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Drivers, Quit Acting a Fool

Feedback-foolHere are my thoughts, a former owner-operator when fuel was $0.99 and up to $1.25 per gallon. We all thought we’d die when diesel fuel went to a whole dollar a gallon. I have 24 years of experience and am now a company driver.

I cannot understand my fellow drivers. Some are slobs and pig pens, really. I can’t understand why grown men use a truckstop bathroom and throw used hand paper towels on the floor, or worse, in the sink! The sink? Yep. How’d you like to be the low-wage janitor — go in a toilet stall and pick up discarded scratch lottery tickets off the floor, coffee cups, water bottle, Coke cans and other such trash? A 5-year-old wouldn’t do it, but grown truck drivers do. Why? Because no one’s looking. Quit being animals and become human beings again!

Other drivers following you don’t like it, and I’m sure the janitor hates it and us truck drivers. Have some pride in yourself, Jocko.

Also, why do some of you morons have to unscrew and steal all the clothes/coat hooks from all the stall doors nationwide? I have a friend who is a manager at a major truckstop chain. He told me they replaced hundreds of coat hooks in the bathrooms and are not doing it any more. He says when using their bathrooms, “Throw your jackets on the floor.” He doesn’t care. Drivers, grow up and don’t act stupid.

Mike Giglio, Marietta, Ohio

 

Good ol’ days not so great, actually

Drivers who say it was better in “old” days must not have very good memories.

I remember standing in line waiting to talk to dispatch for hours to be told to call back later. How did I get rest? I love the ­Qualcomm. If that means I gave up some freedom so be it. For those who say we should always keep our CBs on … I say phooey because the info isn’t always accurate. I agree there shouldn’t be texting while driving. However, the talking while driving as long as you use a headset should be allowed.

How is it different from talking on CB? With the CB you have to take your hand off the wheel repeatedly. Is it simply okay because we’ve always used it? That’s not good enough. We had, statiscally, just as many accidents in the old days as we do now. Only they were blamed on not enough sleep due to dispatch, hours of service, etc., etc. The new “blame” is the cell phone. Actual reason for most accidents is simply driver not having common sense to know that his/her attention is needed to drive the truck. It isn’t going to drive itself!

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M.Bradley, Illinois

 

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HOW DO YOU THINK PRESIDENT OBAMA HAS DONE IN HIS FIRST YEAR IN OFFICE?

We’re in deep trouble — 69%

Fair — 6%

Excellent — 8%

Poor — 9%

Good — 9%

 

Source: ETruck.com poll 431 votes

 

At what BMI should the FMCSA test for sleep apnea, and why?

Via Facebook

I don’t know if there is a certain BMI that they should test at. I know people who have a very low BMI, and they have sleep apnea. They are finding out it is not all about weight. Yes, there is a much higher risk of having sleep apnea when a person is overweight, but it can happen in skinny people also.

— Dave U.

If they make the test very strict, then they are going to absolutely decimate the trucking industry. There are a lot of big guys and ladies in the industry, and if a company loses 25-35 percent of its drivers, hopefully the standards will have to be adjusted quickly. I am a big man, yes, but I do not have sleep apnea. But I am constantly being ridiculed for just being big.

— Tim M.

I think everyone should be checked for sleep apnea.

— Rick R.

Check four-wheel drivers too. Since the majority of accidents involving trucks is the fault of the four-wheeler, then it only makes sense that they should be tested.

— Mike D.

BMI should not be an indicator of sleep apnea. Slim people as well as overweight people can have sleep apnea.

— James M.

Anyone can have sleep apnea. Know the symptoms and don’t ignore them. When a trucker gets a physical, the doctor should be asking questions that can reveal symptoms and the need for testing. Assigning a BMI will not solve the problem.

— Traci G.

Not everyone who is heavy has sleep apnea!

— Tammy B.

 

Who would you pick to play you in a movie and why?

Howard-Feedback“Well with Brad Pitt, a lot of people think I look like him in some ways, even though some time I don’t. He has the ability to take himself into another presence. His talent is just off the charts. He can portray, I think, anyone. He would be the one I would choose.”

— Howard White

Sunbelt Transport,Knoxville, Tenn.

 

Richard-Feedback“I would pick Denzel Washington. Why? Because he is a real good actor. He’s straight to the point. I am really inspired by his actions in most of his movies. Like John Q, that was very touching. I feel like he could play my role in a movie about my life.”

— Richard McCurter, Jr.

Independent owner-operator, Greensboro, N.C.

 

 

Richard-Sheldon-Feedback“Danny DeVito because he looks like me.”

— Richard Sheldon

Premier Transportation, Huntsville, Ala.

 

Patrick-Feedback“Patrick Swayze, I guess. Because he’s crazy.”

— Danny Croll

John C. Hipp, Millersburg, Ohio

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