More rookie questions.
 

Three things.

1st:Most of my work will be within 150 mile radius of home base.My company say's no log book needed ,& I think they are right,but
isn't it better to run with log(is what I'm gonna do) incase cop pulls you over
& tells you he doesn't care what you know,he wants to see A log book?
I'm just trying to make life easier for myself.Anybody ever won an argument with DOT?

2nd:Truck stops & rest stops.To me,pulling in between all those rigs,is A challenge.I'll get better & I take my time.Here's the question.It probably varies,depending on the situation,but is it better to back out of slot,or pull
forward(forward sometimes only gives you cpl feet before curb)?I know it sounds silly,but i'm new & better to ask dumb questions,than find out the "Hard Way".

3rd:Trailers I have used have registration,but I haven't found vehicle condition reports.Am I wrong?Do they also require VCR'S?

Thanks,in advance & it's ok if you want to call me A bonehead.I won't take it personally.

Re: More rookie questions.
 

okay bonehead :D you can use a regular log book if you want or you can carry an exempt log, it just has start and stop time for every day. it also has a place for tractor and trailer inspection, so that should answer your first 2 questions. as far as parking, you should always try to park where you dont have to back up, its not always possible, but do it when ever you can, pulling forward is much safer than backing.

Thanks dog!

Re: More rookie questions.
 

its a 100 air mile radius heres a link to the rules
http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/rules-regul...ction_toc=1938

Not always. Ours does not. We have DVR book in every truck that we fill out at the end of the day.

Man, I'm gonna catch it for this!

Backing in is the "preferred method," so you can see what your're doing when you pull out, but it is not "geometrically" the best!

The PIVOT pont is at your TANDEMS. So, if they are "buried" behind you, between two trucks, you must pull out far enough to let them "pivot" you around the front of the truck parked next to you.

IF, you are nose in, and they (your tandems) are about even with your neighbors' kingpin, you only have to back up a couple of feet before "jacking" your cab a bit to start them in a direction toward the "open road" between the lines of trucks.

The distance between your cab and the trucks on your side, will define how much "jack" you can give it. But, IF you PULLED IN THERE, you shoud be able to reverse the process, and back OUT!

This is why I can't buy the complaint about "nosing in" to an IdleAire spot! It's JUST not that difficult to back out of a slot!!

However, while you are NEW, you should learn to back every chance you get. And it is MUCH easier to back BETWEEN two trucks than in an open space! REALLY.... that's TRUE!

But, if you're just pulling into a T/S for a few minutes, and the area behind you is somewhat open, go ahead and NOSE in! You'll be able to back out easily! And, regardless, it's a skill you need to master!

This is why I can't buy the complaint about "nosing in" to an IdleAire spot! It's JUST not that difficult to back out of a slot!!

There is a difference between IdleAire slots and the other parking spaces at most t/s. The IdleAire slots are angled and are wider than than normal.

The 100 mile radius, no log book exception is the federal rule. Some states like Illinois use a 150 mile exception which is good so long as you do not leave the state. If you do then you have to use the 100 mile rule.

Other states may have a similar rule, though if there are I can not tell you what those might be.

In addition to the mile rule there are other requirements that must be met in order not to use a log book. One of the biggies is that you must return to your work reporting location and be released from work within 12 hours.

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I am going to chime in on the nose in issue. There are a couple of things that I have concerns with. One is visibility while trying to back out. Unless you are from Krypton I doubt you can see through a trailer, and I know I have come close to being hit several times by drivers trying to back out of a parking space.

The other issue is the pivot point and the statement of If your truck and trailer had the same wheel base and were equal in length then that statement would hold true, but a tractor trailer is not that way. You have about 70 feet of rig when hooked up, about 2/3 of which is trailer. Because of this you can not really copy your tracks going in reverse as you do going forward.

IMHO it is usually safer and easier to back in and pull out unless you can pull through into a spot where when you leave you can pull out.

Plus your trailer doesn't have mirrors. That really cuts your wiggle room.

It's not that you can't back out, it's just typically much more hairy than backing in would have been. Not only do you have less wiggle room, but you can't see if anybody is about to side swipe you unless you get out and look every little bit. Backing in, you control wherever you're backing in from until you get the tractor clear of it. This not only applies to truckstops, but alleys, and all manner of other real-world situations where you have the option to pull in, but it just isn't a good choice.

I agree, back in, pull out. When your pulling out you have to watch whichever front corner of your tractor and the inside corner of your trailer, know where the far back corner of the trailer is. Backing out, your gonna have a side and a corner of your tractor that you have to look for, plus after a certain point you wont even be able to see the end of your trailer. Then if you get into a situation where you pulled in, and the two people next to you backed in and got their rigs cockeyed or crocked, just asking for trouble...........