Saturday, March 19, 2011

DO NOT HATE US (please...)

18 wheelers
Throughout this period , I always wonder why the truck driver was hated by most other drivers, especially cars. 

Is it because we are driving a big, slow trucks and often takes a lot of space on the road? 

Or because we are part of the blame because of the mistakes that had been done by some of us? 

Not all truck drivers do not care about attitude and drive according to their hearts and feeling only. 

We are ordinary people, never will be perfect. 

How do you feel when your career becomes a hatred? 

While they do not ever know what we do everyday.

22 wheelers flatbed

It is extremely unfair to blame all truck drivers, when only a few that are not being disciplined on the road. 

Please do not forget that in this country, none of the schools or the Academy to teach how to become a good truck driver. 

That there are all only Driving Schools,just to obtain a license. 

After that, we must learn for ourselves how to become a good truck driver either. (Or not?) 

Not all of us have the opportunity to study up to secondary level too. 

In fact, there are just able to read and write only. 

There was some who is illiterate too! 

Personal attitude of a truck driver depending on what it receives on the job itself. 

If he is in good working atmosphere, then he will be normal. 
Vice versa. 

14 wheelers side curtain Volvo FM12 380hp

Stop from being to find fault only. 

Why are not we together to find where the source of all wrongdoing all this long. 

Safe Driving, safe life. 





Sunday, March 13, 2011

LOCAL DELIVERIES

to the left or right?

When it comes to a long journey trips , I love it most.


Lately while I'm doing my driving jobs, mostly all of it  takes not more than a few hour.

We call it local trips. Just hovering some 50 to 100 kilometer radius. All could be done on the same day.

Usually deliveries will take a bit lousy while waiting by the Port for those R.T.G. (Rubber Gantry Cranes) to come over and release the containers.

RTG

Then another waiting game at the Port Exit just to clear through The Custom Officers.

Sometimes we have to go for an X-ray Drive Through when something suspicious is at the risk.

When all are cleared, off we go to the next destination.

Reporting the Container's Number to The Dispatcher   is a must, just to be sure we are delivering the right container to right customer.

Only by those 4 alphabets and follows by the 7 digits, did we knows where to send the containers.

45 tonnes

Some of it are quite heavy and a bit tricky to handle. Most of the customers will squeeze as much as they could into the cube, just to make sure it worth every dime for paying the fares and taxes.

When we arrive, we'll just uncouple the trailer and leave it there for the customer to unload the cargo.

In a few days, somebody will come to pick the trailer with the empty container to send it back to the Container Yard.

container yard


My three hours trip has been done.

Now it's time to grab something to chew.

Safe Driving, safe life....
  


Saturday, March 12, 2011

GET HOME SAFE

downtown

Driving a big truck is not that difficult.
Especially when you are doing it for almost all your career.

When it comes to maneuvering an 18 wheeler in a crowded city center, than it could be a bit tricky.

All that we have is only those big side mirrors to see where the rear wheels is.

mirror mirror on the truck, whose the fairest  of them all

Unfortunately, big trucks had a blind spot.
Don't get too near to a big trucks, or you'll get pinned in between.

Don't ever try to overtake by the opposite of the driver's side. The driver won't be able to see you at all when you are right at the front edge of the truck.

Remember, a fender bender with a big truck is not fun at all. Your car or bike could be pinned beneath the big wheels.

told ya !

Drive safely, look where you are going and look what is coming to you.

MY FIRST TIME

wikimedia.org

All my life I never had any better job then driving. 
When I was a kid, I use to impersonate how a trucker drove his truck.

To be more entertaining, I'd use some rounded figure such as a big plastic plate to act like a steering wheel while I'm moving around the house (by foot of course) sounding like a big truck.

While reaching the legal age of a truck driver (21 years old in my country) I just didn't wait for no time to get the Truck Driving License.

I can still remember that I've just made three days of training and passed my Truck Driving Test.

That was my first real truck. An ISUZU V10. A ten wheeler tipper truck made to be a Test Truck.

Japanese truck is a common view in my country at that time. 
So,if you are driving such a V8 HINO FR60, it's good enough for a beginner in trucking industry.

I've start with one of that. A ten wheeler, 28 footer cargo compartment  length. 

I can still remember how happy I was to feel the V8 engine. Not that powerful compare to an European trucks but fair enough for a 21 years old Asian boy. (yeah- I know, they drove a SCANIA at that age in Sweden- lol)

I'll moved across the country delivering cargo mostly metals to the local hardware stores.
Sometimes even lost in the middle of nowhere just because of the address on the Delivery Manifest was so tricky to read. It was hand written by the 90's.

While mobile phones was a space story things back then, I'll end up to walk around to look for a telephone booth just to call a number which is not exist.

Normally for the last effort is to stop a mailman asking for direction to the local hardware store.

Pardon for my English. I just had some secondary school in my study career. Trying my best to write and speak in English via television.

Just wanna share a bit of my life through this blog.

See you then in my next posting.

Safe journey.

Salute to all those unsung heroes, The Road Warriors.