“New law means drivers must watch out for tow trucks”
The ONLY event to Unite, Honor and give VOICE to the Professional CDL Driver.
The 1st Annual Truck Driver Social Media Convention will be an all day and evening event to be held on Saturday, October 15th, 2011, uniting professional CDL drivers and those who support them.
Open discussions and presentations for drivers addressing:
Those most concerned within the industry will meet with America’s Professional Truck Drivers, the real “Movers and Shakers” of trucking, to address the topics of most concern.
A day to unite, pay tribute, recognize, network and discuss ideas and solutions for the issues affecting professional drivers. This is a “First of its Kind” event where the driver will have center stage and will be heard as the force that keeps America moving.
Where: The Gold Strike Resort & Casino
Tunica, Mississippi
Time: 8:00 AM to 11:30 PM
Reservations will be taken until Thursday, September 1st, 2011.
Only 550 seats will be available.
This convention is for the professional truck driver and for all who wish to work together toward positive change for the industry.
BY TARYN FITSIK
ALBANY, N.Y.–They jeopardize their safety every time they pull off the road, and their situation worsens when they can’t find a safe place to do so.
Two years ago, a Schoharie man was murdered in South Carolina, after being robbed of a meager $7.00 at night at an abandoned gas station.
Wednesday, his widow and local Congressman Tonko introduced a bill to help alleviate parking shortages.
When truck drivers climb into their big rigs to start their workweek, they are about to embark on at least 2,100 mile road-trips.
Keith Smith has been driving for fourteen years, one of his most dangerous moments was when he was attacked by a man over a fuel pump.
“He came at me with a hammer,” says Smith. “Even in broad daylight when you’re in a safe zone it’s not necessarily safe. So at nighttime it just adds that much of a degree to the whole situation.”
Smith says darkness adds another whole element of danger to a truck driver’s job, and says his situation could have been a lot worse if it happened during the night.
“You’d be fighting for your life. There’s no one around.”
Smith calls what happened to Jason Rivenburg in South Carolina senseless, and Rivenburg’s family would agree.
Since his death in 2009, they have been pushing for a law to be passed in his name, calling attention to the nationwide shortage of safe, accessible rest areas for truck drivers.
“It’s a situation where you try to go to lighted areas and secure areas, but that’s not always possible,” says truck driver Leon Weyer.
“You really don’t get a good night’s sleep, because you’re dosing, you’re not aware of what’s around you,” adds Smith.
Smith says truck drivers are often left to fend for themselves, and if Jason’s Law is passed, drivers’ support system would become much stronger.
“It is senseless,” he says. “Drivers are just out there trying to make a living, that’s all they’re trying to do.”
If Jason’s Law is passed, Congressman Tonko says twenty million dollars a year will go towards constructing safe parking facilities.
by Melanie Broemsen
A truck tractor can operate for hundreds of thousands of miles without trouble, especially when you take proper care of it. Protect your investment and your livelihood, and avoid some of the common, and often expensive, pitfalls associated with commercial truck maintenance by performing a thorough pre-trip inspection before you hit the road.
Why pre-trip inspections are important
The largest overhead expense you will experience as a commercial truck owner will be the cost of repairs, including parts and labor. However, vehicle downtime can be a much larger problem. Every day that your truck isn’t on the road, you lose money. The losses associated with downtime due to repairs can make or break a business. And as any experienced truck driver will tell you, preventative maintenance is the key to ensuring your commercial truck stays operational and profitable.
Following a thorough pre-trip inspection regimen on a regular basis can help prevent expensive breakdowns from occurring. Any necessary repairs can be made more efficiently and less expensively than when you are on the road. In addition, you are less likely to experience an accident. According to the Oregon Trucking Association, most commercial vehicle accidents that are attributable to vehicle component failure could have been avoided by detecting the deficiency prior to departure. Plus, your delivery schedules will not be impacted by unexpected delays.
Of course, pre-trip inspections are also mandatory, according to Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (49 CFR, Part 396.13). Following this pre-trip inspection checklist not only can help extend the life of your investment, but also reduce the amount of time and money lost due to truck repairs and downtime – and keep you legal.
Commercial vehicle pre-trip inspection checklist
Check your tires – According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), tire-related costs are the single largest expense, accounting for as much as one-third of total maintenance costs, associated with commercial vehicles. Plan to spend about half an hour examining your tires, each and every time, before you hit the road.
