HOW TRUCKERS CAN MAINTAIN FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS

If you are a long-distance trucker, on the road for weeks at a time, it can be difficult to stay connected and engaged with those you hold near and dear. Below are tips on how to maximize time with family when you are home, and how to leverage modern technology to stay connected and engaged while on the road.

Talk, Text, and Video Chat

Long haul truck drivers, who’ve been driving before the invention of modern day mobile communication, can tell you what an impact it has made on the quality of on the road communication. While you are still sure to drive through some dead zones, where service is minimal at best, take a minute at each rest stop or weigh station to send a quick text to your spouse, kids, or closest friends and family.

When you’re at lunch or done driving for the day, call your loved ones. If they aren’t home, always leave a voice mail.

Video chat as often as you can, including sending your loved ones a video they can play when they want to see you and hear your voice. Also, use video to have your loved ones record the sporting events and extracurricular activities you miss while on the road. Bonus points if you can live stream. You can even utilize video to help your kids with their homework more 🙂

EASIER FOR ACTIVE DUTY AND VETERAN MILITARY MEMBERS TO OBTAIN THEIR CDL

It’s long overdue, but finally the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has eased the requirements for active duty and military veterans to obtain their commercial driver’s license. This is exciting news for military personal and trucking companies. Too many of our brave and selfless veterans struggle to find good employment when they retire, even in jobs that would utilize the skills they have mastered, such as driving trucks and other heavy machinery.

Skills Test Waiver Extended, Redundancy Reduced

The first step for active duty or military vets who have CMV driving experience in the military is to take a skills test. This opportunity used to be available only for 90 days, but the waiver has now become available for a full 12 months from the date of discharge.

On top of that, CMV training will now be credited towards the applicable CDL training and knowledge requirements. This eliminates many of the redundant hoops vets must take to obtain their permit and license.

Rules and Regulations Vary Slightly

Military vets must also keep in mind that each state may have slightly different rules and regulations for eligibility. These regulations are similar to what citizens must achieve to be eligible, and often include, but are not limited to:

• Has never had their standard or CDL license suspended, revoked, or cancelled.
• Has only one license in addition to their military license.
• Has not been convicted of qualified motor vehicle offenses—drug, alcohol, hit and run, motor vehicle felony, negligent operation, and more.
• Only has one or less serious ticket and/or traffic violations—driving in excess of 15 mph, reckless driving, tailgating, fatal motor vehicle accident, erratic lane change, driving a vehicle without proper class or endorsement, texting while driving, or talking on mobile phone while driving.

Dedicated and Disciplined Truckers

The great thing about choosing a career as a local or long-distance truck driver is that you are in a field where dedicated and dependable drivers are always needed. No matter what state you live in, truckers are always needed to transport products, supplies, and goods locally and around the nation. Since finding good paying jobs remains a challenge for far too many of our veterans, these eased regulations are exciting. Plus, who better to fill the need than some of the most dedicated and disciplined people around.

The Sooner You Start the Better

If you have 2 years CMV driving experience and no driving or legal disqualifications—it is faster and easier than ever to obtain your CDL. We encourage active duty personnel to start the process in the months before discharge, so you can begin applying for trucking positions as soon as you are available. At the very least, if you have the experience, why not obtain your CDL? It is easiest to obtain within 12 months of discharge and will provide you with a solid career choice if your other plans fall through.

Your experience driving a heavy military vehicles is a skill that can be leveraged to gain employment in the civilian world. Help us spread the word!

WHAT CAUSES IRREGULAR TRUCK TIRE WEAR?

Commercial Truck Tires | Hunter Tires

Replacing your truck tires is one of the regular expenses to be expected when operating a commercial truck. Irregular wear, however, can force you to replace truck tires early and waste money. You should be aware of the most frequent causes of irregular tread wear and tire failure while driving and maintaining your rig. That way, you can do everything within your power to keep wear to a minimum and safely go for longer without replacing your tires.

The Wrong Truck Tires for the Job

You need to make sure you’re using the right commercial tire for the position and application. Running highway tires off road or choosing the wrong tread for the job can lead to fast and irregular tire wear. Often, specific tires for the job will be well worth the price in the mileage and replacement costs they save you.

