Profile For Davy A.

None. I prefer to idle all break. I usually don't shut the truck off until home time or services. I find the idling truck to be therapeutic for sleep, and its the way it always was. I have a strong aversion towards pacification of liberal narratives.

It also helps that I work for a company that fuel consumption isn't a metric of performance. No carrot chase here. Although at my previous job, we had idle restrictions and fuel bonuses, I still managed to idle on the time and get the fuel bonus.

If I was to have my own truck, id probably still just idle it. I really haven't seen a significant enough difference in fuel cost to warrant not doing it. Also, I've been in 3 kenworths, all with the Cummins and have had no issues from idling, though I do run it on the high idle.

I have extensive experience surviving off a generator though, and it costs about the same in fuel as idling the truck.

Virtually all of the carriers that train will pay about the same during school/training.

Its important to note the difference. School is where you get your CDL, usually at their facility, classroom, on the pad and some driving. Training is real life on the job training, where you are actually doing real loads with a trainer in their truck. Sometimes the two phases are concurrent, some not.

Most carriers seem to land in the 400 to 500 per week if at all while in school, although if they are paying, they may not cover lodging, or food, etc. Meaning you won't make squat while in school. (Why should you, you're not an asset yet, just a cost).

During training it varies by carriers, but it seems to be around 600 to 900 per week.

Knight hires you before you start school, so its more secure job placement. When I was there, it was 480 per week in school for 3 weeks, 850 a week in training. The training was only 2 weeks long, plus a week of top gun. No contract, but if you stay a year, your school cost is paid off.

Its totally unrealistic to expect to come into this industry thinking that you'll make money right off the bat. Like any other trade, you get your schooling done then training and then your first year is basically being an apprentice.

It will take you a year to consistently perform efficiently and produce. You can make great money but you need to learn the fundamentals and be committed to your career.

Most people have been fed a narrative that this industry somehow magically makes you wealthy and a truck driver after 3 weeks. Its simply not the case. Run hard and smart and you can make a decent living though.

There is no easier softer way than to do what we all did, find a way to survive school, training and then your first year.

You really need to assess your wants and needs. At the time I was doing dedicated, my overriding goal was to make as much money in the type of freight I was hauling while keeping certain aspects of my truck like I want, so it didn't fit to my needs. Same went for local. At that company, I maxed my earnings potential in that position.

Your overriding goal make be to make money but balanced out with more home time or a more regular schedule. If that's the case, even though the money isn't as much, it could be a better fit. But I hazard a guess that money is still the bigger priority.

I took a long time in changing jobs and did so primarily because the company and position fit my needs and wants more. Keep in mind though, that those are dynamic and may change over time.

We do have a section called CDL diaries BTW. I wrote a very detailed account from school through my 30k miles.

Truckerpath, I note down ones I see in my garmin otr, experience from back when I was in training, my old trainer knew lots of hole in the wall places, I picked his brain.

A lot of it is choosing roads. Most US highways have a lot more old truck stops and places to park like stockyards, empty lots, restaurants etc. So I travel those more frequently. I prefer backroads. They're more challenging, better scenery and more places to enjoy.

Just going to throw this out there. There are many other truck stop brands beside pilot.

I refuse to pay for parking for philosophical reasons. I find it morally reprehensible and will not support it. Drop lots are different as is long term storage.

I run all different hours of the day, sometimes days, sometimes nights, and everything in between. While true, as I night owl, I prefer nights and have a general disdain for solar powered drivers, I understand a lot of drivers, if not most, choose that. But it would greatly alleviate parking issues if everyone quit trying to park in the same 3 or 4 hours of the day.

My solution to this would be to run nights and or start exploring the vast network of old independent truck stops.

Its 1145 miles, assuming you're running hard because a reset, should put you stopping around Joplin on i44. There's a sister station to the Iowa 80 there that always has parking, but it shouldn't be an issue, this run is designed to be nights, so you'll be looking for parking around 8 to 11 am. You'll be able to have rock star parking anywhere that time of day.

You should easily put down 650 miles a day if you're not worried about recaps. Should be Monday night drive, sleep Tuesday day, drive Tuesday night, sleep weds day, deliver weds night though. I'd see if I could push delivery and back haul. Should, if my math is correct be able to do the trip in 4 shifts, leaving you spending 47 hours or so of your 70.

If your getting paid by the mile on this, its only 2200 miles a week, plus or minus.

That's the problem i had doing dedicated being paid cpm. I could only muster 2200 to 2600 miles a week. If im doing resets with available freight, I like to see 3500 miles plus.

Trucking may not be a good fit for you. Weather its local or OTR, its totally incompatible with drug usage of any sort, even alcohol has its risks. I'm not saying that from a pious point of view, its just the industry hot button.

Also, OTR especially, but even local is incompatible with your wife, and even more so with your wife just having had a child. Definitely not the most appropriate career path.

Having your wife as your casework is just another attempt to continue on with no accountability. Its destined to fail.

I'd recommend you look into other trades. Electricians are in high demand, plumbers as well. Actually all the trades are booming, and can easily get you into 6 figures salaries after you become a journeyman.

Another area of growth is industrial mechanic, millwrights. Something worth looking into, usually comes with great benefits, high pay and high demand.

That's a perfect start time (12:30 PM) for me. I'm a bit confused on sleep aids, it would seem like you would actually need to move your bed time to later, not earlier. Unless, you are still waking up early for day shift.

At any rate, I'd you push your bed time further out, you should start waking up later. But it all depends on your chronotype, which is genetic. I'm guessing you're a lark, as opposed to a night owl.

Making sure your sleeping area is dark is very helpful, asmr is great as well. I prefer 12 hours of train sounds on a black screen, coupled with my truck on high idle. Keep it cool in your sleeping area and put blue light filters on your electronics.

There all temporary measures though, your circadian rhythm is dictated largely by genetics and your sleep and wake times will inevitably revert back to their natural cycles.

I think a lot of the brake use issues will be alleviated with enforcement of the English speaking mandate. Most of the drivers failing, can't read the warning signs and lack the experience and skills to set speed and use Jake braking appropriately.

Equally vital is clearing fuel, something CA has always had issues doing based on their politics.