Place your bets

Jan 06, 2023 at 01:17 PM CST + 13 - 1
Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member.	Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member. Sitting home this winter watching all the truck accidents on antisocial media and knowing the cause of it, has gave me a idea that the insurance companies have been doctoring up the statistics on who is safe and who is not, well it's gave me a idea on how to shake up the public and stir the pot in washington by hosting the impaired trucker olympics, on one side there would be a group of retired vetren drivers who will be fed a 6 pack of beer to start out with, the other group will be a bunch of fresh recruits straight out of a CDL mill who will be kept clean and sober and we turn them loose on a closed course with ice and snow along with hills and various other challenges, maybee the course will even simulate bumper to bumper freeway trafic, and see who out performs who? I am thinking of course that we should even use old equipment with zero technology like no automatic transmissions or antilock brakes. WE could get a bunch of cars and trucks from a junkyard and all voulenteers, Joe public could even sign up, and the 4 wheelers will be instructed to throw suprises at the big trucks.

Replied on Mon, Jan 09, 2023 at 10:17 AM CST
Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member.	Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member. Not a fair match...My buddy graduated from one of those "schools", and he couldn't drive without grinding every gear. He didn't know how to use his jakes, he hit curbs, and would have to constantly stop to get back into gear. They teach these people how to pass the test, not how to drive. Doesn't help that they are now going out to a fleet with fully automatic rigs. It would be wildly unfair. A lot of us grew up around the trucking industry, pulling a hopper during harvest @ 15, etc...I have only had my cdl for almost 10 years, but I have been driving truck for almost 20. You can't teach that kind of experience with any school.

Replied on Mon, Jan 09, 2023 at 10:17 AM CST

Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member.

Not a fair match...My buddy graduated from one of those "schools", and he couldn't drive without grinding every gear. He didn't know how to use his jakes, he hit curbs, and would have to constantly stop to get back into gear. They teach these people how to pass the test, not how to drive. Doesn't help that they are now going out to a fleet with fully automatic rigs. It would be wildly unfair. A lot of us grew up around the trucking industry, pulling a hopper during harvest @ 15, etc...I have only had my cdl for almost 10 years, but I have been driving truck for almost 20. You can't teach that kind of experience with any school.

Replied on Mon, Jan 09, 2023 at 08:58 PM CST + 1 - 1
Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member.	Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member. Quote: "Not a fair match...My buddy graduated from one of those "schools", and he couldn't drive without grinding every gear. He didn't know how to use his jakes, he hit curbs, and would have to constantly stop to get back into gear. They teach these people how to pass the test, not how to drive. Doesn't help that they are now going out to a fleet with fully automatic rigs. It would be wildly unfair. A lot of us grew up around the trucking industry, pulling a hopper during harvest @ 15, etc...I have only had my cdl for almost 10 years, but I have been driving truck for almost 20. You can't teach that kind of experience with any school. " But think how shocked the public would be to learn that government was willfully putting drivers on the road who were so incompetent that even a bunch of intoxicated people were severely out performing them? Some with BAC leaves two to three times the legal limit.

Replied on Mon, Jan 09, 2023 at 08:58 PM CST

+ 1 - 1

Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member.

Quote: "Not a fair match...My buddy graduated from one of those "schools", and he couldn't drive without grinding every gear. He didn't know how to use his jakes, he hit curbs, and would have to constantly stop to get back into gear. They teach these people how to pass the test, not how to drive. Doesn't help that they are now going out to a fleet with fully automatic rigs. It would be wildly unfair. A lot of us grew up around the trucking industry, pulling a hopper during harvest @ 15, etc...I have only had my cdl for almost 10 years, but I have been driving truck for almost 20. You can't teach that kind of experience with any school. "

But think how shocked the public would be to learn that government was willfully putting drivers on the road who were so incompetent that even a bunch of intoxicated people were severely out performing them? Some with BAC leaves two to three times the legal limit.

Replied on Mon, Jan 09, 2023 at 09:01 PM CST - 1
Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member.	Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member. Quote: "But think how shocked the public would be to learn that government was willfully putting drivers on the road who were so incompetent that even a bunch of intoxicated people were severely out performing them? Some with BAC leaves two to three times the legal limit." Levels

Replied on Tue, Jan 10, 2023 at 07:30 AM CST
Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member.	Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member. Let's do let me know when & where it's going to be at I will show up make forsure that we have the old swinging meat in the refers for the new asshats that say they are a professional truck driver any bets on how that will turn out

Replied on Tue, Jan 10, 2023 at 07:30 AM CST
Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member.	Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member. I mean, I don't hate the idea.

