Trucking is a thankless job

I have been thanked several times in my years of driving a truck. Let's see if I can remember a few of them.
I was involved in a huge accident on I-77 southbound back in 2004 just south of Wytheville,VA. I came upon the "New River Bridge" and the traffic was stopped because of a accident on the bridge. I got my truck stopped about 20 feet from the accident without hitting anyone or anything. The person driving the little car just in front of me "Thanked me" for not running over them.
When out of nowhere a tractor trailer came barreling down the hill behind me, he did not get stopped. He hit me in the back of my tank, did I forget to mention I was pulling a tank? Oh sorry yea, it was full of ACETONE 7000 gallons to be precise. The other driver totaled his truck and my tanker, but thankfully there was no leak or spark.
A company I was supposed to deliver to one time, had to shut down because I refused to run over my hours on my log book in order to make a delivery. Some of the workers "Thanked Me" because they got to go home early.
I made several early deliveries on some major high dollar hauls, and have been thanked for doing this also.
No, I really know what you are saying, about it being a "Thankless Job". Every time there is a accident involving a tractor trailer (we) get blamed for it. Does not matter that the four wheeler that got crushed, it's driver was on the cell phone or reading a newspaper, or putting on her makeup, or doing work on the computer, all while driving down the road at about 15 over the speed limit.
We as Truck Drivers are looked down upon by society, as a lower life form. It has been like this and will be most likely forever. Even though in times of disaster we are lifesavers. Disaster strikes, besides the Red Cross and Fema and the Emergency people, who else gets called into action?
Truck Drivers, we drive all hours of the day and night to deliver water, and supply's to disaster areas. But are they thanked for it? Yea, maybe right at that moment. But a few weeks later that same driver might be delivering in the same town and he/she gets treated the normal way, with no respect because you drive that truck.

New Web site launched to help truckers passing through Alabama

Alabama has rolled out a new Web site for truckers to serve as a one-stop portal for truckers passing through the state. It will include safety issues, road rules and notice of Alabama regulations - all topics that have been discussed at length in recent years after several major tractor-trailer accidents on state roads.

The state's Information Services Division launched the site, www.trucking.alabama.gov, this week with many other features, such as online payment of trip and fuel permits and maps of the state that identify welcome centers, rest areas, emergency road closures and more, said a news release.

"Trucking is integral to all facets of the Alabama economy," said Jim Burns, the state's chief information officer. "We want to make traveling in and dealing with Alabama as convenient as possible for truckers so that they can transport goods without undue delays or hardship. The trucking portal provides everything needed in a convenient, easy-to-use location and it shows our appreciation for the vital contributions to Alabama that are made by the trucking community."

Set up of the site was free to the state through its contract with Alabama Interactive. Source

Truck parking situation no better for drivers

As the demand for truck parking spaces increases along the nation’s heavily traveled highways, states continue to vie for federal money to help address those woes. Drivers may be heartened to learn that relief is on the drawing board, but want to know what they’re supposed to do in the meantime. This has been a problem for many years, and it will only continue to get worse.
States need to get on the ball and start updating there rest areas, and building new ones, preferably truck friendly.
Unless you get into a rest area or Truck Stop before dark chances are you are not going to find a decent, and safe place to park for the night. Truck stops need to be updated as well, I know they are working on it. But geesh we are not still in the 80's here.

Do police have right to, nor right for all motorists blood

For years, truckers have fought random requests for roadside urine tests. As it turns out, the government doesn’t want your urine.Big brother wants your blood.

read more | digg story

A Poinciana woman dies in a car vs tractor trailer accident

A 49 year old Poinciana woman has died as a result of a Tractor trailer vs car accident. It is unrelated to I-4 conditions. Rosemita Lauriston of 2150 Mystic Ring Loop died about 7 a.m. today when she drove her Maroon Nisan Sentra into the back of a Florida Rock Industries tractor/trailer truck on Hatchineha Road, near Tyner Road, said Polk Sheriff's Office spokesman Scott Wilder.

Both the truck, driven by 59-year-old Kenneth McPhail of Bartow, and Laurison were driving west bound. There was fog in the area at the time the crash occurred.

Traffic homicide detectives are investigating the crash.

