Generosity

Still 'Trucken'

Running US 70 in Texas

Hi all been a long time since I posted here, in fact, it has been a long time since I have written publicly.

Thank-you to all who have been brave enough to order my books, if you haven't gotten your copy you can find them here, Leslie's books. If you like reading blogs to help your spiritual life check out my website, My Web Site.

Much has changed since I actively wrote on this blog, such as:

                              1.) FMCSA has changed the Diabetes Exemption rules.
                                      ( I will write about this later when I understand it better)

                              2) Hours of Service rules are still in flux and the 'crash numbers' are in and are showing the new HOS as somewhat ineffective, (no surprise there)

Working as a night dispatcher is certainly different than what I had expected. I rarely actually dispatch anyone, for the most part, I am there to try to put out fires when they occur, such as when someone doesn't read their dispatch and grabs the wrong trailer, (happens more than you would think). I do enjoy it, and really enjoy being home most nights, however, it don't pay the bill's,  so I must still drive on my time off.

Driving a truck these days is much different than when I began back in the early 1990's.

Nowadays we have automatic transmissions, (thank God since my clutch knee is worn out), bells and whistles that tell us everything from when we are following to close or drift out of the lane.  The truck's computer gives us way more info than we need or want to get the job done, and of course, those lovely little 'tattle tales' called Electronic Log Books, or ELB for short.

All of this is a move towards driverless trucks which are currently being tested, and that scares me!

All of this tech is awesome, I enjoy it! BUT, and it's a BIG BUT, it is unreliable, there is so much that can go wrong and does with the current systems. For example, our trucks have the "Wingman" system installed, this system provides alerts for when you get too close to another vehicle or when you start to drift out of the lane and that part is all good. However, when you are in cruise control, instead of alerting you, it drives for you and will reduce your speed without letting you know. That's bad but it is not the worst part if the system decided you are way, way too close and you are in cruise it slams on the brakes, without regard to what is behind you or any other consideration such as "is the object in your line of travel". I have had the damn thing read a car in the exit ramp and slam the brakes on. This computer behavior renders the cruise control nearly useless thereby adding to a drivers fatigue because he can seldom if ever use the cruise control.

This is all counterproductive but the real production killer is the ELB.

I work with about 900 drivers most who are contractors. Most do not like the ELB's because they are too unreliable and often do not record the given data correctly hence your log books are more incorrect than when we ran paper logs. Our company has had to add people to our compliance department because of this as well as the fact that the software is difficult to use.

My biggest complaint is and always has been that the ELB now runs my life while driving and has no regard for my physical well being. In other words, if I am tired I can not stop and take a nap because the Tatel-tale will keep counting down my 14 hours while sleeping and may keep me from making my delivery on time and we all know what happens when you arrive late to a shipper or receiver. For those who don't know, those folks get nasty and will often set you aside for 24 hours or more, as I have said before FMCSA is attacking the wrong persons. And, don't even tell me about the split sleeper berth provision, if your running full days it is nearly useless!

All of this being said, I still enjoy driving the Big Steel, I do hope our regulators will get their heads out of the Eutopien clouds (found between their legs) and realize all this tech and driver-less trucks are dangerous vehicles
because tech fails and there is no such thing as acceptable collateral damage in this scenario. It's is yours and my family members they are planning to put next to those driverless trucks, IS THAT SOMETHING YOU WANT????? I DONT!!!!

The Shema Prayer

I have a new blog post I would like you to check out and let me know what you think.
Thank-you
https://www.tencommandments4life.com/blog/why-did-they-hate-him

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New Book From Les

Hi all, I know this blog is about Trucking and perhaps knowing the nature of  many drivers associating us with Jesus the Christ just seems an oxymoron but it is not. Many of us drivers are followers of Jesus.

I have been writing spiritual, Christ based books for some time now and this is my latest. You can check out my site or purchase a book by following the link below. Thank-you

https://www.tencommandments4life.com/library.html

Driving, is it worth it?

Got Royaly Screwed this morning!

