Just Some Random Questions

Because I have a while before I can leave for schooling I sit and think a lot about trucking in general and come up with tons of quesrions that I'm sure you guys and gals can help me out with...

1- when I was a kid I remember riding with my grana and my mom down the interstate quite often. Every time we would pass a bigrig I would throw my arm oit the window and pump my fists. In turn most truckers would blow the horn. My question, does this still happen? I recall seeing a video recently where the horn was on the steering wheel. To me thay seems to takes the fun out of it but it makes sense that newer trucks would be set up like this.

2- I often see trucks in the midwest stopped on onramps at night. Is that an acceptable place to stop? Is it because truckstops get full at night and its easier to just pull off there? Or maybe thwy ran out of hours or just decide ro take a quick stop to eat k r something.

3- How so weigh stations work? When do you have to stop at them. It always seems like the ones I pass are closed. I always wondered if you have to stop at everyone you pass or I'd it depends on different circumstances.

4- Probably been asked before but what is the hardest thing to get used to living in a truck? I'm thinking that it would be the bathroom situation. I have a super bladder so I'm not too worried about that but sometimes you gotta dook out of nowhere. I guess its best to not eat tacos before you drive.

5- Is there any kind of rules against night driiving or anything? I think I would rather drive at night in less traffic and rest during the day. Does it just depend on delivery times and trip planning?

6- I seem to see a lot of little tvs in trucks. How do you get signal? Do you just have an antenna and search for dree over the air channels or are there other options like satellites or something? Or are they just used for dvds and video games?

Thays all for now. I'm sure I'll have more in the future. As always thanks for your time.

They still have the air horn! But also a regular horn on the steering wheel!

1- when I was a kid I remember riding with my grana and my mom down the interstate quite often. Every time we would pass a bigrig I would throw my arm oit the window and pump my fists. In turn most truckers would blow the horn. My question, does this still happen? I recall seeing a video recently where the horn was on the steering wheel. To me thay seems to takes the fun out of it but it makes sense that newer trucks would be set up like this.

There's a mellow "city horn" on the steering wheel and an air horn with a pull the cord. Drivers still do this but you have to be careful that you don't scare the holy boloney out of someone on the highway. I was reluctant to do it for that reason but when I felt it was safe I always would.

2- I often see trucks in the midwest stopped on onramps at night. Is that an acceptable place to stop? Is it because truckstops get full at night and its easier to just pull off there? Or maybe thwy ran out of hours or just decide ro take a quick stop to eat k r something.

Ok, this is contraversial. First of all, it's very dangerous to park on the off ramp. The on ramp isn't nearly as dangerous. Some states have laws against this, some don't. Some trucking companies have policies against this, most don't. Personally I think people make a much bigger deal out if it than it is. I used to park on the on ramps on a pretty regular basis because it is indeed quick, convenient, and about your only option when the truck stops are full and you need to shut down.

3- How so weigh stations work? When do you have to stop at them. It always seems like the ones I pass are closed. I always wondered if you have to stop at everyone you pass or I'd it depends on different circumstances.

You'll learn the specifics of this for the company you work for once you get on the road in training but by default you must always cross the scales if they're open. Now if you have a pre-pass, which is a little box that signals you to bypass the scale sometimes, you can bypass if they signal you to with a green light. If you get the red light, you have to cross the scales.

4- Probably been asked before but what is the hardest thing to get used to living in a truck? I'm thinking that it would be the bathroom situation. I have a super bladder so I'm not too worried about that but sometimes you gotta dook out of nowhere. I guess its best to not eat tacos before you drive.

For most people, the solitude and time away from home, family & friends. You'll spend about 20+ hours a day completely alone in that truck and you'll often go weeks without seeing one single person you know. It's unbelievably foreign to most people and it's very hard for some to deal with.

As far as eating and going to the bathroom, you have to be smart. No risky foods before a long drive or before going to bed in an isolated spot without bathrooms.

5- Is there any kind of rules against night driiving or anything? I think I would rather drive at night in less traffic and rest during the day. Does it just depend on delivery times and trip planning?

No rules that pertain to when you drive. The limiting factors will definitely be your pickup/delivery schedule and your logbook.

6- I seem to see a lot of little tvs in trucks. How do you get signal? Do you just have an antenna and search for dree over the air channels or are there other options like satellites or something? Or are they just used for dvds and video games?

Internet-based, on-demand television (like Netflix and other services) or satellite TV. I used to have DirecTV and when I'd stop I'd hand the dish, point it at the satellite, and chill out.

Great questions!!

Ill answer to the best of my knowledge.

Because I have a while before I can leave for schooling I sit and think a lot about trucking in general and come up with tons of quesrions that I'm sure you guys and gals can help me out with...

1- when I was a kid I remember riding with my grana and my mom down the interstate quite often. Every time we would pass a bigrig I would throw my arm oit the window and pump my fists. In turn most truckers would blow the horn. My question, does this still happen? I recall seeing a video recently where the horn was on the steering wheel. To me thay seems to takes the fun out of it but it makes sense that newer trucks would be set up like this.

My air horn is a wire I pull on my left side on the ceiling, it's the same thing as it was. My city horn which is like a car horn is located on my steering wheel. When in traffic only blow the city horn. Keep the air horn to a minimum because it can scare the crap out of a driver and cause an accident. My company, central refrigerated, does not allow air horns to be used unnecessarily. I've used it in traffic once to wake up a driver merging onto my lane while staring at their cell phone. They were coming straight at me and I was blocked everywhere so I couldn't do anything to prevent a disaster so I had to blow it for my own safety, it woke them up real quick! But if a kid in a school bus pumps his fist I am not allowed to blow the air horn for him.

