Trucker's opinions on hitchhikers, or people needing rides.

Discussion in 'Questions To Truckers From The General Public' started by lerkst, Apr 27, 2008.

  1. AfterShock

    AfterShock Road Train Member

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    Inland Empire, California
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    It's 2019, --- how old is this thread now?

    I couldn't agree more, .... but I would if I could.

    I just re-read this thread from the beginning and enjoyed the memories. I'm glad you remembered this forum and decided to post, I sure enjoy reading what you have to say. You've made my day.
    ThanX!
     
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  3. oneshyne

    oneshyne Light Load Member

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    Thanks Aftershock same here I enjoy reading your post as well. I'd rather stay on this post then make a new one with the same topic.
     
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  4. AfterShock

    AfterShock Road Train Member

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    Sep 19, 2007
    Inland Empire, California
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    I like the way you think.

    So, ...... tell us more about how your career is doing.
    Are you comfortable with where it's taken you?
     
  5. x1Heavy

    x1Heavy Road Train Member

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    Mar 5, 2016
    White County, Arkansas
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    Ive hauled a few. Usually those who have broken down or other catastrophic failures with their trucks. Rochester comes to mind one time when a cabover lost his engine block.

    That was then. Today I haul no one. Wife was the last person with me under a signed paperwork allowing her to be in the cab. We were asked in my time with FFE has she ever been inside my truck? She said no, and I said no with the additional fact that i taught her until her training school is done and on way to Lancaster she cannot enter my truck. My job depends on it.

    IF she said yes then both of us would be on the next bus or rental car home within the hour.

    In the end we learned to avoid situations where people would be asking for rides. Simply have nothing for them at all. End. Dot.

    ESPECIALLY when you have a million in narcotics back there in that trailer with a street value of god only knows what. Those are worth killing the drivers for.
     
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  6. AfterShock

    AfterShock Road Train Member

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    Inland Empire, California
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    Loads like that keep ya on your toes, don't they?

    I transported many loads of "gaming devices" out of Reno for I.G.T. --- makers of electronic slot machines, to and through sometimes quite remote locations. --- a lot of Indian Casinos.
    Absolutely NO riders when under those loads! My choice.

    I'll tell y'all what though, those were a dream run. Many casinos comped me a room and three free meals, and fine cigars were cheap. Much cheaper.

    Absolutely true Star Spangled Road Story, ........ I delivered the first load of gaming devices to a dog racing track in Iowa, ---- yeah, that one, ---- and was instructed not to cross into Iowa till after midnight, awaiting legislation that went into effect at 12:01 AM. Delivery appointment was for 10 >> 11:AM.
    No problem.
    I arrived around 10:15AM, and was instructed where to park, which I did.
    Within a few minutes a very foxy young lady approached while I was drawing lines in my logbook and said, "Good morning driver. How was your trip"?
    I told her, just fine.
    She then told me she will need to see my Driver's License, my logbook pages, but only those pages while under that load, and my BOL, "but there's no hurry, you have at least an hour because everybody is at a lunch celebration right now".
    I thanked her for the information, but questioned why I should provide her with her requested information.
    She calmly reached into her jacket pocket and produced a badge, --- U.S. Marshall.
    I'm sure my jaw dropped 'cause she giggled.
    "I'll have someone bring you something for lunch, ok"?
    Uhhhh, ..... yeah!
    That'd be great.

    Within 15 minutes I heard a rattling, ..... looked in my mirror, .... and see a guy in a chef's hat pushing a stainless steel cart with stainless steel domes covering the contents.
    "Hey driver!
    I hope you're hungry. I have roast beef, roast chicken, baked ham, mashed potato, three bean salad and berry pie".
    At that point he lifted the dome and began slicing generous portions of meat and all the trimmings, --- plenty for two meals. The chef explained that most of the party guests were more interested in drinkin' their lunch, and the cart would be much lighter when pushing it back, so, "You're doin' me a favor. Enjoy".
    Y'all don't get treated like that at grocery warehouses.

    I provided the requested paperwork, --- at which time I asked the cute Marshal if she wanted to go to California with me.
    She declined, ---- with a giggle.

    A U.S. Marshal seals the loads at I.G.T., and a U.S. Marshal breaks the seal upon delivery. The driver is not allowed to even assist in loading or unloading.
    What's not to like 'bout that kinda gig?
    Gawd I miss the road.
     
