How many Million Milers do we have?

Mister CrazyCanuck, sir, ..................

Your bio indicates that you've recently joined The Truckers' Report, ---
A hearty Welcome.
I'm sure glad you found us and decided to participate in these discussions.
Within seven posts, you've provided what I consider one of the best penned
descriptions of the life of Big truck truck drivers who drive over-the-road.
I'm impressed.
I printed it out and hope that you'll grant permission to quote you when
appropriate. In my opinion, it should be a required Must Read for anyone
with a family, who is considerin' Big truck truckin'. And it wouldn't hurt
to have whomever will remain at the home-20 keepin' the home fire burnin'
to read it as well.



Well written
Well stated
Well thank you very much.
Don't be a stranger now, --- post often.

OH!
By the way, ...... I gave you your first "Thanks".
I'd have done more, but this site sets a limit, --
one time only. You deserve more. I predict
that you'll get 'em. :smt045

 

That's what trees are for.
Why do y'all think they're called "LOG" Books?
Who ever heard of an electronic tree?
Paperless, electronic logs?
That just ain't natural.

Powah To The Papah!



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well thank you shakey. Not really sure what a dogmapontificationalist is but I will give it more thought. For now 4 am comes early. Once more I will pull open the door on my Star and smell what a million miles, deisel and me smells like. Lightloads and good roads.

 

"Log" books, pretty clever, can't believe DOT still recognizes those. " Now you write it down just as it happened". OH, I will. My first boss I drove for 40 years ago, I asked him, "How am I supposed to log all this"? His reply, "Don't worry, you can get it real close with a pencil"! Actually, My union job truck had the "Drivemasher 9000"(or what ever it was called) and I really liked it. Push a button, never drew a line again, and the end of the week, turn in your "card", no hassles. (Boss can't make you run over hours either, as I'm sure the data goes right to the Pentagon)

 

You're most welcome.
My pleasure.
Uhhhh, .... whud I do?

Nobody's around to read this right now, so I can fess up. Just twixt you-'n-me now. Don't tell no one, ..... but, ..... truth be knowed, .......... I ain't real sure either.
What happened is, I got a wild notion that I needed a title of some sort. Somethin' that sounds impressive and important, --- the title don't really haveta fit, --- or even exist for that matter. Besides, if anyone asks, I figure if I can't dazzle 'em with brilliance, I can baffle 'em with bovine excrement.
In fact, you're the first poster person who's even mentioned "Dogmatistical Pontificationist" in the eight, or so, years since I chose that title. I actually forgot it was there. I probably would have knowed if I weren't so impatient, -- and took the time to read what I write. I think, and write what I think, so what I think should be what I wrote.

YuP.
It sure does come early. 'Somewhere 'round Oh-dark-thirty.
Shows up the same time everyday, too.
Wouldn't it be nice to have employees like that?

Funny thang, ....... of all the Big truck truck stops I've visited, even the ONE in Rhode Island, ..... there are only a few that stand out in my memory. They all just kinda blend together, --- exactly the same, ... only different.
But what I DO remember most of, .... are the times I opened the bunk curtains and was greeted by a million mile, million dollar view out the windshield.

Although my backin' skills became well honed, there's times I pull into a back row parkin' space instead of backin' in. Several positive reasons, but I was only concerned with facin' a wooded area. I'd retire to the bunk area, pop in a CD for some music, like the soundtrack from the movie Jonathan Livingston Seagull, by Neil Diamond, prop my bod up against the back wall, -- so I could look out the windshield and the moon roof. Optional at this time would be lightin' a fine Arturo Fuente hand-rolled cigar, and proceed to watchin' the lightnin' bugs do their flyin' dance.
Some folks watch fish in a tank.
Lightnin' bugs are waayyy less hassle.

So that others stayed put while I was backin' up, I painted the ICC bumper on the trailer yellow.
Surprisin' how many motorists recognize a yellow bumper and associate it with a rookie race car driver. Probably helps that SOMEone announces, "ROOKIE BACKIN'" over the CB.
With 650 Watts, if necessary. You know, .... to get their attention.

Clear blue skies and moderately warm weather. The kinda day that'cher glad you got up early so you have more time to spend enjoyin' it.

SoCal WEATHER FORECAST
To Be In The 90's by Mid-Week.
Plan Accordingly.


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[QUOTE="semi" retired;3987327]"Log" books, pretty clever, can't believe DOT still recognizes those. "[/QUOTE]I think the DOT always "recognized" paper logs, and probably will continue to recognize paper logs. What many DOT officers recognized as paper log books, they also realized they don't understand how to interpret the information contained within. Especially with all the (knee-jerk) 'improvements' to the HOS to appease the various special interest groups who clamor for 'safety' by proposing new rules that create more safety issues than they eliminate. Facts tend to confuse those folks. But they "feel" good, 'cause they "helped".

