Just sharing my story

and we share the road with these types of drivers (not the OP)...

 

no matter what laws are changed there will always be idiots out there driving, all we can do is be more defensive in our own driving

 

In my opinion all these mega companies should be more looked at by the government, all these thing they get away with are unbelievable...
Lets start with the pay, a poor driver signs on with them for 6-12 months for a free CDL just to be paid poverty wage, so now to make more money a driver has to become a ''trainer'' after only driving for 6 MONTHS!!! (Nothing against them for wanting to pay their bills and make some extra money to send to their families, again its the companies fault)

Then you have megas driving the prices/rates down for all of the O/O and small companies, think about it why would the shipper/consignee pay you $2,$3 or $4 per mile to move their freight when megas will do it for a half price....

Also, megas get paid our tax money from the government for "creating" new jobs
Man its downright criminal with stuff they get away with

Some of you will say that the new drivers have to pay their "dues" to get into trucking and wait few years till they start earning money, well i say thats BS 'cuse no one should have to be away from home for 2-3 months and only earn $300-$400 a week

Hey OP i'm sorry for writing all of this but i just had to went a little bit after reading your post and many like yours

 

I agree, its hard to survive during the beginning especially if you have a family at home, a single guy with no home to pay for can make it but its hard for the rest

 

They could easily push out the requirements for training and a cdl making it even more costly and harder to obtain. In my case it was something i wanted to do and relatively easy to walk into. This otr business is its own beast for sure.

 

I find the timing of this thread ironic. Here's why. Yesterday I read the op's post and about fell off my chair when I saw this ... "Our daily goal on accidents in my fleet is no more than 9 per day, we can't make that goal most days." I find this incredulous. I'm still in complete disbelief.

HOWEVER, today I was heading west on I-4 not far from Disney when I happened upon an STI (a division of CRST from what I understand) driver in the middle lane of three lanes (no trucks permitted in the outside hammer lane for this stretch of 47 miles) cruising along at about 62 mph in a 70 mph zone. Now, I'm a very cool and levelheaded driver. I don't get riled, I don't get upset or flustered easily.

BUT, this driver (and I use the term loosely, VERY loosely) refused to move over for me and a half dozen other trucks which were taking every opportunity to hammer down and pass him on the inside lane creating a not-so-safe condition. I didn't pass him, I slowed down and stayed behind him FOR AN AMAZING 24 MILES before he decided to move over and let me pass. Whoops ... he wasn't letting me pass, we were coming up to the scale house. As I was exiting the scale, I noticed him on the scale to the right of me. SOB tried to hammer down and get in front of me AGAIN on the scale road. My truck is a little faster and I didn't let him squirm in just so he could block me for the rest of my journey. Either he was scared to drive the inside lane or he's an inconsiderate jerk. Either situation the dude shouldn't be on the road <end rant>.

My question is ... what the hell kind of drivers are they churning out there at CRST? Perhaps a call to the feds about this company's practices and a copy of the op's original post is in order? This company needs scrutinized to the umpteenth degree.

 

You don't have to guess about it, my friend. Take your time and inch your way if you have to. Get out and look as many times as you have to. We've all been in that situation (or similar ones) at one time or another. I remember a time when I had to blind back around a corner in the pouring rain. Managed to tick off an entire fleet of trucks behind me and the guys on the dock as well but hey, I did it my way which was s-l-o-w, extremely slow. Took me almost half an hour to get around that corner backwards but I managed it. Don't worry about it, don't get flustered and take your time, as much as you need and above all, do not worry what ANYONE else says, thinks or does in response to you taking as much time as you need. Good luck, driver.

 

GOAL.

Slowly.

Turn off your cb.

Don't be afraid to ask for help.

Use your required 30 minute break to practice.

Don't give up.