Truck Driving Jobs

Myth_Buster · Posted: Mon Oct 16, 2006 12:26 am Post subject: For those who want to know:

Several here have asked what my credentials are. So to help satisfy the curiosity here is a list of my experience FYI:

1963 -1967: Rode with my uncles in Pete logging trucks and White COEs toting flatbeds delivering lumber.

1971 - 1973: Farm trucks hauling hay

1976 - 1981: US Army petroleum supply specialist MOS 76W20, toted 5,000 gallon fuel tanks around Washington state and Germany. Also drove 2 1/2 ton M49C for fueling aircraft, and 5 tons with two 600 gallon pods and a pump unit for fueling aircraft. Learned the hard way that military trucks ran either 4 six volt batteries in parallel/serial circuits or 2 twelve volt batteries in parallel. Welded more than one wrench to a frame. Spent many a night in the woods in Washington State doing non-standard training with CH-47 pilots then refueling them before they flew home and the muddy woods in Germany on REFORGER playing Army games. Worked mass decontamination drills in Seattle and helped with emergency relief for the flood of I believe 1977 in Southern Washington where CH-47's were used to air drop hay to stranded cows, place in temporary bridges, and what ever else was needed.

1982 ? 1985: Fort Gordon, GA AIT, Munich, FRG, and Fort Huachuca, AZ, Digital Subscriber Terminal Equipment Repairman MOS 34F30. 11/1983 ? 12/83, 01/84 ? 06/84, and 03/85 ? 08/85 Comayauga Honduras 11th Signal Brigade Forward. Operated 2 ? ton trucks to haul maintenance shelters and environmental conditioning equipment.

1985 ? 1991: Korea, Diego Garcia BIOT, Japan, the Philippines. Repaired, maintained, and installed communication stations for the Department of Defense.

1991 ? 1992: Front Range Colorado: Repaired, maintained and installed ATM machines.

1992 - 1996: OTR 48 states and Canada, drove primarily the 21 western states with many miles in Colorado. Been as far north as White Horse, AB to get paper for newspapers in the US. Crossed between Canada and the US at Washington State, Idaho, Montana, Michigan, and New York. Hauled fuel, flatbeds, dry van and refer. Spent my fair share of winters in -40 degree Fahrenheit weather because most drivers wanted to go north in the summer time. I have chained while transversing I-5 when it was discovered you chain or sit for a week. I have also chained in Oregon when road conditions required chains even when it wasn?t snowing.

1997 - 1999: Colorado POE Cortez Colorado, size & weight, over dimension loads, CDL, fuel tax, SSRS, and vehicle safety inspector.

1999 - Present: FMCSA

So folks, I know a little about a lot. I have been an advocate against new rules and supported changes in the current regulations to make more sense.

I deal with the bad more than I deal with the good. It amazes me when people do stupid things. I accept all challenges to find violations when people try to hide the truth. I offer my business card to all I meet and offer advice as much as I can. I offer classes to industry and enforcement on many areas of the FMCSR and HMR. I have dealt with every thing from a one person operation to a carrier with several thousands power units.

I believe too many people answer questions before they know all of the facts and often provide information inconsistent with the regulations. People often ask questions a certain way to get the answer they desire. Hence, a question to your question.

Be safe.

Mackman · Joined: 14 Sep 2005 Posts: 2300 Location: Concordville PA

Myth_Buster wrote: I have been an advocate against new rules and supported changes in the current regulations to make more sense.

Well why dont you guys try to change the law that you have to be 21 to go out of state. I think that is one of the biggest B.S. laws there is.

yoopr · Joined: 01 Dec 2004 Posts: 12866

1999 - Present: FMCSA

That was obvious from the Get Go

Rev.Vassago · Joined: 04 Apr 2006 Posts: 5402 Location: Green Bay, WI

yoopr wrote: That was obvious from the Get Go

Actually it wasn't, considering the whole "pre trips are scheduled maintainence" thing. Just because you have been around trucks for many years doesn't make you an expert.

It's pretty obvious who Myth_Buster is.

Why he doesn't admit to it is beyond me.

Quote: 1999 - Present: FMCSA

And what do you do at FMCSA?

Overloaded · Joined: 09 Sep 2006 Posts: 80 Location: West Virginia

Rev.Vassago wrote:

It's pretty obvious who Myth_Buster is.

Why he doesn't admit to it is beyond me.

He wouldn't happen to be John Q Public would he?

Rev.Vassago · Joined: 04 Apr 2006 Posts: 5402 Location: Green Bay, WI

Overloaded wrote: Rev.Vassago wrote:

It's pretty obvious who Myth_Buster is.

Why he doesn't admit to it is beyond me.

He wouldn't happen to be John Q Public would he?

Yes, but for some reason he doesn't want to be known as such over here, and his information is "sketchy", at best.

Not to mention he came in, guns blazing, and started digging up old threads, and pissing off lots of people.

I still would like to know what he does at FMCSA, assuming he actually works there.

Myth_Buster · Posted: Tue Oct 17, 2006 12:31 am Post subject:

Quote: Actually it wasn't, considering the whole "pre trips are scheduled maintainence" thing. Just because you have been around trucks for many years doesn't make you an expert.

You say tomato I say tomatoo.

Maintenance is maintenance, if the DVIR isn't filled out carriers are cited for failing to have the required documents. If violations aren't repaired then carriers/driver can be cited for and prosecuted for maintenance related issues. If drivers aren't satisfied the items listed are safe then the driver faces prosecution for operating an unsafe vehicle.

