Archive for the ‘Truck Driving Schools’ Category

Truck Driving School Advice

I may be putting a plugin on my blog here that will let all of you out there ask me direct questions about how to find a good truck driving school. I plug Sage only because I took a refresher course there myself after being off duty for a few years. The insurance company required me to pass a few tests. I found that students who were new and had attended the Sage truck driving school showed a higher skill level for the job right out of the gate.

I no longer train drivers, I got burned out after 8 plus years of doing that. I can still give general advice I feel to anyone who asks for it. I am solo now ans am enjoying the solace of having the whole truck to myself again. I spent so many years running team miles that my health was taking a hit, and I had survived those years with no accidents and none of my students having any either. I felt I was lucky. Time for a break and don’t press your luck I thought.

Many of  my old students still call, I had a call last month from a former student who checked on me. I think it’s a good feeling to know that I was able to help somebody and actually have them check on me even years later. I have met former students at truck stops around the country. It is nice to hear your comments. Most of them had attended a good truck driving school, but some had not. They needed real help in getting started and their skill levels were really poor. I had to wear two hats, driving instructor and driver trainer, there is a big difference.

I learned early on that I had to be able to shift the truck left handed from the passenger seat, that is a skill that came to me out of  an emergency, I have had to “grab a gear” more than once with the student failing to find one on a grade or just being tired and frustrated. I also learned how to teach shifting with the student using the throttle and I showing him which gear to select by engine sound. I would run the shifter while he ran the engine rpm’s to the correct level. This example helped him realize the engines role in gear selection along with road speed.

The bottom line is this, I use these examples of what I saw from end of the training over the road. I have seen many come to me with little or no skills taught to them by these truck driving schools. It is extremely important to select a school that will give you good baseline skills to get your feet planted firmly on the ground. A good trainer will be able to identify your shortcomings and work on those, but, basic shifting should be already there. We as trainers are usually supposed to polish what skills you have, not teach those from the start.

There are many things the truck driving schools will not teach. They have set ways and say that is how it is on the job. I will say right here that many things they say is gospel, is not accurate. I have many trainees say “that’s what they told me”. I say let a trainer show the real world way of doing things. Have an open mind when you get in the truck. Be ready to be flexible and learn, don’t just think because a trainer has a different way of doing something that it is wrong. He or she will have learned from experience.

I has set formulas for backing. I also know that any “formula” had better have a plan b and c and so on. There is always room for being flexible, but follow the basic formula and adjust it for the individual setting. In a good truck driving school, they will work you on real world backing situations. Having you back in both sight side and blind side. After 10 years or so, you will have a good idea what you can do when backing. But I must stress this one last point. I will always look at the space I am backing into, I get out of the truck and look for myself. Do not take it for granted. It is your responsibility and nobody else.

Good luck out there and stay safe.

Jim

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I recently visited the wonderful island of Sri Lanka, and found a country full of surprises.

Sri Lanka is situated just south of India, in the Indian Ocean.  Once known as the Dominium of Ceylon and often referred to as the tea country, tea plantations abundantly thrive across the island, with spice gardens, banana and coconut palms growing randomly to create a jungle of natural resources.

People, animals and transport seem to co-exist side by side with no animosity towards each other.  Dogs wonder aimlessly across or bask in the sun at the side of roads, cows and goats roam around everywhere, even on the beaches (which I found rather amusing) and people are everywhere, whether walking, cycling, using a tuc-tuc, motorbike with 5 astride, in a taxi, bus, car or truck, each takes up a space of the not too wide road.  But co-exist they do, there is no anger at being stuck behind a truck, merely a short hooting of the horn to say I am here and would like to pass, politeness abounds and the expression and sounds are all of friendliness, within a country that sorely needs help at redeveloping itself since the tsunami.  People are poor and yet happiness is everywhere…. Not just for the child on the hip or the person at their side, but for expats and tourists as well.

