Open letter to dump truck drivers....

[andrewg]

Originally Posted By: cchase
Normally I get the most issue with rocks from trucks carrying excavators off job sites. First few bumps on the highway send rocks and gravel showering everywhere.

I've learned to keep my distance although 3 years ago a rock got me from several hundred feet back and two lanes over.

I hear you. It helps to keep far back, and I do, but it isn't a guarantee that you won't get pelted. I really do the best I can to avoid them but with cars in front,behind, and right next to me it's nearly impossible to move further away from a gravel truck without causing a traffic issue. especially when they merge onto the interstate way ahead of you. I move over as quickly as I can (as do most folks) but even then these dolts do the same in these big rigs (driving them like they are Honda Civics or something). It's extremely frustrating. Full loads of gravel spilling out the back....and then they very often tailgate a fella in front of them to try and frighten folks out of the way (that are already driving well over the posted speed limit). Jerks! I think the fact that since the economic downturn, many people that needed employment found it by going to these truck driving 'schools' where they get a CDL in no time. Not to be racist but in my area a large portion of these problematic drivers appear to be Indian or at least foreign in birth. Maybe that contributes to the inexperienced and dangerous driving habits?

 

[KenO]

Originally Posted By: OVERKILL
Originally Posted By: xxch4osxx
Originally Posted By: OVERKILL
Originally Posted By: cchase
This thread takes me back to JHZR2's thread about re-treads and my thread about sheets of ice flying off trucks.

But nah, anything we do to regulate or enforce existing laws regarding commercial trucking will cause prices of every product to skyrocket, so let them do what they want. I think that was the idea in JH and my thread by the truckers.


Or just use rail and significantly reduce the use of OTR trucks which means far less wear and tear on our roadways, fewer accidents and fewer threads like this one. But of course that just makes too much darn sense!!!
Good idea but trains can't deliver to your doorstep like trucks can

Certainly. But if they are all doing local depot runs that means they aren't running down the 401 rutting it up, throwing 120Km/h rocks at cars and blocking the lanes when one guy tries to pass another going 0.5Km/h faster.

I'm not saying eliminate OTR trucking. But much of what gets trucked could go by rail. And it should.



Rail won't make sense until we get passed coal or fossil fueled trains. Once we have the electrical capacity to run electric trans (cough nuclear plants cough), then rail travel will make more sense.

 

[cchase]

Coal fueled trains? Where are we? 1860?

Everyone is aware that trains are all currently electric, right?

 

[Jarlaxle]

Pablum! Most run diesel fuel!

 

[yucca]

Originally Posted By: KenO



Rail won't make sense until we get passed coal or fossil fueled trains. Once we have the electrical capacity to run electric trans (cough nuclear plants cough), then rail travel will make more sense.


I would think most trains are diesel electric these days?

 

[supton]

Hmm, I wonder how well coal would work today, with a closed loop on the water. Smaller boiler, not as efficient as a larger one at a power plant, but no transmission line losses. Probably lose out on whatever emission scrubbers are required though.

 

[whip]

Originally Posted By: xxch4osxx

Rail is the most efficient means of bulk transportation.

If so, why isn't more freight shipped that way?

 

[Jarlaxle]

It is...but rail lines don't go everywhere...and many times, the ones that are used are running near or at capacity.

 

[hattaresguy]

Going back to heavy rail is not practical, you can't only build Walmarts on rail spurs.

Or to put it another way, east of the Mississippi especially in New England we would be fine since pretty much everything here was mostly built by the time the car came around,(quite frankly a lot of our cities would work much better without cars!) and yes we do have a lot of stuff very close to old or in use rail lines from that time period. My city has two major rail lines running right threw it.

You guys out west would be screwed by such a system, since that area of the country didn't exist back than. What would happen is that cities on rail lines would boom, everywhere else would die.

 

[grampi]

Originally Posted By: OVERKILL
Originally Posted By: xxch4osxx
Originally Posted By: OVERKILL
Originally Posted By: cchase
This thread takes me back to JHZR2's thread about re-treads and my thread about sheets of ice flying off trucks.

But nah, anything we do to regulate or enforce existing laws regarding commercial trucking will cause prices of every product to skyrocket, so let them do what they want. I think that was the idea in JH and my thread by the truckers.


Or just use rail and significantly reduce the use of OTR trucks which means far less wear and tear on our roadways, fewer accidents and fewer threads like this one. But of course that just makes too much darn sense!!!
Good idea but trains can't deliver to your doorstep like trucks can

Certainly. But if they are all doing local depot runs that means they aren't running down the 401 rutting it up, throwing 120Km/h rocks at cars and blocking the lanes when one guy tries to pass another going 0.5Km/h faster.

I'm not saying eliminate OTR trucking. But much of what gets trucked could go by rail. And it should.


I agree 1000%

 

[grampi]

Originally Posted By: KenO



Rail won't make sense until we get passed coal or fossil fueled trains. Once we have the electrical capacity to run electric trans (cough nuclear plants cough), then rail travel will make more sense.


