Comments By Vicki M.

I had a detached retina in 2009. Yours sounds more extensive than mine, but there is hope. It took me about a year to get any kind of normal vision back in that eye. I still have large floaters in there, and my vision is pretty bad in that eye...but with glasses I can pass a DOT vision test obviously. Give it time to heal, it takes forever, or so it feels!

I have had T2 diabetes for 10 years. When I was diagnosed, my A1c was 13.1. Yeah. I did a ton of research and ended up going on a ketogenic diet. In 6 months with no meds, I was down to 6.1. I maintained that for 8 years and then "fell off the wagon". This time I was 8.4. Back on keto, added metformin and in 3 months was back to 5.8. If the vegan thing doesn't work for you, try keto. I did the vegan thing, but the carbs were just too much for my body. I wish you the best with your issues!

Overdue for another update! I haven't had much to say, things have been going relatively smoothly. I've been on hometime for almost a week, and will head back out on Tuesday. I do have a few "trucker" stories though lol And of course I have learned a few new things.

Lessons learned: 1. If you are not extremely comfortable with back country roads, you may not want to follow your GPS. I was going from Twin Falls ID (where my GPS tried to take my 14' trailer under a 13'9" bridge *sigh) to Bakersfield, CA. It took me down a few state routes that I happened to know from my hiking days. Good road, fun drive. But if you are a city dweller or not used to desert driving, it would have been a bit scary. There were very few places to pull over if needed. No cell service, so my next major purchase will be a CB. Not that it would have helped, I think I saw maybe 20 cars and 4 trucks that whole day. It was awesome actually!

2. A great phone case is a must. I dropped mine, cracked the screen and shattered the back. My new phone should be here tomorrow and I bought a bulletproof case...well maybe not bulletproof but extremely protective. Just a note, Iphones do not like to be dropped on asphalt from the height of a truck...just sayin'

3. Speaking of bulletproof, I don't think trucks are. I went to pick up a load in Stockton. It wasn't ready (even though it was supposed to be), but I was tired and they allowed parking on the street. No big deal. I went out and parked in front of a couple of old motorhomes that had obviously been there a while. As I was eating my dinner, I watched many newer, expensive cars come and go. I am not naive, I knew they were breaking bad back there...but it didn't concern me, so I went to bed. I later woke up to police radios squawking. I figured they were going to make me move (the whole road was marked no parking, but everyone was ignoring the signs). I got up, opened my curtains and there were 3 cops taking cover in front of my truck, guns out! One of the cops motioned me to go back in the sleeper...I know trucks are tough, but if there was a gunfight I wanted to be as low as possible. I grabbed my bedding and my pillow and laid down on the floor. Funny thing, even with all that commotion, I went right back to sleep lmao! I guess they were arresting someone from those motorhomes. I was just happy they didn't make me move or give me a parking ticket lol

4. When you get a gut feeling to slow down, do it. Once it was the most magnificent elk I have ever seen standing in the middle of the road. Since it was the crack of dawn in the middle of Wyoming, I was the only one out on the road. I stopped and that elk and I had a stare down for about 30 seconds. I thought he might charge the truck for a minute. Another time, it was a moose cow, but she meandered off relatively quickly. But the very best one...I was driving down highway 97, speed limit 55. I would never speed (...yeah right lol). There were 4 trucks behind me that were trying to push me down the hill. I came upon a sign that said all CMVs must stop for inspection. Turned the corner and there was a CHP with his little scooter board and step ladder. I pulled over and all you could hear was jake brakes and squealing brakes as the other trucks tried to stop. Once they got over (sort of), the officer walked all the way back to me and said since I stopped first he would usually inspect me and let the others go. Then he stated that since they were a**holes (his words exactly lol), I could go on and that they would be there a while. Ironic thing, about 20 miles later, I had a blow out on my trailer. As I waited about 4 hours for roadside service, only one of those trucks passed me.

5. 1 blowout and 1 flat (both on my trailers) in 6 days. Learned that once roadside is set up, it's a great time to get a nap. The second guy was awesome, he fixed the tire without waking me up :D

I had put in for hometime about 3 weeks before...seems like they forgot. I called to give them a gentle reminder that since I live in suburbia, I have no place to park a truck and asked if they had any ideas. That seemed to remind them, and I have to say their commitment to get me home was top notch. They deadheaded me 350 miles to drop my trailer in our nearest yard and then sent me home bobtail another 250 miles. I don't think they'll forget again lol I put my truck in the shop to get the radar replaced, transferred my CDL back to Nevada and did a bunch of other errands. I'll come home again around Halloween to get one of my dogs and take some hometime that doesn't have as many errands!

