Episode 100 Show Notes
Episode 100 Show Notes
HERE WE GO AGAIN! WOW WE MADE IT TO 100!
CVSA votes to put truck drivers with limited English out of 
service
The vote, held under an emergency provision in CVSA’s bylaws, came just days after President Donald Trump issued an executive order directing that the federal out-of-service criteria be revised to reflect the policy change, reversing a less stringent policy that has been in place for 10 years.
Under the Obama Administration in 2016, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration removed the requirement to place truck drivers out of service for violating federal English Language Proficiency rules.
The new out-of-service rule becomes effective June 25.
“By adding English language proficiency to the out-of-service criteria, a commercial motor vehicle inspector may place a driver out of service if they cannot demonstrate proficiency in reading and speaking English,” CVSA stated in a press release.
“The [FMCSA] will issue guidance for commercial motor vehicle inspectors to ensure enforcement of the English language proficiency standard is applied consistently.”
While FMCSA sets the safety rules for the trucking industry, CVSA, whose members include state highway patrol officers, has been given the authority, in most cases, to determine whether violating those regulations is serious enough to warrant placing a driver out of service.
Insurance experts specializing in the trucking sector have estimated that 10% of the total driver population lacks proficiency in English. With over 3 million interstate CDL drivers in the country, according to FMCSA’s most recent statistics, the out-of-service mandate could lead to a significant drop in capacity in the market.
“CVSA will also send a petition to FMCSA requesting that the agency harmonize the commercial driver’s license English language requirements in 49 CFR Part 383, ‘Commercial Driver’s License Standards,’ with those in 49 CFR Part 391, ‘Qualifications of Drivers and Longer Combination Vehicle Driver Instructors,’ so that the standards are consistent.
——————————————————————————————————–
A SPOT ON AI VERSION OF THE 3 FAT TRUCKERS AND THE GIRL!
”Alright, gather ’round, folks, and let me tell you a tale that’s as wide as a semi-trailer and as full of laughs as a greasy spoon diner on a Friday night. This is the story of three large gentlemen, kings of the open road and champions of the all-you-can-eat buffet, who decided to trade the hum of their engines for the hum of microphones.
Meet Bill, Dave, and Steve. Bill was the quiet one, the kind of trucker who could navigate a blizzard blindfolded but got flustered ordering extra pickles. Dave was the storyteller, his voice a rumble like distant thunder, always ready with a yarn about a close call or a truly epic roadside diner experience. And Steve? Steve was the comedian, a walking encyclopedia of bad dad jokes, delivered with a twinkle in his eye and a belly shake that could register on a seismograph.
These three weren’t just truckers; they were amigos of the asphalt, brothers in the brotherhood of the long haul. They’d spent countless hours on the CB radio, sharing stories, complaining about traffic, and, of course, discussing the most important topic of all: food. From the legendary truck stop chili to the surprisingly good pie at that little place off I-40, they knew their way around a menu.
One rainy afternoon, stuck in a truck stop waiting for a storm to pass, Dave, with a half-eaten donut in hand, declared, “You know what we need? We need a show. A show about us. About the road, about the grub, about… well, about being us!”
Bill, polishing off his own donut, nodded slowly. “Like… like a radio show?”
Steve, mid-chuckle at his own reflection in the coffee pot, piped up, “Yeah! But like, on the internet! So anyone can listen! We can call it… The Big Rig Banter!”
Dave considered this, then shook his head. “Nah, that’s too fancy. We gotta be real. We gotta be… us.” He gestured to their collective girth. “We’re three fat truckers. That’s what we are.”
And so, with a hearty laugh that echoed through the truck stop, “3 FAT TRUCKERS” was born.
Their first few episodes were rougher than a gravel road. They fumbled with microphones, interrupted each other constantly, and Bill mostly just grunted in agreement. But the content? Oh, the content was gold. They’d dive deep into trucking news – the latest regulations, the best routes, the perennial struggle with parking. They’d dissect the pros and cons of various truck stop buffets with the seriousness of food critics. And Steve? Steve was a one-man joke factory, his bad dad jokes becoming a beloved (and sometimes groaned at) segment.
Their listeners, a mix of fellow truckers, curious civilians, and even some folks who just loved a good laugh, started growing. People connected with their down-to-earth humor and their genuine love for the trucking life. They’d get emails asking for food recommendations (“Bill, where’s the best steak in Nebraska?”), trucking advice (“Dave, how do you deal with those crazy four-wheelers?”), and, of course, more jokes for Steve.One day, after a particularly popular episode about the best places to find fried chicken on the East Coast, they got an email from a listener named Maleah. Maleah wasn’t a trucker, but she worked in logistics and had a fierce love for the industry and a wicked sense of humor. She wrote in, pointing out a factual error in their discussion about trailer types and, more importantly, sending a truly groan-worthy dad joke that even Steve had to admit was good.
Intrigued, they invited Maleah to be a guest on the show. They were a little hesitant at first – a girl on 3 FAT TRUCKERS? But Maleah fit right in. She was sharp, funny, and had a perspective on the trucking world they hadn’t considered. She talked about the challenges of coordinating routes, the importance of good communication, and even shared some of her own food adventures on the road (though she admitted she couldn’t keep up with their appetites).
Maleah quickly became a regular. She brought a new energy to the show, challenging their assumptions and adding a fresh voice. The podcast became “3 FAT TRUCKERS (and THE GIRL!)” in their minds, even if the title remained the same. She balanced out their sometimes-unfiltered opinions with her own insights.
Their podcast wasn’t just about trucking and food anymore. It became a celebration of friendship, of finding joy in the everyday, and of proving that you didn’t have to be a polished media personality to connect with people. They talked about their families, their dreams, the struggles of being away from home, and the simple pleasure of a good meal after a long day.
The “3 FAT TRUCKERS” podcast, with the welcome addition of Maleah, became a little corner of the internet where people could come to laugh, to learn a little about the trucking world, and to feel like they were sitting around a table with some genuine, good-hearted folks who weren’t afraid to be themselves. They proved that sometimes, the most entertaining stories come from the most unexpected places, especially when there’s good food and plenty of laughter involved. And that, my friends, is a story worth telling.