What are you talking about? Diesel trains are FAR more efficient than semis in terms of how much fuel they burn compared to the loads they haul...like 100 times more efficient, or something like that...

 

[grampi]

Originally Posted By: GreeCguy
Originally Posted By: andrewg
I don't risk the life of anybody on the highway....ever. You've taken my post and the intent too literally. Why aren't YOU in an outrage over the habits of these truckers I describe if you are so concerned about safety and the lives of others? You are shooting the messenger.


"Outrage" is such a strong word, especially over something like this. [censored] happens every day and all we can do is deal with it. Over the years, truck drivers have cut me off, run me off the road a number of times, ridden my bumper for miles or crawled in front of me. But that's one person who happens to be driving a big rig, not all professional drivers. To assume that ALL drivers are "[censored] on wheels" is to paint with a broad brush as I know plenty of professional drivers who do a fantastic job working long hours on the road day and night in all weathers. When I drive, I try to do the same thing for them as I would like done for me - I try to be helpful. Do I meet the occasional idiot who should not be behind the wheel of a big rig? Sure, just like I meet others on the road in cars, pickups, vans and motorcycles who need a lesson in driving, but I don't let it ruin my day. Life is simply too short and I'd rather move on and enjoy the ride.

I hope you find your "happy place" with this - I really do. Just let it go man. Relax and enjoy the journey taking it all in stride.


You make it sound as though bad truck drivers are few and far between...from what I've seen over the last few years, there's a lot more bad truck drivers than you might think...and pretty much all of them have given up on being curtious...driving on 4 lane highways today means long waits behind truckers camping out in the left lane passing other trucks...they don't care how long it takes them to pass, nor do they care about how many cars they're holding up to make these passes....law enforcement should start handing out tickets to truckers for doing this as they are drastically disrupting traffic flow...there should be a passing law for truckers that states if you can't overtake another vehicle without disrupting traffic flow to do so, then you must wait until a pass can made without disruption...and it should be enforced!

 

[Stelth]

Originally Posted By: grampi
Originally Posted By: GreeCguy
Originally Posted By: andrewg
I don't risk the life of anybody on the highway....ever. You've taken my post and the intent too literally. Why aren't YOU in an outrage over the habits of these truckers I describe if you are so concerned about safety and the lives of others? You are shooting the messenger.


"Outrage" is such a strong word, especially over something like this. [censored] happens every day and all we can do is deal with it. Over the years, truck drivers have cut me off, run me off the road a number of times, ridden my bumper for miles or crawled in front of me. But that's one person who happens to be driving a big rig, not all professional drivers. To assume that ALL drivers are "[censored] on wheels" is to paint with a broad brush as I know plenty of professional drivers who do a fantastic job working long hours on the road day and night in all weathers. When I drive, I try to do the same thing for them as I would like done for me - I try to be helpful. Do I meet the occasional idiot who should not be behind the wheel of a big rig? Sure, just like I meet others on the road in cars, pickups, vans and motorcycles who need a lesson in driving, but I don't let it ruin my day. Life is simply too short and I'd rather move on and enjoy the ride.

I hope you find your "happy place" with this - I really do. Just let it go man. Relax and enjoy the journey taking it all in stride.


You make it sound as though bad truck drivers are few and far between...from what I've seen over the last few years, there's a lot more bad truck drivers than you might think...and pretty much all of them have given up on being curtious...driving on 4 lane highways today means long waits behind truckers camping out in the left lane passing other trucks...they don't care how long it takes them to pass, nor do they care about how many cars they're holding up to make these passes....law enforcement should start handing out tickets to truckers for doing this as they are drastically disrupting traffic flow...there should be a passing law for truckers that states if you can't overtake another vehicle without disrupting traffic flow to do so, then you must wait until a pass can made without disruption...and it should be enforced!


I don't think it's just truckers who have given up on courtesy. Over the last few decades, I think all types of drivers, i.e., truckers, soccer moms, guys who have to drive jacked-up trucks to compensate for something, commuters, motorcyclists, etc., have become more aggressive. Not all, but a good fraction. However, truckers have much more potential to kill other drivers, and therefore more responsibility. If you have a vehicle that has the potential to hurl projectiles at drivers behind you, you also have the responsibility to make sure it doesn't happen.

I have to go the the Orange County/Greater LA area semi-regularly, and it's like a combination of chess and a knife fight to get anywhere.

 

[OVERKILL]

Originally Posted By: xxch4osxx

Rail is the most efficient means of bulk transportation. But no matter how you look at it, you still need the trucks. The gravel pits do not have rail access so there will always be gravel trucks.

Enforcing the rules about passing and blocking lanes while doing so would make a difference.


I think "back in the day" that the gravel pits DID have rail access though.... Or rail was VERY close by. The Marmora mine (which I posted pics of over a year back) would have been serviced by rail.

 

[OVERKILL]

Originally Posted By: whip
Originally Posted By: xxch4osxx

Rail is the most efficient means of bulk transportation.

If so, why isn't more freight shipped that way?


It is in other parts of the world.