First, check the air pressure in your tires. If you have a vehicle with dual tires, it is imperative that you check the inner tires, as well as the outer ones, even though they can be more difficult to reach. The outer tires can mask issues, such as under-inflation, which is the most common tire-related problem experienced by truck drivers. In fact, nearly 90 percent of tire breakdowns are the result of under-inflation, and a third of tire life is lost when under-inflated by 20 percent. Low tire pressure can cause heat build-up and reduce your fuel efficiency, too. Fortunately, even though tire under-inflation can create expensive problems, they can usually be avoided with proper attention.
In addition to checking the tire pressure, you should examine the tread. If you notice cracks or irregular wear, you may need to replace, rotate or adjust the inflation in your tire. If you aren’t sure, ask a professional commercial vehicle repair shop for an evaluation. Finally, replace your tires every three to five years, regardless of wear and mileage.
Check your fluids – First, look to see if there are signs of fluid leakage on the ground under your commercial vehicle. Then, take a look under the hood and check the coolant, antifreeze, oil and fuel. Look for leaks, and ensure you have the proper amounts of the fluids. Finally, turn on your truck and ensure the oil pressure, temperature and air pressure gauges are working properly.
Check your electrical system and wiring- All warning lights and buzzers should be working properly. In addition to checking your headlights (low and high beam), four-way flashers, clearance lights, turn signals, brake lights and other electrical components to be sure they are working properly, examine your truck for frayed or loose wiring. Common culprits include dangling fuel lines and worn battery cable that due to rubbing, can become exposed and cause a truck fire.
Check your brakes – First, test your parking brake. Also be sure your standard brakes have the proper amount of lining left. Review the manufacturer’s specifications for these guidelines, including any notations around these other brake-related items:
Invest in a good commercial truck insurance policy - Finally, be smart about your commercial truck insurance policy. Be sure you understand how much and what type of coverage you need to adequately protect your investment, and your livelihood.
Even with proper maintenance, commercial vehicles can break down, or accidents can occur. If downtime could pose a problem for you, choose a commercial auto insurance company that can respond to your needs quickly, like Progressive insurance, which offers roadside assistance and rental reimbursement, as well as a large network of expert technicians. Progressive is one of the fastest growing commercial auto insurance groups, and specializes in fulfilling the commercial vehicle insurance needs of small businesses like yours. For more information, visit ProgressiveCommercial.com.
Melanie Broemsen is a content specialist at Rosetta, one of the top 10 interactive agencies in the U.S. Broemsen has a degree in Public Relations from Kent State University and more than 10 years of experience in interactive marketing.
by Christopher M. Hunter
Truck breakdowns happen anytime and anywhere. No matter how carefully you work to prevent this type of occurrence, it does happen. You just don’t know when or where it will happen to you! This in turn creates a burden to get back on the road as quickly as possible. You have to make a rapid decision between calling a towing service to take you to a facility to have the repairs completed or fixing it by yourself. If you are planning to do it on your own, you must have sufficient technical and mechanical knowledge as well as proper training in order to diagnose and fix the problem.
Using a commercial vehicle mechanic is undoubtedly expensive. It could cost you approximately $80 to $150 an hour for these specific services. If you are going to call a towing service and ask them to repair your vehicle, you could spend nearly $1,000. This is a costly decision you need to make.
Common truck problems encountered while out on the road can easily be handled another way. These common difficulties can be prevented by setting effective preventive maintenance controls in place. You need to act ahead of time before trouble happens!
Common Truck Problems and Their Preventive Measures
There are several truck troubles that can be readily identified and repaired by the driver before a costly breakdown. Below are common items to look at and the precautionary measures to be taken to avoid costly breakdowns:
1. Battery (dead or weak) – The most common breakdown difficulty is a dead or weak battery. Common causes of this type of problem are the battery clamps, lack of charge, or insufficient battery fluid. Batteries should be checked on a regular basis, certainly before heading out on the road. Make sure that the batteries are fully charged before heading for an extended trip. You can check, clean and inspect the battery terminals and connections as well as their polarity. Bring battery jumper cables to have on hand in the vehicle and make sure that they are well insulated. Make sure that the terminals are kept clean. Check the amount of battery fluid and take it to a battery expert for more fluid to avoid battery overheating and explosion.
2. Tires (flat or blowouts) – The next common problem to cause truck breakdowns while on the road are flat or blown-out tires. Check your tire pressure immediately before you travel. It is important that they have the correct pressure appropriate to the different speeds and the load capacity of your vehicle. You can check the manufacturer’s manual for the tire pressure necessary for your vehicle. It is just about impossible for the driver of an 18-wheeler to change a flat tire and it is usually expressly forbidden by a trucking company due to the many hazards involved. Avoiding a flat or blow-out is the only feasible solution.