2- I often see trucks in the midwest stopped on onramps at night. Is that an acceptable place to stop? Is it because truckstops get full at night and its easier to just pull off there? Or maybe thwy ran out of hours or just decide ro take a quick stop to eat k r something.

I work at a major company, I can't do whatever I want like these people who own their own small company. I'm not allowed to park on the side of a freeway or on any ramps unless its to switch drivers. Closed down weigh stations are fine and parking on the side of the road along a rest area is fine, just not a random ramp that barely fits me.

3- How so weigh stations work? When do you have to stop at them. It always seems like the ones I pass are closed. I always wondered if you have to stop at everyone you pass or I'd it depends on different circumstances.

Closed is good! Basically if you have a prepass in-cab transponder it gives you a green or red light before the scale. Green means you can skip the scale and red means you must enter the scale. Before a weigh station, did you ever notice two posts that are apart? They look like a rectangular looking "box". Those are the transponders. If its red you must enter, if its open and you don't have a transponder you must enter. All it is, is you enter the scale, follow the arrow that'll lead you and in idle speed you drive over the scale. It weighs your steering axle, drive axles, and trailer axles to make sure you are legal. If you're illegal you're in trouble. If it tells you to pull over for an inspection than you must pull over and hope the official is kind.

4- Probably been asked before but what is the hardest thing to get used to living in a truck? I'm thinking that it would be the bathroom situation. I have a super bladder so I'm not too worried about that but sometimes you gotta dook out of nowhere. I guess its best to not eat tacos before you drive.

Bathroom was pretty easy for me. I mean, shippers and receivers have a bathroom. Truck stops have a bathroom and rest areas to as well! You literally cross 20 toilets in a single day. Just pull over and go! Worst comes to worst take a #1 on the side of the road (hide!). You're a guy, it's much easier!! The hardest thing for me is trying to eat healthy. There is so much temptation for fast food every single day! That and not being able to eat what you loved to eat back at home. Not having the comfort of a kitchen.

5- Is there any kind of rules against night driiving or anything? I think I would rather drive at night in less traffic and rest during the day. Does it just depend on delivery times and trip planning?

Unless you're an oversized hauler there are no night driving restrictions as far as I know. As long as you obey all of your clocks and are driving legal you are fine. Night driving is a lot harder than it sounds. It takes a ton more concentration than driving a 4 wheeler and you get fatigued a lot quicker because of it. Staring down an endless road really takes its toll. Night driving is no joke. I'd recommend sticking to daytime driving as a rookie (that's what I'm doing). Backing up is a lot tougher when you're exhausted from driving at night. So you take an increased risk with backing, falling asleep at the wheel, and there are a lot more reckless drivers at night. I prefer day but to each his own! A lot does have to do with trip planning. Just plan it right usually there is enough time on loads. Sometimes you cannot avoid it. For instance a few days ago I had a delivery at 0330 I was forced to night drive. And yesterday my shipper killed my clock so I had to take a 10 hour break during the day and I had to drive 450 miles from Arkansas to Fort Worth Texas to make the delivery. I'm on time. You gotta do what you gotta do!

6- I seem to see a lot of little tvs in trucks. How do you get signal? Do you just have an antenna and search for dree over the air channels or are there other options like satellites or something? Or are they just used for dvds and video games?

I'm not 100% sure. I don't have time for TV to be honest. But I have seen TV antennas sold at truck stops. It mounted on your window.

Thays all for now. I'm sure I'll have more in the future. As always thanks for your time.

Again, I've been solo for only two months I don't know it all. But I love to help anyone I could out. Take it for what's its worth. I was in the exact position as you are right now three months ago and now I'm a solo driver. If I can do it, so can you!! You got this! Keep studying!!

With CRST, parking on any ramp, unless it is an emergency, is a firing offense. And like they told us in orientation, dont think no one will report your truck number.

Another CRST policy is, in general, we are not to drive between 1AM and 5AM the first week, but that is also left to the discretion of the trainer. I am by nature a night person, so once I get set up with my codriver, I plan to do the late shift, though we are talking about a 3 to 3, or 4 to 4 split, so both drivers will not be driving one or the other. Thats what was recommended to us.

My short experience with weigh stations is that it seems to be varying from state to state. Some have them all open, and some have them all closed. I saw some on I10 in La and Tx, that had large barricades across the entrances and looked like they had not been used in a while.

You've gotten some great replies and I'll just add my two cents.

Onramps/offramps: I only did this once. I think it was against my company's policy, but I'm not sure The legalities depend on the state of course. The once I did was when I had a drop and hook in Waco, Tx that took six hours. 5.5 hours waiting in line and then 30 minutes to drop the trailer and pick up another. The truck stop was full and I had ten minutes on my clock so parked on an onramp. I was really nervous because I didn't know what the law was in TX, if some brownnoser would report me to my company, or I'd get hit. I don't recommend it, but sometimes you don't have any other options.

Hardest thing about living in a truck: Like you, I thought the worst thing would be the bathroom situation, but it was actually never a problem for me. The hardest thing is the lifestyle issue; away from home, no friends or family, etc. However, there are certain times that I just LOVED it. After an especially grueling day, there is nothing like pulling the curtains closed, cranking up the AC and watching a movie. You can be in the middle of nowhere, hundreds of miles away from anyone you know, and yet you feel more relaxed and at ease than you ever have before.

Night driving: As mentioned above, it ultimately all depends on your pick-up/delivery schedule and your logs. Whenever possible, though, I preferred to start really early in the morning. I'd wake up around 2:30 and try to be on the road by 3:00. That way, you get to the truckstop before it fills up. It's incredibly stressful to try to back into a crowded truckstop at night after you've been driving for 11 hours and are already completely exhausted. Sometimes you just have to do it, but whenever possible, I'd start driving as early as I could to avoid it.