THE REASON I'M DOING THIS BLOG
I just turned 58 years young.

Been driving truck since 1989.

BUT

I am so sick and tired of the DOT, FMCSA, and the Government telling me when I need to sleep, take a  30-minute break, or when I can take a shit.  I am fucking tired of their stupid rules and regulations.

I work local now. Same routes every week.  12 to 14 hour runs.  

I get to meet quite a few of OTR's bringing their loads in to our warehouse.  I know those drivers are beat. I'll help them whatever way I can.  I can't even imagine trying to run an e-log on the east coast when you can't find a parking spot.

One of the reasons I decided to create this blog, is to make it easier for drivers to make a difference.

I tried the government way, with FMCSA and rule making comment periods, which the say they appreciate your comment but here's what we're going to do regardless of what me and 3000 other drivers said, contacting my Senator Amy Klobuchar who never responds to anything, and the Joker Al Franken, who is in agreement on the Iran nuke deal.  We're totally screwed when it comes to any elected government person to ever stick up for a taxpayer. A worker.  A truck driver.  Their main concern is to provide food, housing, health care and support for illegal immigrants, while we foot the bill, with no voice.  I don't know about you, but I'm tired of working my ass off for freeloaders.

We're fucked.

Since our elected  people won't listen to us, we're going to have to have our own voice, and drown out the lobbyists that pay them off.   The special interests groups that give Klobuchar money.

I think it's time to take this massive portion of our economy, trucking, and bring it into full light of our customers, the general public, and our politicians. Not just trucking, but the truckers lives, their families.  I'd like to see any one of those assholes in government do our job.

We need to inform the public.

INFORM THE PUBLIC - CAR DRIVERS,  MOMS, DADS, CO-WORKERS, ANYONE WHO DRIVES WHERE SEMI TRUCKS DRIVE.

Over the Labor Day holiday, I had the opportunity to talk to a school teacher, about trucking.  I was anxious, since I didn't know her well, but she knew I was a truck driver for a long time. I simply told her about the 30-minute mandatory break, how it affects me, my routes, and why I have to inform her and others about how stupid Government is.   When I told her the rules CDL drivers must follow, she was appalled.

It boils down to this.
Since I know there is no place to pull a rig over on the skinny 2-lane, I stop at the only store open at 2am to use a bathroom and get some coffee. Wakefield, MI.   Holiday.
I get to my delivery.  I unload.  Start cruising back. The e-log says I have 2 hours before I have to take a 30 minute break or I  will be in violation.   There's nothing else open at 4am.  It will take me about 2.5 hours to get back to Wakefield. I am in violation. My company believes that if you are tired, or there is a lot of snow and driving is difficult, take a break, slow down, as they would rather have us be safe than sorry.  On the e-log, it doesn't matter what's really going on.

Here's what people don't know about local driving and the FMCSA rules.
Since I drive a day-cab, when I run out of hours I have to get a hotel room.  I can't log off-duty-sleeper time.  I don't have a sleeper berth.  One big snow storm, getting stuck in the dock, and I'm screwed, and not in a good way.  Not only is a hotel not available in the boonies where I drive, the hours I drive, but even if there was a hotel it would be a great expense to the company. Our company slip-seats trucks, and another driver might be waiting for my truck to get back so he can pull his load, so not only does this rule screw me up, and add expense to the company, but it is also possibly screwing up the next driver waiting to use my truck for his load.

There are more tired drivers now than ever.

We need to get the public on our side.





                                                                                     

The weather gadget doesn't seem to be working.

I just added a little dude on this blog that is supposed to show the weather for Duluth, MN. 
I feel bad for southern drivers who have to deal with the high heat.  Years ago, in TX, in 110 degree temp, I lost my grip on the grab bar and damned near fell out of my truck because of natural reflexes, my hand let go because the grab bar was so hot.
If it gets 80 up here, it's too hot.  90 is going to kill me.  Good thing it only happens one or two days a year.
Anyway, pay-back is winter, the snow, the cold.
I thinks I am actually going to miss menopause.  It kept me worm in the winter.
Talk at you later.......It was 47 last night.  I think I better start shutting the windows.

Of all of the stupid FMCSA rules and regulations, I think that the mandatory 30-minute break is the most destructive.
First of all, the studies that they did didn't reflect the average driver.  They studied participants that they felt would give them their desired results.  Even if the results did not totally prove anything, they didn't listen to the drivers during the comment period anyway.
I have decided to create this post so that not only truck drivers can voice an opinion and keep up to date on some of the ever changing stupid Government rules and regulations, but I also want to get the general public informed about these things as well.