A Trucker's (Qualified) Support for Parents Against Tired Truckers

[CURIOUSBEE59]

Originally Posted by danstedak

I HAVE to DISAGREE with you! Yes there are some truck drivers that dont need to be driving, however I have seen MORE people in cars that DONT need to be driving. I drove a truck over the road for 18 years. I have over two and a half million miles with NO ACCIDENTS! I have always had a PERFECT DRIVING RECORD. I am definitely NOT a terrible driver. I would ride with a truck driver over a car driver anytime.

YES you CAN study who causes more accidents between cars and trucks. Maybe if you would move over, slow down or speed up to get past the exit you wouldnt get ran off the interstate by a trucker. You know, like you are supposed to do.

SOUNDS TO ME LIKE YOU ARE THE ONE WHO NEEDS TO LEARN HOW TO DRIVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

OH PLEASE!!! CARS ARE THE MOST RUDE LAW BREAKERS OF ALL TIME. i SEE MORE CARS GETTING TICKETS THAN TRUCKS, MORE CARS IN WRECKS THAN TRUCKS AND MORE IDIOTS BEHIND THE WHEEL OF CARS THAN TRUCKS. WAKE UP AND SMELL WHAT YOU'RE SHOVELING.

[krelithous]

Originally Posted by CURIOUSBEE59

Instead of blaming the drivers for all the problems on the roads, why not go where the problems originate and that is with the greedy companies they work for. They're the ones out there making all the deals with the shippers to have their drivers unload the cargo when they should be resting or stay with their trailer while it's being loaded or unloaded instead of resting or holding them at the delivery point or loading point for 4 to eight hours using them for storage or just because the shipper or receiver isn't ready to ship or receive but want the truck at their facility just in case. Drivers have to do as they are told just like every other employee in this country and usually if they refuse to do something illegal or drive something illegal they face the possibility of termination or have to face the music from their higher ups. How about fixing these problems and just maybe most of the other problems will be solved. And how about the idiots that think we can stop these trucks on a dime, who pull in front of you and slam on their brakes because they think they're cute or my personal favorite when they are merging into traffic and think they don't have to give right of way. They need to read the law and the law says merging traffic yields right of way to oncoming traffic, yield sign or not or may be they just need to learn the definition of yield!!!!! Or when they are out there driving with their heads up their butts or on the cell phone not paying attention and a truck goes to pass them and then they speed up so it can't get around them or when they float from lane to lane because they aren't paying attention or when they ride a truck's bumper until the truck tries to pull out to pass another vehicle and they speed up and jam the truck up. Like it or not without trucks this country would fold up and die we move everything. So the next time you are pissed off because you didn't get what you ordered or your groceries are spoiled because they stayed on the truck too long blame the company or yourselves not the driver. The harder you people make it on the driver the longer you're going to have to wait for your goods. And stop picking on the driver go to the source of the problems and tHat is the company!!!!!!

couldn't have been put any better. now one of my personal favorites is when there on the phone and they pull right out in front of you and think nothing of it. i'll never forget the time when I had this stupid **** pull out right in front of me so close I had to slow down asap. and ofcourse she was on the phone paying no never mind to her surroundings. I would have loved to have gotten out and ripped her head off and asked her if she knew what would happen if I couldn't slow down and not for her sake but for her kids sake!! as she had her two year old daughter in the back.

[krelithous]

Originally Posted by CURIOUSBEE59

Instead of blaming the drivers for all the problems on the roads, why not go where the problems originate and that is with the greedy companies they work for. They're the ones out there making all the deals with the shippers to have their drivers unload the cargo when they should be resting or stay with their trailer while it's being loaded or unloaded instead of resting or holding them at the delivery point or loading point for 4 to eight hours using them for storage or just because the shipper or receiver isn't ready to ship or receive but want the truck at their facility just in case. Drivers have to do as they are told just like every other employee in this country and usually if they refuse to do something illegal or drive something illegal they face the possibility of termination or have to face the music from their higher ups. How about fixing these problems and just maybe most of the other problems will be solved. And how about the idiots that think we can stop these trucks on a dime, who pull in front of you and slam on their brakes because they think they're cute or my personal favorite when they are merging into traffic and think they don't have to give right of way. They need to read the law and the law says merging traffic yields right of way to oncoming traffic, yield sign or not or may be they just need to learn the definition of yield!!!!! Or when they are out there driving with their heads up their butts or on the cell phone not paying attention and a truck goes to pass them and then they speed up so it can't get around them or when they float from lane to lane because they aren't paying attention or when they ride a truck's bumper until the truck tries to pull out to pass another vehicle and they speed up and jam the truck up. Like it or not without trucks this country would fold up and die we move everything. So the next time you are pissed off because you didn't get what you ordered or your groceries are spoiled because they stayed on the truck too long blame the company or yourselves not the driver. The harder you people make it on the driver the longer you're going to have to wait for your goods. And stop picking on the driver go to the source of the problems and tHat is the company!!!!!!

