| Back to Back Issues Page |
 |
|
TDMST Email Newsletter, 2015-10 October 09, 2015 |
Truck-Drivers-Money-Saving-Tips.com:"Because truckers know that no trucker deserves to be stung financially."We provide real world tips that help professional truck drivers save hard-earned money and personal reporting about products and services for use on the road. We've developed our unique website as a place to share the tips we have learned through the years -- and where other professional drivers can do the same. Truck Drivers Money Saving Tips Email NewsletterIssue #75, October 9, 2015Table of Contents
Important Notice
Prevent This!While we appreciate the fact that truckers want to deliver freight on time, there are situations when it simply isn't safe to do so. According to Wikipedia's page about Hurricane Joaquin, a secondary weather situation "tapped into the hurricane's moisture. An atmospheric river developed between the two systems, resulting in record-shattering rains and flooding across North and South Carolina. Several areas of South Carolina saw accumulations exceeding the threshold for a 1-in-1,000-year event. The subsequent floods inundated large areas of the state—with areas around Charleston and Columbia hardest-hit—and killed at least seventeen people." In spite of the fact that "Authorities in South Carolina on Monday urged people to stay home if it was safe to do so, saying that flooding was expected to continue in more than half the state for several days", some truckers persisted in driving in the state anyway. It is a fact that given enough rain and flooding, roads and bridges can be submerged, be undermined, erode, or collapse. You can't see below the surface of flood waters, as one unrelated video shows. When truckers persist in driving in danger zones anyway, their trucks can be badly damaged. On October 5, LandLine Magazine published an article about how an OOIDA member's truck's "front suspension was destroyed" when a section of a bridge collapsed "underneath his rig". When you know that severe weather is coming to an area, it is best to check the
before proceeding. South Carolina resident and professional truck driver Mike Simons was scheduled to take a run from Columbia to the Greenville area on Monday, October 5, but after checking the weather and warnings, he contacted his company on Sunday to let them know he considered it dangerous to drive and was staying home. Later that day, he received an email informing him that the trucking company for which he worked was going to be closed on Monday. Even if it had not been, Mike considered it unsafe to drive. There have been other times when we have personally had to shut down due to various weather situations, including:
Several times on our website, including on our snow chains page, we reference the wrongful termination of Cynthia Ferguson, a nine-year trucking veteran who was forced to shut down in Sparks, Nevada, due to bad weather in 2008. An attorney for Ferguson cited Section 405 of the Surface Transportation Assistance Act of 1982, "which prohibits trucking companies from firing drivers for refusing to drive in violation of commercial vehicle safety regulations." Later, a U.S. Department of Labor Administrative Law judge ruled that Ferguson had been illegally fired for refusing to drive in "hazardous weather conditions." Regardless of how "hot" a load is, sometimes severe weather is justification to park your truck until conditions improve. Prevent damage to your rig either during or immediately following severe weather. It is better to be safe than sorry. Reviews
We request your review of a product or service marketed and sold to professional truck drivers, a truck part or a truck stop fuel island, restaurant or shower. You can even earn money doing it. QuestionsWe ask the hard questions about how professional truck drivers can save money or are being forced to spend more money in their jobs. We asked the following since our last email newsletter: CDL holders in Arizona, did you know that 'Failure to maintain a current medical examination report will result in the suspension or revocation of your CDL'? Contributing document: http://bit.ly/1Nr6RgN Truckers, do you view a dash cam in your truck -- even a cab-facing one -- as 'a powerful exoneration tool where accidents occur'? Why or why not? Contributing article: http://bit.ly/1JVGbNF How much are you paying to access money from an ATM other than where you do your banking, trucker? Contributing article: http://bit.ly/1VI2Fxv Should truckers be concerned about the impact of 3-D printing? Contributing article: http://bit.ly/1OlF1Bl How can a female truck driver protect herself in her truck from a mechanic who has a key? Contributing article: http://bit.ly/1OlDRWh Are all owner-operators 'working less and making more' or just this specific group of truckers? Is pay keeping pace with or