Comments By If you think I think I'm better than you, I am

I jinxed myself. About an hour east of Salina Utah on the 70W, I look down at my dash and notice I only had a little over a hundred psi of air. Drove a little furtherand notice the air was backup, but only to about a hundred and ten PSI. Outside of Salina on the 70 going west there's a nice long downgrade. At the top of the hill I noticed I had about a hundred and 12 or 15 psi. Mind you that seems low, but not crazy low. I gear down and work my way down the hill and notice my PSI is back up to 125. At the bottom of the hill is a nice gradual decline that in Top Gear the transmission will shift into coast mode. Check my gauge again, and my PSI is below a hundred. Now I'm worried. Pull into the Maverick off of exit 56 come to find out I've got a leaking air can on the driver's front tandem. As I sit here waiting for road repair to come by, I just filed my first macro for a breakdown.

Pride Transport is also on the list, however they have a six month contract for all drivers (I think). So I might go with the apprenticeship for 6 months or so then go over to Pride?

Thanx Mike

Pride does have a 6 month contract if you have CDL/no experience and go through their training. But if you're cut out for the job 6 months is nothing.

MSgt. I am starting at Bridgerland CDL Monday April 26th. I have narrowed my choices to two. Pride or Werner. Werner offers the apprenticeship for BAH (post 9/11 GI Bill), but Pride seems to offer more out of the gate. How are you finding your days at Pride?

So I can't give you a comparison of the two, but I gave heard good things about Werner. On the road the seem to be the only company that I can pass. So I guess their trucks are governed at a low speed like Pride's are. I'm just wrapping up my first 2 weeks of solo and there has been challenges. Mainly when my FM is away and the other FM's get involved, it causes some headaches. Nothing you can't roll with. I really have very few complaints so far. If things continue as they have on the company side I'll be quite happy right with Pride. I have struggled a little with trip planning, going east I'm on point. Go west and I'm a hot mess. But but my FM gets it and doesn't mind all my questions. Here is a quick list of Pride's benefits that aren't really on the website.

Produce loads net you 30 bucks a dock bump and dentention and 100 bucks for layover.

10 bucks if the driver cleans out the trailer. A leaf blower can get most trailers done in 10 minutes.

Fuel points get you free showers, food, reserved parking and store merch. They are linked to pilot/flying j. But I have fueled at TA/Petro and Loves to get me to a P/FJ

Detention is after 2 hrs for each quarter he at 15 bucks an hour. Layover is 50. Breakdown is 15. I doubt it happens much, good fleet maintenance.

Scales are paid via the app and your company card as is fuel.

If you need fluids/small parts call maintenance for a PO and you can use a comdata check or you can get reimbursed on payday. I do this way to get credit card points. Too bad they wouldn't do that for fuel.

I don't know how other companies are, but to me this is a great way to do business.

Not going to offer what gps is better. They are electronics, they will let you down, eventually. That said, Pride's Drivertech system has Nav and I just found out yesterday it is not infallible. It doesn't show the TA's or the newer Flying J in Denver.

But to talk cost. Flying J points rack up fast. If you can get by with Google maps/Hammer/TruckerPath/Altas or all of them, rack points and drive down that cost of your GPS. This is what my current plan is.

Also, maybe someone with experience in filing trucker taxes (Kearsey maybe) can speak to being able to write it off at the end of the year as a expense. Something I am also looking for the answer to.

Yeah, what Mikey says /\ /\ /\ /\ /\ /\ /\ /\

You are just doing your job, the guards and dock people are just doing theirs. It's common for the receiver & shipper people to treat truck drivers at the lowest common denominator (which can get pretty low). It's not hard for you to act and be above average.

Though it never hurts to ask, the worst thing that can happen to you is to get a "No!" answer. Most of the time the local people have all the marbles at their own shop.

This...this right here. Errol makes a point so fine, many forget its importance. I've only been solo a bit over a week and no matter the time I show up at the receiver, I start with a big smile and a warm greeting. Set the tone on how you want your interaction to go. I was 5 hours early to a noon drop and they let me park on premises and still where able to get me back on the road before my appointment time. Be happy, be flexible, be humble. Sound off early that you have never been there and that you don't want to make a mistake. You'll find it goes a LONG way! lastly, take a moment to talk about them if you have time. I found a guard at a receiver that was a Marine at a base I was at once. You can bet we'll remember each other and be able to help each other. Everything else the other posters said is spot on. Be flexible and as my new Marine buddy said to me "Semper Gumby".

It's your life to live, live it. Their doubts are out of fear and lack of knowledge.

This...this right here. Especially for your parents. As for your boyfriend... find a trucker boyfriend, team drive, stack that cash and live a great life. I'd do that in an instant.