 

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Truck Tires in Riverside, CA

Singular Tire Sales

Singular Tire Sales provides Riverside, CA. with the best quality new and re-capped truck tires at the lowest rates in town!

For more information on brands, pricing, and size please give us a call today at (909)355-3613.

Truck Tires Riverside, CA

Whether your looking for new or re-capped truck tires, Singular Tire Sales offers the wide selection your looking for at prices that will fit your budget. We carry all the major name brands and more affordable options as well. Give us a call or come by the shop today!

Singular Tire Sales can help you with:

1. New Commercial Truck Tires
2. Re-Capped Commercial Truck Tires
3. Truck Tire Accessories
4. 24 Hour Mobile Service Unit
5. And More!

If you have any questions comments or concerns please feel free to give us a call at (909)355-3613 today!

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Hunter Warranty

Commercial Truck Tires | Hunter Tires

Congratulations, You Have Just Purchased What We Believe Is The Finest Value Available In The Tire Industry.

We Are Proud Of The Quality And Performance Of The Wide Range Of Hunter Products, And We Realize That Your Continued Satisfaction Is Essential To Our Growing Success. Hunter Tires Are On The Road Right Now Delivering Long Mileage And Outstanding Performance.

• Hunter Tire Tread Life Warranty

  We know that perfect commutes are few and far between, so we back our tires with warranties that help protect you in the case of premature treadwear.

• Truck Tires Replacement Warranty

  If you experience noise, vibrations, or roughness from your tires, you may be covered under our tire-replacement limited warranty.

• 30-Day Hunter Tire Pledge

  Our 30-Day Pledge, which gives you up to 30 days to decide if you want to keep your tires or exchange them for a different set of Hunter Tires

• Service Network Warranty

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What are the Common Causes of Truck Accidents? — Expert Trucking

Although commercial trucks are involved in fewer accidents than other types of vehicles, when a commercial truck, such as an 18-wheeler or tanker collides with a passenger vehicle, the consequences can be devastating. But what factors contribute to these accidents? Below are some of the major causes: Accidents caused by passenger vehicle drivers According to .. By Hunter Tires sale Group

 

via What are the Common Causes of Truck Accidents? — Expert Trucking

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT FMCSA COMMERCIAL TIRE REGULATIONS

Commercial Truck Tires | Hunter Tires

Properly maintained commercial truck tires aren’t just a matter of safety and fuel economy (although that should be enough reason for any owner/operator or fleet manager); it’s a matter of federal regulation. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has a number of regulations for commercial tires. If you are found to be falling short of these regulations, you may face citations or even have your truck placed out of service. To avoid these consequences, it’s important to be thorough when conducting pre-trip tire inspections and to repair tire issues in a timely manner.

Key FMCSA Regulations

The first step is to be familiar with FMCSA regulations on commercial truck tires. The key rules are found in section 393.75. This section states that no motor vehicle should be operated on a tire that:

• Has ply or belt material exposed through the tread or sidewall
• Has any tread or sidewall…

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WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT FMCSA COMMERCIAL TIRE REGULATIONS

Commercial Truck Tires | Hunter Tires

Properly maintained commercial truck tires aren’t just a matter of safety and fuel economy (although that should be enough reason for any owner/operator or fleet manager); it’s a matter of federal regulation. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has a number of regulations for commercial tires. If you are found to be falling short of these regulations, you may face citations or even have your truck placed out of service. To avoid these consequences, it’s important to be thorough when conducting pre-trip tire inspections and to repair tire issues in a timely manner.

Key FMCSA Regulations

The first step is to be familiar with FMCSA regulations on commercial truck tires. The key rules are found in section 393.75. This section states that no motor vehicle should be operated on a tire that:

• Has ply or belt material exposed through the tread or sidewall
• Has any tread or…

View original post 113 more words

CB ETIQUETTE – REMEMBER THE PURPOSE

A CB is one of the most important tools for truckers, but sometimes it’s easy to forget why we use them, and that can lead to some major etiquette violations or make other drivers irritated.

CBs Serve a Valuable Purpose

CB communication isn’t just to give bored truckers something to do. This communication is important as it allows truckers a safe way to communicate with each other and let everyone know about road conditions, traffic, or even call for help in an emergency.

