[deleted]

Comments: 397 • Responses: 79  • Date: 

hate_my_login61 karma

I'm in my 30's and still like to do the "Honk Honk" gesture to truckers, and most honk back. Annoying, or does it break up some monotony of the day?

Onthegokindadude17 karma

Don't honk at us. It stresses us out. That's my opinion on that at least.

legomyego101038 karma

I believe he was referring to the arm pumping gesture that implies we want the truck driver to honk their horn, not actually honking at you guys.

Onthegokindadude49 karma

In that case then I totally honk for anyone who does that. :)

But if someone just honks at me expecting a response then it will make me think something is wrong.

rabidpiano8637 karma

Have you ever partook of the services of a lot lizard?

Onthegokindadude29 karma

Not even once.

0to60in2minutes5 karma

I've never seen a log truck with no solid load protectors.

Onthegokindadude4 karma

Yeah, I noticed that everyone think they just bundle it up top and that's it. We have thick stake pipes holding the wood from falling sideways off the load like in the Final Destination scene. That would never happen. Then we wrap the bundles in at least 3 Cables that can hold a shit of weight.

crwcomposer29 karma

[deleted]

Onthegokindadude24 karma

They are. We replant teenage trees in place of what we cut down.

ComputersByte23 karma

Ever have a load of logs break free?

Onthegokindadude26 karma

No, thank goodness. We throw cables over the top and tighten them as much as possible. So far so good.

DudeInDistress26 karma

So far so good...

"Knock on wood"?

Onthegokindadude25 karma

All the time

ComputersByte9 karma

Good good, I was watching the log truckers tv show so I have a fairly limited understanding of your career (computer nerd, not a trucker by any means). My father (retired police officer) had the unpleasant job of dealing with a truck hauling steel re-bar that had to stop suddenly and his load shifted.

I wish you all the best with your career, and thank you for doing a job that may be ignored by the masses, but is extremely important!

Onthegokindadude6 karma

I've seen my fair share of fatalities. I appreciate the kind words. :)

ethan_lynch15 karma

Are you honest in your logbook?

Onthegokindadude15 karma

Yes I am :)

Deacalum4 karma

Do you still use paper logs or have you (or your company) switched to electronic logs? What do you think about the electronic logs?

Onthegokindadude5 karma

Paper or nothing!

oduyaiddoya3 karma

So, when it's mandated are you going to stop driving or will you go with the change?

Onthegokindadude12 karma

I'll do what I have to to provide for my family.

Kanuck_Kyle13 karma

How long and luscious is your beard?

Onthegokindadude58 karma

Yeawhateverman10 karma

Good lookin beard

Onthegokindadude38 karma

Good lookin Man.

FTFY

jojorobo13 karma

How did you get into the driving business? How long have you been driving for? And thanks for doing this AMA!

Onthegokindadude17 karma

Googled nearest trucking school, graduated, and started driving for CR England. Been in a truck for over 2 years.

Luke_Atmadik3 karma

CR England.

Which route did you have?

Onthegokindadude4 karma

I did my training with the "Trainer" for 2 months then left them. Didn't have a route of my own but my trainer was on Wal-Mart fleet.

Jimmith3eo12 karma

(EDIT) SPOILERS FOR DEXTER SORRY

What was it like to kill your sister Deb? Have you been in contact with Harrison or Hannah? Do you feel like you made the right decision becoming a lumber-jack? Whats it like going from being a blood spatter analyst in a lab to working with wood in the wilderness?

Thanks!

Onthegokindadude13 karma

I'm not stuck in Florida anymore. Fuck the rest.

froggy66611 karma

What advise would you recommend to somebody trying to get into the industry?

Onthegokindadude35 karma

Don't eat fast food. Microwave is your best friend.

scolomon9 karma

how much do you make a year?

Onthegokindadude18 karma

$50k

Nicadelle8 karma

I was driving in Mississippi a few weeks ago and I saw a log truck that definitely had a police escort, any idea what this might be about?

Onthegokindadude5 karma

Could be lots of reasons.

UntitledElf2 karma

Like?

Onthegokindadude3 karma

A police escort is only when it's a legal safety issue. If the load is over width or length or height then it will be escorted by a pilot car team. If this officer was escorting him he had something wrong with his truck like a missing tire. Or he's being escorted down a road that's not meant for trucks, or he's being escorted to the local station where they will do inspections on him. Like I said. There's a lot that this could be.

breedofepicness8 karma

How close is this game to the real deal?

