Categories
Lifestyle Trucker News

Find Good Movers

The items you’ve accrued in your home often hold sentimental value and financial worth. That’s why you should be careful when it comes to finding movers. After all, movers are responsible for handling these items and, in some cases, packing and unpacking them. To ensure that your items are handled with utmost care and are not damaged, broken or stolen, you must hire a good moving company with an upstanding reputation.

Call local real estate agents for recommendations. They work closely with movers, packers and various moving-related companies and likely have a list of reputable movers.

Look in your phone book or online for moving companies in your area.

Contact moving companies and ask them how long they’ve been in business. Hire a company that has been around for at least 10 years and has positive reviews online and is spoken highly of.

Ask questions. Ask for the company’s address, their website and for references from clients. Ask for their DOT (department of transportation) and MC (moving company) license numbers.

Go to SaferSys.org to verify that the company’s DOT and MC license numbers are real and in good standing. While looking at the numbers, verify that the contact information matches the information the company gave you.

Request that the company come to do an in-home estimate. Moving companies that refuse to do this should be disregarded. It’s only possible to get an accurate estimate if the movers have actually seen the items they’ll be moving.

Categories
Lifestyle Trucker News

Types of Transportation

Types of Transportation By Rosallee Scott, eHow Contributor When planning a vacation, it is imperative that you plan not only how to get there, but how you are going to get around once you reach your destination as well. There are many modes of travel that you can use when seeing the sites in one city or traveling to multiple cities during one adventure. Vacationing is all about making the most of your time visiting and touring new or familiar favorite places again, and depending on what you consider exciting, there are many ways to accomplish your goals.

On Foot
There are many types of transportation that will get you to your destination, but few that offer the adventures that walking offers. This is where the old idea of backpacking through Europe became such a popular goal in life (see Resources).

Renting Cars

There is always the option of renting a car at almost any city that you choose to visit. This allows you to get places faster but still on your own time and schedule.

Public Rides

Buses, trains, subways, taxis and other chauffeured automobiles give you the leisure of having someone else who knows the area drive you around. Most popular hotspot cities even offer these types of transportation with guided tours, so all you have to do is sit back and look during your vacation.

Air Travel

Planes are still one of the most popular means of getting to a particular destination fast. This includes public flights, private jets and even helicopter tours.

Water Traveling

Another popular vacationing travel ideas is on the water. Everything from riverboat tours and whale watching voyages to long cruises, offers all the conveniences of home with different types of transportation to see the world in a whole different way than you would on land.

http://www.findfreightloads.com/
truckerhunt.com/

Categories
Lifestyle Trucker News

How to Sleep in a Semi Truck

One of the biggest challenges of long-distance truck driving is how to schedule your rest. It can be very easy to fall asleep while driving, and when you’re paid by mileage, sleep can become a secondary priority. Some drivers have started teaming with their spouse or another driver in order to maximize miles while still getting some rest. Sleeping in a moving semi-truck is challenging, but there are options to make it easier.

Add extra padding to your bed. There is a lot of road vibration, and the constant weight shifting can make it difficult to sleep and cause health problems over time. Adding extra padding can make it easier to sleep and protect your neck and shoulders from impact trauma.

Drive with people you trust. Driving with someone you are not familiar with is more likely to keep you on edge and prevent you from getting proper rest. Your partner should respect the fact that you are sleeping by keeping the radio at a low level and driving slowly over speed bumps and rough terrain.

Wear a sleep mask. Sleeping during the day or facing the glare of consistent headlights can prevent you from getting proper rest. A sleep mask will cut out the uninvited light and make it easier to sleep in bright conditions.

Use earplugs. The road and engine noise can be very disruptive, especially when combined with the radio or a backup beeper. Earplugs or a set of white-noise headphones can eliminate that distraction.

Categories
Lifestyle Trucker News

Improve Your Public Transportation Experience

If it pains you to think about riding the bus or taking the subway to work, think about taking a few simple measures to improve your public transportation experience while reducing the cost of your commute.

Don’t incite “commuter rage.” Have your electronic fare card, paper fare transfer or cash/coins ready before you board the bus, subway or light rail so you aren’t left with an annoyed driver and a line of angry people behind you while you fish through your wallet.

Sit in a window seat, if one is available. If you are claustrophobic, shy or just tired, gazing out the window is a good way to relax in the midst of a commuter crowd.

Bring an activity to improve the quality of your ride. Whether you use your commute to read a book, pay bills or work on your laptop, you’ll enjoy your travel experience more when you use your time wisely and multitask on your ride.

