patriciajnsn

Anytime I can be of assistance, feel free to contact me either here in the forum or my email ( silversurfer@theamericandriver.com ). If it's something I don't know...I'm not so arrogant to not state so and help ya find the correct info. It's also good to hear your company's surviving our current economic situation.

I'm very sorry to hear about the situation you and your family are experiencing. It sounds like alziehmers. My family went through this a few years back with my granny. It's truely difficult to experience a loved one not recognizing you...I would not wish this tragic situation on my worst enemy. May God provide you and yours the strength to endure your situation.

Safe Trails and God Bless,
-ss-

Thank you, Patty. Hope you found yourself among loved ones on thanksgiving.

I'm still out there with y'all. Instead of steering and gearing, I maintain a site to assist y'all. My brother and I started it almost 3 yrs ago. Have you heard of TheAmericanDriver? Figured I'd do something to assist professional drivers in their daily acivities. It's a constant work in progress. Also, this helps keep the urge to get back in a rig under control. After 1.5+ million miles...driving a rig tends to get into your blood (lol.)

When I parked my rig in '02, I made a decision to not come back out until positive changes were made towards the betterment of the driver, instead of the industry corporates and government.

Safe Trails and God Bless,
Frederick (SilverSurfer) Schaffner

sometime's if we all post at the same time it locks up, all u need to do is refreash.lol talk to u later.

I'm glad to hear you feel you have the steering and gearing down. Confidence is key to the handling of your equipment. As for being your trainer...I never meant to imply you needed a trainer. I was only responding to your statement of being nervous with me in a truck. I drive solo, and no one would be in my truck except as a trainee. I took on that responsibility only 3 times.

I can tell you are still young to the industry with your statement of fast trucks. I had a very fast truck...a very fast triple digit truck. But fast trucks are not the key to success - time management is. It's good you have found yourself a company to drive for which you like. I am truely happy for you in that regard. I wouldn't wish upon anyone to have to work for a company they were not happy with. May your success with that company continue through these tough times.

We are all brother's and sister's behind the wheel of a rig, and I will ask for your patience regarding my blunt way of expressing myself...it's a mannerism acquired from my uncle during my training many many years ago. I was trained to succeed as an O/O, and the in-your-face blunt way of expressing one's self is a mannerism condusive of O/O's. My apologies for any feelings of disrepect. It's just there's a world of difference between being a company driver and an O/O and I have a tendency to express myself as if everyone is an O/O.

Safe Trails and God Bless,
-ss-

lol, yea I been driving a while

I'm sorry if you perceived my post in the manner in which you have. I can guarantee you would never be nervous, or scared, riding with me as your trainer. I was taught how to maximize my ability to generate a dollar and safely operate my equipment. I was an owner-operator from jump street and understand exactly what it takes to succeed as an o/o.

As to your question of why double-clutching is required. Our government set testing guidelines back when double-clutching was necessary due to equipment capabilities. And because those guidelines have not been updated according to current equipment technology is the reason it's required, as you have been lead to believe.

I'm glad to hear you are making money. But are you maximizing your income potential? There is a difference. I mean no disrepect, but have you been running the same truck for several years (10+,) and are you paying the expenses to keep that truck in a money-making capacity? Also, in regards to double-clutching...you're truck will end up in the shop for repairs before mine would floating gears. Common sense dictates this. My maximized earnings would far outweigh yours when the expense of a new clutch brake and throw-out bearing was required. This type of knowledge is what's not being taught and I find this to be detrimental to anyone becoming a trucker. If you had the choice between being taught how to do something and how to succeed at doing something...which would you choose? Currently in our industry, this choice is not being presented to individuals wanting to become a trucker.

Again, I'm sorry if you perceived my post in the way you have. I was only relaying what I have been taught and know from experience.

Safe Trails,
ss

Thank you I have been using it for almost a year. You can even google it and bring up all kinds of nifty things LOL