Question:
Jim Johnston
Pres. of OOIDA
"There is an unwritten rule in trucking industry that for all practical purposes supercedes the law and regulations.
The rule is that regardless of the consequences, your first priority is to pick up that load and deliver it on time.
If you are caught, your're on your own. Those that apply the pressure will disavow any knowledge or responsibility for your conduct.
If you fail to follow the unwritten rule, your trucking career will likely be very short and very unprofitable."
The above was from Landline Mag.
Just something that most schools fail to tell new drivers is that most trainning companies will use this unwritten rule against new drivers alot due to the fact they owe them money.
That unwritten rule is very likely why most new drivers will fail with their fist trucking company in their first year as a driver.
"A choice between doin' ten years, and takin'out some stupid !@#$,ain't no choice at all."
Mr.White (Reservor Dogs)

Answer:
Capt. I also believe that you can poke away on your computer night and day, go to every single truckstop within a 100 mile radius and speak to drivers, recruiters and anyone that will listen until you are blue in the face. None of it matters until you actually drive the truck.
Some can't handle being away from home for so long, while others realize that living in a space the size of a bathroom for weeks on end isn't what they thought it would be.
Most realize that there is actually work involved. Some look at the shining, chicken lit, chromed out Petes and think they'll drive one too, only to be disappointed when they get assigned a Freightliner with 650,000 miles on it.

Answer:
Always have your dispatcher send all info over the Qualcomm.That way everything is on record and can't be denied. This help to eliminate them asking you to run illegal.No load is worth your or anybody's life.

Answer:
No smart dispatcher will ever ask you to run illegal over the Q-com however you will know what he wants you to do.
Some dispatchers are good about following the rules others are not. Same with companies some are good some or not.
With a lot of dispathers if your within striking distance of dropping the load they dont want to hear your out of hrs and cant.
"A choice between doin' ten years, and takin'out some stupid !@#$,ain't no choice at all."
Mr.White (Reservor Dogs)

Answer:
Weather on the phone or across the qualcomm,they will never come right out and say,screw the law or your hours,they will say"do your best"code for get it there or your life will suck afterwards.
If you are late,nothing will be made of it at that time,just nice and quitely a black mark will be entered on your record.Than months latter,they will get their revenge when you do something they can blame you for.Sorry driver first you where late on a load and now this,we are going to have to let you go.You can say but,but,but about that load months ago,but,but,but all records will be long gone about it.
Now if it wasn't for that black mark on your record,nothing would be made over what you did to get them to look at you over the latest problem.
click on this and it's proof
http://trucknet.infopop.net/2/OpenTopic?a=tpc&s=475098473&f=531095973&m=8833092696
they wouldn't have fired the driver over just running the trailer out of fuel,except he had a black mark on his record,so it came back to get him.If he was a driver that always did what dispatch said,they would have over looked the fuel problem.
While Crete was explaining to us what everything ment on the dispatchers computer screen,the guy pointed out every detail about everything except one thing,so I asked him why some of the truck numbers where red,green and black,he evaded my question and when I asked if it was the code for who to run and who was just a regular driver and who was a problem driver he got bent out of shape.
One of those colors was the code for dispatchers to screw some drivers every chance they got and drive their problem drivers off.A problem driver is probably someone who don't play ball all the time,no matter what.
At a drivers meeting,they said"we don't have time for drivers to be second guessing dispatch"code for do as your told or else.
I'm sure come June,drivers will all come togetter to put a stop to this blackballing crap and run legal.
They enlisted the Teamsters’ help after the company decided that it would no longer pay them hourly wages but compensate them based on mileage, which would have cut their income in half
http://www.teamster.org/03news/hn_030110_1.htm
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Answer:
Zig,
Well said ya did it better than me.
Like I said the failure of new drivers to understand this or to figure it out real fast on their own is a major reason why most will not make it with their first company.
Harsh? Yes it is, but once they get it a lot will go on and make a go of trucking.
The sad thing is their first company is the one they owe the bill for their trainning. Because of the repay method a lot of compaines use, new drivers can be, and often are abused by the unwritten rule.
"A choice between doin' ten years, and takin'out some stupid !@#$,ain't no choice at all."
Mr.White (Reservor Dogs)

Answer:
You got that right Paisino, I rode with a truck driver who told me somone in his company was killed because the dispatcher pressured her into running illegal. Of course there was no proof because everything was said via telephone. I will learn from this experience.

Answer:
There is such a shortage of GOOD drivers that
most Companys worth their salt don't give
Drivers very much crap, or the Driver will
simply jump to another Carrier who is dieing to
get a qualified driver.
Give me miles, miles and more miles.