[lowrange]

Originally Posted by GMAN

I am sorry to hear things are still difficult for you, lowrange. I would encourage you to try and keep a positive attitude. We all have trials and challenges in our lives that we must over come. That is how we learn and grow stronger. I am sure things will turn around for you soon. I remember someone mentioning once that when things are difficult that God is working good things out for us.

If feels good to be home, GMAN. I don't have any kids, but it's cute to see my mom's little dogs when they remember me. I'm trying to prepare for a full blown depression, I'm trying to position myself in case things get really, really tough- which I think is a possibility. I'm not trying to scare anyone, but if you look at things, we've got to be open to things we've never experienced in our lifetimes. If it doesn't get that bad, that will be the easiest thing to adjust to.

Perhaps you were thinking of Romans 8:28

"And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to [his] purpose."

I'll admit, it does feel good to be home instead of a motel.

[Orangetxguy]

Originally Posted by lowrange

The tare weight for whoever made the pickup was 29k something something, gross was 76k something something, product weight was 47.5k something something.

I looked back over my previous loads, and my tare ranges from about 32.5k to 33.5k. I just don't like being dumped upon, they could have told me the weight ahead of time. What incentive do I have to drive on half tanks? I mean, if I'm hauling 45k, isn't that heavy enough? I've hauled 46k, I don't care to do it, but I don't have to wonder if I'm legal. I really can't haul 80k, because the weight distribution between my drives and the trailer is off by about 500lbs. I'm still learning, but I expect over 47k would make it difficult to axle out. It seems greedy to me, I figured I wasn't going to let them put me in a spot.

As it turns out, I'm home watching football on the big screen. It would have been better to average 500/mi per day for the next three days, and to get set up for a long trip back- oh well.

I was at a consignee recently, and they wanted me to back down these railroad tracks to unload. I don't mean crosswise, I mean down the railroad tracks. I looked at it, and it had some deep, sharp edges. That turned into a long, drawn out affair. Three times I positioned my tractor to do it, and three times I thought to myself, 'this just isn't right'. Right or wrong, I had to make a decision. I finally told them they could fire me if they wanted to, I wasn't going to do it.

I don't like to play hardball all the time. Under normal circumstances, I get along with everyone and I make my deliveries on time. I'm not going to be dumped on, however. I appreciate your opinions about things, OTG, like when you tell me you don't think refusing a heavy load will cost me my lease. Sometimes I don't know if I'm right or wrong when I tell them what I will and will not do, I'm just judging things best I can realizing I'm ultimately responsible fro keeping up the truck and I'm ultimately responsible for delivering the load.

Well....If your truck weighs 20,200 full of fuel, the trailer weighs 14,500(insulated trailer) empty, add in 47,500 in product weight, you would be 2,200 pounds over weight before ever leaving the gate. You did right refusing the load. Because the trailer left the plant legal, they wouldn't rake you in and remove the excess weight. A day cab driver preloaded the trailer. One that didn't give a "rat's" about the load being pulled by a "Road" truck.

[GMAN]

Originally Posted by lowrange

I was at a consignee recently, and they wanted me to back down these railroad tracks to unload. I don't mean crosswise, I mean down the railroad tracks. I looked at it, and it had some deep, sharp edges. That turned into a long, drawn out affair. Three times I positioned my tractor to do it, and three times I thought to myself, 'this just isn't right'. Right or wrong, I had to make a decision. I finally told them they could fire me if they wanted to, I wasn't going to do it.

I don't like to play hardball all the time. Under normal circumstances, I get along with everyone and I make my deliveries on time. I'm not going to be dumped on, however. I appreciate your opinions about things, OTG, like when you tell me you don't think refusing a heavy load will cost me my lease. Sometimes I don't know if I'm right or wrong when I tell them what I will and will not do, I'm just judging things best I can realizing I'm ultimately responsible fro keeping up the truck and I'm ultimately responsible for delivering the load.

You need to do what you are comfortable with, lowrange. If you are not comfortable backing down railroad tracks then you should not do it. I won't tear up my equipment for anyone. You also don't need to run over weight. You are the one responsible and will pay the fine if you run too heavy.

[lowrange]

Originally Posted by Orangetxguy

Well....If your truck weighs 20,200 full of fuel, the trailer weighs 14,500(insulated trailer) empty, add in 47,500 in product weight, you would be 2,200 pounds over weight before ever leaving the gate. You did right refusing the load. Because the trailer left the plant legal, they wouldn't rake you in and remove the excess weight. A day cab driver preloaded the trailer. One that didn't give a "rat's" about the load being pulled by a "Road" truck.

