To tired to drive rule

I should add... the least safe company... they never said a word if I needed to shut down for any reason that I told them if I mentioned that I felt unsafe, sick, or even just didn’t feel like driving. The moment you even mention feeling unsafe, they themselves will suggest staying parked or getting parked if you’re not already parked. There are aberrations of course, but almost every one I encountered at Swift will immediately go into crisis mode if you say the S word.

 

If you have to sleep 10 to 6 set your phone to not too answer. And have enough rest.dont need one more monster behind the wheel

 

I was instructed to have my phone with me at all times. The irony of it all is the the load didn't have to be there until 10 am. I could have left at 7. They still see nothing wrong. The nightshift dispatch group is all foreigners.

 

Usually when I felt bad, I'll stop and feed on a full proper course meal and a two hour nap to get it out. BOOM Popeye had his spinach and im gone. But once I lost two days in the old 90's on the Darien Rest Area too sick to do much of anything.

Boss had 12 state polices worth hunting me while my reefer nursed a load on cycle. All connecticut had to do was eyes right as he passed that ramp on 95 and there I be but nope. One time I woke up, felt really bad. Turned her home on instinct. Crossed GWB 9 hours home.

It's amazing how that home pull is on a sick driver sometimes. If you are really sick dispatch knows it before you call them how?" You turn for home. You do some miles first day, a little less next day, less than that third day and finally strand in place for a few days until fever breaks or something not far from home.

That's why I consider myself lucky. Dispatch communicated with family to see what's doing. They say Im sick and worried I aint made it home. Satellite knows all in them days.

Was in surgery 7 am that morning. I think that drive saved my own life. I would not have been able to make it past that third day when appendix finally failed. But they got it out before it did.

I consider myself fortunate. The old food and nap stragety carried me through many a mile when it has to go through several decades in my trucking. But after I was medically retired and in college I tried that again after pulling a whole day at the auction truck crew boss with night classes another 5 hours to go and food was not cutting it.

Doctors started pulling my blood panels that year and we discovered that vitamin B1 was not present. That's a big problem. So I have to take it. Among other things.

 

I went for a month in late Feb. and March with chest problems. Couldnt get a breath and my side hurt. Even had x-rays but nothing found. Doc said it was viral so couldn't be treated, just had to run its course. Not easy to work when you feel bad everyday.

 

I have not read this thread. I did however read what @TripleSix wrote. There are about 5 people that post in these boards I have never met but because of the unswerving accuracy of their comments I trust them. @TripleSix is one of them. When somebody that does not drive tosses out that word supertrucker it offends me. Thank you @TripleSix you just saved me a long boring read.

 

Just understand the difference between being truly "too tired to drive" versus being lazy and unmotivated to work for very long at a time.

People with little work ethic probably don't belong in the truck driving trade.

 

Gunner, I would love to return to the days where I am sleeping in my sleeper with a reefer going next to me, I never slept better in my life as I slept on the road. AND many times I slept with the windows open and the APU/Truck shut down.

 

funny how company drivers seem to be the ones that are so tired these days,most owner ops i meet seem to be pretty content with what theyre doing. company drivers are more like beat down slaves.

 

I like him too. As are the rest.

When the insults come out it's usually a millenial losing it online. One sentance etc is a clue. Have this all the time when someone is trying to help and anklebiter bites back.

It's not good to be biting people trying to help. Even if it does not make you have good feelings about it.