My Experience with Lone Star Transportation

074344 · Dec 23, 2011

Pedigreed Bulldog said: ↑

I haven't shown time for a pre-trip since they started up with the 14 hour rule....ALL my inspection time is shown during the post-trip. I do this because it is perfectly legal to park the truck at the 14th hour and then go "on duty not driving" to extend your day beyond the 14th hour while you do your inspection and whatever else needs to be done...as long as you do not drive until you've had 10 hours off duty/sleeper berth.

If you show the time at the start of your day, you still have to quit driving at your 14th hour even though you essentially started your day slightly later.

....and I NEVER fuel at the end of my day when I'm running the road. If I know I'm not going to make it home, I try to fuel 4 to 5 hours before I plan to park the truck (I've only got 100 gallons capacity split between 2 tanks) so that I have no more than 1/4 tank when I finish my day. My 3rd trip after buying my truck

If you still an O/O, that explains some of your previous comments to me.

I made the mistake of parking at a motel with dern near full tanks (back before I split my passenger tank 60 gallons hydraulic/20 gallons diesel...so I still had 160 gallon capacity) and if it wasn't for an off-duty cop working night time security at the motel, I would have returned to my truck to find the tanks emptied. Luckily, though, they were caught just as they were getting started, so if they managed to get anything it wasn't much....other than a pair of linked chrome bracelets and a reserved room at the gray-bar motel, of course.

That happened to me one as well. Fueled the truck and parked at a motel. Woke up, lrft the room and during the pre-trip, found almost all of the fuel gone out of a 90 gallon tank. I didn't pay for the fuel and I get paid to fuel the truck. I was still pissed though.

I friggin' HATE thieves.

Then like me, you should hate more than 99% of the OTR companies out there. They are stealing from drivers every day!

They'll sit there at the truck stop and watch to see who fuels up and heads straight back to the lot to park for the night. They know you've got full tanks because they JUST watched you fill them. When you walk inside with your shower bag, they KNOW you are going to be gone for at least 30-45 minutes...probably longer. Don't make yourself an easy target.
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Thats good advice to company drivers and O/O's alike.

Drive safe

jeff1981 · Dec 23, 2011

Looks like things are going well for you- congrats! And it doesn't hurt to be home for Christmas either....

sewerman · Dec 23, 2011

Well glad things are going well for you. Does look like one nice truck. Glad to see you're making it home for Christmas. Wish you nothing but the best in the future and welcome to the flatbed brotherhood. I guess I can't call you a door swinger no more.

Jarhed1964 · Dec 24, 2011

American-Trucker said: ↑

On monday when i got my truck, i was in the drivers lounge talking to one of our Heavy Haul guys, and i was telling him about the training in Houston, and when i told him they didnt teach anything about tarps he says "your kidding!" "Come on I'll show ya how to roll it up" and me, him, and 2 other guys went out and unrolled one of my Steel tarps and then he showed me how to roll it back up. Cool guy. Rolling it up seems easy enough. Now all i gotta do is figure out how to cover a load with it

Another thing i like about LoneStar; we can fuel where ever we want, AND they require us to LOG our Post trips. NOT our Pre-trips like most companies....Sooooo when i pull into a truck stop to park i can fuel, park, then take my FREE shower! (more companies need to see how much better this works then fueling in the morning.....)

American Trucker
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You'll learn to roll that tarp so that all you have to do it put it on top of the load and unroll it, then let the sides drop down. A lot easier than you might think (except in wind, rain, snow, 100+ degree heat.....). If you are using two tarps, tarp that back first, then overlap it with the front so you don't catch air underneath that rear tarp. Twist those straps once down the side to keep them from vibrating in the wind.

I miss flatbed.... NO I DON'T!!! HAHAHA!!!

Wedge · Dec 24, 2011

Merry Christmas, AT.

Be careful shopping. That can be more dangerous than what we do for a living.

bamanation · Dec 24, 2011

Polish those tanks and boxes, then it will look sexy in the sun. Do not twist those straps. As the previous poster said. If done right, when you tighten your straps they wont be flapping in the wind. They get loose as your driving down the road. If you do a load check every hundred twenty milles you wont have any problems.

American-Trucker · Dec 24, 2011

bamanation said: ↑

Polish those tanks and boxes, then it will look sexy in the sun. Do not twist those straps. As the previous poster said. If done right, when you tighten your straps they wont be flapping in the wind. They get loose as your driving down the road. If you do a load check every hundred twenty milles you wont have any problems.
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i didnt twist any straps. I'm going to see what i can do about some polish, but from what i've been told i wont be in this truck for very long any way maybe 6 months. They are replaceing all 262 company trucks.

American Trucker

American-Trucker · Dec 24, 2011

Went and checked on my truck, and wire my CB wires, and put my braket up. I like the way they hang in a pete instead of in a cubby whole like in a FL, so when i go home all i have to do is take the 2 thumb screws out, pop the 2 wires off the back of the CB and take it out the truck so as not to give home boy a reason to break into my truck.

Next mission is to mount my TV. The last driver (or one of them) drilled holes all over this truck so im useing them for what i need like the CB mount braket, i used the 2 wholes he made. On the TV shelf at the foot of my bed there are holes drilled in it, so i bought some bolts, nuts, lock washers, and big washers and i'm just going to set my TV over those holes and drill holes in the base of my TV to match the ones in the truck so i dont have to add any more holes.

The trucks all come with Built In Inverters 2000Watt, so i dont have to put mine in.

The next project after that is, figureing out where the hello to put my microwave.....

American Trucker

keepitsimple · Dec 24, 2011

American-Trucker said: ↑

The next project after that is, figureing out where the hello to put my microwave.....

American Trucker
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on the passenger seat? throw the belt around it and drive..........

American-Trucker · Dec 24, 2011

keepitsimple said: ↑

on the passenger seat? throw the belt around it and drive..........
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Nah if im going to halfA$$ it, i'll just slide it under the bed until i need it.

American Trucker

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