As I sit here on my computer mandated reset I have been in soul search mode and I have come to the realization that in order to become a financally successful trucker with JR Schugel it will take more patience on my own behalf. I believe that because of the prevaling economic climate we all are about to face, my quest for excellence in trucking will dictate me examining my own faults within the established framwork of my company in order to acheive my professional goals. Fortunatly I do have other marketable skills but trucking,if done properly becomes a part of you. I am fighting with myself over staying or leaving.

When I first started out with my trainer and I first pulled into the Pilot I got out my truck and was amazed at the sights and sounds of it all. It was like Jurassic Park with all the trucks rumbling and the power they all had.There was one truck that really caught my eye.It was a black International 9900ix and it was clean and the driver was sharp. My trainer was cool and he was serious about his role but the International driver became my role model even though I never seen him or that truck again.

I will bet that if more drivers had more pride in their professional persona our profession would not be perceived as it is. Whats really getting at me is how the person with the log department was addressing the situation with me. Her tone was as if I was some kind of idiot that had commited a felony.No matter how I attempted to at least gander an understanding of my log issue, her condensending attitute toward the situation left me feeling like the round peg trying to fit a square hole. I will assume she had a job to do so I chose not to take her tone with me as a personal attack on my character,but it was nasty in my perception.

Hey for the most part JR is cool, Im sure some of the drivers here are getting the miles within the framework of the computer logmaster. Its a laid back place and for the most part I am content with everything here. I believe some other driver with JR must of really screwed up and got the company unwanted scrutiny from the government. I cant knock JR, its a business with rules in place to protect its interests,maybe I could tend to my logs better.

In my previous posting I had decided to leave the industry but after a good nights sleep I am still contemplating my options. The last timeI tried to leave I was like a kid looking at all the trucks riding by.My trainer told me that once I got that diesel fuel on my hands I was hooked and I believe it.At least Im not looking for a new company to run with,for whatever reason JR has made me comfortable,beside the log issues.

We are responsible to drive a 70 foot, 80 thousand pound vehicle, 65 mph for an extended time and distance. Trucking is a job that will cut deep into you soul unlike anything except being in the military.Take a ride accross Wyoming in January and tell me you havent searched your soul as you glide accross the ice trying to handle your rig while 50mph winds try to push you over. I realize Im wrong about this but I just dont feel like having my logbook scruntinized by a computer but I will allow myself a little more time to try and conform to the logmaster. I remember that chessmaster beat that supercomputer,I feel the computers we all are dealing with in daily life will bring on a great deal of soul searching in the time ahead for all of us. I feel like John Conner in that Terminator movie,art imitates life.

My advise for any driver considering JR or any company is to understand that you are a commodity to your prospective employer and it solely up to you to maintain your own personal standards. Call me a job jumper if you will but just as the company has guidelines so do I. I have a nice new house, a fine wife and a bunch of kids that are fun most of the time,Im not playing games out here and if I dont get what I want Im out. Ive learned a lot from this site and in my ramblings I hope somebody can decipher a message from my post.Good luck to you all.

So are you a lease driver if so tell me out it is working for you are you making it with the log master

Listen... when you understand how jr works the system it is easy to figure... 900 miles at 65 mph. that is what they let you log but actually it is less now that they are using the computer... every load is figured at 23 mph from start to stop. this allows for breaks as well. Now, you figure 1 hour load time and 1 hour unload time... in reality it takes longer most of the time. 900 miles is 13.85 hours plus 2hours load and unload is 15.85 plus 10 hour break is 25.85 hours on a 900 mile load. Now, you have to figure how much time it takes to get from one load to the next and are you going to reset or just run straight through... having to reset will take 34 hours out of the week. the problem is how they track you with the computer. Some will do more and some will do less. but on average it will only truly be about 1800 per week by the time you add the dead head down time shop time reset etc.

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Mandatory FSC and regulate the Brokers that Break us...

flat bedders tend to do a little better there. sorry to tell you but none of what i said was bogus bs. I have been there on both sides of the window so i speak from experience. I am not saying they are not a good company because I think they do ok, what i am saying is there are things you should know to make an informed decision. I have watched a lot of drivers come through the door and out the other... there are lease drivers that do ok as well but there are many more who are starving. The opportunity is better for company drivers there. As to the 1800 miles, I got that from using there own system and figuring load and unload time 34 hour restart and rest breaks... There are some that do better than 1800 and some that do less... remember, we are talking company averages.

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Mandatory FSC and regulate the Brokers that Break us...

Kingpawn is this true about the miles or can somebody else break it down

I have an application in wit J & R .... but if this is the case about the computer with the hours and such it might not be for me .... I applied there for flatbed .... not going to back to van's or refer

The company that I am at right now is very good .... I like it here .... just a matter of hometime ... and I think after the other day that may not be a problem .... starting my 2nd 4 week run today

As long as they get that part fixed ... I will stay here for the long term .... if not then I will be getting something with better hometime ... but if Schugel runs your hours off the computer .... then nevermind .... here they have computers but they only use them for dispatching NOT logs

As long as your logs are in good shape at an inspection they dont care .... trucks are at 65mph now so cant really get busted for speeding except in the comunist states of CA, IL and OH

when i was there we were told the computer was just a guide but then started to make the computer have precedence over what the drivers log said even though( at the time) dot would not use the computer... The funny thing is that when dot comes in, jr has everybody fix there logs if there are errors...That, i thought, was not exactly legal either... oh, but just like in government it is only illegal if you do it but it is ok if THEY do it. HMMM!!!

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Mandatory FSC and regulate the Brokers that Break us...

Oh, and my question was always- if the computer has precedence, then why writhe logs at all. just do computer logs and be done with it... but I know the answer to that... that would eliminate the cheating allowed when it benifits them.

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Mandatory FSC and regulate the Brokers that Break us...

JR is a decent company, and this is in comparison to all the jobs I have had, not just trucking. The logmaster situation is because some idiots must of screwed up big time and have gotten JR unwanted attentions from the authorities and JR has to look at the logs more closely.This is all well and good but I personally feel it is a hinderance to me being a lease operator. I pay for the truck, I maintain my logs and I feel with the fuel surcharges not matching up with the rise of fuel,following my logs to the letter isnt going to make my time on the road away from my family add up financially.

If I was single with no kids and bills,driving this wonderful truck would be cool but...

yep... it would be cool to really get the full 100% fsc too...

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Mandatory FSC and regulate the Brokers that Break us...