That truck driver you flipped off? Let me tell you his story

[Jecs]

Let me tell you a little about the truck driver you just flipped off because he was passing another truck, and you had to cancel the cruise control and slow down until he completed the pass and moved back over.

His truck is governed to 68 miles an hour, because the company he leases it from believes it keeps him and the public and the equipment safer.

The truck he passed was probably running under 65 mph to conserve fuel. You see, the best these trucks do for fuel economy is about 8 miles per gallon. With fuel at almost $4 per gallon -- well, you do the math. And, yes, that driver pays for his own fuel.

He needs to be 1,014 miles from where he loaded in two days. And he can't fudge his federally mandated driver log, because he no longer does it on paper; he is logged electronically.

He can drive 11 hours in a 14-hour period; then he must take a 10-hour break. And considering that the shipper where he loaded held him up for five hours because it is understaffed, he now needs to run without stopping for lunch and dinner breaks.

If he misses his delivery appointment, he will be rescheduled for the next day, because the receiver has booked its docks solid (and has cut staff to a minimum). That means the driver sits, losing 500-plus miles for the week.

Which means his profit will be cut, and he will take less money home to his family. Most of these guys are gone 10 days, and home for a day and a half, and take home an average of $500 a week if everything goes well.

You can't tell by looking at him, but two hours ago he took a call informing him that his only sister was involved in a car accident, and though everything possible was done to save her, she died. They had flown her to a trauma hospital in Detroit, but it was too late.

He hadn't seen her since last Christmas, but they talked on the phone every week. The load he is pulling is going to Atlanta, and he will probably not be able to get to the funeral.

His dispatcher will do everything possible to get him there, but the chances are slim. So he has hardly noticed your displeasure at having to slow down for him. It's not that he doesn't care; he's just numb.

Everything you buy at the store and everything you order online moves by truck. Planes and trains can't get it to your house or grocery store. We are dependent on trucks to move product from the airport and the rail yards to the stores and our homes.

Every day, experienced and qualified drivers give it up because the government, the traffic and the greedy companies involved in trucking have drained their enthusiasm for this life.

They take a job at a factory if they can find it, and are replaced by an inexperienced youngster dreaming of the open road. This inexperience leads to late deliveries, causing shortages and higher prices at the store, and crashes that lead to unnecessary deaths.

It is even possible that is what led to the death of this driver's sister.

This is a true story; it happened last week. The driver's name is Harold, and I am his dispatcher.

Dan Hanson, of Belle Plaine, Minn., is a fleet manager.

this really makes you stop and think about truckies

[drewVHSS]

Amen to that. Thanks for the post, makes my 18 hour day feel worthwhile seeing that.

[elmaso]

most of my family members where/are truckies, so i hear alot of stuff like that.

[kcpwns]

Ive always respected truckies, you get the odd bad one bit isn't that the same with all drivers. I don't like how everyone makes out that they are shit yet there are worse drivers out there. Like those soccer mums with massive 4WDs that can't drive for the life of them. To bad if they t bone a little excel or laser.
I know, complaining about one stereotype and justifying it with another. Its just my 2 cents.

[TVR-190]

Yeah I have great respect for truckies, it shits me to no end when i see people do stuff like cut in front of them at reds causing them to slam the anchors just so they can be 1 car infront.

[Bravotwozero]

I hear the sentiment but since the above is American, it is not really accurate for Australia. For example, you can work a maximum of 11 hours in a 12 hour period not 14.

[maginoodle]

I hear the sentiment but since the above is American, it is not really accurate for Australia. For example, you can work a maximum of 11 hours in a 12 hour period not 14.

why cant i drive for 14 here in aus? my logbook says i can so i do when i need to.

[drewVHSS]

I hear the sentiment but since the above is American, it is not really accurate for Australia. For example, you can work a maximum of 11 hours in a 12 hour period not 14.

Unless you're doing only local runs and not on log book...........

[HamaTime™]

Got a new respect for them after reading that....

[franck]

Unless you're doing only local runs and not on log book...........

