Imagine you are on the beach – taking in the sun, the breeze and the sound of the waves are only slightly drowned out by the cool rhythms of some classic Bob Marley. Now think about the colorful floral beach towel that you bought just for your trip to this sandy destination. It’s a comfy, large, soft towel, and you paid good money for it. It only seemed appropriate you would take a “beach towel” to the beach. The next day, you decide to keep your toes out of the sand and inst

With its roots in 19th century warfare, the phrase “deadline” has an interesting, somewhat literal, etymology. According to author Christine Ammer, the term “deadline” was coined at the hellish Andersonville, GA prison camp, and first appeared in writing in a report of Confederate Inspector-General, Colonel D.T. Chandler, on July 5, 1864. In the trucking industry, companies and owner-operators are chased by deadlines all year long.  The article this week will talk about those

In 1989, James Bond received a License to Kill. What? Where does one obtain such credentials? The truth is no one has a license to kill, or to commit any other crimes for that matter. There are times when the law affords law enforcement, the military or even a private citizen the right to use justifiable force which could result in death or great bodily harm, but no one has a license for such. Illegal behavior is illegal, but as in all things truck law, there is an instance w

Those who live, work or own a business in Illinois are well aware of the astronomical amount of taxes paid out on a yearly basis. While some of these taxes are absolutely necessary to provide security, education and infrastructure, others can leave the Illinois tax payer scratching their head as to the actual benefit to society. The bottom line is taxes are necessary to keep this state and country running and providing those essential services often take for granted. The one

Perhaps you’ve heard the phrase: “It’s better to be judged by 12 then carried by 6.”  This refers to the hope the decisions you make may save your life, but could put you in legal jeopardy.  The vast majority would agree with the idea.  But what about those CDL drivers whose poor safety record reflects their poor driving ability?  Or those survivors that have been impacted by inexperienced CDL drivers?  Newly proposed FMCSA regulations are attempting to rein in the inexperien

Have you ever been to a sporting event and seen people move up to better seats than they paid for? Maybe you are that person! Usually the usher approaches them and makes the person return to their rightful seats. Rarely does the person get kicked out of the event. Trucking companies who move oversize or overweight items sometimes have to move up to a larger permit depending on the load. So what happens when a truck with a limited continuous operation permit has their single t

You know you are in the midst of an election season when your apathy for government is at an all-time high. Forget which candidate you will endorse or despise the most, and realize a truth of every future master of the universe: they create a crisis to generate votes. There’s always a kernel of truth sewn into a big bag of rhetoric and exaggeration. Of course, this happens in trucking world too. The article this week will look at one trucking law in Illinois created by a “cri

At the end of their shift on April 1st, ask any truck enforcement officer in Illinois the most common line heard from truck drivers throughout the day. Chances are most, if not all, will answer with the same redundant phrase: “It’s only one day.” One day is the amount of time that has lapsed between when the Illinois apportioned plate displayed on the driver’s truck went from valid to expired. This is an indisputable fact many drivers will attempt to use in mitigation of the

Air-brakes.  One of the most confusing words for some truck drivers.  All drivers are expected to conduct a pre-trip inspection.  Many are even expected to know how to adjust their own slack adjusters.  But how many can tell another what the definitive criteria is when an air-brake restriction is permitted?  Wait… restriction? Isn’t it an air-brake endorsement?  Read on if you’re confused already. Everyone who has passed the CDL test, and even some of those who’ve failed, hav

Several years back, a stereo company produced a commercial to advertise the audible power of their stereo systems.  It featured what appeared to be two business men dressed in black suits driving a luxury vehicle.  The driver put a CD in the stereo and ‘Another One Bites the Dust’ by Queen came on.  The commercial goes on to show the superior sounds the speakers are producing.  The camera eventually pans out so the audience can see the men are driving the lead hearse in a fun

Ok, the title of this article is a total lie. Weird things are not always wrong, they are just different. If you use social media, your news feed is filled with the bizzare. Marketers use whacked out images and ludicrous stories to get you in front of their advertisers. What is odd intrigues the human mind. Some trucks are weird too, but they are not mere click-bait for police officers. The article this week will look at an out-of-the-ordinary truck and the incorrect police r

Remember when Stella Liebeck spilled that hot cup of McDonald’s coffee all over her lap, burned herself and then sued for an exorbitant amount of money? Some may argue this lawsuit was the beginning of the obvious, common sense warnings we see in the world around us today. From the coffee cups with a written warning the contents are hot, to tags of dress shirts warning you not to iron while wearing it, we are surrounded by seemingly unnecessary warnings. Believe it or not, th

It’s that time of year again: another Super Bowl has come and gone.  Who doesn’t love a good commercial?  Whether your team was in the big game or not, we all seemed to enjoy the game breaks featuring new zany ad campaigns.  But what about the flops who fail to make an impression within the first few seconds and cause you to turn away for another hotwing?  Most commercial trucks are similar.  Big carriers, big trucks, and big cargo, equate to an obvious big commercial enterpr

There are many famous “Jakes” in this beautiful country. From all-star pitcher Jake Arrieta in the sports world, to Jake Gyllenhaal in Hollywood, to White House correspondent and political figure Jake Tapper. But in the trucking industry, the most famous Jake of all has no last name, but he does leave a harmonic signature. You can gaze your eyes in every direction and never see him, but tune your ears upon the sunset, and you can hear him from miles away… As you no doubt have

It’s hard to believe more than five months have elapsed since the suicide of Fox Lake, IL police lieutenant Charles Gliniewicz. The scorching heat of that September day saw the very best of the law enforcement. They rallied together for one of their own. Even through the eventual betrayal, no one regrets the action taken and will gladly do it again when the radio crackles of an officer down. But, there’s a still a dead cop. The movies and TV have a penchant for over-dramatizi

What does it mean to display something? The term itself seems simple enough. Take a moment to look around right now. Whether you’re in your living room, out in your vehicle or in a public place, there are numerous items in your view. Chances are, those items were strategically displayed to accomplish a very basic task; to show you that they are important to those who placed them there. The same goes for truck and trailer registration. At home it may be that autographed Dale E

Let’s get back to the basics. It seems among the general trucking population, including the unschooled law enforcement officers, there’s a disconnect between those who truly need a CDL and those who do not. Despite the many resources available, everyone the ITEA encounters who has an incorrect stance on the subject has shoehorned their trucking practices into some version of the exceptions. The difficulty becomes, when you rely on others advice you’ve chatted with at the loca

Back in the day, your math teacher would tell you that you won’t always have a calculator so you better be able to find the solution in your head. Fast forward to 2015 and in your pocket is a smartphone that has the ability to do any math problem as well as instantly talk to anyone around the globe, play games and even write a blog post. Your smartphone also does one more thing – display your oversize/overweight permit to whomever needs to see it. So how did electronic permit

Everybody loves an inheritance. Not that they want a loved one to die in order to receive it, but there is something to be said for one generation stewarding their money wisely so heirs can benefit from it. Some people pass along debt though, and nobody likes inheriting the problems of another. That, however, is exactly what is about to happen in northeast Indiana with a new plan for weigh-in-motion (WIM) scales. The booger, as they say, is about to get flicked. Some call it

Happy New Year from the Illinois Truck Enforcement Association! Last week this blog had to focus on some of the negative outlooks moving into the new year, but now it’s time to get the glass half full! The article this week will highlight some upcoming events and initiatives of the ITEA. Calendar year 2015 was not a banner year for law enforcement, but it’s over now. Calendar year 2016 shows a lot of promise! Training Bad news: the State of Illinois is broke. There is no bud