3. Fuel (empty) – This truck breakdown problem is so very predictable that it is the proverbial ‘no-brainer!’ Make sure that your vehicle has enough fuel before you leave. Monitor your fuel status as you are driving paying particular attention to the roadway signs that tell you it is 125 miles or so to the next gas station! Of course, make sure that you have the right kind of fuel for your vehicle and that it is available at the station where you stop. Not every gas station on the highways has diesel fuel available.
4. Motor Oil – Oil should always be maintained at a recommended level. Check your oil level frequently and certainly before heading out on the road to ensure that you are complying with the level advised by the manufacturer.
5. Alternators – A properly functioning alternator is essential in the performance of your truck’s engine. Make sure that you check your alternator for any potential problems. Be aware of what your vehicle is trying to tell you; batteries that are continually run-down and require jumping may be a signal of a faulty alternator. Complete stalling is also another sign of an alternator going bad. The alternator can be changed out in the shop before getting out on the road much more easily than in the middle of a deserted highway!
The wise thing to do to prevent breakdowns is to get your truck on a regular preventive maintenance schedule. Potential concerns can be detected while they can still be easily handled. The alternative is going to be much more costly both in terms of repairs on the road and lost productivity. Make an intelligent choice and stop problems before they happen!
Christopher M. Hunter is an expert in commercial specialty trucks. To find out more about National Crane Trucks, go to the main website at: http://www.centraltrucksales.net/home.
by Molly Wider
Owner-operators often have the best of both worlds. Not only do they own their own rigs, but they also work for themselves, which means that they don’t have to split wages with any larger company. For the most part, this kind of trucking operation is a good idea. However, repairing a large rig can easily cost any owner-operator a lot of money.
While it’s important for any small business to set aside emergency funds, this isn’t always plausible. Today’s sinking global economy means that even the transportation business is slowing down. This translates into fewer wages, and less money available to set aside for a “rainy day.” Still, making necessary repairs to a rig is vital to any professional driver’s livelihood. Without the machine that makes business possible, business would simply cease to exist. The problem is that repairing a large rig isn’t quite the same as repairing a regular vehicle.
Truck repairs can reach far into the thousands. Lack of necessary repair funds can often lead to bankruptcy. Alternately, many owner-operators dip into retirement plans and personal savings accounts in order to gain repair money. While this situation might seem bleak, there is a way to make truck repairs without declaring bankruptcy or emptying one’s bank account.
Specific truck repair loans exist solely for the purposes of repairing a large rig. These loans are given out by private lenders seeking to invest in a professional driver’s livelihood. Unlike traditional loans, credit history does not play a part in obtaining a private truck repair loan because these loans are secured by the borrower’s vehicle.
To apply for this kind of loan, an applicant must be able to prove that they have a steady source of income, and that they own their own truck, or another vehicle. As soon as an application is approved (often a matter of minutes), the requested loan money is deposited directly into the applicant’s bank account.
Since a truck repair applicant is involved in the repayment process, paying back that private repair loan is logical and simple. Both the applicant and the lender often enter into a repayment agreement that makes sense for both parties involved, so there are no surprise fees or extra costs.
When an entire business rests upon needed truck repairs, alternative private truck repair loans are the best possible option. There’s no denying the fact that traditional lenders see potential risk and money loss involved in approving truck repair loans. Contrastingly, private lenders don’t view approving loan applications as losing money. Instead, these lenders see helping owner-operators fix their rigs as a way to lend a simple helping hand.
For more information on whether a car title loan is right for you, please visit our website at http://www.carfco.com
Author: Owen Jones
The majority of people have trouble finding time to work out,
but if your job means sitting down to do your work, it can be
even more difficult to find the enthusiasm to exercise. Truck
drivers fall into this category. Sitting all day behind a wheel
can lead to several common issues linked with the job.
These include back problems, circulation problems, heart
problems and weight problems. After having driven all day, one
of the last things a driver wants to do is go looking for a gym.
However, there are a few things that truck drivers can do in
order to alleviate some of these potential problems.
When you park up to eat, stop away from the building and walk
the rest of the way. Also when you take your rests, do not just
sit in the cab and read the paper, go for a walk. Walk whenever
you get the opportunity. The short distances will add up, as any
doctor will tell you, any exercise is better than none.
Be sure to wear supportive footwear. You are climbing in and out
of the cab and the trailer or jumping down from the rig
throughout the day, so it is easy to stumble and twist an ankle
unless you are wearing boots that bolster your ankles.
