Want to see what Pam sees every day? - Page 30

BigV · 10-10-2018, 09:47 PM

Trucks are cool.

*ahem*

Let us all bear witness to the *awesome* power of moving water.

Undertoad · 10-10-2018, 09:57 PM

Quote:

Let us all bear witness to the *awesome* power of moving water.

BigV · 10-10-2018, 10:01 PM

maybe it would be a tie?

Pamela · 10-13-2018, 07:22 PM

That is true. Especially so for livestock, gravel/sand/dirt haulers and car carriers.

Jumping scales is illegal and the DOT knows which roads are commonly used for this purpose. They park portable scales at strategic points on those routes to snag unwary illegal truckers.

I have avoided scales from time to time for various reasons but not as a habit. Normally, I run legal.

I will offer another reason for truckers taking back roads.... the rise of the GPS. Sometimes the little box takes you on the scenic route to save you a few measly miles but adds an hour onto the trip. More than once, my GPS has told me to get off a freeway, take the frontage road for two miles, then get back onto the freeway! Why? It cuts a corner by a fraction but the traffic lights and lower speed limits make such a detour impractical. It is faster and safer to just stay on the freeway.

GPS is also a generic term for the routing software that many companies use called PC Miler. It finds the shortest route from A to B that is allegedly truck legal (not always true) so they can shave off a few miles that they don't have to pay you for. Using the HHG (HouseHold Goods) option only gives the mileage from one ZIP Code to another, which is what most if not all moving companies charge a customer (and pay the driver). This tends to cut off about ten percent of the actual (hub) miles the driver drives, thus underpaying him. Practical miles is more fair and is getting to be the industry standard nowadays.

My company pays practical miles, and pays fairly well too. I can't complain about that, although I do route myself rather than follow their sometimes convoluted route. Like everyone else, they say the routing is "suggested", thus letting themselves off the hook should their routing run a driver onto a no-truck road or into a low clearance. The difficulty of getting a semi out of such a situation can be tricky and at times involve heavy wreckers to get you back where you should be. The bosses will always say that the driver is responsible for following all laws and routing restrictions, which is nearly impossible given the ever-changing whims of towns and counties regarding heavy trucks on back (non-STAA) roads. I simply take that disclaimer to mean "ignore our routing and do it yourself".

Take my route for this trip from Minooka IL to Fulton, MO for example. The company route took two pages of local roads, back country two-laners as well as interstate highways. They offer 329 paid miles for the run. I looked at the route on my GPS, consulted my trusty Rand-McNally atlas and decided to run I80-I55-I72 to US54 into Jeffersonville, then west to the customer. Total miles:334. Sure, I lose $2.65 doing it my way, but I save a good two hours of driving on local roads, through tiny towns and possibly no-truck zones to stay on highways where it is faster and much safer for me. Totally worth it to me.

So the trucks going through your area may not be scale-jumping at all but following GPS routing instead.

xoxoxoBruce · 10-13-2018, 07:38 PM

53 cents a mile?

captainhook455 · 10-14-2018, 11:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce

53 cents a mile?

Sounds like alot dosen't it? When I drove for Werner my mileage pay stopped at the town limits although I was still driving. It might take 2 hours through Houston and I wasn't getting paid.

xoxoxoBruce · 10-14-2018, 11:27 AM

No, it doesn't sound like a lot to me.

glatt · 10-14-2018, 06:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce

No, it doesn't sound like a lot to me.

53 cents a mile at 60mph is about $30/hr. Way less if you hit traffic or wind up in a city.

In a hypothetical job, you could start off in a city and travel 10 miles in the hour it takes to get out of town, drive for 8 hours at 60mph, and then hit your destination city and get stuck in traffic again for an hour to go 10 miles.

That works out to $26.50/hr.

fargon · 10-17-2018, 11:15 AM

Amber Alert means that a child has been abducted, or is missing.

Carruthers · 10-17-2018, 12:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fargon

Amber Alert means that a child has been abducted, or is missing.

Thanks for that, fargon.

Gravdigr · 10-17-2018, 03:02 PM

AMBER Alert

Carruthers · 10-17-2018, 03:16 PM

Thanks for the link Mr G, I'm grateful to you.

My assumption was that it was one of a number of coloured alerts each with a defined meaning.

Gravdigr · 10-17-2018, 03:21 PM

We aren't that deep.

Clodfobble · 10-17-2018, 04:29 PM

There are also Silver Alerts for missing old folks with dementia. But those are the only two.

Carruthers · 10-18-2018, 03:51 AM

For the sake of completeness, it was from this video at about the 2 min 49 sec mark.

10-10-2018, 09:47 PM	#1
BigV Goon Squad Leader Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Seattle Posts: 27,063	Trucks are cool. ahem Let us all bear witness to the awesome power of moving water. __________________ Be Just and Fear Not.