That's great to hear, OTG. It's one thing to tell someone where to go when you have experience and you know what you are doing, it's another thing to say that when your brain is whirring and calculating based on what you think is right, though you aren't entirely sure.

I need to pull out my full-of-fuel bobtail weight, I did it before my very first load. It wouldn't have been two thousand over, but it probably would have been over. As I said, I really can't pull 80k, since that will leave me like 34250 on the drives and 33750 on the trailer, something like that. I've haven't pulled heavy much so I don't know the whole game of dodging scales and how much over on your drives you can get away with it. I don't know it, and I really don't want to know it.

Having already applied to LTC, Miller, and Slay, I think I'll go to Westville to apply at Cyanide's old terminal tomorrow. There, Dana and Langer are my next stops. Either way, it sounds as though I should be good to go to keep doing what I've been doing. If not, that's ok too, I guess.

[lowrange]

Originally Posted by GMAN

You need to do what you are comfortable with, lowrange. If you are not comfortable backing down railroad tracks then you should not do it. I won't tear up my equipment for anyone. You also don't need to run over weight. You are the one responsible and will pay the fine if you run too heavy.

I know you won't just take it, GMAN. But, I suppose you come across little anymore that you haven't already seen. I'm trying to remember when, but it seems like I've messed up tires on tracks before. I wonder if that can affect the alignment, too. When is it reasonable to say 'no' and when am I being a bitcher? Sometimes it's not clear. The consignee did confide that I'm not the first guy to refuse to do it and that they have had tires bust before.

[mike3fan]

I'm 37-38k on my drives often,never been pulled behind the scales yet,I think they understand that tankers have a hard time with the axle weights,but as long as you are not over gross then most of the time you get a pass.

[GMAN]

Originally Posted by lowrange

I know you won't just take it, GMAN. But, I suppose you come across little anymore that you haven't already seen. I'm trying to remember when, but it seems like I've messed up tires on tracks before. I wonder if that can affect the alignment, too. When is it reasonable to say 'no' and when am I being a bitcher? Sometimes it's not clear. The consignee did confide that I'm not the first guy to refuse to do it and that they have had tires bust before.

Driving along railroad tracks can affect your tires and alignment. If these people want freight delivered it is up to them to provide a safe and easily accessible way to get it off the truck. I am curious as to how you got the load off? If you blow a tire on those tracks it will kill any profit you may have made.

[GMAN]

Originally Posted by mike3fan

I'm 37-38k on my drives often,never been pulled behind the scales yet,I think they understand that tankers have a hard time with the axle weights,but as long as you are not over gross then most of the time you get a pass.

Some states are more strict than others. I think most will give you a few hundred pounds on an axle as long as you aren't over gross.

[Orangetxguy]

Originally Posted by mike3fan

I'm 37-38k on my drives often,never been pulled behind the scales yet,I think they understand that tankers have a hard time with the axle weights,but as long as you are not over gross then most of the time you get a pass.

:eek: Your being lucky Mike. I get popped at the scales on I-68 eastbound in Maryland everytime, when I am 700 pounds over on my drives. TN has been hitting me at 850 over on the drives, even though my gross is usually less than 79,000 each time.


Carl...I don't remember what make truck you have..just that it is an 01 like mine, with similar mileage. I'm betting that full of fuel and all the other stuff you have to carry...like hoses and fittings, your right there at 20,200 pounds...or a bit more. Without hoses or a rack, I am 20,400 pounds for tractor weight, full of fuel. I have all aluminum rims.

[lowrange]

Originally Posted by Orangetxguy

:eek: Your being lucky Mike. I get popped at the scales on I-68 eastbound in Maryland everytime, when I am 700 pounds over on my drives. TN has been hitting me at 850 over on the drives, even though my gross is usually less than 79,000 each time.


Carl...I don't remember what make truck you have..just that it is an 01 like mine, with similar mileage. I'm betting that full of fuel and all the other stuff you have to carry...like hoses and fittings, your right there at 20,200 pounds...or a bit more. Without hoses or a rack, I am 20,400 pounds for tractor weight, full of fuel. I have all aluminum rims.

I'll go dig out that scale ticket in a bit. What exactly happens when you get popped?