TalkCDL Trucking Podcast

It is no doubt that sometimes if not all the time, humans get very greedy. Well, there is no exception to the transportation industry and we have the stories to prove it. Trucking Scams are very much real.  But what sort of trucking scams could possibly be so crazy that they are worldwide trucking scams, or even scams that form in Canada and spread through the good old United States? Well, this week we will be tearing down each and every one of these crazy trucking scams out there and try to figure out what was going on in these industry leaders minds! www.talkcdl.com www.talkcdl.com/listen-live www.facebook.com/talkcdl www.twitter.com/talkcdl

There are truckers out there making great money, and that is because they dedicated time to looking for that great job. They where not picky and rude to companies when calling around, they simply knew what they wanted and put in their dues to get there. Do not fall into the trap that 50CPM companies are the best option. 99% of the time, you will get 50CPM and you think you can make great money.  but you do not because you get ZERO miles. Do not be closed minded, look at the full picture. We have great advice for you to choose jobs that will bring in paychecks, but do not be lazy. Laziness does not pay. 

We are just over the middle of this fine week about road rage, we could talk for weeks and weeks about this topic, but that would get boring, but we still have two days left and we are going strong. What is ROAD RAGE! Well, a 70MPH BIG RIG or 4wheeler Plus Anger can equal some very DEADLY ROAD RAGE! TalkCDL does NOT want anyone, trucker or not, to be caught in a situation that ruins a career or even worse someones life. But it happens all the time around the United States, and without a doubt across the country. It is a very serious topic, and the awareness on this deadly statistic is very important. Share your story by calling us LIVE at 516-387-1911! 

Truckers are on the road for sometimes months at a time. They go out and some come home and for some reason they are BROKE! But why? It is because a lot of drivers make financial mistakes like eating out all the time instead of making their own food, or going to casinos all the time, and the list goes on and on. So we want to let drivers know some things to get to save yourselves some money out on the road! So Call us LIVE 516-387-1911

Every now and again it is just nice to talk about nothing specific. Today's show will be just that. We are simply hanging out and discussing everyday trucking. So give us a call at 516-387-1911 and chime in about what ever comes to mind. Trucking is very diverse and we can talk about it for days. We look forward to hearing for all the trucker out in the land, and as always we appreciate everything you do and please drive safe, and remember to keep on truckin. www.talkcdl.com www.talkcdl.com/listen-live www.facebook.com/talkcdl www.twitter.com/talkcdl

Ask yourself, how happy are you when you are out and about, maybe on a family trip to a theme park, or out to dinner at a fancy restaurant. You would be if you didn't just hit evening traffic, then on-top of that a car bumped another car ahead so now there is a standstill until the cops finish their reports. Great Construction is ahead and creating a choke point. Oh no, now its raining. There are various things that just make people frustrated on the road. When one thing leads to another and you simply want to get to your location. Imagine this EVERYDAY, that could be one reason a trucker can be so angry sometime. 

Why is it that there is a whole lot of truck drivers out in the industry currently, that just want to be rebels? Why do driver think that everything is out there to suppress them and that some things are in place because of a very specific reason. Truly, It is very simple. SOMEONE DID IT! Yes, it is hard to understand but pre-checks are there because someone FORGOT to lift the landing gear, or never connected hoses. Safety principles are in place because stuff has happened. Does that mean that everyone out there sucks at their jobs? NO! Its a precaution, and if you cannot understand that then you have bigger issues going on in your head. Sorry, that is the truth. Enough crying about this that and the other, life owes you nothing, suck up change, and make it your dinner. Press on. Understand that you have a job, and that job was decided when you got your CDL. Just like many other careers out there, people loose the rights that other have when you place yourself to a standard. Military members LITERALLY loose all rights, and are sworn to a specific oath. Cops, EMT's, Fire Fighters, Doctors, Teachers, and many other careers place themselves to their own standards. Are you not glad that doctors have to check over charts before doing operations? You know why? Because someone has gotten a liver instead of a lung! Smarten up truckers, and get our good names back. Become a solution, not part of the problem.  FOLLOW US! www.talkcdl.com www.talkcdl.com/listen-live www.facebook.com/talkcdl www.twitter.com/talkcdl

Sleep Apnea has been a topic discussed the last couple days on TalkCDL, it has come to our attention that many out there in the trucking industry are wrapped up in this term, without fully understanding what it means. You hear how truckers are rejected from a company because they "could" have sleep apnea, and that is simply not accurate. Doctors that provide DOT Physicals are looking out for themselves, some doctors are more skilled, some are more familiar different parts of practicing medicine then others, and not every doctor will have the same opinion. That is why we always hear "I would like another opinion", now sometimes it is rather cut and dry, but other times it is not, and these doctors have went through A LOT of schooling, studying the human body, to NOT loose their license because some trucker does not want to take a sleep study, just to be safe. Now, if this is a physical done at a company orientation, and a sleep study is required, then guess what. it SHOULD be out the companies pocket, that is only the right thing to do for the company. But you may not have the physical done at a orientation, it may simply be a routine physical, so if you have to shell out the money for a sleep study, and your to cheap to have insurance that will cover it, maybe get better insurance. Sorry, that is the sad truth. Or pay out of pocket, and if the study comes back false, now you have evidence for future employment and not to mention it is your life, and sleep apnea is something you will not know you have until you notice what life is like once your fixed, you will feel more rested at night, you can breath, and overall at less risk of many other conditions that stem off having sleep apnea.  If you have a story about sleep apnea, we would love to hear about it, so call us LIVE at 516-387-1911. www.talkcdl.com www.talkcdl.com/listen-live www.facebook.com/talkcdl www.twitter.com/talkcdl