beating the cost of inflation? Contributing article: http://bit.ly/1OlENdd Lady truckers, what training will you undergo to help prevent being choked, beaten and targeted for attempted robbery? Contributing article: http://cbsloc.al/1OjYnqt Have you ever used these '5 Stretches to Relieve Back Pain'? Contributing article: http://bit.ly/1OjVlCn If 'Good health correlates to safer drivers', who is responsible to ensure that drivers are healthy: themselves, their companies or the government? Contributing article: http://bit.ly/1OjVEx8 Are 'collision prevention technology' and the use of 'trucks that essentially drive themselves' things about which truckers should be concerned? Why or why not? Contributing article: http://bit.ly/1OjWoST Didn't this trucker realize ahead of time that if he was found guilty of trafficking cocaine, it could ruin his trucking career? Contributing article: http://bit.ly/1OjWt95 What evidence will you need that it is safe to drive on roads and across bridges that were previously flooded in South Carolina? Contributing article: http://bit.ly/1OjUNMM How will 'suspended hours rules and size/weight limits' following flooding in the Carolinas affect you, trucker? Contributing article: http://bit.ly/1VDRVeh When a trucker 'plows through floodwaters', what is he or she being: courageous, smart, stupid, reckless, other? Couldn't parts of the truck that are submerged under water fail? Contributing article: http://bit.ly/1VDRBwa Trucker, do you intend to use either the free or paid Rolling Strong driver health app? Why or why not? Contributing article: http://bit.ly/1VDS29K What ramifications will be felt by truckers now that the 'pace of growth in [the] U.S. service industries [has] cooled'? Contributing article: http://bit.ly/1VDS9lH Will Swift Transportation's revised 'Profit Expectations' affect their truckers' paychecks? Contributing article: http://bit.ly/1Rj1QW2 As a trucker, do you plan to pay money for 'Workout Trainer smartphone app', the 'New personal driver fitness program designed by [a] former owner-operator'? Why or why not? Contributing article: http://bit.ly/1ObqRnR Who was surprised that certain states weren't on the 'top 10 worst states for truck parking' list? Contributing article: http://bit.ly/1Rj15MI Will commercial vehicles ever be forced to implement 'advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS)'? If so, how much will that cost? Contributing article: http://bit.ly/1Obr6z2 Why does an article about 'self-parking technology' on a trucking website have no references to its use in trucks? Contributing article: http://bit.ly/1Obo3qO Truckers, will CARB's affirmation that biodiesel is the 'lowest-carbon fuel' -- reducing 'greenhouse gas emissions by at least 50% and often by as much as 81% versus petroleum' -- have any effect on your choice of truck fuel? Why or why not? Contributing article: http://bit.ly/1ObqFER Did this trucker do a pre-trip inspection on his truck before the accident he caused because his truck's brakes failed and he killed someone? Contributing article: http://bit.ly/1j3T4Ac Why would a trucker risk 'driving under the influence of alcohol', consequently being involved in 'a two-big-rig freeway crash' and jail time? Contributing article: http://bit.ly/1j3TxSJ Why would a trucker risk being 'charged with possession for the purpose of trafficking and importation of a controlled substance'? Contributing article: http://bit.ly/1j3Rnml Did the 2-cent 'average marginal cost per mile' increase in truck operations from 2013 to 2014 increase or decrease most truckers' wages? Contributing article: http://bit.ly/1j3Poye If a 'driver is required to always be alert' in a self-driving truck, doesn't that contradict a previous report about how truckers can do other things behind the wheel of a truck? Contributing article: http://bit.ly/1UZYfg2 Related: What if a road's 'lane markings' are faded? Will a self-driving truck's 'Highway Pilot' still be able to navigate successfully on that road? Contributing article: http://bit.ly/1UZYqYy Which of these '45 Easy Ways to Save Money for Travel' are practical for truckers and which aren't? Contributing article: http://bit.ly/1JeJdvP Is there an inherent problem with the title of Celadon's 'WageLock™ pay program'? In a day and age when inflation eats away at a paycheck, what driver wants to have his/her wages 'locked' into being the same? Why not call it the 'WageMinimum' pay program? Contributing article: http://prn.to/1JeIXgn Assuming the 'capacity crunch' allows fleets to 'raise their pricing', will their drivers: 1. see any increase in their paychecks; and 2. feel any pressure to do more work in less time? Contributing article: http://bit.ly/1M9we3n If a fleet saves $750,000 per year on fuel costs through aerodynamically retrofitting their trucks, will their drivers see any of that money in their