Cops...

[RowdyRebel]

So I get behind this fool running 45 in a 55 mph zone, and traffic is starting to stack up behind us. Get a good, long, safe, legal passing zone and I let'er rip.  About the time I clear that SUV, a car about 6-8 cars back jumps out and punches it. I slide back in, and keep after it because oncoming traffic just popped into view, so I figured I'd make enough room for that car to slide in behind me since it would be sketchy at best for them to try to get around me, too. Just about then, I check my mirror and the guy in the car lights ME up! Check my speed on the GPS...I was just getting to 58 mph...so I ease over onto the shoulder and stop.

Jackass of a cop walks up the passenger side and immediately tries to open the door. Damn what I wouldn't give to have had that door unlocked with Dozer riding shotgun! Anyway, I poke my head out the rear window and ask "Can I help you?"

"Does this door open?"

"Yes, but not for you. I have too much equipment packed in over there, so you'll have to come around to this side." 

So he comes around and jumps up on the step. "How fast were you going when you passed all of those cars?"

"I didn't pass 'all of those cars'. I passed 1 car that was doing 45 mph in a 55 mph zone. When you lit me up, my GPS was only showing 58. What's the problem?"

"I didn't have your speed, I just saw you passing and decided to pull you over for an inspection."

So I handed over my license, BOL, permit book, and log book. 30 minutes later, I have a clean inspection report and I pull away. Dumb MFer should've pulled over the 10 mph below the speed limit guy to see what his deal was instead of harassing the guy driving in a safe and legal manner just trying to get home.  My clocks are ticking, and I don't always have time to ride behind someone that is driving slower than my grandma until they get where they are going. If I have a safe, legal passing zone with a clear view and no oncoming traffic, I'm coming around them...ain't no law against it.

One of these times I'm going to ask the cop who helps himself trying to open MY door what his reaction would be if I walked up to HIS car and helped myself to open HIS door. That badge does NOT give him the right to do as he pleases, and he's ONLY allowed the access necessary to enforce compliance with the regulations. He does not need to open my doors to do that.

[Underdog]

At least he didn't try to open your drawers.

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[tjc transport]

ya should have slowed down and closed the door on him facing oncoming traffic. 

[j hancock]

Maybe he thought the doughnuts were on the passenger seat?

[david wild]

Your first mistake is confusing a Revenue agent with a person truly concerned with safety, secondly they have the right to do any thing they want except up hold the constitution and enforce laws that are really about safety, ask em that's their story, but you did get a clean inspection and that is good for your "Safety Rating".  

[Marcel67]

Crazy times we live!

[RowdyRebel]

When I told him my GPS was only showing 58 mph, he asked if my speedometer worked as though he thought he had me for defective equipment or something. It's just not as accurate...3-5 mph off, so I use the GPS.

 

Guess what had me most pissed about this is I had been trying to get through a tack store on the way home for a new set of reigns to maybe go ride this weekend, but I was cutting it close. That 30 minute stop meant I'd get there 15 minutes after they closed instead of 15 minutes before. And with elogs coming, there won't be any way to avoid a blaring HOS violation if that 30 minute BS "just want to check your paperwork" stop causes you to get home at 14:30 instead of at 14:00 if you're running on a tight schedule for the day or were delayed at shippers or receivers. If this crap keeps up, I might have to start planning my exit strategy. A person ought to be free to go about his business without being needlessly harassed.

[RowdyRebel]

...and I'm pretty sure it wasn't your usual trooper...nicely polished dress shoes and a clean, crisp uniform. Unmarked cruiser that was rather new...probably not in circulation more than a few months at most. I knew as soon as I saw him walk around to my side of the truck where I could get a good look at him that he wouldn't be crawling under the truck.

[Underdog]

That's exactly why I'm putting my old MH on the road... Any unscheduled delay during the day is going to cost with E-logs. I've had that discussion with my boss many times. Bad enough you missed your visit to the tack shop. Drivers' time ain't worth anything.

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[RowdyRebel]

If I would've known what the mandate was going to be when my engine let go, I would've just bought another truck that was a little bit older. It was published 2 days before I got my truck back, though...$23K into a truck 13 months too new.

[Underdog]

If I would've known what the mandate was going to be when my engine let go, I would've just bought another truck that was a little bit older. It was published 2 days before I got my truck back, though...$23K into a truck 13 months too new.

And now this E-logs mandate affects your resale value as well. A 1999 is worth more than a 2000-01. FMCSA should cut you a check.

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[TeamsterGrrrl]

Fleets like UPS have been running e-logs for a couple decades now, and their drivers are still making money like crazy!

[keg1]

22 minutes ago, TeamsterGrrrl said:

Fleets like UPS have been running e-logs for a couple decades now, and their drivers are still making money like crazy!

Fleets like Ups don't get stuck sitting at a shipper or receiver for hours waiting for some lazy ass to load or unload you either. I'm working for an ltl company with e logs now and yes it's ok but when I was running my own and trying to get home every day they wouldn't work most days.

[TeamsterGrrrl]

Fortune Worldwide 500, transportation companies: http://fortune.com/global500/list/filtered?sector=Transportation

Not a single one in the top 100, and not a single trucking only company made the top 500. Even the biggest trucking company has less bargaining power than at least 500 companies, so the trucking industry has little bargaining power in relation to their big corporate customers. And the little guys with one truck or a small fleet? The big corporations have you all fighting with each other for money losing hauls while the CEOs buy million dollar Ferraris while you work hundred hour weeks trying to eke out a living with decades old trucks!

[mowerman]

we just got ours,,,only thing i dont like is having to sit thru the lunch,,,,clean windshield,restroom visit,eat lunch.....still got 12 minutes to dance around and count rocks....bob

[mowerman]

sorry rowdy,,,,thats messed up.....thats lifes little bad jokes.....its happened to all of us....bob

[RowdyRebel]

Already have the brake controller, just need to buy a couple spools of wire for the installation. Also have what I need to rework the rear cross member to add a gooseneck ball. Eventually, when I find other non-trucking "work", I'll yank the front drive axle and maybe find another cab to graft onto it to make it a 2-axle quad-cab to use pulling the gooseneck horse trailer around. Probably get a different gear set for the remaining rear, too...won't need the 4.17's for that job. When I hang up the keys and find something else to do, it'll have a good retirement, since it isn't worth much on the used truck market.

 

And I couldn't care less what UPS or any other truck fleet has done. Their business decision was their own to make, and if it works for them, great. They shouldn't get to dictate their business decisions onto MY business. I've already told the company that the day a box finds its way into my truck, I'm off the flatbed fleet. I'll hook to an end dump or grain wagon and work inside of the 100 air-mile radius for 12 hours or less per day...because then the ELD mandate won't apply to me. It would still be a "company" thing, but I wouldn't have to mess with the stupid thing other than at the start and end of my day. It would also give me at least 4 hours "just in case" before I was screwed out of making it home. Only way I'll stay on flatbeds is with more "local" work, and less that runs outside of the 100 air-mile radius. If the dispatch cannot be reasonably expected to be completed within 12 hours, I won't accept it. If the 16 hour exception is unavailable, that drops to 10 hours. I'm not going to put them in the position of having to take disciplinary actions due to exceeding the HOS to avoid having to buy a motel room within an hour of the house.

[tjc transport]

i am so glad i stay within 100 miles of home shop. 99.99% of the time i within 35 miles of home shop. screw them logs!!!

[BillyT]

Many thoughts!, Teamster Grrrl, don't The UPS otr drivers get an hourly rate based on the miles/time of the run which is surgically planned from several test runs? I ask this because many years ago I was running with a couple of UPS doubles drivers and they said the best thing that ever happened to them was the lowering of the speed limit to 55 because their runs are based on the average time it would take to do the run legally! Paradoxically, the non union and mileage based drivers tend to hate the lower speed limit( California anyone?) 

[BillyT]

Would someone enlighten me on the computer logs?Do the 99 and older trucks lack the electronics to support the computer logs? I'm seeing all these used truck ads on Craigslist that promote the fact that the truck doesn't require E logs! Similar to the "non CDL trucks under 26000 gvw " which enable corporate America to hire unqualified unsafe drivers for low wages! "What pre trip inspection" ?There is a cliche for every situation in life, the one that applies to older trucks suddenly  becoming more valuable than newer ones is "it's an ill wind that blows nobody good!"

[Hobert62]

The pre 2000 still have to have an e-log if required be the company leased to.       They are just only tracked by GPS and not plugged into the ECM of the truck.  

[TeamsterGrrrl]

Most UPS runs are on hourly pay, but there are a few that pay by mileage. On the mileage runs, they are also paid at hourly rate for time fueling, delays, etc.. As far as trucks needing electronic controlled engines to support ELDs, back in the 90s when UPS first started using their "IVIS" ELDs, almost all of their trucks had mechanical engines.

[Underdog]

Like Rowdy said, we all have a right to go through our work day without being surveiled or harassed. I equate E-logs to a convict wearing an ankle bracelet. UPS has linehaul runs, scientifically prepared terminal to terminal runs meticulously calculated to be within logbook compliance. Most other trucking operations don't work that way. There are too many variables involved where the driver loses time=lost revenue. I don't mind working for my money, but when I spend the same time away from home for less money, then I must draw the line.

[fxfymn]

This whole conversation brings to mind what the insurance companies are doing to everyone when they offer a discounted rate to anyone who is willing to subject themselves to electronic monitoring. Never mind your overall driving record, if you regularly exceed the speed limit or do "jack rabbit" starts big brother will consider you to be high risk and drop you.

I'll pay a little more to keep that out of the car thank you very much.

[Underdog]

The younger generations that have grown up with cell phones and computers are more readily accepting the notion of 24/7 monitoring. A big issue for me however is people have come to rely on electronics and have lost the ability to think.

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