Onthegokindadude3 karma

I might buy that game! I drive through much thicker woods than that.

SirJumbles6 karma

What is the scariest logger related story you've heard?

Onthegokindadude12 karma

Rolling off a cliff. Pretty much our nightmare.

Zanaxe5 karma

2 questions: 1) I've traveled a lot and something I've started doing is letting trucks in during traffic by slowing down and turning my lights off and back on to signal they're good to move over. 99% of the time the trucks flash their lights back at me to thank me for helping them out. What are some other things normal drivers can do to make things a little easier and safer for you?

2) I grew up here in Western WA and we 4 wheel/camp a lot out on the logging roads, what are your views on us? I know a lot of us tear the shit out of the gates and roads. Are we seen as a nuisance or do you guys not care much?

Thanks for all the work you guys do, I know it's dangerous and tough!

Onthegokindadude3 karma

Just give us space really. You're already helping out a lot and I thank you for that :)

Just pick up your trash and try to not tear up the roads.

Are you still in WA?

beckom25 karma

Would you consider this as a permanent career? Would you consider going OTR full-time? Any fallback careers you have planned or you are planning to do (You mentioned getting a GED)? Thanks a lot!

Onthegokindadude4 karma

I already drove OTR for a while. Saw the whole country. I'm over it. I'd rather be home with my family. Washington is hiring like crazy for State Patrolman. It's kind of a dream of mine to become a law enforcement officer. So I'm going to get my ged and go for that and see how it goes. If it doesn't work out I'll stick with this possibly.

beckom27 karma

Good to know. Good luck with becoming an officer!

Onthegokindadude5 karma

Thanks you! I'm not sure why someone downvoted your question but i saved you. Haha

enemigo5 karma

[deleted]

Onthegokindadude13 karma

Yeah still call em that. And yes I have. For speeding....allegedly ;P

cheapreemsoup4 karma

How is our forest doing?

Onthegokindadude4 karma

It's abundant. Don't worry. :)

lamoix4 karma

Why do y'all drive so fast? I feel like the fastest vehicles on the road are logging trucks.

Onthegokindadude14 karma

We get paid by the load.

Tjolo3 karma

What is the "Ferrari Enzo" of trucks? Meaning, what's the hottest most badass awesome truck out there.

Onthegokindadude13 karma

Peterbuilt 379's and Kenworth W900's

Tofudabeast1 karma

I see you are a man of good taste. Former log hauler here from NorCal.

Edit: Drove a T800 and loved it!

Onthegokindadude4 karma

I drove a T-800 at one point! I ran multiaxle flatbed. 98k lbs gross.

fuhreallydoe3 karma

Are you aware that Final Destination 2 made driving behind you a common nightmare of the masses?

Onthegokindadude3 karma

Yes I am. That's the typical joke I get.

ReleaseTheKragle3 karma

What is the longest you have ever had to drive in one go?

Onthegokindadude11 karma

A little over 700 in 11 hours.

schadly2 karma

[deleted]

Onthegokindadude8 karma

That was my best day and I didn't stop once for the entire 11 hours. And yes I pee's in a cup.

Johnny-Lingo1 karma

How much is the log cost per ton at that range? In the south east you won't find a wood basket much larger than 75 miles. Current price of sawtimber in this area is around $50 a ton.

Onthegokindadude1 karma

We charge $6/1 k lbs

SilentPs3 karma

These trucks are one of my fears. I never follow behind and always pass as soon as possible. Ever drop anything?

Onthegokindadude5 karma

Never dropped a one. Sometimes bark flies off but that's it. It's just as scary for us as it is for you believe me.

dirtywindows3 karma

How do you, or other truck drivers in general, know what weigh stations you have to hit and what ones you can skip by?

Onthegokindadude8 karma

CB Radios. We keep each other up to date. Plus there's an app for that.

justgoawayplease3 karma

Where was the prettiest view that you've ever seen while driving?

Onthegokindadude8 karma

I've always loved Pennsylvania. :) especially in the Fall.

banksz3 karma

Why do you like this type of work? How do you feel about backing up and parallel parking your rig? Got my CDL Class A today! Man is that an intimidating test! I have never driven anything bigger than a pick up truck and have never pulled a trailer of any sort, 8 hours of 1:1 training and I managed to pass.

