1/28/20

Unlocking an Abandoned Semi & Towing It Away For CHP


In today's video Trent jr is called out by CHP to tow away a truck that has been abandoned. The owner of the truck was contacted and e said he doesn't want it anymore. Trent Jr has to unlock the vehicle using lockout tools to allow the CHP officer to get information off of the truck such as VIN. Enjoy!
Thanks for watching as always LIKE, COMMENT, SUBSCRIBE, and SHARE the HECK out of this video!

1/25/20

5 Steps To Buying A Big Rig


When you decide to buy a truck there are some simple steps you can take to be sure you get the best bang for your buck. If you go into a truck purchase blindly, you are likely to pay too much and get much less than you hoped for.

1. Shop Around.

Truck dealers can only advertise in their own region. A truck dealership in Ohio is not allowed to advertise in California. But dealerships are allowed to sell trucks to customers in other regions if the customer contacts them. As you travel, grab some truck papers from different regions of the country and consider contacting dealers that are far from you. If you already know what make of truck you want, call around to dealers around the country.

2. Compare Apples to Apples.

If you are going to be ordering a new truck, ask for a price quote along with the specifications- this will be about 10 pages long. Compare the spec sheets from different dealers line for line. You may find that a salesman who gives you a lower price quote also skimped out on some of the options without mentioning that to you. If you find that a salesman's quote has inferior specs, tell them which ones you want changed and have them resend the specs and quote. ALWAYS read through the specs line by line- don't trust anything verbal. You may have to pay a chunk of change to receive the faxes from all these dealers, but at least you'll know you're comparing prices, not options.

3. Prioritize

If you are shopping for a used truck, it's unlikely that you will be able to find two trucks that are exactly alike. You won't be able to compare apples to apples like you would if you were buying a new truck. Make a list of the specifications that are most important to you. What make and model are you looking for? How old and roughly how many miles? What engine do you want? What transmission? What rears? Once you nail down those requirements, you may have to compromise on some of the options. Power windows, gauge packages, color. Most options can be changed if they are not to your liking. The things that matter most are the things that are permanent, but you will want to consider the less important options once you have narrowed it down to a few trucks.

4. Get a loan from your own bank.

If you have the dealership set up financing, they are likely to add "points" to your interest rate. There is nothing unethical about this- you are, after all, using their resources to secure financing and they should be compensated for the work their employees do. But you need to decide if you are willing to pay the difference over the life of the loan. The bank may give you a 10% interest rate, but the dealer sets it up for 12% and will pocket the difference with each payment you make. Generally, the dealer will not disclose this information. However, you need to be aware that you may be able to secure a lower interest rate on your own. Consider- a difference of 3% will save you hundreds of dollars each month. It's worth it to do the extra legwork on your own.

5. Make sure you can afford the truck.

There are a lot of owner-operator contracts out there. There are many more mediocre owner-operator contracts than there are lucrative ones. Before you take on the risks involved with owning a truck, make sure you have a contract that can pay for it. Will you be pouring every dime you make back into the truck? Calculate the costs of fuel and maintenance and taxes. If you are a company driver, spend a few months putting your records on paper. Look at the bottom line- what will you have left after all your expenses? If you are not yet a driver, you will want to spend a couple of years driving a truck as a company driver before you decide to buy a truck on your own. Don't buy the lie that owner-operators with rates twice as high as company drivers are making twice as much. They may not even be making the same amount once you figure in all the expenses.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Suzanne_Roquemore

1/21/20

What You Need to Know If Your Car Is Towed After an Accident

A car crash can mean a lot of work for you. As you navigate your medical needs, report the crash to your insurance company, and work to protect your legal rights, you also have to deal with the headache of getting your car back if it’s been towed and paying the towing fees. When your car is towed after an accident

The police will likely order that your car be towed if it cannot be driven from the accident scene. You may have no choice as to where it is towed and may later need to have it towed again from a storage lot to a mechanic. Often, a storage fee is assessed for every day that your car remains in the storage lot. For these reasons, the cost of towing your vehicle can quickly add up to hundreds of dollars or more.

Who Pays for Towing Costs After a Crash?

The answer depends on the actions you take and the terms of the insurance policies that are applicable after your crash. Many insurance policies that include collision coverage will cover reasonable towing and storage fees. The term “reasonable” may be defined in the insurance policy as a number of days. It is important to comply with the terms of the policy, so you don’t end up paying the costs out of your own pocket. If you are physically unable to take action, it is important to have someone do it on your behalf.

Additionally, it is important to have the necessary insurance adjusters come look at your car before it is moved from the storage lot. They will want to assess the damage before the car is moved. You should document every attempt to contact the insurance company, so you have proof of any insurance company delay that costs you money. You may also consult with your lawyer about what actions you can take to protect your rights if this type of delay occurs.
Getting Your Car Back After It’s Towed

The first thing you need to do is determine the towing location. You can ask for this information from the police and the towing company at the scene of the crash. If you are unable to do so, someone acting on your behalf should find out as soon as possible after the accident. You can then contact the storage facility about getting your car yourself or getting it towed to a mechanic of your choosing.

