Recent content by ChuckWVP

Janet, I don't suppose you live anywhere near NC? I own a class 8 Volvo straight truck that I've been driving for the past three years myself. Sometime in the near future I'm thinking seriously of putting a driver in that truck...someone like yourself. Although it's not necessary to keep the...

Back in early May, my truck was pulled in for a D.O.T. inspection at the Alabama weigh station on I-20. I got in line behind 2 other straight trucks and one tractor-trailer. By the time I left, there were three more straight trucks in line waiting to be inspected. Passed inspection with no...

It might now be the division of Fed-Ex that I work for...Supply Chain Services...handles mostly medical freight and also some automotive freight in the midwest. CJ

The same goes for the Atlanta crossdock...very busy. We've also gained some new customers lately, so I don't know what that driver's info is based on...first I've heard anything like that. Seems to be plenty of freight, at least in the pharmaceutical side of things, and it has been that way for...

New York can be very interesting. I remember driving a 45ft tour bus into the city to pick up passengers. My destination was the theatre district. It looked as though the whole world was there in that one place and I could only move a few inches at a time. I had to drive a few times around the...

I understand how very much this new rule affects team operations. But, it also affects a lot of solos in a negative way. In my case, I live in NC but am dispatched to Atlanta once or twice a week. Sometimes dispatch can't notify me quickly enough to allow me to drive to Atlanta and then take 10...

Manhattan is an interesting place to drive for sure. I've driven a 45ft tour bus there a few times (once on a Saturday night in the theatre district where nobody, especially pedestrians, was paying any attention to traffic signals). Although it's not a city that's suited for large vehicles, you...

I wound up working for a company that keeps me in the southeast US. I always figured going back and forth across the US/Canadian border was somewhat of a hassle. After reading this post I am so thankful that I don't have to deal with that, but I feel for those of you who do. Chuck

I got the 99 version of the same truck only a few months ago and it has been a workhorse. It has the Detroit Diesel 60 series engine and gets about 10 mpg. Mine was a little more expensive though and that's due to the reefer and insulated box. Good luck and enjoy that truck! Chuck

I did something similar to this back in November...bought the truck in Minnesota and drove it back to NC. In fact, it was a 99 Volvo (probably very similar to the one you are buying, if I remember correctly from another post). Anyway, I made sure everything was legal before leaving MN. I...

Thanks guys. DD, I'm going out of town on a tour for about 10 days...I'm a part time tour bus driver. But, I'll call you first chance I get. Thanks. Chuck

I saw an International 7500 Series expediter truck at the expo. Very nice truck. Anyone have any experience or knowledge of this truck? I've seen it advertised with an HT 530 engine at 325 HP. It also has a 10 speed Eaton Fuller transmission. Looks like Alumi-Bunk sells them. Does anyone else...

The tour bus company that I work for part time has installed something called DriverCams in every bus. I heard they cost around $1,000...don't know for sure. But, they record constantly and only save 10 seconds before and 10 after any event that causes motion greater than 1 G. Of course, that...

Overall, I've had really good luck with Verizon (driving around the country in a tour bus). My family and I just switched to their "in" plan. In addition to the included plan minutes, you can call anyone with Verizon service (cell phone to cell phone) at no additional cost...anytime - day or...

I wouldn't necessarily rule out a bank loan altogether, especially if you have some sort of relationship with the bank. I was going to skip that step and just try to finance through a dealer. My wife called the banker we nornally deal with one day. He told her that we needed to update our...