John_P

Well said "Haulin!!"

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John_P

TomW

Did a little experiment on the way into work yesterday.

Set the cruise at 100kph (that's the speed limit on the 403/QEW).

1.. I didn't pass any trucks.
2.. I was passed by many trucks (I stopped counting at 30)
3.. Saw 3 rigs in the far left lane (big no-no up here)
4.. 4 were tailgaiting close enough to the vehicle in front of them where they'd have been charged with endangerment if caught.

This is the type of behavior that causes some to call for severe reductions or eliminate truck traffic on the roads. The industry has to start cracking down on the drivers who do this. Otherwise J Q Public is going to win in this thing, and that won't be good for anyone.

spots

1 100 kph (60mph) is an antiquated speed limit on the "400" series highway.
2) People seem to stick in the center lane. This lane is actually designated as a truck passing lane. (check with the MTO)
Remember slower traffic keep right?
3) Where do you propose that all the trucks go to?? Toronto traffic is a joke, the roads are terrible (drove there for years). The city is 9 years behind with the roadways. (what they build tomorrow was outdated 9 years ago)
4) If it was a white Peterbuilt with Wright trucking on the side tailgating pls get the h"ll outa the way because it is my cousin trying to make a living on the roads. BTW do a search what drivers make a year. You'd be unimpressed. Joe Q Public wants stuff cheap, rates are in the toilet, O/O and drivers hafta break rules just to eat. Life in the fastlane. Hey Tom mebbe you should take the bus so there is more room on the roads for the trucks.

Hoss

I've gotta say something about the tailgating issue. First of all, I have no beef with truck drivers. For the most part they are respectful and courteous drivers. There are some out there who, thinking the roads must belong to them, will try to intimidate you with their size though....and do things like tailgating.

Just a word to those who do it....no matter how big or small you are....tailgating me is NOT going to get me to speed up. If the speed I am driving is too slow for you then pass me. If you are unable to pass me then back off and be patient. I will pull over and allow you to pass when I feel that I can safely do so. If you KEEP tailgating me, I will eventually become angry with you and instead of speeding up I will slow down. However, unless you are an emergency vehicle, I will NOT speed up just to make you happy. I'm going the speed I'm going for a good reason. If you're passing me then you're probably exceeding the speed limit anyway.

Just an FYI for all the tailgaters out there....

Commatoze

I use to feel that a hard application of the brakes would make the tailgater back off. But that's just risking a catastrophy and I would be the one at fault. Now I do the same thing; I slow down...slowly. I usually accompany it with a shrug. If they risk hitting me by tailgating, I'd rather have it happen at 45, than 65. BTW, looks like my weigh station question kinda morphed.

....and spots, with regard to your comment 4 above. With all due respect, it's driving a truck, it's not launching the Shuttle. You can be a "professional" driving it, and I respect that, but the rates are such for a reason: A lot of people are doing it.

Shovelhead

Hello,........remember......... weigh stations?.......you know,....the subject of this thread?.............

beamhanger

weigh stations politics and religion seem to be big conversation points on which to ruffle feathers. i have cdl, drive a crane to my jobs,. operate crane when boss isnt there when he is there im hanging steel, i have no qualms with scales,,chicken coops as they are known in trucking industry. i just scrape and scratch along to get by. there are jerks out there in any industry.

greatwhite

Just came back from a week of sliding down steep icy hills in CO on boards . There seems to be a lot of CTD's in Breckinridge.

Anyway I haven't been through a State Revenue Generation Station in about 12 days. If it was really about safety, there would be ONE set of regs per country, and not 62 sets (States and Provinces).

Examples: in MB and GA you need a permit to turn on your amber flashing lights that are used to warn John Q Public that the approaching vehicle is oversized. Fee of $65 per truck, Have a nice day.

