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ATA now supports longer and/or heavier trucks

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OMG here we go again. "War stories" "Ideas about running legal" "Dreams of good living and fat paychecks" among the students in current trucking schools. When I went to MY trucking school the class was about 5 instructors and 20 people. We had equiptment ranging from the old WC whites to a Transtar that was used for road training. Sure there was some "Fun and Games" and a bit of what we called Rodeo. (Not the sanitized and sponsored rodeos of today) but the class dealt with fears that each one of us had in a variety of ways and drummed into us that trucking is brutal, dangerous and will cost lives, property and injuries if you cannot stand up to the duties required of you. (Sounds sorta like rairloading huh?) My "war stories" will scare the hell out of any student wanna be trucker. And cause companies to seriously consider if they want to hire me. They probably would because I can "Legally" turn 15,000 miles a month by myself while requiring TWO oil changes on the same tractor in that time period. And "Running Legal?" I should have been arrested and the dispatchers fired LONG time ago but whose fault is that? Mine. I say "Yes sir" click that load onto MY fifth wheel and set in for that 3000 mile run that will pay 2200 miles and required delivery in 3 days (With 14 hours lost already due to process of actually getting a load) I stand with arms akimo and laugh bitterly when I see that 50 young drivers fill orientation each week with dreams (And any one should have good dreams and aspirations during a prospective new hire process) that are about to be shattered when the dispatchers quit the honeymoon 1000 mile a week and start demanding JIT service under threat of firing if service failed. Many many people become casulties of this type of work. I think that I did ok, but I am not ok... know what I mean? What about the cyclist I almost killed in New York because I did not get enough sleep? Will that man I missed "By this MUCH" scream every night having night mares of that 53' trailer blazing by 5 inches from his left side at 70 mph plus while choking on brake smoke and rubber burn from my wheels? No. Longer and heavier trucks. NO. we fix the trucking at the dispatcher and driver level and make the shipping, recieving process much more friendly time wise. When I started we would get california to new jersey in a 8 day period. PLENTY of time to do the job right especially in a unforgiving western mountains filled with ice, snow and other terrors that confront the weak. No. We have to do it in 3 days after just finishing a 5 day marathon run that has exhausted the driver. My personal record is Garden City Kansas to just North of Salinas by way of Flagstaff AZ non stop. I have had many other runs and no one to blame but me. I just thank god that no one has been killed while I drove. Just scared senseless and unable to function yes... but not killed. That was the first and last rule I was taught in school, never take a life when you are on duty. I broke many rules but never that one thank the lord. I suppose that I feel very strongly about actually adding weight or length to an already maxed out trucking fleet horsewhipped by greedy shippers who cannot pay one bloody cent more than what they paid 10 years ago on the god*** 40' trailers simply because there are just too many hungry drivers out there willing to take a load to get something to eat and maybe feed the family for that week. THAT is where problem is, how do you think Airline pilots are able to do thier jobs? Pay em well and protect thier hours. THEN give them equiptment strong enough to the task and teach them the duty and need to live it well as they travel. The rest will take care of itself. What a waste. 100,000 very good drivers probably said "No more" and went back home to work in McDonalds or tend to the family. We probably went thru 500,000 more drivers who only discovered the reason why they got hired so fast the first week. This entire problem facing trucking in the USA cannot be fixed by paving good roads (It will help immensly) or adding more capacity (Sure please that shipper happy to be rid of the product) or increasing the weights (Sure over tax the Law Enforcement who must then upgrade or build new stronger scales to fine the unwary driver or company on) It can only be fixed by a deep fundemental cultural change in trucking and it has to start with the scheduling. I remember when satellite communication showed up. I was a happy driver being able to communicate. Little did I know that satellite will be whored as a "Time management" TOOL by dispatch eager to get the last mile out of the truck before midnight. It took me some time before I realized this little fact. Seems like too many loads are "Hot" only to rot in the warehouse a day or two before it is actually consumed. I refuse to haul another hot load unless it is ammunition for the military who needs it or medicines for the sick who need them right now. NOT widgets or toilet paper or some such that rots on a walmart shelf 2 months. That folks is why some drivers refuse to run. They have seen the light and hopefully are enjoying a better (Not necessarily richer) life to save what was wasted and lost while trying to serve the alter of the almighty dollar.
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