Trucker_Model_030618-123_Cleared.jpg

A couple of weeks ago, I was one of 5 trucks that transported a huge disassembled loader from Utah to Pennsylvania.  The trip was 2200 miles and around 35 hours of driving based on my GPS.  I got loaded Wednesday morning and started on my way, knowing I would have to deliver Monday.  There's no way to legally drive 35 hours in two days as a solo driver.  Plus I lost two hours going from the mountain time zone to the eastern time zone.

When I delivered Monday, I found out that one of the other drivers, who left late Wednesday afternoon, delivered his load Friday afternoon!  He drove 35 hours in around 44 hours of time.  I know you think he had a co-driver, but he did not.  We were laid over at the shipper for 2 days waiting on them to disassemble the loader.  (Don't worry, we were paid well for waiting)

Even in this age of ELDs, there are still people breaking the rules.  And by the way, he didn't have a pre-2000 truck either. He was a young guy with a late model truck and flip flops.  It's scary to know we share the roads with truckers like this.  Yeah, I know about the good ole days when drivers would do stuff like that all the time.  The last study on the life span of a trucker showed they died around age 61.  With stories like that, there's no wonder. 

Thanks to TruckStockImages.com for the photo.

Comments (0)

Joey Slaughter

Joey Slaughter is the owner of Blue Ridge Transport, LLC. Joey has been in the trucking industry since 1992.

Read These Next...

LIVE Smart

Healthy Trucker Snacks

February 17, 2014

LIVE Smart

Fat: Friend or Foe?

March 01, 2017