One Man dies in tractor trailer rollover

One passenger in a tractor trailer rollover has died, near Lake of The Woods area in Canada Tuesday night. Two Kenora police officers came upon the accident about 10:30 pm. The tractor trailer apparently went off the roadway into a ditch and ended up on it's top. The accident happened at the Hiway 17 and Hiway 71 junction. The two men were trapped inside and rescued by ambulance and fire personell and transfered to the hospital. One occupant died as a result of the injuries sustained, the other remains in the hospital with serious injuries.

Tractor-trailer accident closes portion of Route 12

A portion of southbound Route 12 near Route 8 was closed Wednesday after the wind blew over a tractor-trailer full of logs, police said. The state Department of Environmental Conservation was notified of the accident around 9 a.m., but dispatchers said they were unaware of any injuries.

The roadway was closed for a while. Source

What makes a Truck Driver a Truck Driver?

I have asked this same question for most of my truck driving career. Because if anyone has had to ride for 11 hours in a tractor trailer, especially one that is governed below the posted speed limit then you know it seems like takes forever to get anywhere.

Or maybe it is when you have drove 11 hours and you and 10,000 other trucks have to park, and you pull into 20 truckstops to find a parking place only not to find one and have to continue on until you do find a place to park.

I know what it is. It is because we get to park in a truckstop and go inside and sometimes pay to take a shower! Or better yet is when we have to pay to park! But we go inside and pay to take a shower, and have to take a shower in everybody else's filth! I have actually taken showers before and felt cleaner before showering then afterwards.

Then there is always the fine luxury of having too eat in the same truckstop. Because we have already driven over the 11 hour driving limit because we could not find a place at one of the nicer truckstops, so we had to settle for Joe Blows truck stop! If you are lucky you won't catch something from showering, and you won't get food poisoning from eating the half cooked meal that you have to settle for.

Then we have to pay for it! Almost double the price of what you could eat at a decent diner, only because this was the only place left to park!

Then we get too sleep, if you can without being bothered by a lot lizard who keeps banging on the side of your truck wanting to know if you need some company.
After which we have already spent over "our" budget for the day because we had to park here at Joe Blows truck stop.

Then 10 hours later (sometimes sooner) we get to get up and take off driving for a company who has a 90 mile and hour dispatcher.
Or drive for a good paying company who has these dispatchers who only find 350 mile runs, but to horrible receivers who are only open certain hours of the day. Who gets twice as many trucks as they can unload, and then tell you there is no parking on their lot, that you need to come back the next day.

Then we get to go through the same horrible episode from the day before because you have spent almost all your hours at the said receiver.

I have been driving for 10+ years and still do not know why I wanted to be a truck driver for. I know what I said before I went to Driving school, but this was not true in the real world.

Worker Crushed To Death By Tractor Trailer

DEERFIELD BEACH It was a deadly day on the job for a man working at a Publix warehouse in Deerfield Beach.

According to BSO officials, a male worker was crushed by a tractor trailer in the loading dock area, located at 777 SW 12th Avenue.

It’s believed the truck may have been backing up when it crushed the worker between the truck and the dock.

The 30-year old man was transported to North Broward Medical Center where he was pronounced dead.

The victim’s name has not been released.

BSO is investigating the incident as a homicide until officials from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, also known as OSHA, arrive at the scene to begin their investigation.

Source

Gas tanker catches fire

A parked tractor trailer full of gasoline caught fire Saturday on Interstate 95 after a truck swerved into the emergency lane and hit it, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.

The Florida Highway Patrol said Edgar Salabarria, 35, of Orlando, was southbound near mile marker 309 when his tractor trailer struck the rear left side of the parked tractor trailer at about 8:45 a.m.

He hit the other vehicle one more time before swerving across both southbound lanes and hitting the median guard rail, FHP said.

The tractor portion of the parked truck caught fire, but St. Johns County Fire Rescue extinguished it before the fire reached the trailer.

The trailer was loaded with 8,700 gallons of gasoline. Salabarria was charged with careless driving.

Source

Motorist recovering from crash-related injuries

A trucker from Florida is recovering at Hershey Medical Center, where he was flown after crashing his tractor-trailer early this morning in Union Twp., Lebanon County.

Gerald Polson, 45, of Jacksonville, Fla., is in fair condition, a hospital spokeswoman said today.

State police say Polson was driving his 2002 Peterbilt southbound on Route 443, about a half mile south of the Schuylkill County line, at about 1:50 a.m. when he drove off the road and into a mailbox before hitting an embankment. Police called on Life Lion to transport Polson to the hospital.

Source