Important for newbies--do this EVERY DAY!!! NO EXCEPTIONS!!NO EXCUSES!!!

I normally know where I'm going to stop before I start. One thing I see all the time drivers stressed out,most are new,but everybody does I guess. Learn to take a deep breath and relax.

 

I sleep on ramps probably 2 times a week...sleep on the get on side...

 

10 hour break?
That is the minimum required by law.

I try to arrange my loads so I have at least 12. 10 simply does not give me the time I need to relax enough to get to sleep on time.
And I try to start very early, so I can finish my day early enough to find parking where I choose.

And it seems, the farther east I get the earlier I need to start - because everything is full by 1600 or so.

 

Usually for my last 100 miles I start to write down exit numbers for all the truckstops so I know what my options are when my hours run out.

Tickets for parking on exit/entrance ramps can be steep, and not work risking it, although for some reason I still see lots of truckers doing it anyway. Some even got the balls to pull over on the shoulder of the interstate for their 10 hour.

 

I've seen guys parked in the travel lanes sleeping.

 

Yuppo I sleep 10 hours a night right on the ramps

 

True story...a driver that was 2 miles away from the yard fell asleep at the wheel, drove on top of a four wheeler and killed a family of four. Sleep is extremely important so get enough of it. Pull over on a ramp, rest area, even a walmart parking lot. Most of the walmarts I come across don't mind truckers in their lot. Never allow a dispatcher to bully you into a load, even with the threat of termination. You have the FEDERAL LAW on your side if you are wise enough to use it. Document any abusive dispatchers who try to intimidate you into running illegally.

 

Down load a free personal phone app. ... call the dispatcher with your phone.... record and e-mail the message to your laptop.

 

Sleep!!!! And log!!!!

 

I haven't looked into those apps for 1-2 years now, but last I checked they required money, usually per minute or to retrieve the call from the servers.

Now if there are free apps that record the call to a file on your phones memory card, that would be awesome! I'll have to look into that again.

I hate having to record conversations, making myself look all shady or paranoid, but when dispatch constantly lies to us, leaves us with little option.

Some states might require you tell them they are being recorded? I haven't checked those laws in a while. I know police are already arresting people in certain states (like Illinois) for "ease dropping" laws when they video tape police cause it also recorded audio.

I've been in dispatch office, good terms with a few, but some questions they refuse to answer, or say they don't know, when you know they know the answer. They are so afraid of us now recording conversations that they don't like to answer certain questions for their own job security.