at least 2 places in Florida.. They do yard spotting and localized trucking for Factory to warehousing..

Had not read yet on the Insulin part.. That's great to know.. I had an Uncle long ago that had to come off road cause he became type 1.. Glad to know this law has changed..

State law can not supersede federal law, so yes it is still illegal on the federal level they are legally allowed to test as they are.

Much of this exchange borders on absurd. Many of you seem to be missing the most important aspect of this discussion.

Alcohol is legal to consume in all of the lower 48 and federally. Right? It’s perfectly legal to test for blood alcohol as a condition of hire to drive a CMV and randomly to maintain viable employment. Every company I know of has a zero tolerance for even trace amounts. There is a direct correlation with drug testing. Anything that impairs judgement, cognitive skills and motor skills has no place in this business.

We all get tested and must agree to it before employment occurs. If you don’t authorize it, or refuse, no job.

Agreed.. And can even go further with this.. Most companies will not hire if ever had a DWI/DUI in past 5 years..

Even though Alcohol is legal, its the notion that you misbehaved behind the wheel of a vehicle in the past, and could be a risk to do it again..

Could even take it another way.. Diabetics who takes Shots of insulin still are prohibited to drive a CMV.. Anything that can impair you..