Life on the Road - Trucking News Blog

There are several ways to take your favorite TV shows in the cab with you. From VCR tapes to creating DVD’s from your TiVo. If you have a good wifi connection you can view shows online at most of the major network websites ( nbc.com cbs.com etc…) Not every show is a full episode and only a limited number of shows are available. Hit the “jump” for your Christmas gift!
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Popularity: 25% [?]

From Flying J’s WIFI login screen:

Attention Former SiriComm Customers!
Purchase any WiFi subscription plan and Flying J will double it. Purchase a day, a month or a year and you can double it easily. All you need is proof of a recent SiriComm subscription purchase.

After being burned by more than one WIFI service, I might be a little cautious spending more money, but Flying J’s WIFI has always been the best for speed, and availability. Especially since they are not only on the truck stop sites, but near other brands of truck stops as well.

Like Phil said here, this is one step closer to Flying J’s WIFI domination. At least they have the record of being reliable instead of out-sourcing another way to take money from truckers.

Popularity: 18% [?]

It is frustrating to only have a few minutes to get on the computer when it takes 5 minutes to get it started. This is what happens when you load software that likes to put itself in the startup. For some reason, many software companies are very sure that you will use their software so much, that you would automatically like it in your startup.

Removing items from your startup is a good way to diagnose problems also. You can single out programs that are running in the background that are in the startup. If a program keeps reappearing in your startup, it could be a bad program such as a keylogger. If you’ve narrowed it down to such a program you can search for a way to remove it. Read the rest of this entry »

Popularity: 31% [?]

If you’ve been to Walmart lately or watched the news you already know that most of what we purchase is either made or partially made in China. Believe it or not so is your truck and trailer. Think about the little things first. The plastic parts of your interior, the tires that you are driving on, the lights and chrome you just bought at the truck stop. What you may not realize is that now many engine parts, and suspension assemblies are made in China as well.

Earlier this year I began looking at a new manufacturer of trailers, Direct of Jasper, AL. At first I was very skeptical and pretty much dismissed them. After starting a new dealership in central Louisiana, I was faced with the reality of being able to choose a whole new line of trailers. I looked at, and continue to look at different lines to carry. I was amazed at what this company has done with their flatbeds and dropdecks. The list of standard benefits is strong. Lifetime beam warranty, thicker flanges in the main beam, LED lights, coil rated dropdeck, and a willingness to build what the customer needs. This last one is huge considering the number of manufacturers that have decided to only make cookie cutter trailers. Read the rest of this entry »

Popularity: 23% [?]

Christmas time is a popular time to give and receive new computers. Friends and family have enlisted me to help them with the purchase and setup of new computers, so I’ll pass on a little bit of what I do to prepare a new computer.

New computers are loaded with extra software that you do not need. Some even  contain spy-ware right out of the box. The reason is that the manufacturers get incentives to lure you to software and services. Don’t complain to much though, it helps keep the price down. Some of the offers may actually be a good deal for you also. However, unwanted programs are certainly a time consuming hassle to remove if you do not want them. If you just leave them on the computer, some can slow the computer down and keep giving you “nag” screens. You do not want to waste your time with the nonsense. The following is a list of steps I take to prepare a new system.
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Popularity: 51% [?]

We have a couple of articles here and here on Life on the Road stressing the importance backing up your data. Especially a laptop in a truck. Hard drives and monitors take a beating from all the vibration in the truck. Use your documents online and have Google backup your data for you! A WIFI or Broadband connection is needed.

Google Plans Service to Store Users’ Data
By KEVIN J. DELANEY and VAUHINI VARA
November 27, 2007; Page B1
Google Inc. wants to offer consumers a new way to store their files on its hard drives, in a strategy that could accelerate a shift to Web-based computing and intensify the Internet company’s competition with Microsoft Corp.

Google is preparing a service that would let users store on its computers essentially all of the files they might keep on their personal-computer hard drives — such as word-processing documents, digital music, video clips and images, say people familiar with the matter. The service could let users access their files via the Internet from different computers and mobile devices when they sign on with a password, and share them online with friends. It could be released as early as a few months from now, one of the people said. Read the rest of this entry »

Popularity: 28% [?]

Want to know what trucking is all about? The author mentions this was done a few years ago for a class project, not much has changed. This video is really well done and guides the viewer from the history of trucking regulations to the present day problems with good how and why explanations. And compares truckers to some other workers. It’s 18 minutes, but worth the time. By a college student / trucker.

Sleep When You Can, Drive When You Have To

Popularity: 27% [?]

I know this is from Australia, but it shows the technology available, besides, I like the title.

Carmel Egan
December 16, 2007
INTERSTATE truck drivers are switching off their lights to hurtle through the dark at 100kmh - and swerving to the wrong side of the highway - to avoid cameras.

They are avoiding the cameras because -

The truck drivers are turning their lights off to avoid detection by Safe- T-Cam, a network of point-to-point fixed cameras that collect, verify and store data on heavy vehicle movements on major arterial roads.
The systems - designed to combat heavy-vehicle driver fatigue - are positioned throughout NSW and South Australia but also catch drivers entering and exiting Victoria.
The overhead cameras focus on the driver’s face and the truck’s front number plate so their identities can be verified during police logbook checks.

I used to have the attitude that HOS needed to be strictly enforced, until they came up with rules I didn’t like. Even as a team we had trouble driving strictly by latest must drive 11 hours before stopping rule. What’s wrong with a little flexiblity in allowing drivers to rest when they want to rest, instead of forcing drives to drive when they’re tired and rest when they’re not.

Just like this article, it only takes a few idiots to mess it up for the rest of us.

Popularity: 25% [?]

I showed up at the City Docks in Houston all ready to load and roll. I’d been sitting idle too long and I was ready to romp and stomp.

And what do I find?

This kinda took the wind out of my sails. It seems that some clerk somewhere is numerically challenged. The load info I had said that the piece I was supposed to pick up was (about) 38 ft long, 13 foot tall and 8 foot wide. I wasn’t particularly happy about the 13 high part since that would put it at 15 high on my trailer, but I’ve done it before. High load’s are part of what I do.

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Popularity: 19% [?]

Looks like we’re stuck with the HOS rules as they are right now. 11 on 10 off with a 34 hour restart. If I’m out here working, I want to be working instead of waiting for hours in a truck stop!

DOT maintains 11-hour driving limit for truckers
WASHINGTON (AP) - Big trucking companies got their wish on Tuesday when federal regulators maintained existing limits on drivers’ hours, rather than endorsing a court order sought by consumer advocates that would have required one less hour behind the wheel each day.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration issued an interim final rule that maintains the current 11-hour driving limit, under which truckers are required to rest for 10 hours.
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit in September delayed until Dec. 27 a requirement that would reduce the continuous driving limit to 10 hours with eight hours of rest.

I’m a little confused. If the Court decision isn’t until the 27th, what’s the FMCSA coming out with their “interim final rule” now for? Read the rest of this entry »

Popularity: 30% [?]