Got my first class 1 job tommorow can someone please answer these questions?

Scale Scale Scale - until you learn what is "safe" not to double check for your rig...
Get an "empty weight" scale ticket for YOUR rig (full tanks) so you KNOW your max load...
generally 40,000 and over you NEED to scale, if only to check balance...
BOL weight can't be trusted... may be "net" weight (not incl. packing, pallets etc.) or may just be WRONG !!
if you ever run 80,000 legal, tell everyone! you just won the lottery! (it's not possible to be balanced perfectly... - remember axle weights!
most shippers don't have scales - for those that do, learn how to figure axle weights on a scale that gives only a single weight
Each shipper has a different procedure for loading - ASK them what they like the driver to do during loading.
Each load is a new adventure, you are learning with each load how to get it loaded safe and legal so the load can be delivered on time with no damages.
P.S. - with a spread axle trailer you can load to 80,000 - note the legal axle weight total is MORE than the legal gross weight...

 

If you are moving the truck, it counts against your driving time. Technically, according to the rules "Any time spent at the controls of a CMV is considered driving time". I don't think I'd call it driving time if I'm sitting in the command chair at a truck stop, engine off, talking to the next truck over. But that's what the rules say.

Period of Availability? Not entirely sure what that means. The only thing that counts against driving time is driving time. **However** you must accomplish that driving within your hours of availability. Typically, that's thought of as - you must drive your 11 hours within your 14 hours. WHen you first turn the key in the morning, you have 14 hours in which you can drive 11. (there are caveats and clauses- things like split breaking - but that's the gist of it)

You can be "on duty" 24 hours a day - and DOT won't say a word. After your 14th hour, though, you'd best not drive.

a 34 (or longer) hour reset will reset ALL your clocks back to zero.

a 10 hour break will reset your 14 and 11 hour clocks.

In school, they should give you your own copy of the "DOT book" - also known as the FMCSR. I really can't recommend strongly enough that you read and *understand* the section on Hours of Service. It appears to be the single biggest stumbling block for drivers.

Any questions, of course, feel free to ask. I think I've got a half a handle on logs, and a wonderful lady on here (LogsRus) is THE definitive authority on logging questions. She's good.

Again, I'm not sure how are using that term. Period of availability is, the way I think, the hours you have available to work before you run out of hours in your 70/60 hour schedule.

Given that definition, (or even one considering the number of hours you can work in a given DAY) you use the POA every single day you work. No choice,if you are OTR, or don't fall under the HOS rules exceptions.

As sailor said, SCALE.. as soon as you close the doors on that load (or hook up to a pre-load) head to the nearest certified scale. For less than $10 (usually reimbursed by your carrier) you can get your GVW as well as the distribution (weight per axel). THen you can decide whether it can be fixed by sliding the tandems, or if you have to go back to the shipper.

Note: some loads are sealed and you can do nothing about the overall weight. At best you can slide the tandems. In that case, you do the best you can to cover your wallet - make note on the BOL that the load was pre-sealed by the shipper. I forget the exact recommended wording - somebody else will certainly chime in with it.

yes to the first half of this, and rarely on the second half. You'll absolutely want a guide to truckstops. Once you have the load, you go to the scale first. It may be 5 miles down the road, it may be 50 - but you go there first. If you are overweight, you tell dispatch and go back to the shipper. He knows the weight limits as well as you do - and has no business overloading you.
Of course, make sure you take your scale ticket with you, or the dockmaster will argue with you for a week.

They vary from company to company. Generally, it's along these lines:

Check in at the gate
Check in with the shipping office
Shipping office assigns a dock
park the trailer at the dock
wait until the locals are done with your trailer
go back to the shipping office for your paperwork.
Leave
scale the load.

(If it's drop and hook, the shipping office will tell you where to put your current trailer and where your new trailer is - supposed to be)

Of course, there all kinds of variations. Some places won't let you leave. Some won't let you stay. Some give you the option. Some jobs you have to unload the trailer yourself. Some you aren't allowed to.

After you've been driving even a little bit, you'll be able to tell by the way your truck feels if you have a heavy load on. If it's a light load, you can use your judgment about scaling. If the BOL says 29,000 pounds, and it pulls easily, it's probably close to 29,000 pounds and you needn't worry about it.

I've also had it recommended to me that on any load where the BOL is over a certain weight (some say 29K, others up to 35K pounds) you weigh it out anyway. Believe it or not, shippers are often.. umm.. incorrect on their weights.

 

This guy is writing from the UK ( England ) not the US of A

 

Good catch - I'd not seen that (I typically never look).

Makes y' wonder - is it really that different there?