Tourists fluctuate towards the resorts and some chance the areas slightly outside of these areas, to experience a quieter less harassed holiday.  Small pockets of expats can be found, dotted all over the country.  When you bump into these people and chat about life on the island, there is not much to complain about.  Yes, sometimes the water gets turned off or the electricity, yes the internet is not as fast as they would like it to be.  Isn’t that how most people feel in developed countries anyway:  The faster it gets the faster we want it.  In this little piece of paradise, expats are not too concerned that it takes a little longer to do things here, the people are prepared to wait, not too hasty to move forward too quickly.  There was a lot of talk and concern about the elections and safety within the country and there are still road blockades and police / army personnel with guns wandering around keeping peace if necessary.  However, with 70% of the population being Buddhists, the lifestyle is peaceful and life simplistic.

From an expat perspective, I could not fault the lifestyle.  As said above, yes there are definite things missing, things are slower, it takes a good 4 – 6 hours to get from Colombo to Galle and similarly to anywhere about 200km’s apart.  I cannot say that the roads are particularly in good condition, but in the 10 days that I visited, I did not see one accident.  Hardships could include the lack of being able to get from one part of the island to another quickly, the lack of fast internet connection, perhaps the human waste / refuse, which allows for the influx of flies, the dirt which is left to lie around and lastly the lack of funds to rebuild the country to what it was before the Tsunami.

Having said that, I have to look at all the good things that you find there, the beauty of the natural resources, how the nationals and expats are trying to rebuild the country, the beaches, game parks and mountains.  This is truly a beautiful part of the world.

Expat Cost of living summary

The currency in Sri Lanka is the Sri Lankan Rupee LKR

The Exchange rate as at 15 January 2010 was $1 = 114.217 Rupees

I am going to break the Cost of living down according to some of the Xpatualtor basket items  :

Alcohol and Tobacco : Alcohol at Bar, Beer, Cigarettes, Locally Produced Spirit, Whiskey, Wine

Cigarettes (20s)                        – $3.14 – $9

Domestic Beer(500ml)              – $2.50

Imported Beer (330ml)              – $5.80

Wine at a bar                            – $6 a glass

Wine at a shop                          – $15 (750ml bottle)

Hotels tend to increase the prices of alcohol as it is the one way that they can make a profit.  There are many small hotels and restaurants which create a competitive edge to where you can stay.

Clothing : Business Suits, Casual Clothing, Children’s Clothing and footwear, Coats and hats, Evening Wear, Shoe Repairs, Underwear

Casual Long Sleeved Shirt (Men)                   – $12

Casual Long Sleeved Trousers (Men)            – $20

Shorts (Men)                                                   – $11

T-Shirt (Men)                                                   – $6

Casual Blouse (Women)                                 – $7

Casual Skirt (Women)                                     – $12

Children’s Jeans (Boys)                                   – $5

Children’s Jeans (Girls)                                   – $3.50

Children’s Shirt(Boys)                                     – $5

Children’s Shirt(Girls)                                      – $4

Clothes are extremely cheap, in Colombo a person can get most of the name branded clothing at fairly reasonable prices in Factory shops.

Communication : Home Telephone Rental and Call Charges, Internet Connection and service provider fees, Mobile / Cellular Phone Contract and Calls

Monthly phone rental                          – $4.36

Phone call rate                                     – $0.05 for a local call

Internet line connection fee                 – $104 (buy all equipment with installation)

Internet service provider fee                – $17 (1 geg free thereafter)

Monthly mobile contract fee                – $2.18 (for the year)

Mobile / cellular call rate                     – 90% of phones are prepaid,

Mobile Phone 100 Minutes Call           – $38

- $0.012 – $0.05 sms peak times

Due to so many of the nationals working overseas to send money home, the communication costs are extremely low and there are often special deals or no cost is involved in the actual call.

Education : Crèche / Pre-School Fees, High School / College Fees, Primary School Fees, Tertiary Study Fees

Annual Creche fee                              – $4.36 per month

Annual Primary school fee                  – $260 – $436 per month

Annual High School fee                       – $260 – $436 per month

Annual 1st Year Tertiary / University fee – $260 – $436 per month (dependent on which

private school they go to)

Private schooling is the most expensive on the island for expat children to attend, however the rates in comparison to other countries are reasonable.  Expats that I came across spoke highly of the education system in the country and were happy with the private education that their children were receiving.

