2nd triple fatality in week in work zone involving tractor-trailer

I don't ever depend on those.

Law says throw them on at less 45 mph on interstate or worse stopped. But not everyone is taught the law.

Anything is possible, especially from the trailer end. I remember my number two bypassed my fueling in San Antone and had himself hammered by a drunken lout in a taurus. The car itself was reduced to a ball waist high wrapped around mostly the engine block. He got out lucky to be alive. The number two saw it coming and saved his life by horsing her right so that the aft left tires take the hit. It was loaded good that night so it wasnt going anywhere.

One other thought, if i had a regular vehicle that was not feeling well and may not run well or even stall in construction, I don't even take it into it. Period. I'll bypass it or get another vehicle and driver. There has been too many people stalled in front of me over the years. Makes my hair grey thinking how close the last one was.

 

but given the fact it's 2019 and you know how people drive are you actually surprised??
sighs

 

Complete lack of professionalism in the construction zones.

45mph posted, "Fines Doubled", "Trucks Use Left Lane", and I either get passed in the right lane by a daycab with a cardboard sign taped to the door, pulling a sea can, or some Billy Bigrigger is behind me in the left lane, with his front bumper about 1.5 inches off the back of my trailer.

45 means "45". Slow the #### down in the barrels.

 

I’ve noticed trucks not using hazards on inclines too. Out west ( where the speed is 80) or where stated (like PA) I’ll put my hazards on if I hit 50.

Also, with the slow downs I use my hazards because at least I can say I did everything I could to avoid an accident.

 

yep or a minimally to untrained punk thinking he's driving his car with the local boi's

 

4 wheelers seem to get confused by trucks being in the left lane in construction zones.
I also sometimes wonder if the trucks not getting over can read English or at all.

 

the hills are a different subject..
when I started driving in 1990 it used to be out in California unless you were broke down you never put your four ways on Oregon was the same way..
that's a slippery slope for the most part...

 

that right there is a billion-dollar question I don't even think 50% of the drivers in North America were born here anymore..
and I don't know whether I find that to be a shock or a shame.
you don't have to read English anymore you don't have to speak it they put it on the books to cya themselves from the feds but the bottom line you get people that don't speak a lick of English and they're out here driving a truck..
but if it keeps the driver shortage away the feds are happy as I've said before and I'll continue to say it it's not a professional industry anymore it's a rock bottom industry where anybody could get in because it's literally has no bar anymore.. it's been no longer for the last 5 to 10 years about quality it's simply about quantity

 

Keep in mind the early 90's had two things. One was the CDL transition. We lost many. I almost was one of those. I got my CDL on the last date allowed by the state in 94 for me. The other was closure of training schools by the larger carriers namely JBH etc. I am not good on the details of that second issue. One of the family involved in trucking was already out of it by the 80's proper for a variety of reasons. A tiny rule change in the 60's or 70's allowed deaf drivers to hold Class A. Im one of several from my State to do so, I don't know of any but one or two that possibly got into OTR work. Chances are I may be the one out of a few hundred who did it. (Which was it's own set of internal problems)

You can still find quality out there. I can see it sometimes out here. However much of the rest well unless there was something they did not take care of it's best to let em run. Once in a while I'll see one that is having a hard time holding his lane. Excluding drinking you have ELD issues vs a truckstop within x miles or a destination.