Replied on Tue, Jan 10, 2023 at 08:10 AM CST
Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member.	Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member. I'll play...and I'll bring my own beer. Or a really nice Rye

Replied on Tue, Jan 10, 2023 at 11:15 AM CST
Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member.	Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member. Much to my dismain, I have learned that 10+ years "Experience" doesn't mean you drive better than anyone else. You have to have a certain aptitude to drive truck. Either you have it or your don't. I have 50 years experience working on cars, but I am the last person you'd want to open your hood and grab my tools. Quality truck drivers are hard to find and 10-20-30 years of "experience" doesn't amount to a hill of beans if you can't negociate some of these places I send drivers to load.

Replied on Tue, Jan 10, 2023 at 11:15 AM CST

Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member.

Much to my dismain, I have learned that 10+ years "Experience" doesn't mean you drive better than anyone else. You have to have a certain aptitude to drive truck. Either you have it or your don't. I have 50 years experience working on cars, but I am the last person you'd want to open your hood and grab my tools.

Quality truck drivers are hard to find and 10-20-30 years of "experience" doesn't amount to a hill of beans if you can't negociate some of these places I send drivers to load.

Replied on Tue, Jan 10, 2023 at 02:33 PM CST
Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member.	Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member. Quote: "Much to my dismain, I have learned that 10+ years "Experience" doesn't mean you drive better than anyone else. You have to have a certain aptitude to drive truck. Either you have it or your don't. I have 50 years experience working on cars, but I am the last person you'd want to open your hood and grab my tools. Quality truck drivers are hard to find and 10-20-30 years of "experience" doesn't amount to a hill of beans if you can't negociate some of these places I send drivers to load. " Agreed. Where that experience has taken you means a lot. There are a lot of drivers rolling down interstate everyday that couldn't navigate through a tight ethanol plant, or dock a trailer at a busy nestle, or what have you. Still begs the question how do you transfer this experience onto the next generation of truck-drivers? I don't think the answer is a school, per-se, but it does require the experienced drivers to pass on some knowledge; be patient; and set aside our egos, and trust....which is hard when you are talking about thousands of dollars worth of equipment in play or time lost. I think the government should step aside and allow businesses to do it their own way.

Replied on Tue, Jan 10, 2023 at 02:33 PM CST

Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member.

Quote: "Much to my dismain, I have learned that 10+ years "Experience" doesn't mean you drive better than anyone else. You have to have a certain aptitude to drive truck. Either you have it or your don't. I have 50 years experience working on cars, but I am the last person you'd want to open your hood and grab my tools. Quality truck drivers are hard to find and 10-20-30 years of "experience" doesn't amount to a hill of beans if you can't negociate some of these places I send drivers to load. "

Agreed. Where that experience has taken you means a lot. There are a lot of drivers rolling down interstate everyday that couldn't navigate through a tight ethanol plant, or dock a trailer at a busy nestle, or what have you. Still begs the question how do you transfer this experience onto the next generation of truck-drivers? I don't think the answer is a school, per-se, but it does require the experienced drivers to pass on some knowledge; be patient; and set aside our egos, and trust....which is hard when you are talking about thousands of dollars worth of equipment in play or time lost. I think the government should step aside and allow businesses to do it their own way.

Replied on Tue, Jan 10, 2023 at 04:35 PM CST - 1
Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member.	Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member. Quote: "Let's do let me know when & where it's going to be at I will show up make forsure that we have the old swinging meat in the refers for the new asshats that say they are a professional truck driver any bets on how that will turn out " It would be nice to get some input from the drivers as to what types of challenges should be presented other than what I mentioned, it would also be nice to get some sponsors together for such a event, and be able to offer cash prizes to the participants.

Replied on Tue, Jan 10, 2023 at 04:35 PM CST

- 1

Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member.