The reason it isn't in North America is, as I noted before, the massive shift from rail-based warehousing and local delivery to the JIT model where everything started being shipped OTR truck back when fuel prices were extremely low.

Stores could keep less inventory on-hand, which lowered overhead. OTR truck delivery was flexible, no having to wait and plan on the train bringing your product.

To celebrate this brilliant move, we ripped up thousands upon thousands of miles of rail, not envisioning that only a few short decades later, fuel prices would skyrocket and OTR trucks would not present the same "value" that they did initially. And of course nobody appeared to anticipate the massive impact they would have on the health and longevity of our roads and highways nor the scourge they would become on the Interstate/Trans-Canada like those mentioned in the OP's post.

 

[kb01]

Originally Posted By: OVERKILL


I think "back in the day" that the gravel pits DID have rail access though.... Or rail was VERY close by. The Marmora mine (which I posted pics of over a year back) would have been serviced by rail.


That's how it was in my neck of the woods. Up until the past 20 or 30 years, every mine or quarry had a series of tipples or giant conveyor belts for loading railroad cars. It's especially apparent when looking at old maps -- Railroad tracks were absolutely everywhere and a lot of times, more common than roads.

Nowadays, most of the product is hauled away from mines in trucks and loaded up on rail or barges a good distance away.

 

[grampi]

Originally Posted By: OVERKILL
Originally Posted By: whip
Originally Posted By: xxch4osxx

Rail is the most efficient means of bulk transportation.

If so, why isn't more freight shipped that way?


It is in other parts of the world.

The reason it isn't in North America is, as I noted before, the massive shift from rail-based warehousing and local delivery to the JIT model where everything started being shipped OTR truck back when fuel prices were extremely low.

Stores could keep less inventory on-hand, which lowered overhead. OTR truck delivery was flexible, no having to wait and plan on the train bringing your product.

To celebrate this brilliant move, we ripped up thousands upon thousands of miles of rail, not envisioning that only a few short decades later, fuel prices would skyrocket and OTR trucks would not present the same "value" that they did initially. And of course nobody appeared to anticipate the massive impact they would have on the health and longevity of our roads and highways nor the scourge they would become on the Interstate/Trans-Canada like those mentioned in the OP's post.


The rail systems need to be put back in place and we need to start shipping more long haul stuff via rail...the roads are hugely overpopulated with trucks...and it's no wonder the condition of our roads is so horrible, all these trucks tear them apart in no time at all...put the long haul cargo back on the rails where it belongs and leave the roads to passenger vehicles...

 

[Garak]

Originally Posted By: OVERKILL
To celebrate this brilliant move, we ripped up thousands upon thousands of miles of rail, not envisioning that only a few short decades later, fuel prices would skyrocket and OTR trucks would not present the same "value" that they did initially.

It's interesting to note how Sears does it here. Both their warehouses were served by rail from down east for the longest time. The downtown Sears doesn't get rail traffic any longer, at least not to my knowledge. Nonetheless, all the stuff sent north (i.e. to Saskatoon) has had to go by truck for many years already. You'd see truck after truck after truck heading to Saskatoon from Regina, all with the Sears markings.

 

[SEMI_287]

Originally Posted By: grampi
Originally Posted By: OVERKILL
Originally Posted By: whip
Originally Posted By: xxch4osxx

Rail is the most efficient means of bulk transportation.

If so, why isn't more freight shipped that way?


It is in other parts of the world.

The reason it isn't in North America is, as I noted before, the massive shift from rail-based warehousing and local delivery to the JIT model where everything started being shipped OTR truck back when fuel prices were extremely low.

Stores could keep less inventory on-hand, which lowered overhead. OTR truck delivery was flexible, no having to wait and plan on the train bringing your product.

To celebrate this brilliant move, we ripped up thousands upon thousands of miles of rail, not envisioning that only a few short decades later, fuel prices would skyrocket and OTR trucks would not present the same "value" that they did initially. And of course nobody appeared to anticipate the massive impact they would have on the health and longevity of our roads and highways nor the scourge they would become on the Interstate/Trans-Canada like those mentioned in the OP's post.


The rail systems need to be put back in place and we need to start shipping more long haul stuff via rail...the roads are hugely overpopulated with trucks...and it's no wonder the condition of our roads is so horrible, all these trucks tear them apart in no time at all...put the long haul cargo back on the rails where it belongs and leave the roads to passenger vehicles...


I agree. Id like to see more freight on trains. Although the up front costs might be a little steep with building warehouses and staffing them. It would create jobs and jump start some companies. Smaller short line railroads would be needed to bring products from the warehouse to the yards to be added to the trains. There's jobs building and maintaining tracks plus running the line. We have two of those lines where I live. One right off the CSX main yard that hauls the coal from the yard to the Alcoa plant. Another one about 15 miles from the main yard that connects to the CSX yard and has lines to the port on the St. Lawrence River. I barely see these lines active. The most I've seen this company busy was hauling wind turbine blades from the port to somewhere 7-8 years ago. They used to haul paper from the mill that was 1000 yards from the engine shop. But that was 20+ years ago.