Furniture and Appliances : DVD Player, Fridge Freezer, Iron, Kettle, Toaster, microwave, Light Bulbs, Television, Vacuum Cleaner, Washing Machine

DVD Player                 – $87

Fridge / Freezer           – $489 (LG / Whirlpool – 4 year guarantee)

Iron                              – $12 cheap – $35 top of the range

Kettle                           – $20 cheap – $37 top of the range

Microwave                   – $191

TV 21 inch                  – $244 (2 year guarantee)

Washing Machine LG  – $570

Discounts can be negotiated with stores on all items

Groceries bought in a grocery store : Baby Consumables, Baked Goods, Baking, Canned Foods, Cheese, Cleaning Products, Dairy, Fresh Fruits, Fresh Vegetables, Fruit Juices, Frozen, Meat, Oil & Vinegars, Pet Food, Pre-Prepared Meals, Sauces, Seafood, Snacks, Soft Drinks, Spices & Herbs

Powdered baby formula (400g)          – $7

Plain biscuits (100g)                          – $0.20

Loaf white bread (200g)                    – $0.70

Cake Flour (1kg)                                – $2.80

Baked Beans (415g)                          – $1.92

Tuna (185g)                                       – $2.75

Cheese : Cheddar (250g)                  – $6.63

Crisps : Pringles (139g)                      – $2.50

Autowash clothing powder (750g)       – $1.57

Dishwash liquid (500g)                        – $0.87

Clothing Softener (2l)                          – $5.40

Breakfast Cereal (250g)                       – $2.45

Butter (227g)                                       – $2.18

Milk (1l)                                                – $1.40

Eggs (12)                                             – $1.80

Orange Juice (1l)                                 – $2.80

Frozen Mixed Vegetables (1kg)           – $6.20

Cooking oil (1l)                                     – $3.22

Olive oil (500ml)                                   – $8.28

Can of coke (355ml)                             – $1.00

Local Fizzy Soft Drink (1l)                    – $1.30

Local Natural Mineral Water (5l)          – $1.08

Tea Bags (200g)                                 – $1.85

Instant Coffee (100g)                          – $6.75

Local Ground Coffee (200g)               – $3.66

Salt (400g)                                           – $0.26

Pepper (400g)                                     – $0.35

Prices were obtained from local grocery stores, there are no big department stores to shop in.

Healthcare : General Practitioner Consultation rates, Hospital Private Ward Daily, Rate, Non-Prescription Medicine, Private Medical Insurance / Medical Aid  Contributions

GP Private rate visit with meds            – $3.50

Hospital Private ward rates                  – $28 per day

Dentistry – Tooth extraction                – $4.35

Most expats use Bupa or the Sri Lankan Equivalent

Household : House / Flat Mortgage, House / Flat Rental, Household Electricity Consumption, Household Gas / Fuel Consumption, Household Water Consumption, Local Property Rates / Taxes / Levies

Rent 2 bed Apartment City Centre                               – $700

Rent 2 bed Apartment outside of City Centre              – $600

Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage per                           – $80 – $90 per month for an average

household, this is expensive when taking household air conditioning into account

Gas / Fuel – 12 ½ kg bottle                                          – $14

Local property Rates                                                    – 8 – 10% of value of property

Expats cannot buy a property directly, this has to be done via a Lawyer who owns the property.  Mortgage for locals is 4/5%.  This is where most expats find the costs creep in, running the air conditioners is extremely expensive as well as the cost of water.

Miscellaneous : Domestic Help, Dry Cleaning, Linen, Office Supplies, Newspapers and Magazines, Postage Stamps

Domestic Rates – full time per person             – $80 average

1 Black inkjet printer cartridge                         – $14

1 Color inkjet  printer cartridge                        – $21

500 sheets printer paper                                 – $5.23

Local Daily Newspaper                                    – $0.17

International Daily Newspaper                         – $0.45

International Magazine                                    – $20

International Airmail Stamps                            – $0.22

Domestic Stamps                                             – $0.12

Domestic help is cheap and most employees either live on the property or close by.  Office supplies are reasonable, with CD’s and DVD’s freely available on the street where most locals buy them.

