Last week’s discussions on the forum were quite engaging. Members shared experiences and advice about compliance with MSHA regulations, especially concerning quarry runs. Another major theme was optimizing parking strategies to ensure safer trips, which sparked several insightful exchanges. The community also discussed various new routes and recent industry changes that could impact daily operations.
This Week’s Hot Topics
MSHA Part 46 for quarry runs
The conversation around MSHA Part 46 compliance is heating up, as drivers share tips on navigating these regulations for quarry runs. It’s essential for those involved in these operations to stay informed and compliant. Read more here
Parking by 7 and safer trips
There’s a growing interest in strategies for parking early to enhance safety and efficiency on the road. Members are discussing practical tips for planning trips to ensure safe and timely parking. Read more here
Looking forward to another week of valuable exchanges. Stay safe out there and keep sharing your experiences.
safety and efficiency on the road. Agree — on MSHA quarry runs I stage 30–45 minutes before shift change and call the pit to confirm if I can overnight by the scale house; if I’m late, I’ll pay for a reserve and roll pre-dawn. Trucker Path plus state 511 feeds tell me which rest areas fill by 1700, but in the Northeast it’s still tight after 5.
I’ve run into this too — one small tweak that paid off was writing the expected outcome before touching the settings.
But on quarry runs, if on-site staging’s a no-go, I’ll call the county fairgrounds or a nearby church for permission to overnight and log it with the non‑emergency line — “permission beats a knock” and it beats playing Tetris with the clock at 4 a.m. Just check local ordinances and signage, and leave it cleaner than you found it.
I set a 60‑minute reminder to check state 511 parking feeds and Trucker Path, then call the receiver about a night gate or drop lot — beats circling like a vulture at 10 p.m. Building on @elizabeth_haw73, if those look tight I bump dinner early and park before 1900; the crowdsourced fill levels can lag, so I treat them as hints and confirm by phone.
I’ll call the weigh station 10–20 miles before a late receiver around 18:00; plenty will let you stage behind the building if you ask, and I note the officer’s name for CYA — makes for “safer trips.” If they won’t, I bail early and grab a rest area before 19:00 rather than gamble on city parking.
Early parking: on quarry runs I try to be down by 16:30 at the nearest public scale or city lot, then have dispatch tag the appt with a ‘staging ok’ note so the receiver expects me. About half the time the scale house lets me sit after close if I checked in earlier — safer and no 22:00 spot hunt; if not, I fall back to a nearby DOT park‑and‑ride. For the MSHA side, https://www.msha.gov keeps the gate/PPE rules straight — anyone else doing this?
One thing that’s saved me: commuter park-and-ride lots after the last bus, with permission… I call the transit number on the sign, jot the name like @mateo76’s “staging ok” note, and tuck in near the receiver — beats playing musical chairs at 22:00. Small caveat: some lots flip to no-overnight after 2 a.m., so read the board.