Question:
I've found an interesting new trucker blog @ http://www.truckerphoto.com/blog1.htm The driver's name is Tom Wiles. He is a long time driver for Willis Shaw Express. You can read his blog but I found much more interesting his "podcast". For those of you who don't know what podcasts are, they are amateur radio broadcasts that can be downloaded from the Web and listened to via Windows Media Player or on an MP3 player.
Tom has recently started a series of podcasts on "How to become a truck driver". He gives some good real life tips on how to prepare yourself and what to expect in the trucking industry.
To start listening to podcasts, I went to http://www.ipodder.org/directory/4/ipodderSoftware where you can download for free the software to "subscribe" to podcast feeds and check for the latest downloads.
Check it out!

Answer:
Another simple way to listen without downloading any software is to go to www.podcastpickle.com. Enter "Trucker" into the search feature and click Search button. Scroll down to the podcast you want and click the Listen link. This will open a player for you. It won't display any details and you may have to wait a few seconds for it to start.

Answer:
Tom has just completed number twelve in his "How to become a truck driver" series. Plenty of good common sense advise from a long time driver in these.

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You wouldn't happen to be Tom Wiles, would you, Coder?

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You don't think he would come here tooting his own horn do you?

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Nawwww! And I don't think that Swift, or Werner, or U.S. Express would stick a shill in the Newbie's Forum to deflect criticism from their respective companies, either.

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No, I'm just a wannabe who thinks that Tom's advice is pretty good and fun to listen to. Tom is way to modest to "toot his own horn". His lessons cover fatigue, safety, responsibilty, and he stresses that without common sense, you won't last long in trucking. Sounds like the kind of information that a good trainer would give to a new driver. His hobby is creating podcasts using his laptop and recording gear. I haven't come across anything like it before. You can email him at tom@truckerphoto.com and tell him your comments.

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I take it that you know Tom personally. You might mention that being modest is an admirable trait; trying to obtain free advertising isn't.

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Tom has just recorded #17 in his "How to become a truck driver" series. He talks about dealing with bad neighborhoods and getting ripped off in NYC. He also recorded a couple of "sound scene" segments where he deals with a lumper service and the shipping department.
Many people have written about how bad dealing with shippers and receivers is. Tom seems to have pleasant dealings with security guards, shipping clerks, etc.

Answer:

In general most of them are just people doing their jobs,not much they can do about things but do what they are told to do.
Weather your visit to where they work goes good or bad is out of their hands,so it's pointless to get in a peeing match with another one of the worker bee's on planet earth.
I never had a problem with the little people at places,they knew I was getting screwed by the system and I knew i was getting screwed by the system,the 2 of us going at each other wouldn't change the system,so what is the point of getting into a peeing match with another peasant.
you can get all bent out of shape about getting screwed or ignore the fact your getting screwed ,still don't change the fact your getting screwed .