Be observant, reporting shady characters to the transit driver, a security guard or police officer if you are followed, harassed or assaulted while using public transportation.

Buy some antibacterial wipes and hand sanitizer. Public transportation is not known for being the cleanest way to travel, so come prepared to wipe off dirty or wet seats. Clean off your hands after your travel experience in order to prevent the spread of community germs.

Keep an inexpensive pair of earplugs to store in your briefcase or bag in case you want to work or read on your commute. LuggageOnline.com sells sets of inexpensive, disposable earplugs in a small travel case (see Resources below).

Bring your MP3 player or portable radio and headphones so you can block out crowd noise and enjoy your music during the ride. Invest in a pair of foldable, noise-canceling headphones at TravelProducts.com (see Resources below). The headphones reduce noise up to 20 percent more than similar products.

Strike up a conversation with your neighbor. Socializing is a great way to pass the travel time, and you may make a new friend who lives or works near you.

http://truckerhunt.com/

Categories
Lifestyle Trucker News

How Do I Verify a Moving Company?

In a single 2004 Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) operation, agents arrested owners and employees of 16 Florida-based moving companies for a scam in which the companies gave a low-ball estimate, then demanded two to three times the amount in cash before they delivered the household’s possessions. Sadly, this scam is not uncommon. Fortunately, federal and state governments (along with the Better Business Bureau) offer several resources to help you verify that your mover won’t take your money and run.

Before the Move
Start by visiting Protectyourmove.gov, a website set up by the US Department of Transportation (USDOT) to protect consumers from moving fraud. This site is the most comprehensive resource for verifying interstate movers. Click on “Search Movers & Complaint History” on the top toolbar and search for the moving company you’re considering. This will allow you to confirm that the company has insurance and is licensed. You’ll also find the number of complaints the USDOT has received about the company, with the complaints divided by category. Write down the company’s USDOT and MC numbers and save them. If your move doesn’t cross state lines, however, you’ll need to check with your local Better Business Bureau or movers association. Find contact information for these organizations listed by state under “State/Local Resources” on the site’s top toolbar. Finally, low-ball, over-the-phone estimates are a red flag that something isn’t right, so ask for an on-site inspection before your mover gives you an estimated price.

Moving Day
When the moving truck arrives, check the USDOT and MC numbers painted on the side of the truck against the numbers you wrote down when verifying the moving company. If the numbers differ, or if you can’t find the numbers on the truck, ask the movers for an explanation before they begin loading the truck. If something seems fishy, don’t allow loading to start until you are satisfied. Read all paperwork before signing it.

Categories
Freight Loads

Find Truck Freight

When you are a trucker who is paid by the mile, you know that if your wheels aren’t turning, you’re not earning. It’s a fact of life in the trucking world. That means scheduling loads back to back is crucial. Sometimes finding that next load can be a challenge though. If you don’t know where to look for loads, you’re going to spend valuable time sitting. Once you learn the ins and outs, however, you’ll be able to find loads with ease.

Purchase a subscription to a freight load board an online listing of available freight nationwide. Average fees range from $35 to $50 per month. These boards contain hundreds of loads for you to choose from. You can sort loads by point of origin, destination, type of freight and other variables. One examples of these board is findfreightloads.com.

Purchase a subscription to an online freight load board and list your services there. Many shippers use these boards to locate an available truck to haul their loads. This improves your odds of finding freight because shippers are able to view your information and contact you directly when they have a load. To list your services, purchase a membership to the board, choose the “post” option and enter your contact information and the types of loads you can haul. Click “save” when done to post your services.

Stop in a nearby truck stop and use one of the free computerized load boards. A limited selection of loads are listed on the boards, with more available when you purchase a subscription. Truck stops are a great place to get a line on available freight from other truckers who are already loaded and headed out of the area. Load boards in truck stops scroll freight listings continuously. When you see a load that matches your needs, jot down the contact information and call the company immediately.

Use a freight broker a business or an individual who matches drivers with loads. While brokers charge for their services between 5 and 11 percent of the transportation charge if the load pays enough, you’ll still make money and avoid the losses that downtime brings. Choose a reputable broker by checking the company’s Better Business Bureau rating or running a credit check on the company.

Contact local companies directly to ascertain if they have outgoing loads in need of a driver. When a company is having a hard time scheduling a pick up, it’ll jump at the chance to get its freight out of its yard and onto the road when you call.

Categories
Lifestyle Trucker News

Causes of Driver Fatigue

Many factors can contribute to drivers becoming tired, sleepy or generally less aware of their surroundings, a condition known as driver fatigue. While the name implies tiredness, there are other things that contribute to this dangerous and preventable problem. When people drive while experiencing driver fatigue, they have decreased reaction times, less awareness and a higher likelihood for accidents.