BFM accredited 14hrs in oz, someone correct if im mistaken

[Hangman]

I deal with a lot of truckies at work and have nothing but respect for them. Most of them are just average blokes trying to earn a living.

You get the odd ####wit, but ya gonna get that anywhere.

[Bravotwozero]

why cant i drive for 14 here in aus? my logbook says i can so i do when i need to.

You can do a 14 hour shift but not drive for 14 hours. 14 hours can be done within a period of 24 hours with 7 hours continuous rest. Can work 11 hours within a 12 hour period with 60 minutes of rest in blocks of 15 continuous minutes. (Which is what I stated in my last post.

BTW I'm quoting BFM.

[drewVHSS]

[IMG][/IMG]

[tonza]

Have always had respect for truckies, I know I couldn't do the job they do. I couldn't imagine driving a big arse semi through our appalling roads with other inconsiderate/incompetent/rude drivers on the roads. The stories i hear from mates/family who are truckies are sometimes downright scary

[drewVHSS]

You get used to it, Swearing alot helps!

[Grennan]

Yeah I have great respect for truckies, it shits me to no end when i see people do stuff like cut in front of them at reds causing them to slam the anchors just so they can be 1 car infront.

You know what shits me off.

Trucks moving into the next empty lane at the lights - especially when there is a truck in the lane they just left. Your both going to take off like a ####ing Toyota Prius...why slow an extra lane down?

But yes, cars do it just as often... Really frustrating.

My boss used to be a truckie. Has some good stories

[Bravotwozero]

[IMG][/IMG]

Was pretty much going to post the same thing but couldn't be stuffed.

[ClairBear]

Cry me a river. I am fed up of being stuck behind them in traffic on my way to work because they sit side by side in 60 zones. Then at traffic lights you have to endure them both taking off slowly and taking forever to get back up to 60. They should be banned from the right hand lanes. According to my Cousin in the UK it is like that there to allow the traffic to flow better.

So yeah if I get past you, I will flip you off for being arrogant enough to hold up a long line of traffic because you want to spend 6 sets of lights trying to get in front of the truck next to you. My time is money also.

[Bravotwozero]

I am fed up of being stuck behind them in traffic on my way to work because they sit side by side in 60 zones.

Cry me a river!

[CapriciousWL]

Two sides to every story - they have the worlds slowest drag race over the Gateway bridge in Brisbane, holding up all the traffic. They then cut across three lanes of traffic to get off the freeway.

The other side is that the guys who do interstate runs have unreasonable schedules and loads that are not loaded by them, overweight etc. giving them legal issues. The point to point cameras mean they speed between locations and then stop on the side of the road for 30 minutes so they don't get fined.

Having a friend running three semis in the US, it's much harder for them due to economy of scale..

[moggy]

Hopefully this link will work. It shows the BFM hours. the hours stated in your work diary are the standard driving hours.

http://www.ntc.gov.au/filemedia/Publ...sic_July08.pdf

[Bravotwozero]

Whilst the issues with trucks being overloaded is real, chain of responsibility laws mean it isn't solely the driver's responsibility.

Parties in the ‘Chain of Responsibility’ (in addition to the driver) include:

the employer of a driver;
the prime contractor of a driver;
the operator of a vehicle;
the scheduler of goods or passengers for transport by the vehicle and also the scheduler of its driver;
both the consignor and consignee of the goods transported by the vehicle;
the loading manager i.e. the person who supervises loading or unloading or manages premises where regular loading or unloading occurs and the loader and unloader of the goods carried by the vehicle.

Also Safe T Cam is in place to catch drivers exceeding their driving hours. And since trucks are speed limited to 100km/h, I can't see how they can speed to the point where they have to stop for 30 minutes.

[Grennan]

you want to spend 6 sets of lights trying to get in front of the truck next to you.

Pretty much this.

Then they both get into the same ####ing lane anyway to get onto the freeway or something.

[oska]

ok

i ride a bike and i get these speed limited trucks @ 100khp sitting on my arse @ 130 kph trying to run me down i can easily lose them but .......

anyone care to explain

[Hangman]

Speed limiters can be removed.