Abilene Motor Express....A New Place To Call Home

If I had time, I would mess with you all through the QC. But alas, no time for fun. You would not believe some of the stuff some drivers do. Its ludicrous. "What were you thinking..." Is a common expression I found myself saying to myself. I will say that all of the people who are on here are the A team. Well, Uturn is a B+....
seriously, all of you be above board on your logs. We had a driver in NY get popped for advancing a load on OD. It was only to get to a safe haven but still log falsification in DOT eyes. He got a warning. Be smart. Word from safety was if you violate your HOS to find a safe haven, note it so and much better than falsification in everyones eyes.

 

That is why I stated what I did last week. C'mon people think. Have you ever heard of me hitting 70 and having to wait before? Only during this time. ODD can NOT be used to advance a load, only for personal conveyance. Need more clarification call me.

 

One thing I miss about teaming with my wife is turning coasts in 2 days

 

Interesting you talk about backing skills, we give a simple test during interviews. Back onto our lot from the street, driver side 30' gate and then do a blind side back to a loading dock which has four empty bays. More than a few can't do the first part without all sorts of corrections, usually because they start from the middle of the road. So many in fact I have begun to wonder if they are being taught that? I was taught to start near the left hand curb as possible.

 

You talk about a newbie being amazed....that reminds me of when I was in your trainee's shoes back in 2005 when I started with Marten. It really was crazy to me to leave out on Monday from the East Coast, and be to Cali in 2 days, turn and come right back. That was really the only time when I felt like I was completely enthralled with the trucking lifestyle. No time to chill, just hammer down (Marten = 64.5, haha), keep the doors closed and roll. It was fun for sure. I'm glad I had the chance to do that. Running from say the Mississippi River and East, I never felt like a "trucker". But there is something about rolling across I-40, I-80 or I-70 where there is nothing for miles and miles but miles and miles....that is where the trucking/american cowboy image really sunk in for me. Even though I just drive part-time now....that kind of lifestyle, heading to Cali and back, still in the back of my head makes me think....Might be fun to do it again!