Infrequent Breaks

While driving for extended periods of time, it is important to take breaks, even if you aren’t tired or bored. For every 80 to 90 minutes of driving, stop and get out, walk around and get something to eat. Take your mind off driving and think about something else.

Lack of Sleep

People who drive after little or no sleep have trouble focusing, staying awake and reacting to obstacles or problems on the road. For several days before a big trip, try to get plenty of sleep. This will help you feel energized and healthy so you can focus and stay alert for your drive.

Conditions

Road and driving conditions greatly affect the rate and severity of driver fatigue. Driving at night, in inclement weather or through construction zones increases stress and tires you out, lowering your alertness and ability to drive effectively. Your condition as a driver matters, too. Driving with any alcohol in your system can slow your reaction time.

Health Problems

Certain health problems or conditions can affect how quickly a driver experiences driver fatigue. Elderly or sick drivers have less driving endurance than other drivers and are more quickly affected by stress and fatigue. Chronic conditions like narcolepsy, insomnia or sleep disorders, such as sleep apnea, can prevent your ability to drive effectively for any period of time. If you have any medical condition that hampers your ability to drive, consult a doctor before driving long distances.

Categories
Lifestyle Trucker News

Surety Bond Released

Getting a surety bond released essentially means terminating it, because you have successfully performed the duty the surety bond was meant to insure. It is fairly simple to release a surety bond: all you need to do is apply to the bond producer, or broker, who arranged the surety bond. This broker will then determine whether the surety bond has been sufficiently fulfilled, and will release the bond.
Related Searches:

Go to the bond producer who handled the signing of the surety bond contract. Surety bonds are handled through bond producers, who are often insurance agents.

Fill out a surety bond release request form from your agent. This request form will likely require the signatures of the obligees, or those who would have received the surety bond had you failed to perform the business service.

Wait up to ten business days until you receive a response. During this period, the agent will check that all the requirements for your service have been approved by the obligee. For instance, if you are a contractor, the broker will make sure the building owners are fully satisfied with your construction performance.

Look forward to having a larger client base. The more you release surety bonds, the more you prove to future customers that you can successfully complete your job. For instance, if you are a contractor, you can advertise that you have never once needed to default to a surety bond since you were able to fulfill your construction obligations.

Categories
Freight Brokers

Freight Brokers Course

Other freight broker training courses only tell you what to do, our freight broker course SHOWS you how to do it. Our freight broker training course was designed
by FindFreightloads.com online load board and freight brokers in the industry. Utilizing the load board the course was designed from all aspects of the transportation industry the shippers perspective, carriers needs and the challenges of the truck and property brokers.

What makes us different from the rest?
* We are the only training program that give 1 Year FREE membership with a load board to post freight & find carriers.
* We are the only training program that gives a 350,000 transportation database for lead generation.
* We are the only training program that has freight broker courses under $900.
* We are the only training program that gives 24/7 Toll Free customer support.
* We are the only training program that gives brokerage forms and contracts included in their package
* We are the only training program that includes license filing support.
* Course has lifetime access, NEVER EXPIRE. Some schools have limits on their course WE DON’T.

Categories
Lifestyle Trucker News

How to reinstate your revoked driver license in Tennessee

The first step to getting your drivers license reinstated is to provide proof of at least liability insurance on your vehicle. I find that safe auto and progressive give the best quotes.

Once you get your proof of liability insurance, you need to print off a temporary card or wait for yours in the mail and move onto step 2.

Now you need to pay the reinstatement fee. Right now the fee is $140. You can pay the fee online at http://www.tennesseeanytime.org with any major check card or credit card. Once you pay the fee, you need to move onto step 3.

As long as you have proof of liability insurance and have paid the fee, you can now fax your proof of liability insurance with your revoked or suspended drivers license number written on it to the TN Dept of Safety. The fax number for this is (615)253-2093 .

Once you fax it over to them, you should get confirmation that they received all your required information within 3 business days. If it takes longer than that, it is best to call them to confirm that they received it. After you receive confirmation, you need to schedule a time to go to your nearest DMV and take the test to receive another license if yours is revoked and not suspended.

When you go to the DMV on your date, make sure you take 2 forms of identification. These can include your birth certificate and social security card etc… Government ID is best and unquestionable. When you get all your paperwork done and take the test, you just have to pay the small fee to get your new driver license and that’s it. Just don’t get it revoked or suspended again. Learn from your mistakes and do better next time.