Have I offered information and examples to demonstrate the driver can be prosecuted for maintenance issues? I think so:

Quote: 2002 Closed Enforcement Cases

Quote:
COREY LITTLETON CHICAGO, IL 396.9(c)(2) Driver IL-2002-0066-US0769 $750.00

Well there's at least one where a driver was prosecuted in relation to maintenance of a vehicle. The driver operated a vehicle declared OOS.

Quote:
ORVIN M. KILGORE MANSFIELD, MO 396.11(a) Driver MO-2003-0007-US0762 $300.00

There's two.

Quote: Not to mention he came in, guns blazing, and started digging up old threads, and pissing off lots of people.

Yeah, just terrible, post from July 28, 2006 with responses on September 30. Not to mention, some myths were dispelled. Ever hear the one about wrestling with a pig? It's the enforcer's interpretation that counts at the time of the violation. If a driver or carrier can convince a judge the officer was wrong so be it. However, during the stop the officer has the final say regardless of what a driver thinks. Is it fair, no but it's fact.

Quote: I still would like to know what he does at FMCSA, assuming he actually works there.

Motor Carrier Safety Specialist GS-2123

HM Program Specialist

Be safe.

SteveBooth · Joined: 18 May 2005 Posts: 3501

Don't even bother. The Rev offers nothing to this forum other than bringing every single thread down to an argument. I usually just ignore his posts.

I say, glad to have you here, I'm sure you can offer some very good information.

Rev.Vassago · Joined: 04 Apr 2006 Posts: 5402 Location: Green Bay, WI

Myth_Buster wrote: Quote: Actually it wasn't, considering the whole "pre trips are scheduled maintainence" thing. Just because you have been around trucks for many years doesn't make you an expert.

You say tomato I say tomatoo.

Then you say it wrong, as there is no such word as tomatoo. :lol:

Quote: Have I offered information and examples to demonstrate the driver can be prosecuted for maintenance issues? I think so:

Quote: 2002 Closed Enforcement Cases

Quote:
COREY LITTLETON CHICAGO, IL 396.9(c)(2) Driver IL-2002-0066-US0769 $750.00

Well there's at least one where a driver was prosecuted in relation to maintenance of a vehicle. The driver operated a vehicle declared OOS.

No, that is a violation of an out of service order, and not a violation of the maintainance itself. The carrier would have been cited for the maintainance violation, and the driver cited for the OOS violation.

Quote: Quote:
ORVIN M. KILGORE MANSFIELD, MO 396.11(a) Driver MO-2003-0007-US0762 $300.00

There's two.

I see nothing on that second one that says anything about maintainance. In fact, I see nothing at all about it, as you just list a case file. Why not list the details of the case?

Quote: Quote: Not to mention he came in, guns blazing, and started digging up old threads, and pissing off lots of people.

Yeah, just terrible, post from July 28, 2006 with responses on September 30. Not to mention, some myths were dispelled.

No, some myths were created........by you, in relation to a driver's logbook being a "maintainence" issue.

Quote: Ever hear the one about wrestling with a pig? It's the enforcer's interpretation that counts at the time of the violation. If a driver or carrier can convince a judge the officer was wrong so be it. However, during the stop the officer has the final say regardless of what a driver thinks. Is it fair, no but it's fact.

And as you said, it is up to a JUDGE to rule on it. An enforcer can cite a driver for whatever they want - that is not a conviction.

Quote: Quote: I still would like to know what he does at FMCSA, assuming he actually works there.

Motor Carrier Safety Specialist GS-2123

Quote: Trucking association, motor carrier, national employee union, or similar work that required substantial knowledge of the Federal or State motor carrier safety and hazardous materials programs (i.e., laws, regulations, standards, policies, and practices), and that involved developing or providing technical guidance to carriers covering such areas as equipment standards, safe operating practices, driver qualifications and hours of work, procedures for handling hazardous materials, loss prevention techniques, or procedures for maintaining compliance with Federal or State motor carrier safety regulations.

This says that if you have experience in the trucking industry, it qualifies you as an "expert". I suppose that makes everyone here an "expert", then. That's kind of scary, if that's all it takes.

Quote: HM Program Specialist

I'm assuming that your name appears somewhere on that hazmat specialist contact sheet. Why don't you stick to that, as your "interpretation" of the general rules is painted with a really broad stroke, and has no legitimate bearing on what the FMCSA rules actually say, or what the FMCSA interpretations say, either.

_________

SteveBooth wrote: Don't even bother. The Rev offers nothing to this forum other than bringing every single thread down to an argument. I usually just ignore his posts.

Which is why you thought you weren't required to submit to random drug tests, even though I cited the rules that said otherwise. But you know, those pesky "specialists" known as the DOT told you different. :roll:

You know, I could see your point if I was the only one who thought that Myth_Buster was overstepping his boundary, but others have seen it as well. He comes here with a "holier than thou" attitude, which just makes him look an a$$hole.

Useless · Joined: 08 Oct 2005 Posts: 3145 Location: Canyon Lake, Tx.

:?: :?:
Hi, Myth_Buster!!

Never Mind!! Thanks for catching me on the misread, Yooper!!

Thanks,
Useless

Truck Driving Jobs

Trucking Jobs

Truck Drivers

Trucking Companies

Class A Drivers.com