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  7. oneshyne

    oneshyne Light Load Member

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    Jun 22, 2012
    Northern NJ
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    X1 it's crazy that you say that cause my grandma always told me be careful out there cause back in the days you use to could stop for people broke down on the side of the road. Now today it's dangerous to stop for anybody. She told me some people would pretend that they car would break down and soon as you get out of the truck they'll try to kill you.

    Yes Aftershock very comfortable. I may not be to proud with the amount of carriers I have on my jacket since I started in March 2014. But a few of them I did put at least a year close to 2 in. Werner, Prime Inc, WEL Companies, Quality Carriers, Linden Bulk, Coal City Cob, A.D Transport Express. And now I'm with a smaller tanker outfit. And it's crazy cause I found out that Tankers is my best fit. I stay with quality Carriers for almost 2 years. I gross 72K my first full year with them. And Coal City Cob was another one I stay in for almost 2 years from January to May 2018 I was at 48K which I was upset cause I should've been around 52-53K in that range. 2 weeks the truck was broke down and I took a week of vacation. I just come to the conclusion I don't have the patients to wait at docks socks with these dry van and reefer companies.


    WEL I remember I was supposed to deliver a load going americold in Quincy MI & I was shocked a brand spanking new reefer unit trailer was set for temperatures at 26 it was floating between 34-36 degrees. So they rejected the load and sent me to the spot in Indiana that fixed reefer trailers at around 1145p.m the guy comes to the shop fix it. I leave back out and stop at that lot that the doubles and triples park at on the toll road off 80 in Indiana near 65. I told them they not paying me enough to sit on this load and I barely get paid anything for the work I do. So I left them alone and they saying well pay you a little more for detention. I said nah I did head from that point with the loaded trailer back home. I fuel at the loves in Hubbard Ohio clean out the truck and told them look at my paychecks. I don't stay out away from my family to earn this amount of money it was only between like $400-$600 a week.

    That's when I move to QC. I had my fun there and enjoy it but I never told them the truck they put me in ST380 wasn't fully synchronize with the peoplenet. Like I could run a unlimited amount of miles loaded or empty and it would not throw me on the drive line. I had to enter all duty status change manually. They kinda find out when I drop a loaded trailer in Philadelphia on a Friday and they told me I can dead head home & out for delivery on Saturday. It was a load of styrene. I drop it and deadhead home. So 2 weeks later the terminal manager Jerry said this coming from corporate I have to let you go cause they saying 250 miles was unaccounted for on that day I bobtail home. I didn't argue with it or whatever I just let it go. Cause in a small way I didn't like the direction QC was heading with all the speed gauge crap they was installing and Calling every 5 minutes you go 3 over the speed limit.


    Coal City Cob was the best carrier I worked for so far. They only problem to me is they defeating they self with all the breakdown issues they having fleet wide in all those 386 peterbilts. It's a very laid back company. But a few of those trucks could put you in danger. I had the drive shaft broke on me while I was riding on Indians toll road. It lift that whole truck and tanker up and bring it right down. Thank God I was less then 2 miles from the rest area for trucks only. I pull in and found out all the coolant came out, air pressure drastically drop, all cause they refused to pay $18K on the recommended repairs what the shop suggested 2 weeks before this bizarre incident happened. Working with Coal City I definitely enjoy and love the view of the Harrah's casino in Biloxi Mississippi. Aftershock around this time if you live near or you drive OTR and can stop by Harrah's at Biloxi Mississippi & your a person that enjoys the pool you definitely gotta stop by there & I'm not even talking about to gamble it's the scenary. If your not a hotel guest its pretty pricey at $20 to get in but it's worth it. It's the level platform that Harrah's have it on that makes it worth of seeing the beautiful scenery of the gulf coast. I had to dig back in last year pictures to show you the view of how it was when I was there. I'm highly interested on when I get time to stop by there again. If I'm scrolling by I-10 going by Biloxi Mississippi.


