Question about Hansen & Adkins

How do you car haulers handle detours when y'all are 14 high.For instance say the interstate is closed dew to an accident and they're exiting everyone off.Has this ever been a problem

 

If you had to take your 10 hour break in a daycab is it legal.Would your company let you.For instance if you slept in the daycab you would just make it home for the weekend,but if you had to stop short for a hotel you would have to take another 10 hour break before you could make it home

 

No no and no!

 

Ok then.I guess that would be a disadvantage of not having the sleeper berth.I thought that as long as you were not behind the steering wheel you could log it off duty and get by so you could get home in my example.Just thought there would be a way.I got it,maybe you could take your 10 in one of the cars.Just kidding.

 

This is merely my opinion, but why would I ever and I mean ever, want to sleep in a day cab when there are hotels up an down the interstate with a hot shower, king size bed and something to urinate in besides a Gatorade bottle? Yes sometimes you have to call several to find one available, but unless I get stuck on the interstate and have no other option, I will not ever sleep in a day cab. This has not happened to me yet in 28 years of driving mostly day cabs, but I watch the weather ahead of me and don't drive in to blizzards, I stop short and wait it out because I can. Don't worry about every single possible thing that could go wrong. Just take my and other carhaulers word that it is a good job when compared to most other trucking jobs. In your example of getting home by not staying at a hotel and sleeping in the truck likely would not happen in 30 years. Occasionally you may have to stop short of home due to hours of service when running a computer log, but that is trucking. I don't sweat the small stuff, you get home early sat morning instead of fri night.

 

I thank all of y'all that have answered some of my questions.I know some of them may seem trivial or silly.But if you know where I'm coming from then you may understand.I've been with the same carrier for 20 years and of course it's not the same company that it was when I hired on.Its still a great company.I know what my companies problems are and the things they do that would make a drivers eyes start to wonder around looking else where.Some drivers might say my company would be their dream job,but then they were not here 20 years ago.Anyway after reading some of the car hauler forum I saw a lot of similarities in salary,home time and benefits that I would want to keep if ever I left my present employer.So you see I don't want to trade the devil I know for the one I don't.I may ask some more dumb questions,but I have enjoyed learning about car hauling.Even If I may not choose to do it

 

I agree you should try to find as many details as you can if you are contemplating leaving a job you have been at 20 years. The biggest variable in my opinion is if carhauling is for you, it is most definitely not for everyone. Unfortunately you don't know until you get right in the middle if it. Some people catch on and really like it in a few weeks or months. Some people just can't ever get it. It is a whole lot different than I thought it appeared to be, but I like it because it is a challenge. When I trained our trainer told us you really don't start to be a good carhauler until you have done it 5 years. He was accurate in that statement and after doing it for 4 years, I know a whole lot more than I did, but I still learn something most every time I haul a different combination of vehicles. I like trying different ways to haul the same load to see which way works best for me and my rig. I take pictures of nearly every load that is big, difficult or tall and long. I spend tine analyzing that load on my iPad and very often I can see how I could have loaded it different and do it better the next time. If you like your current job and pay, don't leave for car-haul. If you don't like your job and don't mind working in all types of weather and being exhausted at the end of some days give it a shot.

 

I'm only 44.So I keep wondering do I want to do flatbed another 20 years.Flatbed is physical work and to keep making 80,000 to 100,000 a year you got to hustle.I don't have to work this hard but I plan on making all I can ,while I can.You never know what new regulation the government is going to come up with next to screw it up worst than it already has been.I already chain loads,haul long,wide and rarely high loads.Don't tarp a lot,compared to some.Most loads only take about 45min to an hour to chain and same for unloading.I don't mind being tired at the end of the day,right now I'm mostly board.Just wondering if dodging trees,impossible combinations of cars to fit on a trailer and catching damages before I leave the shipper is going to stress me out.I would be disappointed if I did not have the gig down in a years time.I'm not saying I'd be the Master of all car hauler.But what should I expect money wise once in someone system a year.I can't wait 5 years to get back to where I'm already at.Can you say who your with Banker.

 

As a flatbed owner operator in my early 20's 25+ years ago, I can promise you carhauling will not be easier than flatbed. If you are making $80,000-$100,000 a year and like your job you better stick with it. Depending on who and where you work $100,000 is doable within a year or so but don't count on it.

 

I was just saying that I thought some of what I do may be similar.Chaining and hauling long.Got to be more similar that hauling a van.Being able to pick your loads destinations did intrest me.Is that a industry wide thing.Or do just a few do that.What would you say is the hardest thing for a new driver to catch on to.