Just some questions came up after the I70 crash in CO.

You can never go up a big hill to fast, only to slow.

 

Apparently, this kid never heard of "Big Joe and Phantom 309",,,

 

Oh man what a great story that is

 

Colorado has truck speed limits down the big hills. Pretty easy. FOLLOW THEM! Don’t be a super trucker like I see every night smoking their brakes. It’s everynight and usually a O/O. Mega guys are too scared to run off the hill hard. It’s always a small carrier or O/O.

Also if you get caught over the truck speed limit they will and now then ever give you a big ticket. I got pulled over coming of vail in the snow 5mph over the hills speed limit. It wasn’t slick and it was melting with sand all over the place I explained to the trooper. He only gave me CSA points and not a ticket.

I run an auto with 70-80k a night. I know what gears the auto likes and it’s either 5 mph faster or slower. If the jake slows the truck toggle the jake strength to a lower setting. I mess with this switch all the way down the hill. Put down the soda and hamburger down and pay attention. If the gear is too low tap the accelerator then it will shift up. There’s a downshift if your in full jake tap the button or some trucks you press down like your trying to find a 4th level on the jake.

13 years of sticks and my first year driving auto also. I never smoke my brakes.

 

I forgot what I was going to type.

 

There are a number of things about this horrible story that make is scary.

1. He is 23 years old.
2. Came to the US from Cuba in 2017.
3. At best, he has around a year of driving experience, at worst, a few months.
4. Probably isn't too proficient in the English language and may not have ever seen an escape off ramp before or didn't know what the signs said or understood what they meant.

Every day I see young, inexperienced drivers doing stupid things in CMV's. Usually it's tailgating or going too fast down a grade. Here on the west coast, the ones I see are mostly Hispanic or Middle Eastern, and many can barely string a few words together in English. How did they pass their CDL test? A lot of them are Canadian but there are almost as many based here in the US and they still can't speak the language. It clearly states on the CDL requirements here in California that you MUST be able to read and understand English before getting a CDL I'm not sure how so many slip through the cracks.

Last week I was sitting in my truck at a Pilot in Oregon doing some paperwork at the end of the day, and two young Arab drivers were attempting to back into a double wide spot directly across from me. One of them was spotting for the other as he backed. Even with 2 open spots and a spotter, he hit the side of a brand new Peterbilt and did quite a bit of damage. I honked before it happened, but he kept going. They exchanged information, and the driver left. A half hour later, they were back attempting to back into the same spot. The same guy was spotting as the other backed in, and now there was only a single spot left. This time, they knocked the driver mirror off of the same truck they hit before. The driver of the damaged truck (also Middle Eastern) got out and was screaming at them. I finally closed my curtains and called it a night.

I've helped a number of these young foreigners back into spots over the years, usually the ones trying to park next to me for obvious reasons. Some told me it was their first day out, and it was obvious that they didn't have even a basic understanding of how to back a trailer. It was almost as if they had no training at all. These are the people that are replacing us as we retire and leave the industry.

 

More reasons to never stay at a commercial truck stop unless you absolutely have to. It's not just about luck if you want to stay in this game, it's about active self-preservation. The game is rigged where we're gonna live with and be compared to the worst/least experienced among us. You've got to practice self preservation, remove yourself from the equation however and whenever you can. I often turn down runs to Atlanta for this exact reason.

 

I practically grew up riding in the passenger seat of a logging truck in the mountains. You drive those suckers so that you don't touch the brakes unless you absolutely have to. The occaisional snub of brakes when it starts to roll a little too quick for comfort is all you should need.