Are all these changes good for the trucking industry?

Photo by johanohrling via Flickr

The new Hours-of-Service rules, texting and cell phone laws, the CSA, and my personal nemesis and eternal torturer of my soul, Electronic Logbooks, all claim to make the trucking industry safer. But do they? Let’s take a look at that. We’ll discuss the issues first, then sum it all up at the end. May as well tackle these puppies in order. And yes, tackling puppies is perfectly okay if they’re barking for no reason.

Continue reading

© 2012, Truck Drivers News Blog. All rights reserved.

Related Posts:

Posted in Truck Driver Industry | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Videos: How to do a full body workout inside the cab of a semi

Okay people. It’s the beginning of a new year. We’ve all spent the holidays stuffing ourselves with turkey, pumpkin pie, fruitcake, and roast beast. Then many of you drank enough to drown a hippo on New Year’s Eve. Then in the early morning hours of New Year’s Day, you promptly puked every last calorie of your holiday gluttony into the floorboard of your best friend’s car. Better make that your EX best friend’s car. So what’s next?

Continue reading

© 2012, Truck Drivers News Blog. All rights reserved.

Related Posts:

Posted in Truck Driver Industry | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Twas the night before Christmas: Trucker style

Well, it’s that time of year again. Christmas is here and you and your brother have finally settled out of court over that ugly turkey drumstick incident. The house is filled with holiday cheer. Everyone is happy to be together while they snort chocolate shavings, smoke cookie dough, and mainline eggnog.

But what about those truckers who didn’t make it home on Christmas Day? Well, I’ve written a poem in their honor. I hope it puts you in a Christmasy kinda mood. Here goes nothing. Pick your poison. You can listen to me or read it yourself. Enjoy!

Click here to listen

Continue reading

© 2011, Truck Drivers News Blog. All rights reserved.

Related Posts:

Posted in Truck Driver Industry | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

A trucker’s Thanksgiving

Gobble, Gobble

Photo by r_gnuce via Flickr

Well, it’s that time of year again. It’s time to slap-fight your siblings for the drumstick and have spoon fights over the last dollop of Cool Whip, because we all know pumpkin pie just ain’t right until you can no longer see the plate beneath the pie.

More importantly though, it’s time to look around us and give thanks for everything we have. For being blessed with an annoying brother who called dibs on the drumstick before you. Continue reading

© 2011, Truck Drivers News Blog. All rights reserved.

Related Posts:

Posted in Truck Driver Industry | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Arguing e-logs

Unless something unprecendented happens in the near future (my company changes a policy for the better), this should be the last in a long series about e-logs. Now I know that you’re probably already in the midst of doing a happy little jig about this wonderful news, but let me explain why this should be the last. I can do so in one sentence. Nearly every argument I make against e-logs is comparing it to the illegal ways I can manipulate paper log books.  Continue reading

© 2011, Truck Drivers News Blog. All rights reserved.

Related Posts:

Posted in Truck Driver Industry | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Who’s a trucker?

No, seriously. That’s a real question. Does just driving a truck make you a trucker? Or is there something more to it? Sorry, I realize I didn’t put a quiz on your syllabus, but hey, that’s the nature of the dreaded pop quiz. Deal with it. And don’t you dare stick that gum to the underside of your desk. Continue reading

© 2011, Truck Drivers News Blog. All rights reserved.

Related Posts:

Posted in Truck Driver Industry | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

What is your Time Worth Per Hour? by Ellen Voie

If you’re a driver, you get paid by the mile or by the load, but not usually by the hour.  Have you calculated your value in terms of time?

If you are a volunteer, your time is worth more than you think.  Many of you offer your services, your passion, and your time to organizations with missions you support.  Sometimes it takes a tragedy for someone to recognize a need to support a charity’s efforts.

If you or a family member suffer from a disease or handicap, you have probably given money to help address the affliction.  If your goal is to support environmental efforts, you might assist groups that protect trees, parks, rainforests and other natural settings.  Maybe you love animals and want to support groups that adopt or protect various species.

The trucking industry has charities that target professional drivers.  TransAlive helps drivers who need a ride when they are physically unable to get home.

The St. Christopher Fund assists drivers and their families who experience hardships due to medical needs.  Trucker Charity is another nonprofit that helps drivers in need due to an emergency.  Transport for Christ and Truckstop Ministries both serve the spiritual needs of professional drivers. Continue reading

© 2011, Truck Drivers News Blog. All rights reserved.

Related Posts:

Posted in Women in trucking | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Making Safe Deliveries to Service Stations – Webinar Event by NTTC

Getting from the loading rack to the delivery destination is the easiest part of the petroleum transport driver’s job. The challenges really start when the driver pulls into the service station or c-store. Continue reading

© 2011, Truck Drivers News Blog. All rights reserved.

Related Posts:

  • No Related Posts
Posted in Truck Driver Industry, trucking news | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Wisconsin Nonprofit to Encourage Children to Consider Driving Careers

Driving is a privilege that comes with responsibilities.  Teaching children that driving a tractor-trailer, fire truck or motor coach as a career is difficult to do when that opportunity may be a decade away.

Jim Van Den Elzen, Crossroads Safety Management Group, owns a mobile classroom simulator he uses for training commercial drivers throughout the Midwest.  His desire to teach children led to the formation of the non-profit organization, Drivings Cool (drivingscoolinc.org). His goal is to allow middle and high school students to drive the simulator and start thinking about how their actions now might affect their ability to acquire a job in transportation later. Continue reading

© 2011, Truck Drivers News Blog. All rights reserved.

Related Posts:

Posted in Women in trucking | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

LaHood: ‘I am Thrilled that Tens of Thousands of UNION Workers can go back to Work

Over the past few days United States Secretary of Transportation was worried sick because Senate went home without deciding on another FAA Extension. U.S. Secretary of DOT Ray LaHood wrote in his blog: “I’m thrilled this morning that the Senate has approved a FAA bill.  It is a tremendous victory for American workers everywhere.”

The biggest problems I have with this is – most of these, if not all of these “Tens of Thousands” of American workers are UNION workers. This doesn’t do a thing for the economy or jobless rates that have had tremendously bad numbers for a long time now. Continue reading

© 2011, Truck Drivers News Blog. All rights reserved.

Related Posts:

Posted in conservative trucking | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment