Interesting conversation with Dr. today

The BMI thing has been growing big in the world of CDLs.

Friends an family I talk with who drive the big rigs have been *****ing about it for awhile.

Good luck with it PJ.

Sirscrapalot - Trucks make the world go round.

I drove many a mile in the BIG rigs in the past. Far to many miles in my opinion.

I enjoyed it a bit like Forrest Gump in the movie where he decided to go running one day and ran for years and then decided one day that he had run enough and went and did something else.

I did mostly road construction. Very little over the road as I had enough of state travel when younger.

I have many in my family that make their Living on the Trucking industry. That is part of why I found this thread of interest.

I don't know my BMI, but I was large in high school. I've slimmed down, but back then that wouldn't have hindered my driving abilities.

I do business out of state, and I hate to say it, but:

When we outgrow our Chevrolet 1 ton (Under 10000# GVWR), I'd be inclined to get a second truck instead of a larger one. Just for the DOT regulations.

That's sad when the regulations are that crippling, but I think that it's terrible. Truckers and farmers keep this country alive. Why are we trying to kill off both groups?

Originally Posted by matador

I don't know my BMI, but I was large in high school. I've slimmed down, but back then that wouldn't have hindered my driving abilities.

I do business out of state, and I hate to say it, but:

When we outgrow our Chevrolet 1 ton (Under 10000# GVWR), I'd be inclined to get a second truck instead of a larger one. Just for the DOT regulations.

That's sad when the regulations are that crippling, but I think that it's terrible. Truckers and farmers keep this country alive. Why are we trying to kill off both groups?

Just as the Mom and Pop stores of the past were put out of biz by the BIG discount retailers like Kmart, Wal*Mart and such is going on with most everything else.

I watched the family farms get gobbled up by the bigger farmers that were farning on mostly bank credit and then the banks end up with the best property and still own some of it.

Money can make people do stupid things. But so can booze,lol...

I can personally see the walls closing in on me as far as land grabbing goes. More and more of the privately owned land around me is being bought up by the State of Minnesota in various means & schemes.

It has to do with control. Who has it and where it is directed for BE$T effect.

Truckers and farmers keep this country alive. Why are we trying to kill off both groups?

Full article at Scrap Metal Forum: http://www.scrapmetalforum.com/legal...#ixzz3U36vwsiU

Not enough profit to support the common man, only the companies. Who can vote like me an you.

Yea it's silly the Sleep Apnea thing. I understand the why, but I find it kinda odd all of sudden sleep apnea is a huge risk to everyone. Now if you need the machine..I can dig that. Note everyone needs it though. I'm sure someone is making bank off of this.

I know from my friends an family who do OTR some companies are paying for the machine. I think that's cool at lest.

Trucking is one of those industries that is getting more an more regulated to the point it's silly the rules an such they are making.

I've driven across the country more then a few times, an usually the most courteous an safe drivers are the guys in the big trucks. I got some bad stories to, but more good ones then bad.

Sirscrapalot - I'd like to be a weatherman, so I could get paid to be wrong the majority of the time.

I agree- the best drivers are usually the truckers. There are bad ones, but the odds are a lot better.

The largest thing that I've driven (on the road) was a 15' box van. It's tiny compared to the Kenworth I drove (about 300 feet) on the farm, but it still taught me a lot about mirrors, vehicle placement, and the like. I swear that I've become a better driver sence I drove that truck.

I understand why there are safety regulations. I moved a Kenworth under an auger in first gear. That's hardly driving, but it gives you an appreciation for how large a semi really is.

But, tell me, is this a semi:


Personally, I don't see why my BMI will affect whether I can operate it or not.

< /Rant>

As Bob would say, the times they are a changin'

The vehicle I was driving a few years back was a 15 pass dodge van. One of the ones built in Canada. I found it funny that it is classed as a 15 pass when they would have to be small or skinny.

I found that because of the weight of the van that I had to get commercial insurance on it even for personal limited use. It was a bit spendy for a vehicle that sat most of the time. I still have it, use it for storage now.

I have watched the laws and regulations change for the worse over the years.

It is all part of the U.N. program and other programs for better control of the human resources and collateral.

Just as our consumer goods have become cheap throw away products,
is much the same with other things.

It costs more for less....

That's a nice looking truck/van you have there,

Yeah, that's not my POS box truck.

This was. I'm glad to be rid of that thing finally! I only was able to drive it 800 miles total in one year. The rest of the year was spent under it. I don't want to think about how mush that thing took me to the cleaners.


Notice the tow rope! That's pretty indicative of my ownership experience.

It's also a large part of why I'm now a GM guy.

Originally Posted by matador

Yeah, that's not my POS box truck.

This was. I'm glad to be rid of that thing finally! I only was able to drive it 800 miles total in one year. The rest of the year was spent under it. I don't want to think about how mush that thing took me to the cleaners.


Notice the tow rope! That's pretty indicative of my ownership experience.

It's also a large part of why I'm now a GM guy.

Add a tow bar to the front of the box truck and it becomes a large capacity trailer. I'm mostly joking, but it might be an idea for its last trip to the scrap yard.

It's sold now. The new owner cut the cab off and added a hitch to make a construction jobsite office trailer. He basically did what you were talking about, but I think he went with a gooseneck hitch that he somehow welded to the frame.

The frame was rotting apart, the transmission kept throwing me in limp mode, and the linkage was so stiff that it kept breaking the transmission shifter piece in the column. There was so much play in the column that I couldn't engage park, because the lever wouldn't go that far up.

I towed it home twice, and drove it home with the blinkers on more times than I want to recall.

It also scared the ***** out of me during a light dusting of snow. Trust me- box vans are so heavy in the rear that I couldn't turn in the snow. I plowed straight through into a red light. Luckily everyone was alert, but stopping in an intersection at 45 degrees could have ended badly.

I'm glad to have that truck gone. It was the biggest piece of junk that I've ever owned.

Originally Posted by pjost

One more item I should add to this sleep apnea thing: I was told this by a DOT safety auditor so I know it's legit.

During your DOT physical the PA will ask you three questions that you ALWAYS answer "No".

1. Do you ever snore?

2. Do you ever have problems sleeping/falling asleep at night?

3. Are you ever tired during the day?

No, no, and no.

A bit like asking some women if they ever fart.
No, no, no

They poot from what I have learned.

A poot is not a fart it seems.

I first got my CDL back in 1982. It's a hard call but you might say that the industry had it's problems and was in need of more regulation and government oversight. Nowadays it's become overly regulated. Went from one extreme to the other.

It's come to a point where it's far more bother than it's worth.

When i went to renew my license last year and the young woman at the DMV passed federal papers across the counter for me to fill out and sign i politely declined & turned in my class B. It's just a lead in to even more regulation in the future.

If they want to be that way just turn your back and walk away.

They cannot lead if you will not follow.

Walmart rig driver charged in crash that killed 1, injured actor Tracy Morgan

The Walmart diver had been running for 24 hours with no rest when this accident happened last year.