Onthegokindadude3 karma

I like it because it's outside of the norm for a truck driver. I like dangerous work as well. Backing up is a cake walk once you have years of experience. You'll get it eventually. Congrats by the way!

Royalcurls3 karma

What stations do you listen to while on the road? Recommend any internet stations?

Onthegokindadude3 karma

I use Spotify and listen to Thrash Metal. I pick up and deliver 3 loads a day so I'm go go go.

TheZeven3 karma

If you could pick a stereotypical driver to be awarded the title of "Stupidest driver on the road", what would that stereotype be?

Onthegokindadude10 karma

Anyone behind the wheel of a Swift Truck.

stereotypical drivers are the disgusting ones that refuse to shower or brush their teeth. I hate them.

tacobelleeee3 karma

What's the craziest thing you've seen on the road? Do you think being a trucker is a dangerous profession?

Onthegokindadude9 karma

It's definitely dangerous. I've got stories of fatalities for days. I once saw a trucker hit a person on the hwy at 70mph. All I can say is SPLAAAAAAAT.....LITERALLY like a balloon.

tacobelleeee2 karma

Oh my god, really?

Onthegokindadude2 karma

Yup. Pretty gruesome.

U_Gunna_Eat_That2 karma

Have you had any Bigfoot sightings?

Onthegokindadude2 karma

Not yet. Maybe if I'm lucky I'll hit him with my truck and then I'll sell his rare meat for his weight in gold and retire....yeah...that's a good plan.

konzine2 karma

[deleted]

Onthegokindadude2 karma

Nope. Just driving.

harborhound2 karma

You look familiar, but can't put a name on it. R u from longview/Kelso?

Onthegokindadude1 karma

I'm not. I live in Tahuya,Wa.

JustOnesAndZeros2 karma

Do you always have to drive in the fast lane? You'd think they were paid by the load...

Onthegokindadude5 karma

We are paid by the load.

TwoChainsDjango2 karma

Have any friends of the road? How about some ladies of the evening?

Onthegokindadude6 karma

My Wife is my only lady. I have no time for girlfriends..no patience either. Plus I'd have to retrain a new girl how to curl my toes properly.

avatarvszelda2 karma

So, I am always VERY cautious when neer log trucks, because I am afraid that they will break and I will impale my car (and myself) on the logs.

Have you ever heard of this happening?

Onthegokindadude1 karma

It's never happened around me and I've never heard of it happening to anyone I know.

2600forlife2 karma

You drive a '72 KW still? Holy shit, how many mile does that thing have on it officially now (yes, I know it's probably had it's engine rebuilt 100 times by now, but still)? I drove OTR for several years starting in the mid 80's, and those things were crap then. Oh well, at least it isn't a cab over! Stay safe out there.

Onthegokindadude3 karma

It stopped counting at 500k so who knows. Lol

manwhoreproblems2 karma

I run a log yard. Why can't your people load them straight??? Any idea how much of a pain it is when y'all are rushing us to unload and they are all off balanced. Only through luck have I not sent one through a cab.

Onthegokindadude3 karma

They're not my people. They're contracted.

chaseoes2 karma

How accurate is SPINTIRES?

Onthegokindadude3 karma

I haven't played it. Real life has better graphics though.

stoic_buffalo1 karma

  1. What do you do while they load or unload the truck?

  2. Are you a fan of the TV show Twin Peaks?

Onthegokindadude1 karma

I watch them to make sure they don't load me too close to my headache rack.

snorlz1 karma

how do you deal with the insane boredom of long drives?

also, does it pay well enough to make up for the boredom of driving for hours on end?

Onthegokindadude5 karma

You get used to it. It helps to have other friends on the road to chat with on the phone. I listen to a lot of Heavy Metal. ALOT of Heavy Metal. Haha

LOLNOOBHOST2 karma

[deleted]

Onthegokindadude3 karma

Thrash mostly.

Invictus501 karma

Hey Onthegokindadude, thank you for doing this AMA! Was trucking school expensive; including the whole CDL process? How long did it take before you were on the road on your own?

Onthegokindadude2 karma

$4k school. Was on the road in two weeks.

Aetyrno5 karma

$4K investment to make $50k/yr is really not bad at all.

If you put that up against a 4-yr engineering degree like mine, you'd have already made $200K in the time that I spent $40k on school, and I make less than $20k/yr more than you. That puts you $240K ahead, and it'll be about 12 years before we match up.