So my 1st solo day was also challenging. 3188 was being cantankerous. After sitting unused for a few weeks I believe she became barn sour. Once the inverter was installed she said "nah-uh Eff-yoo!" The truck would flash the hazards once, the low beams once and then the high beams once and after a pause it would repeat. I never saw so many coveralled men gathered around one truck with such puzzled looks.

I gave up and let dispatch (my FM was out most of the week) know that it was unlikely I'd make my 1600 departure and opted to do my 34 in SLC. The weekend guys may not be the best at covering for a dedicated account, but who knows. After a glorious nap up in Pride's "quiet" lounge, the truck get fixed.

So I grabs me a trailer and wash it out. Pride pays the driver 10 smackers for such efforts. Then I hit the fuel island for a top off and then a pass through the wash rack, before I park for the night. Grabbed the shuttle van and went to Wally World for some essentials and called it a night.

Off before the sun to Ogden for a load of Hershey's candy. Love this place, they give 2 free candy bars to drivers. Then make time to Hurricane for a drop n hook headed to Denver. My regular FM is back Monday, so hopefully I will get a more definitive routine.

I guess for now my objective of becoming a truck driver is complete. If something unusual or a learning moment presents itself I'll post it here. If anyone drops in with questions, I will be checking in on this thread to answer. Thanks to all who have offered advice, encouragement and took the time to read my story.

See you on the black top, if you see me and 3188 make sure and wave or say hello.

Well it's official I am a company man now.

Much like the military, my test day was an exercise in hurry up and wait. It was also filled with its share of challenges. Come closer dear reader and let me avail opon you my tale.

Showed at 0800 for my written test, proctor wasn't ready yet. So...I was told to go stash my shizz in my assigned truck. 3188 btw, she's a 2019 Cascadia. But she was dirty in n out and a dead battery to boot. Returning to the proctor with said discrepancies, he said to start the test and the crew would get on it.

45 minutes and headache later the written test is complete. Missed a few. Trip planning was old school. Not even a calculator allowed. As you can imagine I missed carrying a letter or dotting a number or some such algebraic nonsense. Also missed a couple of questions related to policies. But "C's" get degrees.

By this time I'm put on hold as the road test guy is busy, so I wait for an hour or so for him to un-busy and get us a truck and loaded trailer to test in. And here I thought I would be testing in my truck or another Cascadia like my trainer had. Nope, we grabbed a Pete and carried on smartly.

Road test was pretty straightforward. Pretrip was standard DOT fare excepting the reefer pretrip. It was part, test part guidance. But I'm not one to turn down a pro-tip. Completed the road test and I was told to work on my stopping distance behind vehicles at red lights. They want 2 car lengths. Ok fair enough. Then I was told I needed to use my Jakes more. Since the roadtrip was mostly in town I found that odd.

So we park and I'm off to find my truck and move in. Dm already has a load on me and I'm feeling pressure. Truck was hidden from me, joke on the new guy maybe. Ah who knows. I find her she's clean and fresh in n out and starts too! Time for inventory and initial inspection right?

Nope. I get called back to training and they apologetically tell me a big portion of the road test was missed. Imagine dear readers my inner monologue to this junction of the day. Well off we go to get a truck n trailer. Our HQ is in the crook of the I15 and I80 area, so we jump on the 80 head east for the mountain pass that borders SLC. Up the hill down, the hill, back to the yard. No mention of my Jake usage. Did you see the foreshadowing earlier?

So now its 5pm on Friday and the rats are scurrying from the ship. I'm in low blood sugar and sleep deprivation status as I was driving nothing but nights. So I grab chow and sort out what little gear I have in the truck and give the interior the fine tooth comb for the initial inspection. A shower and two turns around and it's 2300, rack time!

Up early Saturday to complete the inspection, get my inverter installed and a new safety inspection. Truck is in the shop as I type this. I have to be out of the yard by 1600 to grab my 1st solo load in Ogden to take to Hurricane and drop n hook head to Aurora Co.

I just dropped a trailer at our dropyard in Southern Utah and since I'm stuck waiting until midnight for my next trailer to arrive I decided to calculate my hours.

It's official! I have hit my required 200 hrs of team driving.

I will drag this next load for 6 more hours back to Cali and then my trainer will offload and drop n hook a trailer in Ontario bound for SLC. Should be in the yard hopefully late Thursday to early Friday. After some sleep I'll be testing out for solo.

My routes dm is off with a family issue, so the trainer is going to help me get a load towards home. Then I can outfit my truck and get a 34, so I can start my route on Monday with a fresh clock.

The milestone of becoming a company driver vs a trainee is with my grasp. Funny thing is my mom is way more excited than anyone else and more than needs be. Lol but that's why moms are awesome. Here's a tip...

Call your mom, tell her you love her and thank her for just being Mom.

All things go well and the next entry will detail the testing and I'll change my status!

Be silently following along, keep a inner dialogue about each backings pros n cons, you'll start forecasting what's gonna happen before it does and then it'll hit. Good luck.