    A.D Transport Express aaahhh man ah man that company is the cheapest cheap ### company I ever worked for. They agreed to put me in a hotel at 1st cause the AC wasn't working and the windows wouldn't roll down. I'm telling these guys that. They said call back and we'll pay for you to stay at a hotel and bring the truck up to the shop. I said ok that's perfect, I call back and night time breakdown tells me "oh company policy prohibits us from paying for a hotel when it's 60 degrees outside. So the peoplenet screenshot you see and yes I did send it. Idk why people think I was BSin when I told them I sent it. They call back and said we sorry you didn't tell us the window not working I said yes I did. He said well take it to the TA to get it fixed I said hell no this piece of $@+ going to the dealership to get it fixed. Check it in at the dealership at 8a.m finish at 430p.m & the invoice came out to $950 & they ask me at the dealership "did you get a approval from the company for this" I said I don't need a approval cause at the end of the day if they didn't pay to get they junk fixed I don't have to drive it. So either way they gonna pay to get it fixed where I drop it off at. They was laughing at me. I told them I'm dead serious. And they let the company negotiate a price chop in half. So to me that kind of defeated the purpose of me bringing it to the dealership & I told them that. Left that company (thank God) now I'm with the smaller tanker outfit. But A.D Transport 1 thing like I said when I left it on a review on they page. How does a Tank Wash (Quala) that DON'T hire Drivers treat drivers better & give more driver comfort then the company do at they Canton Michigan yard. No matter what time in the morning you can arrive there to get your truck fixed 3am 1a.m they have you sit in that uncomfortable break room until your truck is done. They won't pay for you to stay at a hotel. So that means if you arrive 11p.m & your truck is done at 4a.m your waiting in there like a robot until it's done. It's been a roller coaster Aftershock but I feel I'm set where I'm at. Just gotta build my time up again. The company here looks like they take perfect care of they drivers.
     

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  8. oneshyne

    oneshyne Light Load Member

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    Jun 22, 2012
    Northern NJ
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    Dang Aftershock that was very unexpected to me that a U.S Marshal would ever ask for those. Bim used to state police, a few local police that's DOT certified & boarder patrol asking for it. But never ran across a U.S Marshal that would ask for it. That would've definitely caught me off guard completely myself
     
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  9. starmac

    starmac Road Train Member

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    Apr 11, 2019
    Fairbanks Ak
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    A friend of mine broke down near the top of atigun yesterday, not only did he hitch hike back with another trucker, but they drug his truck down to the state camp and loaded it on an empty flat another friend was pulling, so his pete hitchhiked back too. lol
    Saved him around a 6 grand tow bill, The scale was closed, so he could unload right across from the pete dealer.
     
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  10. AfterShock

    AfterShock Road Train Member

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    Sep 19, 2007
    Inland Empire, California
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    Chalk it mostly up to politics.
    I rarely met the Marshals present at loading, --- could even have been loaded days before and parked in IGT's super secure lot. Now, ...... upon delivery is another story. A Marshal would introduce themselves and inquire if I'm the driver, and I'd tell 'em. At that point they read the information they already had, --- my name, CDL-A number, where I call home, stuff like that. Believe me, they don't let a load loose without knowin' who's under it. Iowa was a tad touchy because it was new legislation and those politicians who were against the new law were lookin' for any reason to complain.
    But, ..... get this, ---- on my next IGT load, --- upon delivery, I asked that Marshal, (after providing the standard information). ..... well, actually, ..... I related my experience in Iowa and the Marshall I met there, .... gave a brief description, and, .... he stops me mid sentence, turns to what turned out to be other US Marshals there, (can't tell who's who), and blurts out,
    "Hey fellas!
    Guess who met Kathy"!!
    Then turned to me and asked, "Ain't she a knock-out"?
    Oh yeah, I agreed, and related my proposal to take her to California with me, and her answer, ----
    "Hail driver!
    That's probably the eighth or tenth out-of-state offer she's gotten. Marty over there offered Florida, my former partner offered Colorado, and I heard another officer put Tennessee on the table".
    I felt I had to ask him where he offered her. He grinned and admitted he mentioned Virginia, adding, "But Kathy wondered how my wife would react to her presence, --- and my teenage sons. Gotta admit, Kathy made a good point", ...... laughing.
    Seems Kathy was pretty AnD popular.
    I can still imagine her standin' there, --- two long, blond, braided pigtails, --- she looked to be in her early twenties, but was, in reality, around thirty to thirty-three, --- one of those who will probably never look her age. She'll be retired and still look like a new recruit.

    But that's how the US Marshals reacted with the drivers. No hassles, very pleasant personalities. Sure made a world of difference working with attitudes like that. They'd relate experiences of their's that would make me say No WaY!
    They assured me it was no bovine excrement.

    Well, ...... I'm a Big truck trucker.
    As such, I have more than a few unbelievable trucker tales and I wasted no time diving into a few.
    "No WaY"! They'd say.
    That's when I realized, ...... right then and there, .....
    US Marshals and Big truck truckers actually share a LoT in common.
    Stories.

