CA: Citation for parking on interstate on/off ramps

All that said, you are gonna love this: I took this job 8 months after graduating from truck driving school. My only experience was hauling containers. As for knowing what I was hauling; I had not a clue. The distance from the Shell settler where I loaded, to Rhone-Poulenc was just over 1 mile, so 11 mos. out of the year I guess it was a relatively safe transport. But that one month of running (I now recall, the Rhone-Poulenc plant was in Carson) was just as you describe, a hair-raising trip, by exhausted drivers with no regard for HOS, and having minimal experience (if any) in hauling a very dangerous product. What a recipe for disaster!

Rhone-Poulenc did have a major breach and fire wherein the entire storage tower burned to the ground.

This does bring up a good point, though. Here I was, a newbie with little experience, offered a job that was a gateway to a highly specialized and lucrative area of trucking. Knowing you are not qualified for a job such as this (I knew at the time that I was not qualified, common sense told me that); a job that your mistake is capable of impacting the lives of 1,000's of people. Do you take it? I think, knowing what I do today, that I would still have to go for it. To this day, I love hauling tankers and my qualifications for getting those jobs is primarily due to my early introduction into hauling HazMat tanker.

Lastly, appreciate your input and wish there were more drivers with experience comparable to yours giving us some insight into the finer points of trucking. Even with 15 yrs. driving, I have a great deal to learn. What you offer, in experience, is not found in books. Thanks again. And let me say, that in this last post you described it to a T. Protection gear and all. I remember once taking my goggles of while still wearing my rubber gloves, got some bad burns from accidentally contacting my skin.

 

I've lived in California all my life and so I can say with some authority that while you do occasionally see posts "No Stopping", they are the exception and not the rule. When posted, it is usually for a reason that is quite evident. On I-10, especially out in the Mojave Desert, I don't think I've ever seen a "No Stopping" sign.

 

No, Shell Oil in Martinez took the prize. Once loaded, you scaled out, but, if you were over-weight you couldn't go up the hill the way you did MT. You had to BACK the truck, fully loaded, up-hill, and often at night, around almost the entire plant, notice the around (as it was a curving dirt road). The reason being, that when you went up, you crossed a gully that was bridged by an iron plate that couldn't stand the weight of a loaded truck. Aside from that, it was the most decrepit, rusted, maze of pipes you ever wanted to see.

And Yes! Tankers are great! You do get more respect, because unlike the big food distribution centers like Safeway, Wal-mart, etc., you are not one of hundreds of drivers they have to deal with a day, so there is no dissension. Also, no waiting for a dock, just drive in, hook up and start pumping. I love 'em! Last of all, when you're running flammable, or explosive, or corrosive placards; people tend so stay clear and leave you alone.

 

That's a little harsh, I think. I think that an experienced driver exceeding HOS maybe makes foolish decision, due to being overly-concerned about the repercussions suffered by the shipper, customer, or employer, coupled with a desire to 'do a good job'.

A newbie, lacking experience or guidance, might a poor judgment call, influenced by the belief that failure to deliver on-time could jeopardize his job and with his lack of experience, plus being fired, will severely impact his ability to find employment. It's hard to refuse an employer when you're new to the industry.

Drivers who exceed HOS do it not because they are fools; rather, they succumb to the pressures we all experience due to the nature of the trucking industry. There are ways to adhere to HOS using tact and diplomacy and THAT is the purpose of these forums: to educate and share our experiences. Dismissing violators by branding them fools just generates dissension. What's needed are suggestions, advice, and discussion.