Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/718143
Feature 28 September 2016 BestDriverJOBS www.bestdriverjobs.com a violation, won't be outfitted with an electronic log until the mandate takes effect early next year. Norton is hope- ful that the mandate will level out the playing field by holding every driver to the same rules, and he has no argument against making the change from paper himself. But he's worried that the man- date in its current form may create some unnecessary safety issues. "What I've seen so far is that a lot of drivers that are on the electronic logs are driving recklessly because they're push- ing the clock," Norton says. "How the old rule worked, if you stopped during the day to take a break and went to the sleeper for two hours, it would extend your day. By putting you on electronic logs, they've done away with that." Throughout his career, Norton has learned to roll with the changes in his industry, but he likes to keep to the status quo when he can. That's why he'll keep logging his miles on paper until the January 2017 deadline comes around. It's also why he drives a truck with a manual transmission and has no desire to switch to automatic. It's what he knows, and it's what he likes. Out of all the recent industry changes, what wor- ries Norton more than any mandate or regulation are his recent difficulties with parking. "Parking is getting to where it's a headache," Norton says. "A lot of states don't have the funding and they're closing rest areas and truck parking areas. With e-logs, it's really getting to be a problem, because a lot of truck stops are going to reserved parking. It costs you 15 bucks to park!" Norton's solution is to plan ahead. He starts his day by calling his customer to see if they have overnight parking available. If they don't, he looks for a Walmart in the area of his delivery. Since he brings frozen food on the road with him, Norton doesn't rely on restau- rants for his meals and therefore doesn't rely on truck-stop parking. When he does park at a TA or a Petro, he does his best to arrive before 7 p.m., which, ac- cording to him, is when most truck stops fill up as of late. As we cross into north Georgia and begin gaining elevation, Norton reveals that he likes to keep things simple when he's not driving. When he's parked at night, he watches classic western movies on his TV (John Wayne's Rio Bravo is his favorite). When I ask what he likes to do when he's home for the weekend, he simply smiles and says, "Nothin'!" In actuality, Norton's weekends are usually filled with chores and socializing with family and friends, but relaxation is always his goal. One weekend ritual he never misses is a breakfast get-together at his local McDonald's known as "The