Yes Anne, I'll get pics once I get a trailer back on her...and she gets a bath...and the inside is set back up since I stripped everything to get it washed and organized!

I read this thread 3 times. I have to chime in, though I’m usually quiet. I want to make 2 things clear, one I do not work for Prime, and two, I am a straight middle aged woman. I have a lot of training experience in my old profession and a couple of college degrees. In personnel management and business management. I have traveled to Singapore and China to train people, plus many in the United States. And yes, I chose to become a trucker.

I was the only female in my training class. I was expected to do everything everyone else did, even if they were 20 years younger and male. I was treated exactly the same as everyone else. Except my trainer didn’t pick me up for 2 weeks. And that didn’t work out. And then a second trainer picked me up. And that didn’t work out. Finally a third trainer did. I just completed my solo week and am now a full fledged trucker lol. But I was 3 weeks behind all the guys in my class. I was called stupid and much worse by my first 2 trainers. It seriously bordered on abusive behavior with the second one. But I NEVER EVER thought that the mishandling of my training )and the lack of management wanting to hear about it) was discrimination. IMHO a lot has to do with the kind of people that are attracted to trucking in the first place. Most are loners, maybe a bit odd, usually introverted. They do not go through a lot of training on how to speak to people or even how to teach. Some are good at that and some aren’t. So Ashley, don’t take it personally. Most of these folks are doing the best they can with the tools they have. Just get through it.

The other part I NEED to comment on is the 2 parents at home thing. Optimal, yes. Possible? Not always. As a mother who raised a fantastic special needs child all on her own, while working full time, I have to totally disagree with that statement. My son is now 32. I did a great job without any father in the picture. So if it works for you and your family, don’t sweat it. The kids will be fine.

Following your exciting adventure! I take the written and my DOT physical Tuesday and hopefully will be on a bus to Springfield to start with Wilson next weekend. I'm excited!

Which truck did you get and how old is it?

I have a 2019 Freightliner. She and I are learning to get along lmao

Solo week days 3, 4, 5

Denver taught me some lessons. My first delivery went smoothly, easy straight back. Dispatch then sent me to the yard to pick up a trailer going to a Sams Club DC. No problem. Backed in my empty after a few tries and hooked up to the new trailer. Wreck on the freeway so I was 1/2 an hour late. I called and they said no big deal just try to be there within the hour. Arrived and received a beeper for when they had a door for me. 2 hours. Got the door and had to unhook and said beeper will go off when you’re empty. That was another 2 hours. So I split my clock so I could get my load and get out of town.

Then I Was asked to drop the trailer I had and switch out for another at a trailer repair place. No problem. It was down a narrow side road with cars parked on both sides. There was no way I could get into that yard. I pulled around to find a place to plant and call dispatch, the repair company, whoever I needed. Lo and behold, on the side of that street was the trailer I needed. No kingpin lock. No glad hand lock. I called dispatch to find out if I should drop the trailer I had in the same spot or what…the business was closed by this point. He said he’d call back. I waited an hour and called him…he’d gone home and hadn’t told anyone my predicament. The new dispatch told me to take my old trailer back to the yard and bobtail back for the new trailer. Ok. I did that and had 3 hours left in my clock. Enough to do a drop and hook and hopefully get out of town.

I get halfway to the shipper and receive a message that my load has been voided. I turn around and drive back to the yard. 8 times back and forth through Denver traffic and construction. Fun times. I back into the last spot at the yard and message dispatch where I am and to let me know what to do… he calls and says he accidentally sent the void! By now I have an hour and a half on my clock, which I’ve already split. I tell him I can’t get there until tomorrow. I was done. Off to bed to start early and get out of Denver.

Wake up at 5 am. Off to the races. Got dressed, grabbed my phone and trotted across the yard to use the restroom. Know what I forgot? My truck keys. Locked in the truck of course. That was an $85 call to popalock. I then drive up to get my load. She’s a heavy beast. 45k. I weighed out TWICE at the shipper and they told me I was all good. Off we go!