There is a large debate out there if an 18-20 year old should be able to hold a Class A CDL and drive the street and interstates of our great U.S.A. A large group of people believe they are not responsible enough, and do not have near enough experience/skills in driving a motor vehicle. Others believe that if you are able to serve your country and die for it at the age of 17, then you should be able to drive a semi truck, especially if you did so in the military. If 18-20 year olds are able to drive semi-trucks we believe without a doubt there should be training and classes through their high school career. There are plenty of responsible younger drivers out on the road, and men and woman who would take it very serious. So let’s discuss this a bit more, and look at some details. Call us with your opinion at 516-387-1911

There is so many different things that truck drivers encounter on a daily basis that leave them saying "If i only had that one thing". There are tools out there that will just make a truckers life on the road easier, and today will be covering those tools. Please feel free to call us LIVE 516-387-1911 and tell us what kind of tools do you bring out on the road to accomplish specific tasks? Breaker Bars, special ratchet sets? We know there are some crazy drivers out there with some awesome inventions so lets share them!

At GMR Transportation, Inc., with having over 75 combined years of experience in the flatbed hauling industry, recognize that our daily concern is to provide “Quality Service” for our customers. Without customers, we cannot hope to provide modern equipment and good opportunities for all of our employees and Owner/Operators.We recognize however, an even higher responsibility for the safety of our customers, employees, Owner/Operators, and our fellow citizens with whom we share the roadways. GMR Transportation, Inc. started operations in December 1999. It was conceived by Dennis ‘Gus’ Gustafson, Mike Podratz, and Rick Johnson in response to an ever-growing need for quality flatbed transportation services. Having their experience and knowledge, it has allowed them to expand from an Owner/Operator base of 10 trucks when they started to a combination of 90 Company owned and Owner Operator Trucks in 2009. In April 2005 GMR Transportation, Inc. purchased Structural Transport (STI) of Franklin, WI. This facility offers Flatbed and Specialized Heavy Haul equipment, servicing the energy industry and other specialized businesses. Source: GMR Transportation

http://truckingjobsmercer.com/rocksolid/otr/TalkCDL/ "Ranked among the top carriers in the U.S., Mercer Transportation has earned a reputation as one of the nation’s leading owner operator companies. For over thirty years, Mercer has built a family of contractors on the foundation of honesty, professional freedom and experience. Mercer is an irregular route carrier that operates an owner operator fleet of more than 2,300 trucks with no company-owned equipment. Primarily, Mercer is a truckload carrier of general commodities, offering flatbed, stepdeck and dry van services. Our logistics system operates with authority for the continental United States, Canada and interline contracts into Mexico. The Mercer headquarters in Louisville, KY is proud to maintain a family atmosphere that encourages contractors to make themselves at home. Our open door policy welcomes contractors to work directly with their freight coordinator and the Mercer staff. In addition, Mercer's on-site driver lounge offers TV rooms, complimentary showers and laundry room, and 24 hour truck parking to ensure the comfort of all visiting contractors. Stop by and say hello! "  - Mercer 

"Along with late-model equipment, NCI delivers everything you'd expect from an elite carrier. Open communication, consistent miles and freight, and a 14.1% Pay Increase for experienced solo company drivers over the past year." www.gonationalcarriers.com  TalkCDL – The Trucker Show is a Trucking Internet Radio Show which broadcasts Monday – Friday at 8AM Eastern Standard Time on TalkCDL’s Listen Live Page. The show is hosted by Troy Austin, Tyler Austin and Dave Padlo. We cover various topics within the Trucking Industry and realistically, anything involved with a Commercial Driver’s License. Topics include but are not limited to the latest transportation industry news, safety topics including analyzing various real life CDL wrecks to improve driver awareness. If its trucking related, TalkCDL will talk about it; nothing is off limits! TalkCDL is the perfect place for all drivers, new and seasoned. TalkCDL has a call in number 516-387-1911 during LIVE show hours (Monday – Friday 8AM EST). If you have something to say to the boys at TalkCDL just pick up the phone and dial in. If you are not able to tune in to the show LIVE, no problem! Simply head over to our PAST SHOWS page to listen to previous shows. Have an Iphone, Android, or some other mobile device? You can also listen to TalkCDL on ITunes, and Stitcher! So be sure to follow/subscribe for daily shows! Head over to our website and see what’s happening!

As always, Friday is the best day of the week! Time to sit back, relax and recap all the crazy topic of the week and thank our fellow truckers who wont be making it home this lovely weekend. Drive safe truckers and remember, be the captain. 

It is no secret that truckers are leaving the industry because they are not being paid, they are not content with freight, and simply not satisfied with the current state of the industry. What is it that you as a trucker think needs to change? Logical thoughts, not pipe dreams where truckers get to run their own loads and do what ever they want, we wanna hear true ideas from truckers.