I have been back driving since I got my waiver for insulin use. l came back as a part timer, driving about 500 to 800 miles a week to make up for the loss of income by being a dispatcher.

Since I know others besides me have wondered about what it would be like to get off the road I will share my experience with you.

A bit of history first.

I began comercialy driving as a gopher for a wardrob door company back in the 1980's. From there I moved to 10 wheelers and in 1989 had gotten my CDL. It was not until 1994 that I began driving the "big steel".

In 2009 I had been put on insulin and was able to get a wavier in 2010. By 2011 I had gotten completly off all meds including insulin so I let the waiver drop.(The requirments to maintain a waiver are very expesive in time and money)

Then I quit smoking in July 2014. I put 130 pounds back on and ended up back on insulin.

While I was waiting for the new waiver a dispatch oppertunity came up and knowing my disability was going to run out before I got my waiver, I jumped at the oppertunity.

I dont regret that decision, I love working in dispatch however I must report that it cost me about $200.00 a week in wages. And, ruined an already shakey marriage.

It was worth it though. It is so nice to be able to sleep in my own bed most nights, have freindships, attend social functions or just lounge in my easy chair in front of the TV.

Since I got my wavier I have been able to "make up" some of the money by driving part time, however after today I am wondering if I shouldnt find a part time "real" job.

The ELB is the problem. Our company uses Peoplenet. Our complience people are reactionairy and parinoid about drivers abusing the system.

So here is what happened in as short a version as I can muster.

I made a 3 am delivery about 4.5 hours from our terminal, my plan was to take a 8 hour break since I was tired and then return to the terminal, that was my first mistake, I should have driven exahusted since after about six hours of sleep I got up with a full colan and bladder and drove about 100 yards to get to a rest room, second mistake.

I HAD to go and I mean now! Well, that was my third mistake because I could not wait for the computor to find and connect with the network.

As a result the PEOPLNET SYSTEM automaticly put me into drive. Imagine my shock when I returned to the truck to find I had been driving while I was shitting for 6 minuets!

Now comes my next shock, complience is unwilling to correct the overzelous complience device.

Then the big boss is willing to back complience!

Then I called Peoplenet to inform them of said errors and see if they could do anything about it and they were understanding, informative, but not helpful. And told me that this is called an "undocked event" they said our complience office could change it.

I explained to them complience was unwilling to since there had been an overzelous DOT officer that had caused our company some "discomfort" over a similar incident, these are the kind of cops that smear the good name of all cops, it is assumed by these kind of officers that all truck drivers are liers and slim balls, some are, but, that is another story for another day.

Peoplenet also informed me that our company had not opted for the "personal convaince" option on 'off duty' which would have solved this problem (complience could have changed my "driving" to "PC" if that option was available).

So, how did I get screwed? I now must sit for another 8 hours, for a grand total of about 15.5 hours in order to complie with the unreasonablness of complience, and the increadibly stupid FMCSA HOS.

Yes, saftey of the public is supposed to be inhanced by these rules but, they are not!

In this current example I will be tired when I am finally am able to roll since I got too much sleep to be able to sleep now. The 14 hour rule causes us to have to ignore our bodies in order to get the job done.

The split sleeper berth is a complete train wreck and better serves the attornys then the public.

In all fairness the outlaw drivers of the past and the unbalenced reporting by the press of these outlaw drivers has been the cause of overzelous and shallow thinking of our regulators. But, the regulators unwillingness to be reasonable and make adjustments when experience shows their error is eventually going to cause a whole new class of outlaw drivers who will be far more dagerous than the previous class of outlaw drivers.

The fact is the vast majority of drivers are not outlaws.

We are just average guys and gals trying to make a reasonable living in a dangerous job that our economy can not do without. People may have to learn to do without some day or begin to pay very high prices for anything that moves to market on a truck, which is everything! You can thank your Regulators and attornys when that does happen.

How did I get royaly screwed today? My time is being infringed upon without pay due to unreasonablenes at several different levels. All because I had a basic human need and needed to drive a short distence to provide for it.