Learn more at: https://www.kffjlaw.com/blog/what-to-do-if-your-car-is-towed-after-a-car-crash.cfm

1/18/20

How to Properly Load a Trailer - CURT


This short video will teach you how to properly load a trailer. The most important thing to consider is how the weight of your cargo is distributed onto your trailer. The ideal distribution is to have 60% of the weight in front of the trailer axle, and 40% behind. Its also very important to make sure your cargo is secured properly. Always practice safe towing.

1/15/20

A&T Road Service - #1 Source for Heavy Duty and RV Towing


We are your number one source for heavy duty towing in the Bay and Sacramento Areas. Our normal service area covers the best part of the bay area and Sacramento region; however, we now have capability to tow across the country if needed. Our A&T Road Service has expanded so much that we had to add towing to make it even more effective and timely.

North Bay Truck Center and A&T Road Service have added heavy duty towing to our overall list of services. We searched for the most flexible and useful rigs to tow the biggest trucks on the road, along with big buses, and large RV units.

Holmes D.T.U. (Detachable Towing Unit). This proven design and technology comes from the most trusted name in the towing industry. The front legs allow the unit to be easily removed in a matter of minutes so the truck can be multi-functional for both towing or pulling trailers. It has a lifting capacity of 16,000 lbs when extended and will extend up to 113 inches past the tailboard.
Need a tow? Call 1-800-434-1205

1/12/20

New CDL Truck Driver Tips Using Gross Weight Scales To Scale Your Trailer Load



This new commercial truck or potential CDL truck driver tips video discusses how to scale your load if you are on a gross weight scale where each axle is not broken out for you. Most truck driver shippers or distribution centers who are larger will have scales, but most only will have a gross weight scale, not an individual axle scale. I show you how to figure your scale load out per axle when you only have a gross weight scale for your 18 wheeler big rig.

1/09/20

EVIR® Electronic Verified Inspection Reporting

Tag, inspect and transmit - it’s that simple

Tractor / Trailer Inspection configuation

TAG – Data-encoded RFID tags are placed in each inspection zone of a vehicle or asset. In a commercial trucking environment, for example, tags are placed in inspection zones that adhere to DOT compliance requirements for pre- and post-trip inspections. Many school districts place tags at the back of a bus to ensure that drivers perform their end-of-shift check for students.

INSPECT – The individual performing the inspection must physically scan each tag on the vehicle. The tablet device must be within two inches of the point of inspection, which helps to verify that a check was performed and the vehicle is up to operating standards. EVIR acts as an electronic, verifiable log to prove that inspections are being performed accurately and consistently.




TRANSMIT – Defects or vehicle damage can be captured with Zonar's tablet device. Equipped with a 5 mega-pixel camera, drivers can easily transmit photos to give maintenance a heads-up as to what they are seeing. After the tablet is docked inside the vehicle, the inspection data is seamlessly transferred back to Zonar's web-based application, Ground Traffic Control®. Fleet managers and maintenance personnel have immediate access to the inspection data from the field, helping them to prioritize and schedule repairs.

Not just for vehicles

The EVIR system is as flexible as our customers' unique needs. While most commonly used to verify the pre- and post-trip inspection process for fleets across all industries, EVIR use spans to wherever there's a need to verify a process is being followed.

A complete solution provider

Zonar offers a full suite of smart fleet technology solutions that improve safety, decrease downtime of vehicles, reduce fuel costs, coach driver performance, and streamline back-office reporting.

Unparalleled customer service

From onboarding to installation, our U.S.-based Customer Care team makes sure that you’re set up for success. There’s a reason more than 99 percent of our customers that choose to do business with us, stay with us. More than 30 percent of our company is devoted to after-sale support, which means you can always reach a live Zonar employee—24/7/365.

Learn more at: http://zonarsystems.com/solutions/evir-electronic-verified-inspection-reporting/


1/04/20

In NTSB top transport issues, technology's pace quickening, human error in sharp relief

Technology is the unifying theme running through NTSB's updated Most Wanted List this year as well as the related recommendations the agency has.


A 2015 crash near Chattanooga, TN where this tractor-trailer plowed into construction zone traffic, striking eight vehicles and killing six occupants.

All indications in the National Transportation Safety Board's latest "Most Wanted List" of problems to fix in transportation point to one thing: in many ways, technology across that broad industry isn't just advancing, it's accelerating. It is both problem and solution.
Technology is the unifying and strongest theme running through NTSB's updated list this year as well as the related recommendations the agency has for state governments and others to solve these "most critical" woes in transportation. NTSB investigates transportation accidents and deaths throughout the year, and the Most Wanted List shows how the focus for those efforts is changing, as these problems themselves are.
Source: Fleet Owner