And people say you need a STEM degree to make money...

Onthegokindadude5 karma

I didn't even finish High school. :P

Aetyrno1 karma

Did you/do you plan to ever do your GED or any sort of college, or are you pretty happy with what you're doing?

Onthegokindadude4 karma

Studying for my GED now. :)

Invictus502 karma

Is the school mandatory? Or can you be trained by a driver and pass the CDL exam?

Onthegokindadude1 karma

School is necessary for most.

chasethebrony1 karma

Do you find yourself mostly hauling poles, logs or pulpwood?

Did you always work for a hauling company? Do they only do timber hauling or do they also operate harvesting machinery?

What was your closest call with injury on site?

I worked for a timber company in the southeast pine woods for a couple summers, and i got to see some of what y'all do hauling logs. My experience was more on the side of timber cruising and marking though.

Onthegokindadude2 karma

Yeah all I haul is logs and pulp. I haven't been in logging forever but I've been doing it for a while. I started out in Van and then moved to flatbed and then logging.

Haven't had any close calls doing logging but I did nose dive off a flatbed once while I was tarping. Busted my nose. That wasn't fun.

Azorian771 karma

I'm out in Grays Harbor County. I'm guessing you're not that far from me.

Did you see the TopGear USA episode on log trucks that was filmed in Western Washington?

Onthegokindadude1 karma

I'm in Belfair. I don't watch TV

saint_smithy1 karma

I live in Washington, and often make the drive to Oregon where there are plenty of logging sites. One thing I notice while on I-5 is seemingly the same types of trucks, with the same types of logs, going in the opposite directions of each other.

Why is this? Wouldn't it be easier to just leave them where they were?

This came up on a delirious road trip from Redding, CA to Seattle, WA.

Onthegokindadude1 karma

We take the logs to multiple mills and there are multiple companies working multiple job sites. Different types of wood goes to different mills.

the_yopro1 karma

So I was driving around the Olympic Peninsula this past Summer. A fully loaded logging truck was tailing me pretty close. I approach a steep hill, thinking this is where I lose this guy. No dice. As soon as I get to a passing lane I let this guy by. He was also taking sharp turns at probably double the suggested speed. My question is: What kind of engines/other performance specs do logging trucks have in that part of the country? I've driven on less steep highways in WV and you see trucks going 40 mph on the highway just struggling to get up the hill. Thanks.

Onthegokindadude2 karma

Every truck is different. The drivers make a difference too. If the guy tailing you had a Cat C-15 under the hood then chances are he can pass you fully loaded. Stock trucks cannot do that when their empty.

Giving_gold_4_nudes1 karma

How much time do you usually get off? Holidays? Personal days? Any of the sort. A regular work week for you?

Onthegokindadude5 karma

3am to 18:30 Monday through Friday. Weekends off

eggiewaffles921 karma

What do you do on the road? Listen to radio, audiobook, or nothing?

Onthegokindadude1 karma

I listen to music and chat on the CB with the other Loggers.

concernedsponge1 karma

Where I live all the truckers are immigrant from asia. Is it the same where you are? If so, why so many immigrant drivers?

Onthegokindadude2 karma

No Asian truckers in Wa

feed_me_things1 karma

Thanks for doing this AMA!

Got any tips/tricks for staying awake and alert on long drives?

Onthegokindadude6 karma

Get plenty of rest the night before.

exileonmainst1 karma

what are your thoughts on trucker bombs?

Onthegokindadude1 karma

Disgusting...

OhCrapItsYouAgain1 karma

How did the new HOS regulations effect your work schedule? Were there loads you were able to complete in 1 day under the previous regulations, that now you need to break down into 2 days because it takes 8.5 hours from origin to destination?

Just curious. Also, what made you decide to start running strictly log loads after CR England?

Onthegokindadude1 karma

I'm under 150 miles from my yard so it didn't affect me. I wanted to haul logs all along.

sealab210 karma

1) what do you hate most about foresters? 2) what's the largest diameter (DBH) tree you've had on your truck?

Onthegokindadude2 karma

This is typical for me.

I_Key_Cars-1 karma

Have you seen Bobo?

Onthegokindadude2 karma

Who?

144k-33 karma

thank you for supporting killing trees i hope you know youre contributing to global warming?

Onthegokindadude5 karma

Would it make you feel better if I told you that we replant teenage trees in their place? Because that's federal law.