Conclusion:

Good regulation requires compassion and ressonableness.  FMCSA HOS has neither.

Is driving worth it? Iam not sure anymore.

PS I hope I do not get fired for expressing my opinion when my bosses see this and they will see it cause I will send it to them. I love my job and I love my company but wrong is wrong.

Evil will persist when good men say or do nothing.

As far as I know our company, like many others did nothing to stop these new and harmfull FMCSA (Federa Motor Carrier Safety Administration) HOS (Hours Of Service) regulations.

Rant Done!
Les

No Longer Driving

Sorry I have not been posting on this blog anymore. I am not on the road as I have been benched due to being put back on insulin. I have taken a job as a dispatcher for the same company I drove for and boy what a difference.

Loving being home, but my wife didn't like it so much so she packed up and left, just been me and 4 of my furry, four footed, children and I have been loving it. Someday I may write about it but it would be in bad taste to write about it now.

At any rate My God has had me busy writing books for Him so I would like you to check  out my web site at:

http://www.tencommandments4life.com/blog 

My last blog was on Human Nature. My first two books are free downloads on this site.

What do you do with your "Down Time?"

Review for free here

Hi all, I don't know what you do on your breaks or those long waits at shippers and receivers, but for the past 8 or 9 years I have filled that time with researching and writing  books.

My first book was "So, You Want to be a Truck Driver". This book approaches the subject from a very different perspective than most other of books with similar titles. It is geared to the wanna-be driver and gives a 12 question quiz to see if you got what it takes to be a great driver. Christmas is coming soon and if you know someone considering doing what we do, spend the $9.95 to get this book for them, it very well could be the best Christmas present ever for that person and could save them from making a huge mistake.

My second and third books came after I came back to my faith in my God who has helped me to get my Diabetes under control and allowed me to go back to work after having been put on Insulin. Those two books can be downloaded for free from my website or you can purchase them through the website at a discount. These two books are about how a Christians should use the Ten Commandments to improve their walk with God.

Then came the book,"Yahweh, the God Who Speaks and How to Hear Him", the title tells the subject. But, to peak your interest a bit, I go through the Bible and show how God has spoke to all of His people in the distant past and then give the basics one needs to know to open those 'inner ears' that you might be able to hear the Masters voice and know for sure it is Him.  I published this book last year but found quit a few mistakes so I revised it and republished today. You can get a free copy for review at the link below the picture of the cover, or you can get it on Amazon, Kindle or from my website. (the revision will not be available on Kindle for a day or two and on Amazon until next week).

And of course my most recent book is the one I published this year titled " The Lazy Man's Guide to Managing Type Two Diabetes". This book is also very different from books about this subject as I have disclosed from a personal perspective what I have learned and what I have done to control my own disease. I was diagnosed in 2010 during a routine CMV physical, I did manage with pills ok until 2006 when things began to get out of control. Then in 2009, the doctors decided insulin was my only option, needless to say I had to leave the profession. I lost almost a years work (10 months) before I received my waiver from the FMCSA, during that year I learned a, new to me, way of managing my disease which is easy, doesn't require exercise and any truck driver (really anyone) can do it, if he wants to.

So, if you are on pills right now or know someone who is, spend the few bucks to learn this easy method to stay off drugs and keep on trucking. This disease is progressive and the longer you wait the longer it takes to get it under control and the grater risk for permanent damage to your body. You can get it here The Lazy Man's guide to Managing Type Two Diabetes or you can get it on Amazon.

If you decide to start writing books during your down time like I have, you don't have to go through the rejection process of the traditional publishers to get your words into print, you can use the print on demand houses like I have. There are several, but I recommend Createspace.com, you can order one or a thousand, or more at wholesale prices. They have editing and cover design available for a price, but publishing and getting into distribution channels (like Amazon) is free. They also have marketing packages available if you don't wish to do your own marketing.

Well enough for now. Please buy one of my books, (you can find the all here) and keep the rubber side down.

Thank-you