Blog Title Changed

I just changed the title of this Blog.  The old Title only made sense to a few.  The new Title "Truckers are their own worst enemy" seems more fitting.   Truck drivers by nature are independent, but if we do not get organized and start Respecting other drivers and ourselves things  will only get worse instead of better.

When was the last time you sat behind someone who was fueling, who when finished looked right at you, and then instead of pulling forward so you could fuel, they hung their hoses up, locked their door and sauntered into the Truck Stop with a 64 ounce mug?  Have you ever done this?   I have not ever done this.  I try to be as courteous as I can.  If I am having a problem getting the pump started I walk back to the guy behind me and let him know before I walk into the Truck Stop to try and get fueling process started.


How many times have you pulled into a Truck Stop at say 0830, for a quick break and seen 8 or 9 trucks parked where there is no parking?   It is obvious that these folks got there and the Truck Stop was full.  This happens, probably more than it should.  These guys grab whatever space they can, and then go to sleep.  My question is once the folks that were legally parked why can these guys not move into a parking space.  I imagine it is because they do not have the sense to set an alarm for 0700, or possibly they do not care.  I have on several occasions had to  wake a driver up so that I can safely move past his creative park job, or to get out of the space he has blocked me into.  I won't say I have never creatively parked, because I cannot.   I will say that I do set my alarm for when I think the Truck Stop will start clearing out, and then I find a real parking spot.  It is possible that electronic logs are part of the problem here, but guys, you will not get a violation, even if you are out of driving hours if you move your truck from an unsafe parking spot to a safe legal spot withing the same Truck Stop.  You are on Private Property, and you can move your truck.


I feel that Truck Stops should enforce their no parking policy in situations where drivers block fuel islands, or other parked trucks.  I heard an announcement at the TA in Commerce City, CO last night that I actually applauded.  The speaker stated a truck company name and a truck number the stated that truck needed to move immediately or be towed.  Then the voice said, The wrecker has already been called and is 5 minutes out, move your truck or it will be towed you are blocking fuel islands.   If more Truck Stops did this we would have an easier time.    If you have a problem, or have to park because you are out of service hours, or broke down, do not block any one, and tell the Truck Stop you are there and why.   Last winter I spent about 4 hours on a fuel Island in AR.  Roads were bad, and the Truck Stop was full.  I went in and asked the guy if I could stay there till a space opened up, and he said "Not a problem, we are out of fuel because the roads are so bad our supplier can't get here"   then he told me if he got fuel he would wake me up so I could move.   He also thanked me for letting him know where I was, and stated that most drivers don't do that.

So in short lets all start being Proffesional Drivers, and when you see someone do something stupid, don't chew them out in person, or on the CB, but say something.  Good example, I was getting ready to leave a Truck Stop, and a woman Schnieder Driver approached me and asked if I was leaving.  I told her I was and she said great I need to park, I am out of hours.   I told her I would move, I moved to the Fuel Island and did my logging and pretrip there so she could get into the spot I was in.  It did not hurt me to move 5 minutes early, and it helped her out.

So in short we need to start cleaning up our act, and start fixing us, and maybe the industry will get better.  We need to bring back the image of "Noble Knights of the Roadway"  because if we don/t start respecting ourselves and others, no one will respect us.

Dave Talley
Driver/Trainer, Stevens Transport.