You could get some exercise equipment such as a mini dumbbell
for arm exercises. You will find time to use the dumbbell while
you are waiting for some administrator to sign your paperwork.
One of the modern chest expanders can be used in confined spaces
as well. Even squeezing a tennis ball helps to keep the blood
going around.
It is essential to get the amount of sleep that your body
requires. This differs from person to person, but there are
legal requirements to rest. Make sure that you abide by these
breaks and that your mattress and pillow are comfortable enough
for you to sleep if you want to.
Having a small refrigerator or cool box is a good idea for
keeping fruit, bread and other items palatable; just do not fill
it up with pies, pastries and cakes. It is far better to graze,
if your body does not need a lot of energy to do a job. It is
far better to eat throughout the day than to eat a large meal at
night.
Make certain that you use your days off to do some bending and
stretching. Swimming is very good for most of the muscles and
internal organs in your body. So is walking. Gardening is a
fantastic way of staying in shape as well. It is not essential
to go to a gym, that is modern propaganda. Nobody went to gyms
before and there have always been driving jobs and office jobs.
The secret is that there was no TV back then and people were
more active. They walked and they worked in the garden or on the
allotment growing potatoes and other supplements for their
income. That is what people do not do now.
About the author:
Owen Jones, the author of the article writes on various topics,
but is presently involved with LED automotive lights. If you would like to know more, please go
to our website at Escort 8500.
Are you concerned about the growing crime rate among the trucking community?
What can you legally do to protect yourself?
JOIN Truth About Trucking LLC Thursday 4/14 2011 @ 7PM Eastern
Recently, in a Tennessee rest area, truckers became the latest victims of robbery. Special guest, Carolyn Magner is Contributing Editor for Randall Reilly Publishing and is popularly known for her monthly column in Truckers News, “I’m Just Say’n”. In the April 2011 issue of Truckers News Magazine, she reports on the growing problem of crime against truckers and what drivers can do to protect themselves. From firearms to mace to tire thumpers, we will discuss the various options available for truckers security and self-protection and the precautions to take while living life on the road.
Plaza 23 Truck Stop and Service Station is very aware of potential problems and offers safe and secure overnight parking.
When a trucker transports goods across our great vast nation they abide by the safety regulations set forth by the Department of Transportation. Strict adherence to the policies is what every driver tries to do. When they keep within the standards then we know they are doing everything they can to ensure the safety of the public as well as their own safety.
The DOT has established safety rules to see that general public is safe and that the truckers behind the wheels of these trucks are qualified to drive them. Besides the safety regulations for driving that are enforced on a regular basis, there are also several non driving rules that dictate the amount of hours a driver can drive and what class of vehicle they are able to drive.
One of the DOT safety rules is that a driver is limited to only being able to drive for 11 hours at one time. Those 11 hours must be within a 14 hour period. If you are unable to drive but a couple of hours due to circumstances beyond your control it just doesn’t matter. You get 14 hours to get your 11 hours of driving done for that stretch of time. After completion of the 11 hours driving, the driver has to rest for 10 hours.
Other rules drivers adhere to is having the proper endorsements on their license which allows them to carry many types of materials. In order to transport Hazardous materials, a driver will need a hazardous-material endorsement from their license issuing state.
Just like with the general public, a driver can only possess one CDL from a state at any given time. There are far more safety regulations and traffic regulations that a driver must follow to ensure that they are within the law. These are covered in a class that they take while attending a school. In addition to the DOT regulations, and the various state regulations, there are several safety issues that you need to consider when talking about driving and regulations.
Under DOT safety regulations there are mandates for a minimum and maximum age limits that a person can get a CDL. The rules don’t end with only haz-mat and age limits, their trucks have minimum safety standards also. A truck that doesn’t meet the requirements is put out of service until they are fixed. Often times an out of service will also carry a fine that is paid by the driver. OUCH!
That should be good news to those of you didn’t know this, because at least you know that most drivers aren’t going to risk losing their livelihood by not at least attempting to be as safe as possible. The regulations are a vital part of highway safety and everyone out there is conscious of the rules.
The regulations may seem a little outrageous and some of them are ridiculous. As a matter of fact some are nearly impossible to follow. The good news is that most drivers out there seem to abide them. The drivers that do follow the rules are the ones that help make the roads safer.
I have been driving truck for over 11 years now. It is a good living and you can make money doing it. If you need to know a little more about the trucking industry you can read more about it at JETTAM Trucking.
