Profile For Gizmo

Well as a rookie driver (3 months on the 11th) I can say along with many other people that trucking is not for everybody but for different reasons. Some people dont like being alone for extended periods of time, others find it too stressful (as I have found out at times, I wish it as simple as just driving like many non truckers say about the job) others find it puts too much strain on relationships with spouses and children. If you were to like it comes down to your personality and traits but these are the more common reasons why I see/saw people quit.

As for pay, I would say that all varies by what your expenses look like, where/how you work etc. For me, I was living paycheck to paycheck at one point having to work a day job and a overnight job with just enough money at the end of the month to break even. Now I am actually able to pay my bills and save money. I remember its like my trainer had said, its not gonna make you rich, but it could make you live comfortable.

For schooling, there are many companies out there that will pay for your schooling. If you do that though it is like a contract where you have to work of your debt to them once you graduate. (Which usually takes about a year) So if you like the job but hate the company you are pretty much stuck for that time until its paid off or you gotta pay whatever left and other fees if you decide to leave early.

As for the firetruck, I have no idea lol. Maybe someone else got that

Thanks everyone. While I was waiting at the terminal for the new truck my FM had called and told me it was going to take a good chunk of the day because he was trying to get me a brand new one. I had my doubts that he would get approved to put a new driver in a new truck but he hooked it up lol.

I havent noticed any leaks of coolant or anything during the PTIs but maybe its really small and in a hard to reach/see place. Ill take a real good look at it tomorrow morning before I start up.

Sorry when I said coolant, I misspoke, I should have said Refrigerant (Freon). You won't be able to see that on a PTI unless there is a gaping hole in a line, but then it wouldnt be cooling the air at all.

Lol ok that sounds a little better because I use to help out in an auto shop and I know diesel engines are way different then gas engines so idk what to expect when it comes to diesel engines hahahah. You could have left it at coolant and I woulda been "I guess antifreeze runs the AC too somehow in diesel?"

It is me again.

First off I have to thank everyone on this site that makes this place what it is. A group of individuals who all come together to help/share/vent experiences. I am lucky to have found this site and lucky to decide and join.

Now my question is in regard to scaling and axle weights. Unfortunately I cant post the picture of my scale ticket from my phone but here are my weights.

Steer- 11780 lbs Drive- 33380 lbs Trailer- 34000 lbs Total- 79160 lbs

I know everything is legal and the tandem weight is max. But I got this scaled at 3/4 tanks full in Virginia and my fuel stop to fill up is in upstate New York. So my question is this, I know adding and using up fuel will increase and decrease your weight some. But in regards to axle weight where does this fuel weight go to? Does it only affect the steer and drive axle weight if I increase or decrease fuel levels or does it affect all axles across the board sort of like a balance?

I am more curious then anything to know, like if it was taken to the extreme from full fuel tanks to empty tanks how the axles would be as described above. Thanks

Thanks everyone. While I was waiting at the terminal for the new truck my FM had called and told me it was going to take a good chunk of the day because he was trying to get me a brand new one. I had my doubts that he would get approved to put a new driver in a new truck but he hooked it up lol.

I havent noticed any leaks of coolant or anything during the PTIs but maybe its really small and in a hard to reach/see place. Ill take a real good look at it tomorrow morning before I start up.

So I got assigned my new tractor on July 1st. I went from my first ever truck, a 2013 Freightliner Cascadia with 360k miles on it to a brand new International Prostar only 1700 miles on it.

I only ever been used to the Freightliners but I am enjoying the International. My only complaint so far is the sleeper AC really sucks in the international when it is not running. The Freightliner would get really cold (which Im the type that shovels snow in a t-shirt) but the International is cool air at best. Anyone with an International Prostar have the same experience?

Yea it sucks it will be on my record, thankfully it wasnt a serious accident, but I plan to keep my record clean so many years down the line it will almost be nothing. Thanks again everyone

Sorry it took so long to get back. Didnt want to go over my data plan and I've been driving (so yes I still have my job). Thank you everyone who took the time to read and respond. Just needed to vent I guess. I ended up getting a close quarters assest and all that. I know what had happened, I did turn a little turn to the left before I did the right, but my tandems were slide all the way foward. Trailer whip had gotten me.

I just got assigned my own truck (this is my first trucking job so fresh out the block) about 2 weeks ago had my first load heading home which was about 1000 miles. Did that, had off for about 5 days and started my first real week last sunday. Drove mostly the Northeast and logged about 2600 miles. All was going well until I stated this morning. I pulled out of my spot in the truck stop to make a right turn out made sure it would clear the truck to my right and I clipped the panel mirror on the passenger side of the truck that was on my left with my trailer. Trailer had no damage but his mirror was bent. Obviously it had to be called in and went through the procedures. Now im a nervous wreck because this is my 9th day out on my own and I already had a preventable accident and idk if I am going to be fired. These past nine days I have had seen and been in some stressful situations that I see where most people would have called it quits. But I am pretty resilient and minus today even with the bad days I love doing this so far and its really been a great start to something new in my life. I am under a load right now and I can't even concentrate because idk if I will be fired because of this or after I come back from hometime (which starts after I drop this load tomorrow morning) Ill have a job to go back to once my hometime is up. Honestly I don't even know what I am trying to ask, maybe was anyone in a similar situation and it turned out ok, or maybe I'm just overreacting because it was just a bent mirror and its not the worse thing to happen. Idk.

Thanks you. Going by the information here and on company's websites training pay is more per week than what I get now. The other thing I think of is my debts. Maybe I can work something out with them once I get a definite job.

Thanks again

I recently passed my road test on the 6th and will being picking up my graduation papers this upcoming Monday. I have been on this site with 20 tabs open almost everyday religiously for a while now so I finally decided to join. I am making this thread because now is the time that I am "shopping" for potential employers. Minus some of the instructors at my school (it was a private school) I do not know any other drivers to ask questions to. So this is what I got.

I did driving school with a friend of mine and we both want to stay together so we are looking for a company that will allow us to team together after training. Obviously there are many companies out there and I read on here the differences that tend to show up are pay, hometime, and freight hauled. We do not have any current endorsements on our licenses.

So I have my basic questions; How long is training?, What is the pay policy for training?, Is training run as a solo or team driving?(and can someone go further into this for me), How is hometime administered?, Is there a team driving division and if there is are we allowed to pick our partners or will the company match us up with someone?

This is what I can think of off the top of my head (from readings on this site of course), if anyone has any others that I didn't get please let me know. I want to get started finding a place soon, but I am very conservative in nature and personality so I like to have all the details and prep before I go into something if I can help it.

Also if anyone has any experiences with companies that hire new drivers either good or bad if you could share that would be appreciated. I know for my friend he has a family and all so hometime is important to him. Me, I don't have anything so really I'm looking into the best pay/miles I can get. (I know there are a lot of factors that play into miles given but just thought I put that in there)

Thank you everyone for your time reading this

Dan