What's the hurry to record your activities in real time as it happens? "Current to the last change of duty status", is all that's required.

It's beginin' to feel like Big truck truck drivers are suspects and bein' investigated. Or already found guilty in the minds of law enforcement and collectin' all this information is like wearin' an ankle bracelet GPS device so they don't go anywhere without those who "Serve and Protect" knowin' every move they make.
Don't get lost!
Go the wrong way and get lost --- Go to jail till you can prove you're innocent, (a thousand miles from home). Is it any wonder why the DOT's favorite Rollin' Stones song is 'Under My Thumb'? :smt034:smt035

To simplify Big truck truckin', they'll have only two rules;
1. Refrain from thinkin'.

2. See Above.

Don't think about it driver!
Just DO it!

The best dispatcher I ever had, when informed a driver was short on hours, had the remedy, --- available at most Big truck truck stops for about seventy-nine cents, plus tax. (The price for a new paper log book.)
Budda-Bing, Budda-Bang. Problem solved.
Next question?

I'm artistically creative and much prefer to draw lines myself. I draw them very neatly and print locations and notations legibly and easy to read to avoid any confusion by those wearin' a badge who pretend they know what they're readin'. Electronic, paperless logs stifle my creativity and possibly violate my civil rights, --- and that's wrong. If all this information gathered increases safety, why not just mandate drivers to record their activities while off duty, too? Don't short-change safety. While they're improvin' safety by reducin' speeds, why not limit Big truck speeds more? If 55mph is safer than 65mph, cut 'er back to 40mph top speed. Just imagine all the lives that'll save.

Just for kicks and giggles, name for me three things that the government does well.
Yeah, me neither.
So why are some so content with more government interference? And how much is all this extra information gatherin' on law abidin' citizens gonna cost taxpayers? With Social Security, for every dollar collected, thirteen cents gets to the intended recipient. The other eighty-seven cents is absorbed by "administrative expenses".
I reckon that's how they're solvin' the unemployment situation. Create unnecessary, unneeded civil jobs to create the illusion that the economy is back on it's feet.

Anyone else wonder what all this information collected and studied is really all about? When Google does it it's a no-no. When the government does it it's a go-go, --- get more. No such thing as too much information.
Social Engineering?
They're watchin' y'all.
Ain't that comfortin'?

Will there by any million-milers in the future?
Will they be able to avoid high CSA scores?
Will they be terminated for the slightest accident so a company can appear statistically superior?
Even citations issued in error will count against a Big truck truck driver as well as the Big truck truckin' company he/she drives for. A concept so simple, even a caveman could comprehend the complexity.
Guilty by thought. If they think you are, --- you are. :smt087
Prove you're not.

:smt091

Ahhhhh, ------
I feel much better now. :smt045
Nuthin' like a good ol' Monday mornin' rant :smt091
to get the week off to a good start. . . :smt112

Have a prosperous week y'all.
What'cha do out thar and how y'all do it
is greatly appreciated.
ThanX!

:smt117


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Closing to 2 000 000 safe, accident free miles should be at 2 mill mark by the next plate renewal in April, 2015.
Stay safe my friends.

 

A long time ago a dispatcher asked me to show a rookie how to keep from getting so many log book tickets. I leaned over his shoulder and said "Drive the speed limit, and log every minute."
The dispatcher yelled "NO" don' tell him that.
Just a quick story: I got pulled into the scale east of Winnipeg, on a dark and stormy night, oops thats another story. The man had a long look at my coloring book. This book had all white pages. His total said I had accumulated 84 hous in 6 days and I was to park over there for 24 hours. After a quick look at his math skills, I mentioned he was adding up both pages, the original and the copy. Gotta love the look when they know I win.

 

I have on occasion entered the lower 48 with a super"B"train. as called up here. For those who dont come this far north it's an 8 axle with two trailers on fifth wheels. I only say this because you guys seem to like the "A" train model with a fifth and a pintle hitch with converter. I cannot imagine trying to back those things in anywhere. The distance between the articulation points is so short. So when I put mine into the only parking spot on the lot which a straight can't do because it won't bend ib the middle, someone always chimes in" show off". I smile. Its not me , its the equipment. Any one pulling double or Brrrr triples should give these a go. Inspiration always bubbles up from the bottom.

 

Hi crazy, that is a great feeling indeed. Once, at a scale south of Madison, Wis. a scale operator said, park it in back, bring in all your paperwork. I had like 2 pallets on, and thought, here we go. Got inside, she said, "You didn't have your company name on the side of the truck". I said politely, "it's there". She said bring it around again, there it was on the door, she said on the loudspeaker, "well, it wasn't there before, take it away".