Quote: "Let's do let me know when & where it's going to be at I will show up make forsure that we have the old swinging meat in the refers for the new asshats that say they are a professional truck driver any bets on how that will turn out "

It would be nice to get some input from the drivers as to what types of challenges should be presented other than what I mentioned, it would also be nice to get some sponsors together for such a event, and be able to offer cash prizes to the participants.

Replied on Tue, Jan 10, 2023 at 09:01 PM CST + 1
Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member.	Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member. Quote: "Agreed. Where that experience has taken you means a lot. There are a lot of drivers rolling down interstate everyday that couldn't navigate through a tight ethanol plant, or dock a trailer at a busy nestle, or what have you. Still begs the question how do you transfer this experience onto the next generation of truck-drivers? I don't think the answer is a school, per-se, but it does require the experienced drivers to pass on some knowledge; be patient; and set aside our egos, and trust....which is hard when you are talking about thousands of dollars worth of equipment in play or time lost. I think the government should step aside and allow businesses to do it their own way." That's what I'm trying to convey. This job is more about natural aptitude than anything. There are people who have no aptitude or passion for the job and they are the problem drivers. You can't "teach aptitude". You can't pass on wisdom and experience to someone who can't grasp trucking 101. It's a different type of generation who drive truck because they have no other economic options. They have no passion, they don't respect fellow drivers, and at worse, they outright hate their job. There are a lot of us out here who have watch the difference happen in the types of drivers we see out here.

Replied on Tue, Jan 10, 2023 at 09:01 PM CST

+ 1

Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member.

Quote: "Agreed. Where that experience has taken you means a lot. There are a lot of drivers rolling down interstate everyday that couldn't navigate through a tight ethanol plant, or dock a trailer at a busy nestle, or what have you. Still begs the question how do you transfer this experience onto the next generation of truck-drivers? I don't think the answer is a school, per-se, but it does require the experienced drivers to pass on some knowledge; be patient; and set aside our egos, and trust....which is hard when you are talking about thousands of dollars worth of equipment in play or time lost. I think the government should step aside and allow businesses to do it their own way."

That's what I'm trying to convey. This job is more about natural aptitude than anything. There are people who have no aptitude or passion for the job and they are the problem drivers. You can't "teach aptitude". You can't pass on wisdom and experience to someone who can't grasp trucking 101.

It's a different type of generation who drive truck because they have no other economic options. They have no passion, they don't respect fellow drivers, and at worse, they outright hate their job.

There are a lot of us out here who have watch the difference happen in the types of drivers we see out here.

Replied on Wed, Jan 11, 2023 at 12:35 PM CST - 1
Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member.	Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member. I wouldn’t expect someone fresh out of school to be a master at backing into a loading dock, or tight areas, but I would expect them to be able to safely operate on a public highway regardless of weather conditions, otherwise what’s the purpose of having a license? We might as well do away with it entirely if don’t mean anything. I’m more concerned with setting the course up to be based around that criteria, but that’s not to say that we couldn’t expand the event to include other skills categories, the swinging meat idea is something I hadn’t even thought of, but that’s not to say we couldn’t offer it up. The Primary purpose of the event is to demonstrate to the public the value of retaining experienced operators, and the superior performance of those operators.

Replied on Wed, Jan 11, 2023 at 12:35 PM CST

- 1

Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member.

I wouldn’t expect someone fresh out of school to be a master at backing into a loading dock, or tight areas, but I would expect them to be able to safely operate on a public highway regardless of weather conditions, otherwise what’s the purpose of having a license? We might as well do away with it entirely if don’t mean anything. I’m more concerned with setting the course up to be based around that criteria, but that’s not to say that we couldn’t expand the event to include other skills categories, the swinging meat idea is something I hadn’t even thought of, but that’s not to say we couldn’t offer it up. The Primary purpose of the event is to demonstrate to the public the value of retaining experienced operators, and the superior performance of those operators.

Replied on Fri, Feb 10, 2023 at 10:59 AM CST
Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member.	Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member. I'm not a betting man. But I've been around a while. I'm doing paper work and listening to old music on youtube this morning. I came across the "Damn The DOT" song. Gave me a big smile. I had the cassette, maybe I still do. Seems the best part of trucking are my memories. Just thought I would share.

Replied on Fri, Feb 10, 2023 at 11:22 AM CST
Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member.	Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member. When clutchless automatic transmissions went mainstream the quality of driving went to 💩.