Some say I only work about half the time and they could be right. Lets see; 24 hours in a day divided by 1/2= 12 hours. That is about right but most of the time it works out closer to 14 hours. That's the legal limit for a driver to work in a 24 hour period. I say "24 hour period" because if I said "day" most people would think "midnight to midnight" or the standard day.
Our (D.O.T. drivers) 24 hour day is just that. 24 continuous hours even if takes in part of two different days. If I start at 10am Tuesday then my 24 hour day last until 10 am Wednesday. Really a pretty simple concept once you get used to it.
For the last couple of years I have been working a daytime run. Leaving about 6 am pulling a single 48ft. trailer.
Just your usual tractor/trailer combination. Tractor is what a truck that pulls a trailer is called. When you pull the same type trailer you get accustomed to the overall length of your rig.
On my new run I work the night shift. I leave about noon and finish in the night. But the big difference is I am pulling two 28 ft. trailers. They are also known a "pup trailers".
The two 28 ft. trailers and the dolly that connects them have a combined length of over 60 ft. That is a 25 % increase in trailer length.When you look in the mirrors you have and entirely different look. They can sure seem long after not pulling them in awhile.
6 comments:
That's a lot of rig to handle. I have traveled through some states that allow triples to be pulled on the Interstates. I can't even imagine what it is like to be behind the wheel of a rig like that!
I can't even imagine trying to drive that! Every time I see a rig it reminds me of Smokey & The Bandit:-)
How's your back? I always think people who sit for long periods must have back problems because that's what happens to me when I drive hundreds of miles.
Wow what a rig! And the double trailer I can imagine must be hard to back up.
Lately I feel the safest when a rig is on my tail because I know that no one will pull out in front of my bike...unless they have a death wish, or are just plain stupid.
Annie, my back is fine. I make it a point to get out of the truck about every 90 minutes. I have a broken tail bone that will always give me trouble.
You're smarter than I am. Once I start driving I just don't stop - and that's why I suffer later.
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