I'm Traveling Incognito The Next Few Weeks
Topic 22037 | Page 1
Whoa! Fire engine red. That gives me flashbacks to driving for US Xpress. Same color.
That's a bummer having to get a loaner truck. Hopefully that one is in decent shape.
Glad to hear freight is strong! I had a conversation with the folks at Wil-Trans recently and they said freight was as strong as they've ever seen it. So things seem to be moving along nicely.
Wil-Trans:
Darrel Wilson bought his first tractor in 1980 at age 20, but, being too young to meet OTR age requirements, he leased the truck out and hired a driver.
Through growth and acquisition, Wil-Trans now employs over 200 drivers, and has a long-standing partnership with Prime, Inc. to haul their refrigerated freight. The family of businesses also includes Jim Palmer Trucking and O & S Trucking.
I think 2018 is shaping up nicely. We're seeing strong movement in both manufacturing and construction. That's the type of economic development that produces truck loads. When tech businesses like Netflix are growing by leaps and bounds, it does little for the trucking business. Consumer confidence is up, unemployment is declining, and all these factors should push demand in the freight sectors. I can see definite improvements in my little window into the world through my dedicated account.
OWI:
Operating While Intoxicated
A beautiful "Wed Twuk". Tonka-like. Looks sharp with your covered wagon.
Interested to hear how you faired reaclimating to manual shifting. A possibility I might soon be facing...
Covered Wagon:
A flatbed with specially fitted side plates and curved ribs supporting a tarp covering, commonly referred to as a "side kit". Named for the resemblance to horse-drawn covered wagons.
Interested to hear how you faired reaclimating to manual shifting. A possibility I might soon be facing...
G-town, to be honest, it was a non issue. I just got in and started driving. It's been almost four years since I had a manual transmission, but it was just like the old bicycle riding analogy - I had no problems. I'm not double clutching - really I'm only using the clutch to start and stop. The gears are meshing easily and this old Eaton Fuller 9 speed shifts like a dream.
It took me just a little bit to get accustomed to this engine. My regular truck has a Volvo engine. This one has the Cummings ISX. They seem to have a little different RPM range where they produce the most torque. I like this engine, but I've had no problems with the performance of my Volvo. The Volvo is getting better fuel mileage than this one.
Double Clutch:
To engage and then disengage the clutch twice for every gear change.
When double clutching you will push in the clutch, take the gearshift out of gear, release the clutch, press the clutch in again, shift the gearshift into the next gear, then release the clutch.
This is done on standard transmissions which do not have synchronizers in them, like those found in almost all Class A trucks.
Double Clutching:
To engage and then disengage the clutch twice for every gear change.
When double clutching you will push in the clutch, take the gearshift out of gear, release the clutch, press the clutch in again, shift the gearshift into the next gear, then release the clutch.
This is done on standard transmissions which do not have synchronizers in them, like those found in almost all Class A trucks.
OS red is your color sir
Here is yet one more pointed example of “the perks” top drivers get. I’m sure had it been one of the whiners they would be the one sitting at home this week.
I’ve never driven a volvo engine, but I love the cummins. ISX is ok but the older n14 has some great power
A few days ago I took my truck in for repairs. It developed a fourth wheel seal leak (bad leak where oil is just pouring out) on the same drive axle, over about a four month period. This time they think they've found what is causing the problem, and my truck has to go to a Volvo dealership for warranty work to the axle and differential. Here's what I found on my door...
So, I had to go through the process of getting a loaner assigned to me. That sounds easy enough, but with demand for freight being fairly high right now, the available trucks were slim. They had one available at my home terminal , and our terminal manager insisted that I go into one of his trucks because he didn't want me producing revenue for one of the other terminals. You guys hear us talking about the competitive nature of this business a lot. Well, here's an example of how even the terminal managers are competing against each other.
I had to sit for a day until they could get me in a truck. The one that was "available" had already been assigned to a new driver who was being upgraded to solo status from his trainer that very day. They assured me they would come up with something - "Just sit tight, we're working on it."
A couple of hours later, they sent the new guy home to wait for a truck and put me in that only truck available. Here's what happened. When they finally had the new driver processed and ready to go, they realized they had made a mistake. This truck has a 9 speed manual transmission, and poor Mr. Newbie has an automatic restriction on his fresh new CDL.
No restrictions on my license equals no delays in my ability to keep productive. I jumped in, cranked 'er up, and rolled on down the road. I've got the wind in my hair and money in the bank. You may not recognize me if you see me on the highway the next few weeks, but here's what I look like now...
Hey OS, do you ever get up to around the Portland OR area? Once me and my student get done delivering this load we have now, we are taking a reset at the Loves in Troutdale, OR on I-84, Exit 17. Now I know what to look for with your loaner truck. 😁
CDL:
Commercial Driver's License (CDL)
A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:
- Any combination of vehicles with a gross combined weight rating (GCWR) of 26,001 or more pounds, providing the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of the vehicle being towed is in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any single vehicle with a GVWR of 26,001 or more pounds, or any such vehicle towing another not in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any vehicle, regardless of size, designed to transport 16 or more persons, including the driver.
- Any vehicle required by federal regulations to be placarded while transporting hazardous materials.