paychecks? Contributing article: http://bit.ly/1KoenGD Owner-operators, do you deliberately attempt to book loads in 'the hottest [states] for outbound truckload rates'? Why or why not? Contributing article: http://bit.ly/1NAURsR Comment on our truck operations page. Regarding masked detention problems, why would 'a mixed owner-operator/company-driver fleet' allow any of its company drivers to be stuck with loads that 'leased owner-operators' refuse to haul? Contributing article: http://bit.ly/1NAT3Qu If 'lack of truck capacity' is responsible for giving trucking companies the 'courage' to negotiate detention rates, what will happen if truck capacity increases? Contributing article: http://bit.ly/1NAT3Qu Did this trucker realize that driving too fast in rainy conditions could lead to 'overturning his rig', causing 'three other vehicles to crash' and shutting down an interstate for four hours? Contributing article: http://bit.ly/1LdU2Ex
Articles and Other MediaOperating Systems for Mobile Devices and Smartphone Apps What do truckers do when their operating systems for mobile devices aren't compatible with smartphone apps? Becoming an O/O to take my 3 year old I have been a driver for 8 years. I have done OTR, Northeast regional, and a nightly account to NYC. At 7 months pregnant, I stepped down from driving. I recently got a ticket for my logbook not being up to date. Will that result in points on my cdl? ----- Response from Vicki: Hello, Tom. Thanks for Updated: Favorite Essential Oils for Truckers If you think our time-tested favorite essential oils are too wimpy for truckers, perhaps you don't know what they can do and how powerful they are... Updated: Mental Health for Truckers and Professional Truck Drivers Can dangerous things happen when a trucker's mental health is affected? What can be done to change that? Updated: Emotional Balance for Truckers and Professional Truck Drivers Many situations can threaten a trucker's emotional balance. Fortunately, there is natural help available. Updated: Emotional Wellness for Truckers and Professional Truck Drivers Truckers need emotional wellness in order to do their jobs well. We list what can happen when it's missing and items that can help. Updated: Essential Oils for Truckers and Trucker Health Are essential oils beneficial to truckers? Can they promote trucker health and healing? Professional truck driver Mike Simons knows... Updated: Energizing Truckers and Professional Truck Drivers For the purposes of providing an energizing boost, there are natural alternatives to energy drinks. Read more... Updated: An Annual Flu Shot: Should Truckers Take the Risk? The mainstream media and major chain pharmacies encourage folks to get their annual flu shot. Do you know the risk? What should truckers know? Updated: Improving Trucker Health for Emotional, Mental, Physical Benefits We give time-tested self help recommendations to improve trucker health for many benefits. Updated: Stress Relief for Truckers and Professional Truck Drivers There are times when truckers need stress relief. You can get it in natural and portable form. Updated: Mental Clarity for Truckers and Professional Truck Drivers Professional truck drivers need mental clarity to do their jobs. Here are some helps for that.
Earn More, Save More
On September 22, 2015, FleetOwner.com ran an article entitled, "Deaths in trucking reach 6-year high". Citing the first part of the article:
If the family of a trucker has come to rely exclusively upon the income from the trucker, they may be financially devastated when their trucking family member dies, especially if they were living "paycheck to paycheck".
A similar situation could occur if a trucker is:
In the case where a trucker is injured, there may be the complication of heavy medical bills that may or may not be covered under workman's compensation. Do you have a financial "safety net" for your family if something happens to you on the road or in connection with your trucking job? If so, great!
If not, isn't it time to start considering earning a second income from the cab of your truck during your off-duty hours? Social NetworkingFollow us on the following Social Networking sites: Popular Sections of our site:
Temperatures in the northern hemisphere have begun to cool. While you're preparing to wear warmer clothing, we encourage you to take the time to have preventive maintenance done on your truck to help get you through the winter months. Please share your preventive maintenance tips online to let our readers know what types you have performed on your truck -- and at what intervals or seasons. Thanks in advance. To all of our readers who are professional truck drivers, we wish you safe travels and lots of money saving opportunities on the road! Best regards, Truck-Drivers-Money-Saving-Tips.com Copyright © 2015. All Rights Reserved. |
| Back to Back Issues Page |