10-10-2018, 10:01 PM	#3
BigV Goon Squad Leader Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Seattle Posts: 27,063	maybe it would be a tie? __________________ Be Just and Fear Not.

10-13-2018, 07:38 PM	#5
xoxoxoBruce The future is unwritten Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 71,105	53 cents a mile? __________________ The descent of man ~ Nixon, Friedman, Reagan, Trump.

10-14-2018, 11:27 AM	#7
xoxoxoBruce The future is unwritten Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 71,105	No, it doesn't sound like a lot to me. __________________ The descent of man ~ Nixon, Friedman, Reagan, Trump.

10-17-2018, 11:15 AM	#9
fargon Person who doesn't update the user title Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: La Crosse, WI Posts: 8,924	Amber Alert means that a child has been abducted, or is missing. __________________ Annoy the ones that ignore you!!! I live a blessed life I Love my Country, I Fear the Government!!! Heavily medicated for the good of mankind.

10-13-2018, 07:22 PM	#4
Pamela Deplorable Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: Dallas, TX Posts: 767	That is true. Especially so for livestock, gravel/sand/dirt haulers and car carriers. Jumping scales is illegal and the DOT knows which roads are commonly used for this purpose. They park portable scales at strategic points on those routes to snag unwary illegal truckers. I have avoided scales from time to time for various reasons but not as a habit. Normally, I run legal. I will offer another reason for truckers taking back roads.... the rise of the GPS. Sometimes the little box takes you on the scenic route to save you a few measly miles but adds an hour onto the trip. More than once, my GPS has told me to get off a freeway, take the frontage road for two miles, then get back onto the freeway! Why? It cuts a corner by a fraction but the traffic lights and lower speed limits make such a detour impractical. It is faster and safer to just stay on the freeway. GPS is also a generic term for the routing software that many companies use called PC Miler. It finds the shortest route from A to B that is allegedly truck legal (not always true) so they can shave off a few miles that they don't have to pay you for. Using the HHG (HouseHold Goods) option only gives the mileage from one ZIP Code to another, which is what most if not all moving companies charge a customer (and pay the driver). This tends to cut off about ten percent of the actual (hub) miles the driver drives, thus underpaying him. Practical miles is more fair and is getting to be the industry standard nowadays. My company pays practical miles, and pays fairly well too. I can't complain about that, although I do route myself rather than follow their sometimes convoluted route. Like everyone else, they say the routing is "suggested", thus letting themselves off the hook should their routing run a driver onto a no-truck road or into a low clearance. The difficulty of getting a semi out of such a situation can be tricky and at times involve heavy wreckers to get you back where you should be. The bosses will always say that the driver is responsible for following all laws and routing restrictions, which is nearly impossible given the ever-changing whims of towns and counties regarding heavy trucks on back (non-STAA) roads. I simply take that disclaimer to mean "ignore our routing and do it yourself". Take my route for this trip from Minooka IL to Fulton, MO for example. The company route took two pages of local roads, back country two-laners as well as interstate highways. They offer 329 paid miles for the run. I looked at the route on my GPS, consulted my trusty Rand-McNally atlas and decided to run I80-I55-I72 to US54 into Jeffersonville, then west to the customer. Total miles:334. Sure, I lose $2.65 doing it my way, but I save a good two hours of driving on local roads, through tiny towns and possibly no-truck zones to stay on highways where it is faster and much safer for me. Totally worth it to me. So the trucks going through your area may not be scale-jumping at all but following GPS routing instead.

10-17-2018, 03:02 PM	#11
Gravdigr The Un-Tuckian Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: South Central...KY that is Posts: 39,517	AMBER Alert __________________ These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA, EPA, FBI, DEA, CDC, or FDIC. These statements are not intended to diagnose, cause, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. If you feel you have been harmed/offended by, or, disagree with any of the above statements or images, please feel free to fuck right off.

10-17-2018, 03:16 PM	#12
Carruthers Junior Master Dwellar Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Buckinghamshire UK Posts: 4,059	Thanks for the link Mr G, I'm grateful to you. My assumption was that it was one of a number of coloured alerts each with a defined meaning. __________________

10-17-2018, 03:21 PM	#13
Gravdigr The Un-Tuckian Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: South Central...KY that is Posts: 39,517	We aren't that deep. __________________ These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA, EPA, FBI, DEA, CDC, or FDIC. These statements are not intended to diagnose, cause, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. If you feel you have been harmed/offended by, or, disagree with any of the above statements or images, please feel free to fuck right off.

10-17-2018, 04:29 PM	#14
Clodfobble UNDER CONDITIONAL MITIGATION Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 20,012	There are also Silver Alerts for missing old folks with dementia. But those are the only two. __________________ My book My other book My spirit animal

10-18-2018, 03:51 AM	#15
Carruthers Junior Master Dwellar Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Buckinghamshire UK Posts: 4,059	For the sake of completeness, it was from this video at about the 2 min 49 sec mark. __________________

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)