Hasn’t technology replaced the CB by now? When it relates to safety, not really, because fumbling around with smartphones on the road is dangerous and the one key action of the CB mic is a far safer alternative. Smartphones will only do you good if you already know the truckers around you, which is a rarity for most drivers.

Channel 19 is Not Personal

Channel 19 is reserved for truckers and real information that makes their jobs safer. With safety in mind, it’s seems like common sense to not tie up the frequency with unrelated, personal chatter.

Channel 19 on the CB is not the place for:

• Long stories about your kids or complaining about politics
• Venting frustrations about your love life or that 16 year old who just cut you off
• Telling a funny story about what your cat did last night

While that might sound like an unlikely list, most truckers have heard far worse on channel 19.

It’s easy to understand why some truckers feel the need to reach out. The reality is, there isn’t anything wrong with it as long as you take those conversations to another channel right away.

Be Helpful

Requesting information or assistance through the CB radio only does any good if there are other truckers out there willing to lend a hand. If you hear another trucker is in need, help them out. If you needed help or had a question, wouldn’t you be frustrated to hear nothing but silence, especially when you see lots of other trucks around you? That might mean being patient with less experienced truck drivers by inviting them to another channel and nicely explaining what channel 19 is for.

Always On and Turned Up

Some truckers don’t bother keeping their radio on keep the volume low, unless they need important information or have a real problem. Keeping the radio on and staying tuned in is an unwritten rule that all truckers should adhere to. Consider it a duty to your fellow truckers and yourself.

Trucking may be a lonely profession at times, but the trucking community is a tight one and CB radio communication is a big part of that. Treat both with respect, and let’s be safe out there.

TECHNOLOGY IN TRUCKING !! WATCH FOR THESE CHANGES

Technology has been changing the world as we know it for a long time now, and we don’t have to look far to see someone with their eyes glued to their smart phone to see evidence of this. This wave of technology has impacted the trucking industry as well, but are these advances welcome or just additional headaches?

Driverless Trucks

One of the biggest concerns in trucking is the autonomous or driverless truck. It is understandably hard for truckers to get behind this advancing technology as it would have a huge impact on the job market. While this technology is being developed, we are a long way from actually seeing wide-spread usage on the road, and the roll out will take time. We will see a number of advances in safety and fuel efficiency long before autonomous trucks are integrated.

Safety Technology

Safety will be one the biggest areas where we will continue to see changes; improvements in stability control, braking systems, lane departure warnings, blind spot warnings, and collision avoidance technologies are all in motion. You can also expect to see more trucks fitted with multiple cameras to not only cover blind spots but also to record accidents. These video recordings could be very helpful as most trucking accidents are caused by passenger vehicles, even though the trucker is often the first to receive the blame.

More technology means a busier dashboard to devices to monitor, with multiple screens and integrated technology surrounding the driver. It also means a longer learning curve and even more distractions to the driver. On the positive side, seeing accidents and every day happenings on video will lesson a trucker’s liability.

Let’s just hope seasoned drivers will be offered training and the increased educational requirements will result in higher pay for all truckers.

Fuel Efficiency

While safety features will see significant changes, there will also be advancements in technology that will address the issue of fuel economy.

Platooning is a concept that will be kept in check by on-truck technology. This simple concept can be compared to NASCAR cars drafting to save fuel and increase speed, and has been proven to work with trucks.

There will also be a number of physical changes as engineers continue to study aerodynamics and power systems, and incorporate their findings into new trucks. Changes in the actual running gear, which is less concerned about raw power and more concerned about great fuel efficiency, are also coming. There will be even more aggressive changes as natural gas and electric trucks continue to advance.

Embracing Change is Easier

There are changes coming, but the question remains will these be great advancements or more of a benefit or pain? As it turns out there is no easy way to answer that. Autonomous trucks will truly upend the industry as we know it today, but at least we have time before it becomes a major concern. Safety technology is hard to turn down though some might argue that it takes the skill away from actually driving. Probably the biggest concern for old school truckers are the changes in the drive train of these trucks. No longer will we see the mean-looking, all-powerful rigs, but instead we will have super-efficient trucks that look and feel much different.

Every trucker will have their own opinion, but these changes are coming and we will be better of embracing them and adapting the way truckers always do.

Hunter Tires sells commercial tires.

Written by Hunter Tires Editorial Team