Personal Care : Cosmetics, Haircare, Moisturiser / Sun Block, Nappies, Pain Relief Tablets, Toilet Paper, Toothpaste,  Soap / Shampoo / Conditioner

Body lotion (400ml) Vaseline Intensive car     – $4.53

Toilet paper 1 ply per roll                                – $0.50

Toothpaste (200g)                                           – $1.92

Shampoo (200ml)                                            – $2.40

Some of the items that can be purchased can be expensive, like creams, sunblocks and cosmetic creams.  Name brand products are the most expensive.

Recreation and Culture : Books, Camera Film, Cinema Ticket, DVD and CD’s, Sports goods, Theatre Ticket

Books paper back                                – $10

Cinema ticket                                       – $0.50

DVD / CD Imported                              – $2

Cricket ticket                                       – $0.50 to $8

Theatre Ticket – only in Colombo       – $30

Hard cover books are expensive in the country, but paper back books are of a similar cost to the US and UK.  Cinema tickets are cheap due to the availability of cheap DVD replicas which can be bought on street corners.  International cricket tickets are also kept cheap for the local population.

Restaurants / Meals out / Hotels : Business Dinner, Dinner at Restaurant (non fast food), Hotel Rates, Take Away Drinks & Snacks (fast Food)

Business Dinner excl Alcohol              – $22 per person

Dinner / lunch at local restaurant         – $8 per person

Mc Donalds Big Mac                           – $4.10

Hotel Rates 3*                                     – $8 – $50 pppn

Hotel Rates 4*                                     – $80 – $120 pppn

Hotel Rates 5*                                     – $140 pppn upwards

Take away – Can of coke x 1               – $0.70

Medium pizza                                      – $3.50

Hamburger                                           – $2.00

Coffee – pot x 3 cups                          – $1.40

As in most countries how much you pay for a meal is dependent on where you go, the local restaurants have great local meals, as well as international flavours, we found a fabulous vegetarian restaurant in Galle, well worth a visit and all prices were fairly cheap.  Some restaurants do take advantage of the tourist population and serve sub standard meals.  However, most restaurants were good with their portions and meal plans.

Transport : Hire Purchase / Lease of Vehicle, Petrol / Diesel, Public Transport, Service Maintenance, Tyres, Vehicle Insurance, Vehicle Purchase

Hire / Lease car – Sedan Toyota Corolla          – $37.14 per day for 1 week

Hire / Lease car – Toyota RAV4                       – $46.71 per day for 1 week

Petrol unleaded per litre                                   – $1.23

Diesel per litre                                                  – $0.64

Bus Ticket (one way)                                        – $1.00

Taxi Ride – per km                                           – $0.50

Tuc Tuc – 10 km ride                                       – $6.00

Train Ticket 2nd class                                       – $1.57

If you are visiting I would suggest you use the local taxis and tuc-tucs, driving can be a head-ache and unpleasant experience if you are not used to the local norms.  However, speeds do not go over 80km on the bigger roads and overall a safe place to drive.

The above detail are some of the items that form the basis of some cost of living indexes for basket groups internationally, these costs are then used with their indexes and exchange rates to calculate the cost of living in different locations.

First of all the charity donation must really happen because a pledge or promise to donate in not enough for tax deduction. The donor must be careful to who or what is giving hid donation. The receiver must be eligible to itemize the donation. The organization that receives the donation also must have tax-exempt status.

Record keeping requirements for the documentation of the charity donation must be met. Taxpayers are required to keep excellent records of their charitable contributions. Donors must keep written records of all cash donations. Donations of $250 or more will not be allowed as a tax deduction without supporting documentation. Records must indicate the name of the charitable organization, the date of your contribution, and the amount of the contribution. This new record keeping requirement took effect beginning with the 2007 tax year.

If donation is other then cash it is also subject to tax deduction with note that every documentation regarding that particular donation together with written acknowledgement received from the charity must be saved.  If non-cash donations exceed $500 IRS Form 8283 must be attached. If the donation is vehicle such as car, boat, truck or airplane which worth exceeds $500, a written acknowledgement from the non-profit organization must be received in order the be eligible for tax deduction.

