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  1. ATeam

    A Striking Contrast Among Motor Carriers

    The times did not change. The company did.
  2. ATeam

    A Striking Contrast Among Motor Carriers

    As I look at the paperwork, the card was first required in 2008. Good for you that you got one, and good for your carrier that they distributed them last fall. As I said above, I don't know why we did not hear of this from our present carrier. For all I know, our carrier may have distributed...
  3. ATeam

    A Striking Contrast Among Motor Carriers

    As I said above, we had not parked there overnight before. Parked, yes. Parked overnight, no. When we parked before, there was no reason to ask or "observably determine" that overnight parking was permitted or prohibited. Not knowing the rules but having come from a carrier where overnight...
  4. ATeam

    A Striking Contrast Among Motor Carriers

    Same here. Not everyone at Landstar has that trait. Nevertheless, it was a remarkable part of the day, as I characterized it above.
  5. ATeam

    A Striking Contrast Among Motor Carriers

    I have the very same question. Landstar has been very good about communicating regulatory things of that nature to us. To my knowledge, this is the first item that Diane and I missed. We pay attention to our mail but spend a lot of time out of service. If the notification came by Qualcomm, we...
  6. ATeam

    A Striking Contrast Among Motor Carriers

    Actually, FedEx Custom Critical has better food in its cafeteria than Landstar has in theirs. For drivers for whom that is an issue, FedEx Custom Critical should be your motor carrier of choice.
  7. ATeam

    A Striking Contrast Among Motor Carriers

    I am not talking about security restrictions with either company. I am talking about corporate culture and the respect and dignity that is extended to contractors by one company but not by the other. Legitimate security restrictions exist at both companies and many of these are required by...
  8. ATeam

    A Striking Contrast Among Motor Carriers

    It's got nothing to do with Florida culture and you know it.
  9. ATeam

    A Striking Contrast Among Motor Carriers

    Preferential dispatch is exactly why we left the company. When preferential dispatch was established as policy (flat rate straight trucks dispatched ahead of percentage-paid trucks, company-owned reefer trailers being loaded ahead of percentage-paid reefer straight trucks with freight the...
  10. ATeam

    A Striking Contrast Among Motor Carriers

    Agents dispatch Landstar freight and BCO's are welcome in most agent offices. As a shipper, I would be delighted to work with drivers who are personally familiar with the agent I call. As a BCO, I have, on occasion, engaged in three-way conversations with the agent, shipper and myself about one...
  11. ATeam

    A Striking Contrast Among Motor Carriers

    That city ordinance thing is a bunch of crap. Yes it exists (though, has anyone ever seen a copy of it?) but it is more of a convenient excuse for people in the building than it is a reason to prohibit overnight truck parking. They allow reefer trucks to sit there all night with reefers running...
  12. ATeam

    A Striking Contrast Among Motor Carriers

    Diane and I were at Landstar headquarters in Jacksonville, FL yesterday to complete some refresher training that is required every two years. We were one of over two-dozen teams in the room. It was a large class of over 50 people. We've been through this training before. The materials were good...
  13. ATeam

    Looking for recent info

    Fantastic question for all expediter wannabees to ask themselves. For some even a $500 repair with a two-day wait for parts can put them under. I know of a big-rig driver who once walked into a dealership and told the sales rep, "I can't afford to buy new tires, so I have to buy a new truck."...
  14. ATeam

    New D unit PM

    When moving into this new truck, you may find it wise to take an extra day out of service, maybe even two, to sit in or near the truck and study every page of every owner's manual that comes with the truck. Use that time to develop your maintenance spreadsheet (if you feel the need to have...
  15. ATeam

    New D unit PM

    I do my generator oil changes in truck stop parking lots. The oil drains into an empty oil or windshield washer fluid jug. With a piece of tape and big marker, I label the jug "Waste Oil" and take it into the shop. No one has declined my request to leave them the oil. Most of the time they say...
  16. ATeam

    New D unit PM

    Maintenance-wise, I have done generator coolant flush and fills once every two years, and changed the belt one time after the original broke (it was nice to have the spare in the truck). I also did the spark-arrester thing the owner's manual talks about but do not belive it is necessary after...
  17. ATeam

    New D unit PM

    We follow the Onan maintenance intervals but I sometimes wonder if the 150 hour oil change is recommended with the RV owner in mind. Those Onans are built for the motorhome market and motorhomes sit for months at a time. A 150 hour interval increases the chances that the oil will be changed at...
  18. ATeam

    New D unit PM

    We carry at least one spare bulb for every bulb on the truck and have an inventory and part number list of the same. Fuel filters for our Onan Quiet Diesel generator can be purchased at NAPA for a lower price than from an Onan dealer, but don't buy them in California where they rob you. Part #...
  19. ATeam

    Looking for recent info

    No, you cannot get enough loads, if it is "good" loads you seek. Rare is the expediter who feels he or she has enough "good" loads to haul. On the other hand, if it's just loads you want, there are plenty.
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