I also think that laws should be put on shippers and receivers that they should have an x amount of time to load you or unload you and not make you sit for 8 freaking hours while your drive time runs out. but that would make to much common sence

[krelithous]

Oh yea. and they should also regulate the starter companies harder as well. as they should NOT be allowed to toss a new driver in a 120 k truck with a person that has only 3 months experience. a trainer should have at least 3-5 years under there belt before they even think about training. free cdl though a starter co is bull**** if you think about it. it's not free you have to sighn a contract and agree to be there slave for a year or two until it's paid for. during that time you'll have to hope like hell they don't fire you as you'll get a bill in the mail for the tution and they probily will mark up your dac report. they will just use you for there advantage. your much better off going through a coummity college and paying for your tution and you'll get better training as well as there more regulated by the dmv.

[Maineguy04654]

Lets look at REAL numbers as I know a bit about the trucking industry. First Tired drivers are a VERY small percentage of the cause of the wrecks. Cars and there untrained drivers are the #1 cause for trucks to get in a wreck. I have taken many a 4 wheeler driver out and they all can not believe how stupid people drive around a truck with a 53 foot box behind it with a total weight as close to 80 thousand pounds as can be had. The first time you are in a truck and see the red light races or the hurry up pass me then slam on you're brakes at the interstate exit it all becomes clear. The #1 thing that will stop wrecks is EDUCATION of those drivers on the road. All drivers shroud have to spend 10 hours in a truck before they get a license. I am sure you may have noticed I do NOT use the word accident. Why you may ask well in the trucking industry unlike cars we do not have accident as every wreck IS PREVENTABLE. Last the roads interstates more so are set up to cause wrecks. Why else woudl you design a road where the though trucks ( trucks going through a area or state without stopping are forced to drive in the right lane with all the traffic that is merging on and off the interstate instead of being allowed to drive in the LEFT lane away from the slowing and speeding up drivers. Why do towns prohibit the use of a Jake brake because a few run ILLEGAL pipes when this is a huge safety item for a truck IE use the engine to slow the truck vs heating up the brakes ( CA REQUIRES engine brakes on in state registered trucks ) thus making stopping distances much less. I can go on for hours on this subject. The deck is stacked against the truck even though the fact remains that percentage wise trucks are 80 to 90 percent safer then car drivers are. How else could so many of us drive well over a million miles and never have a wreck?

[mainebrokerman]

the time a trucker waits to load and unload would be an issue for me,,,the incompetent "receivers" would be where my frustrations would be,,,many places have "priority loads" which unload first, and all the other truckers have to wait...could be 5 minutes, or an hour, or maybe more, and, its just not this delivery, that trucker may have 4 more deliveries,,,and his schedule for the day just got screwed up,,and all the other receivers will be upset at this driver because he is late,,,and of course, when on the road, he is trying to make up time he lost... and he might be fighting the clock for drive-able hours,,,it only takes one idiot receiver to muck up the works

[Maineguy04654]

Originally Posted by mainebrokerman

the time a trucker waits to load and unload would be an issue for me,,,the incompetent "receivers" would be where my frustrations would be,,,many places have "priority loads" which unload first, and all the other truckers have to wait...could be 5 minutes, or an hour, or maybe more, and, its just not this delivery, that trucker may have 4 more deliveries,,,and his schedule for the day just got screwed up,,and all the other receivers will be upset at this driver because he is late,,,and of course, when on the road, he is trying to make up time he lost... and he might be fighting the clock for drive-able hours,,,it only takes one idiot receiver to muck up the works

Agreed. However the laws here like other laws are not based in reality just the FEELINGS of a few. There are limits on the hours a person can drive a otr truck. But you can drive a car coast to coast with ZERO sleep or rest. The wrecks caused by tired 4 wheelers are monumental compared to truck drivers. percentage wise and overall all numbers wise. Are there drivers who bypass the law to make money YEP! Depending on there situation IE employee, rent to own or lease that extra few deliveries may be the difference between making the truck payment or loosing the truck!

The test that nobody will do is a TRUCKS only road or lanes on interstates. Ie say on any interstate with more then two lanes make the left lane trucks ONLY. Then watch how there are no wrecks in the lane. Better yet a divided road with a trucks only road.

As stated before if you know a driver go out with them for a day or more. Tell me you do not have a few close heart attacks the first few days before you get used to the four wheelers.