There are certain limitations to this kind of tax deduction. If the donation is cash, than up to 50% of adjusted gross income can be deducted. If donation is property, than up to 30% of adjusted gross income is deductible. If the donation is appreciated capital gains, than up to 20% of adjusted income is deductible. The excess contributions can be carried over for a maximum of five years.

Donations are not tax deductible if they are given to individual people, labor unions, business associations, chambers of commerce, foreign governments, political parties, professional associations, for profit schools and hospitals.

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It’s not that Melissa dismissed the notion of fastening her seat belt. The thought just never entered her mind. She and her friends were eager to begin their picnic in the country, and there was more hurry than caution to her actions. At some point Melissa lost control of her car, and it rolled over several times.

The vibrant young high school cheerleader was thrown from the automobile and left paralyzed from the waist down. She knows she would have avoided her tragedy with a simple, three-second procedure. And that’s hardly a cheerful thought.

Based on National Safety Council statistics, lifetime odds are 1-in-2 that you will suffer a temporary or permanent disabling injury in a traffic crash, and about 1-in-100 that you will be killed. Surprisingly, the majority of crashes causing injury or death occur within 25 miles of home at speeds under 40 mph.

Superior engineering is making automobiles safer, but the ultimate responsibility for safety rests with the people behind the wheel.

Safety Belts Are Mandatory

* According to the National Safety Council, passenger car and light truck occupants who wear safety belts cut the risk of serious or fatal injury in collisions between 45 and 65 percent.

* Ejection from a vehicle is one of the most injurious events that can happen to a person in a crash. In fact, you are 25 times more likely to die when you are thrown from your vehicle. The safest place in a crash is inside your car. Buckle up!

* If buckled in, you won’t be:

-flung through the windshield,

-pitched into traffic, or against a telephone post or tree,

-thrown across rough, lacerating surfaces, or

-crushed by your own vehicle.

* For everyone’s protection, back-seat passengers should be buckled in. That way they won’t become dangerous projectiles in the automobile cabin in the event of a crash.

Oh, and for the skeptics in the crowd, please note: drowning or incineration accounts for less than one-tenth of 1 percent of deaths in automobile crashes. And it’s easier to escape if you’re conscious.

In Vehicles With Air Bags

Air bags are a supplement to safety belts and are not intended to be a substitute for them. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, the overall fatality-reducing effectiveness for air bags is about 14 percent over and above the benefits from using safety belts. In vehicles with air bags:

* All passengers should wear safety belts.

* Place rear-facing child safety seats in the back seat of vehicles with passenger-side air bags. A deploying air bag can cause serious and fatal head injuries to a child.

* Keep your hands away from the steering wheel hub that contains the air bag. An inflating air bag could break a hand or fingers.

* If you have a passenger side air bag, kids under age 13, or 5-feet-3 inches, should ride in the back seat.

* Sit as far back from the steering wheel as is comfortably possible. You should sit at least 10 inches away from the wheel.

* If you are short, try tilting the steering wheel down and raising the seat to achieve 10 inches and still drive comfortably. If this doesn’t work, pedal extenders should be considered. The further away you are, the more efficiently the bag will work.

Pregnant Women, Children And Pets

* Pregnant women should position the lap belt as low as they can under the abdominal bulge and let the shoulder strap rest across their chest. Wearing both belts will protect both the mother and the fetus. In cold weather, unbutton outer clothing so the belt won’t creep up.

* Do not hold a child on your lap in a moving automobile. In a crash, it could be crushed between the occupant and dashboard or windshield, or hit by a deploying air bag. The only safe place for a child is in an approved safety seat.

* To be sure the safety seat is correctly installed, go to a local organization that offers to check safety seat installation.

* Whenever possible, children should ride in the center of the back seat, properly restrained.

* If a child must ride in the front seat, make sure the seat is all the way back, the child stays belted, and sits back in the seat.

* When you drive with your pet, use a pet safety belt.