Terminal:
A facility where trucking companies operate out of, or their "home base" if you will. A lot of major companies have multiple terminals around the country which usually consist of the main office building, a drop lot for trailers, and sometimes a repair shop and wash facilities.
I'm seeing an uptick even on the Hazmat side of things. Miles are wracking up. Gonna get my platinum card within the next couple months if I keep churning out the miles.
Nothing but good stuff for all I say!
HAZMAT:
Hazardous Materials
Explosive, flammable, poisonous or otherwise potentially dangerous cargo. Large amounts of especially hazardous cargo are required to be placarded under HAZMAT regulations
2018 has definitely started out better. Steel rates have gone up across the board, 20% or more from the 3 major players we haul for with 2 of those also raising the number of loads we haul based on reliability of service. We will see another jump if the tariffs get applied as well but the scope of those needs to be narrowed because the coverage as currently planned are much too broad but I won't go into great detail, that's an article of its own lol. All in all, I personally couldn't be happier. I make just as much, even a bit more than I was, am home every weekend and usually once through the week and run half the miles.
HOS:
Hours Of Service
HOS refers to the logbook hours of service regulations.
A few days ago I took my truck in for repairs. It developed a fourth wheel seal leak (bad leak where oil is just pouring out) on the same drive axle, over about a four month period. This time they think they've found what is causing the problem, and my truck has to go to a Volvo dealership for warranty work to the axle and differential. Here's what I found on my door...
So, I had to go through the process of getting a loaner assigned to me. That sounds easy enough, but with demand for freight being fairly high right now, the available trucks were slim. They had one available at my home terminal , and our terminal manager insisted that I go into one of his trucks because he didn't want me producing revenue for one of the other terminals. You guys hear us talking about the competitive nature of this business a lot. Well, here's an example of how even the terminal managers are competing against each other.
I had to sit for a day until they could get me in a truck. The one that was "available" had already been assigned to a new driver who was being upgraded to solo status from his trainer that very day. They assured me they would come up with something - "Just sit tight, we're working on it."
A couple of hours later, they sent the new guy home to wait for a truck and put me in that only truck available. Here's what happened. When they finally had the new driver processed and ready to go, they realized they had made a mistake. This truck has a 9 speed manual transmission, and poor Mr. Newbie has an automatic restriction on his fresh new CDL.
No restrictions on my license equals no delays in my ability to keep productive. I jumped in, cranked 'er up, and rolled on down the road. I've got the wind in my hair and money in the bank. You may not recognize me if you see me on the highway the next few weeks, but here's what I look like now...
Hey OS, do you ever get up to around the Portland OR area? Once me and my student get done delivering this load we have now, we are taking a reset at the Loves in Troutdale, OR on I-84, Exit 17. Now I know what to look for with your loaner truck. 😁
Well scratch the plans for a reset. We got another load back east so hopefully we will be able to reset after that.
CDL:
Commercial Driver's License (CDL)
A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:
- Any combination of vehicles with a gross combined weight rating (GCWR) of 26,001 or more pounds, providing the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of the vehicle being towed is in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any single vehicle with a GVWR of 26,001 or more pounds, or any such vehicle towing another not in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any vehicle, regardless of size, designed to transport 16 or more persons, including the driver.
- Any vehicle required by federal regulations to be placarded while transporting hazardous materials.
Terminal:
A facility where trucking companies operate out of, or their "home base" if you will. A lot of major companies have multiple terminals around the country which usually consist of the main office building, a drop lot for trailers, and sometimes a repair shop and wash facilities.
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A few days ago I took my truck in for repairs. It developed a fourth wheel seal leak (bad leak where oil is just pouring out) on the same drive axle, over about a four month period. This time they think they've found what is causing the problem, and my truck has to go to a Volvo dealership for warranty work to the axle and differential. Here's what I found on my door...
So, I had to go through the process of getting a loaner assigned to me. That sounds easy enough, but with demand for freight being fairly high right now, the available trucks were slim. They had one available at my home terminal , and our terminal manager insisted that I go into one of his trucks because he didn't want me producing revenue for one of the other terminals. You guys hear us talking about the competitive nature of this business a lot. Well, here's an example of how even the terminal managers are competing against each other.
I had to sit for a day until they could get me in a truck. The one that was "available" had already been assigned to a new driver who was being upgraded to solo status from his trainer that very day. They assured me they would come up with something - "Just sit tight, we're working on it."
A couple of hours later, they sent the new guy home to wait for a truck and put me in that only truck available. Here's what happened. When they finally had the new driver processed and ready to go, they realized they had made a mistake. This truck has a 9 speed manual transmission, and poor Mr. Newbie has an automatic restriction on his fresh new CDL.
No restrictions on my license equals no delays in my ability to keep productive. I jumped in, cranked 'er up, and rolled on down the road. I've got the wind in my hair and money in the bank. You may not recognize me if you see me on the highway the next few weeks, but here's what I look like now...
CDL:
Commercial Driver's License (CDL)
A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:
Terminal:
A facility where trucking companies operate out of, or their "home base" if you will. A lot of major companies have multiple terminals around the country which usually consist of the main office building, a drop lot for trailers, and sometimes a repair shop and wash facilities.