IL comes to mind too Redleg. No wide loads whatsoever before sunrise or after sunset Mon to Fri, or after noon on Sat until sunrise Mon, unless it is agricultural equipment in which case you can run 24/7 up to 10' wide with lights at the extremities, and you don't even need a permit . A lot of enforcement agencies can't keep track of their own rules, but I'm supposed to remember all 62 sets? If I carried all the regs with me so I could look them up, I'd be overweight at every scale.

Some states and provinces are 1/2hr b4 sunrise to 1/2hr after sunset, some are rise to set, GA is 1/2 after rise to 1/2 b4 set

And don't get me going on the new hours of service which will allegedly make the roads safer. Way more tired and dangerous drivers out there now than there were before. Trust me. And since we were all doing our logs one way since about 1975, now there are new regs, and do you get told that you have to do it differently at the Revenue Station? No you get fined because despite the fact that your hours are legal, you marked lunch as off-duty instead of on-duty/not driving. OOOOHHHH don't you all feel safer now?

One of our drivers crossed 3 scales in MD last week. First two gave her the green light, third one wrote her up for being 250lbs over on the trlr set. If she's over, thats fine, but why nothing said at the first two? Revenue Generation, thats why. Some little Scaleperson bucking for brownie points.

Different rules in every state for what weighs and when. Know them all. Its your responsibility. But the big question is, when I'm home for the weekend, and I'm trying to look this stuff up on the www am I off-duty@home, or on duty/not driving.

Haulin_in_Dixie

And you forgot to mention that the lunch converts to "off duty" after the 14 hour duty status is up. It is off duty for the computation of 70 hours in eight days. So I still mark it off duty and allow for it on the 14. If I get written on that one, I go to court for a jury trial.

Technically any work you do in relation to the truck is off duty not driving and should be logged. I guess even the engine change this week, oh well I'm a sinner or a law breaker or what ever.

In actuality you cannot be legal in todays situation. More and more I don't try to be, just comply with what they want to see. As I put in another post, I will be breaking less laws with much less paperwork by reducing my truck to less than 26,000 and being overweight sometimes than trying to be legal with the 33,000 tags and permits. And the taxes are less. I just went to Nashville with a truck with x1 tags...

spots

I respectfully disagree. There is a driver shortage.

Boy Hoss I wish I drove in Texas. I'd be lookin for you...

Haulin_in_Dixie

Last year I couldn't even spel trukr, now I ar one....

I feel so violated, you didn't even ask me to bend over

In true honesty so far as low rates, I made more money in the late 70's, per mile, running for Eagle Motor Lines, than an owner operator does today, and I am talking gross.

I truly believe that there is a lot more to it than you think. More to it than "I couldn't get a job so I'll just drive a truck"

Jeremy Cusick

For a semi to stop at 50MPH, it takes the length of a football field. For every 5MPH over that, it takes another 1/2 of a football field.

Steve Roseman

A lot of good topics brought up. I don't drive a truck but have respect for MOST that do.

One set of regulations federally would make a big difference, I thought that was the whole idea when they started with the CDL's.

As with anything, one bad apple can spoil the whole bunch, at least the perception. I work in the poultry industry. We do our best to be responsible, good neighbors to the surrounding community. With more and more people moving to the country and the impact PETA and other groups have on the uneducated public, my job gets harder and harder.

I do my best to follow the rules of the road. I found the further west I go(not the west coast), mainly interstate highways, there is more respect between drivers. Makes everyone's life easier. Not to disrespect any members who drive for Swift. But at work we call them "not so Swift" drivers. Some of these people don't even have a clue how to axle their truck. I'ts pretty bad when a chicken farmer explains to a truck driver how many holes they need to move their trailer to get legal.

I think if it were harder for people to get CDL's and harder for four wheeler operators to get a license, we'd have fewer problems and the idiots could ride the bus.

Hoss

Come on down!! I'll be driving this for those pesky tailgaters!!

Haulin_in_Dixie

But Hoss can ya turn the cannon around?