1A

[rodd]

Ah, the Acreage Solar panel farmer is on again.

Yes, most farmers should have to take the course the good I took it you learn lots.

But I had been driving our single, tandems and semis since I Was 14 on the farm.

My son has in the fields since 12.

You just don't get to cross the border and Now I is a Truck driver.

Good points. My nephew at 29 took my semi and passed test no problem. He had been around farm and heavy trucks a lot. My son at 20 didn’t have as much experience and very little outside of Auto trannys. So I felt having a professional instructor show him was well worth the money. He had no problems except the “S” turns at city intersections. Other student in cab had never been in a truck, he struggled and son didn’t think he passed the first week, had to do extra hours. My job now is to show him tricks, like tiger torch to thaw brakes, do a roll to see if brakes are released. How to use diff locks, rocking to get moving. How to get from yard to Viterra without touching brakes until stopping at probe. Loaded truck has right of way etc

[SASKFARMER3]

They learn from us.

Who do most of the long haul drivers learn from that are on the road today. Ever check out the cab of a truck they are 90% new canadians.

Yet lets punish farmers.

[farmaholic]

Humbly....

I took a two week(10 day) course of which two days were class room stuff that had zero relevance to physically driving the truck. Those 8 days of shared driving(2 students per truck) wasn't enough for me. I had basically zero experience, and bad old three ton habits from driving those gutless wonders for three decades. Had no concept of shifting and splitting and synchronizing that with the engine rpm. The instructor was a bit of a dick and not a good teacher, or was I just a bad student. Needless to say at the end of the two weeks I was NOT ready for the test and never made it. I honestly didn't deserve to have a 1A. So today I still have a learner's with the air endorsement. But I did learn alot, just needed more time but feeling beat up from the "experience" I never went back(something I never encourage my kids to do!). So now the Apprentice has his 1A and is a dramatically better driver than I was. We had to haul peas lately but he has a broken arm, he(or another valid 1A holder) could gave sat in the passenger's seat and I drive...but I wasn't confident driving through east Regina Vic Ave(#1).

Regarding safeties...I don't understand why farmers get a free pass on that one, how is my truck and trailer any different than a commercial unit? Maybe there could be allowances made for mileage versus time between safeties but to never have to do them ever seems odd. Maybe easy to say when I buy a new trailer and have a decent highway tractor and regularly look it over and do pre-trip inspections and fix shit when it's noticed.

[AlbertaFarmer5]

Do the stats really back up the need to increase regulations and enforcement of heavy trucks? One high profile accident involving sports celebrities that got lots of media coverage is not a stat.

Meanwhile, anyone with a class 5 license can get in the biggest jacked up diesel truck(with bald mudder tires of course, since none of these guys seem to be able to afford the second set of tires after they finance the expensive oversize rims and tires) overloaded with quads, hook onto the longest holiday trailer, with a boat in tow behind that, and drive on any route at any time of day with no hours of service limitations with no experience or testing, and bypassing all scales and inspection stations.

I just can't understand the mentality of picking on professional drivers and business owners while everyone else on the same roads get a free pass.

Just like most things in Canada, with regulations and taxes, we punish those who are contributing to the economy, and discourage anyone from owning their own business. I've talked to two local truckers lately who have given up, over regulation and cut throat rates are making it a money losing proposition.

[captainDAVE]

What is this F endorsement they talk about? Do you have to pass a road test in a class 1 vehicle?

[farmaholic]

AF5, there is a weight restriction in Sask for class 5 drivers, someone who knows the details should chime in.

If what you're pulling excess "X" lbs/kilos, you sopposedly need a certain endorsement.

[AlbertaFarmer5]

AF5, there is a weight restriction in Sask for class 5 drivers, someone who knows the details should chime in.

If what you're pulling excess "X" lbs/kilos, you sopposedly need a certain endorsement.

Restrictions in BC as well. If there are weight limits in AB, I'm not familiar with it.

[chuckChuck]

It helps to grow up on the farm with farm experience and common sense but there were no semis used on farms when I was a kid.

As far as parents teaching farm kids, that is okay but parents often pass on bad habits and bad attitudes.

My father started out with horses and only had to show up for a drivers license to drive a car. Not much he could teach me about semis.

It is not punishment to require people to take training before operating any equipment on the highway it is just common sense.

I have passed lots of farmers towing farm equipment down a busy highway to know that not all farmers have common sense.

Somebody was killed somewhere in Saskatchewan this year when they hit a combine that pulled out in front of them. Not sure of the details.

[LEP]

Humbly....

I took a two week(10 day) course of which two days were class room stuff that had zero relevance to physically driving the truck. Those 8 days of shared driving(2 students per truck) wasn't enough for me. I had basically zero experience, and bad old three ton habits from driving those gutless wonders for three decades. Had no concept of shifting and splitting and synchronizing that with the engine rpm. The instructor was a bit of a dick and not a good teacher, or was I just a bad student. Needless to say at the end of the two weeks I was NOT ready for the test and never made it. I honestly didn't deserve to have a 1A. So today I still have a learner's with the air endorsement. But I did learn alot, just needed more time but feeling beat up from the "experience" I never went back(something I never encourage my kids to do!). So now the Apprentice has his 1A and is a dramatically better driver than I was. We had to haul peas lately but he has a broken arm, he(or another valid 1A holder) could gave sat in the passenger's seat and I drive...but I wasn't confident driving through east Regina Vic Ave(#1).

Regarding safeties...I don't understand why farmers get a free pass on that one, how is my truck and trailer any different than a commercial unit? Maybe there could be allowances made for mileage versus time between safeties but to never have to do them ever seems odd. Maybe easy to say when I buy a new trailer and have a decent highway tractor and regularly look it over and do pre-trip inspections and fix shit when it's noticed.

Good points. I took a week of training in Saskatoon and drove around most streets in the industrial areas with a peterbuilt and a 48' flat deck. Even close to downtown north of 25th street. But it's been 14 years and I avoid city driving as much as possible. I agree no matter what the circumstances, if you are driving on the road and going to the patch, or vice versa there is a period of adjustment and learning. Tough to be trained for all jobs.

Regarding safeties, while you don't need a current safety, you need to be able to pass one. So I agree every couple years that farm trucks should be saftied because compliance is so lax.I pass a weigh scale every trip to town so my trucks are pretty current at all times. But we don't pull brake drums which is becoming mandatory soon.

[rodd]

Good points. I took a week of training in Saskatoon and drove around most streets in the industrial areas with a peterbuilt and a 48' flat deck. Even close to downtown north of 25th street. But it's been 14 years and I avoid city driving as much as possible. I agree no matter what the circumstances, if you are driving on the road and going to the patch, or vice versa there is a period of adjustment and learning. Tough to be trained for all jobs.

Regarding safeties, while you don't need a current safety, you need to be able to pass one. So I agree every couple years that farm trucks should be saftied because compliance is so lax.I pass a weigh scale every trip to town so my trucks are pretty current at all times. But we don't pull brake drums which is becoming mandatory soon.

I keep my trucks safeties current. Just part of my maintenance plan. I would also hate to cause a crash because of an unsafe truck. Current sticker also adds value when time to sell. I have the shop do a thorough inspection at safety time, not just what is on the sheet. There is always something to fix Just like combine inspection