    ** Side Bar **
    When I was first startin' out in the industry I was aware of Trucker Tales, ---
    (How can you tell the difference betwixt a trucker tale and a fairy tale?
    Well, a fairy tale starts out Once Upon A Time, ------
    A trucker tale starts out, -----
    Y'all ain't gonna believe this
    S hip
    H igh
    I n
    T ransit, .............
    :biggrin_25512:

    Which brings me to the point I wanna make, -----
    I figured those stories were, at least partly, fabricated for the drama effect, --- and I thoroughly enjoyed listenin' to 'em, --- still do, actually. However, with every passing year, and the whimsical situations I found myself involved in during that time all addin' up, --- and as I vividly recall them, --- I have a difficult time believing myself, and I was there, for pete's sake. That's when it hit me like a ton of overweight citations, those other tellers of trucker tales weren't kiddin'. :biggrin_25512:
    In fact, ---- the more absurd the stories are, the more likely they're true. :biggrin_25523:
    That's what makes 'em so special.
    IF, after a story you hear yourself sayin'. ...... No way somethin' like that could ever happen, ...... then, ..... down the road, ...... it happens to y'all, --- but, ..............
    You probably still won't believe it, even after it happens to y'all.
    And, ..... as an added bonus, y'all will have your own fantastic Star Spangled Over-the-Road tales to tell those who'll listen.
    And know what?
    There'll be plenty who will listen.
    Believe the story?
    Maybe not right then, --- but if they keep runnin' the highways and byways through Purple Mountains Majesty, all across the fruited plain, from sea to shining sea, --- and back again, --- they'll come to know.
    If it don't drive 'em crazier.
    (Goin' on the assumption that we gotta be at least somewhat whacko in the first place.
    (Semi Crazy?)

    Ya know, ..................... :scratch:
    I could write a book, :read2: :evil3: :yes2557:
    and the stories would be true, :shock:
    and nobody will believe 'em. :roll:
    'Cept me, --- finally. :headbang:

    For those readin' this who're just startin' out, and haven't had an "experience", ..... yet,
    remember, when it does, it won't make you crazy. Y'all already were that when you took de job.

    It's Twue! :tweety:
    It's Twue! :tweety:

    Yeah, ---- but now when it does happen, you'll be somewhat prepared and can roll with it.
    If you find yourself around K-Falls, Oregon, --- and the scalemaster calls you in, --- be prepared to answer his question, --- "Can you levitate driver"?
    I told 'em I didn't think I could.
    He wanted to know if I knew what that was.
    I answered yes.
    Then he wanted me to explain.
    So I did.
    "That's right", (he acted surprised)
    "Can you do that"?
    Being me, I asked if he wanted me to try.
    "NO, but you wanna tell me this?
    You go off duty in Ripon, California for an hour, --- then you log into the bunk, --- off duty, ---
    follow me here driver"?
    YuP. I assured him.

    "Well then, while you were in the bunk, SOMEhow, you managed to arrive here.
    How do you explain that"?
    At which point he masterfully pushed off, away from the desk where he was sittin', --- executed a half turn in his rollin', high back, with arm rests and tilt, official scalemaster chair, which put him exactly positioned behind another desk on the far side of the office, where he grabbed a pencil and a calculator, ..... and a pencil sharpener. "Looks like I'm gonna have a lotta writin' to do here. You're in deep trouble if you don't have a good explanation. How did you get here while in your bunk?
    Hmmmmm"?

    Yow!
    That's a tough question, sir.
    I'm gonna venture a guess here, ..........
    Could it be, ....... maybe, ....... that's when my co-driver was driving?
    I know that's a long-shot.
    Can you cut me some slack here?
    I promise I won't tell anyone, --- and promise not to levitate anymore.

    Would y'all believe he agreed, --- and let me go back to sleep? :sleepy2:

    Oh!
    By the way, ..............
    On my way out the scale house door, :Courier:
    I thanked him for the lesson I just learned from him. :hello2:
    He took me seriously. :laughing3: :laughing-guffaw:
    "That's what they pay me to do".
    I thought about suggesting he was highly over paid.
    Sometimes I regret that I didn't (ask).
    But I remembered a saying............. :idea1:

    A wise man once said

    .

    ,
    .

    .

    .

    Nothing.
    :laughing4:
    :cheers:
    :happy8:
    :sign9:
    :silent:
    All-in-All, a wise choice, ..... it seems.

    HeY!
    Maybe he's readin' this now. :downtown:
     
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  11. olddog_newtricks

    olddog_newtricks Medium Load Member

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    Jun 3, 2018
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    I own the truck and I will decide who rides and who doesn't. Now with that out of the way.... I just take it on a case by case basis. I seldom give anyone a ride. 99% of the time when somebody asks me, I tell them I'm going the other direction.
     
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