Skilled son needs chance to drive
My son is a 19-year-old truck driver. We live in New Mexico, where my son drove a truck for one year before the insurance decided they could not insure him anymore because he was too young and did not have enough driving experience. This was done after he was allowed to get his CDL and health card.
My son was raised around trucks. When he took the CDL written and driving test, the instructor told him, “Here is your CDL. You know how to drive better than I do.”
Now, my son is at home and very discouraged. He is a young man who wants to work but is not being allowed to. Won’t someone give this young truck driver a chance?
Rita Pacheco
Trementina, N.M.
Dangers of having police scanners
In January 2000, I was pulled over in Bridgeport, Mich. I was not cited for any traffic law, but I must have appeared suspicious. On my front seat was a hand-held scanner that was turned off. The police requested a personal search twice and a vehicular search. While locked in the rear seat of a patrol car, I could see the officers playing with my scanner. They were trying to get it to receive their local police frequencies, but they were not among its 500 channels.
After pleading my innocence and being questioned for 30 minutes on my reason for having a scanner in my car, I was released. But they told me, “If you had had our Bridgeport frequencies programmed in, you would be going to jail right now.”
While I am not a member of the trucking industry, those who have police radio scanners in their cabs may benefit from knowing that seven states have laws that restrict using, transporting or possessing any radio able to receive police frequencies in a vehicle. Violating this law can get you a year in jail, or a $500 fine or both.
Mark Bajek
Westland, Mich.
$1,000 prize will buy new tires
We were very pleased to be notified as your winner for the week of Nov. 12 in your Money for Miles contest on www.eTrucker.com. To all who believe they could never win at anything, be careful – it may be hard to thank someone with your foot in your mouth. Our winnings will purchase a new set of steer tires for one of our trucks. Many thanks from all of us here at Shepherd Trucking.
Jerry L. Shepherd
Eatonton, Ga.