Got to Wyoming and they were pulling every truck into the scales. Had to stop on the scales and two guys came out with measuring tapes. Every truck. Then Every truck then pulled around, parked and went inside. My turn. I was 2500 over on my trailer tires. Supposedly. I went inside and EVERY trucker was paying $40 for axle overweight fees. Very friendly. You just need a $40 overweight permit and slide your tandems all the way back. Probably be easier if they just charged a $40 toll but okay. I did as asked. I then took my truck to the truck stop and used the cat scale to get everything right. Tight truck stop. Tandems all the way back. It wasn’t fun.

Spent the night in Sheridan and the next morning I got pulled into THAT port of entry. They didn’t weigh me but I had to take in my paperwork. Wtf Wyoming!

Made it to our yard in Missoula, spending the night and delivering in the morning. Where I’ll be reloaded and sent BACK. I guess Denver hasn’t taught me all I need to know yet!

Don't forget to text me if you need a WM parking location in CO, WY, MT, NM, ID, or SD. I may know of a few.

Thank you! Ended up going to one near the receiver. Did some shopping and used the bathroom. Much relief! From what I read on truckerpath they kick everyone out at midnight so I’ll probably go back to the street parking around 10 and get some sleep

There are a whole lot of Walmarts around the Denver area where you could park. These all have restrooms, too.

Oh didn’t think of them! Thank you!

Day 2 solo was uneventful. Drove about 500 miles and shut down early so I could get into Denver without too much hassle. I did see something interesting. Truck pulls into the rest area I was in…. Lady driver, man riding shotgun. I didn’t think much of it until a girl about 3 years old got out. That’s cool…and then a boy about 5…and another girl about 13…and a big pit bull! And I thought it was crowded with 2 people! 5 and a dog boggles my mind.

Woke up at 1 am. Left when I legal at 3 am. Got into Denver around noon. All the truck stops are full. At noon.!!? Don’t these people have jobs?!?! Anyway the receiver allows street parking overnight. No big deal. Kind of. No bathroom. And I need a shower. To top it all off, I broke my top denture this morning. My delivery is at 7am. They won’t take me early. I tried. 18 hours parked on this street.

To sum it all up, I am fat, toothless and smelly. Once I pee in my funnel/bottle contraption and poop in a trash bag (that’ll both be tonight I’m sure), my transformation to trucker will be complete!

Copy/pate from the general category. I actually thought I’d put it here lol

My first day solo

Ah so much fun. Y’all are in for some laughs! I was told to let dispatch know what empty I grabbed from the yard. I chose the trailer that I had tested out with. I parked it there. I sat in front of it for a 34…I hook up to it, let them know and then did my pretrip. Everything’s good. Get my assignment (deadhead to Lewiston, get a load, take it to Denver). Ok long deadhead but I’m good. Let’s go! Proceeded to put it in gear and can’t figure out why the trailer doesn’t want to go? And what the is that noise? Yep forgot to raise the landing gear. Good thing I only went a foot or so! Fixed that and off we go.

Did I mention it was raining? After I convinced myself I wouldn’t melt I figured it would be okay, but my new to me truck is as skittish as a cat that’s used up 8 lives. When you go up a hill, she likes to give you the alarm that you are following to closely. Too close to the road?? 8 of them going up Lewiston hill! She also likes to throw on the jake every time you approach a curve. The alarm that tells you something is on your blindside…well she turns it on for every tree and guard rail. Yeah she’s a cantankerous old biddy. Her good point is she doesn’t have a lane departure alert. But after 500 miles without it, she decided that it needs to be fixed. She’s older but gets the job done (kinda like me lol) Yes Anne I’ll take pics when it’s not raining and daylight lol

Don’t even get me started on my new GPS. She’s crazy. I’m an hour from our yard, have close to 2 hours of drive time, on a stretch of the 90 that’s pretty much deserted. She tells me there’s a 4 hour backup 2 miles ahead. There’s no exit so I just slow down, assuming there’s a pile up or a flipped truck or something. Nothing. There were 2 cops on the side of the road, but no debris, no flashy lights, nothing. Guess if she does that every time there’s a cop, it might come in handy lmao

Fun times. Let’s see what tomorrow brings!