Location:
Maricopa, AZ
Driving Status:
Experienced Driver
Social Link:
David F. On The Web
Originally received my CDL back in 1989, in CA. I graduated from the Federal Truck Driving School in San Diego at the ripe old age of 19. Too young to get my HazMat or drive out of state. I drove for a couple of SoCal companies for a while and found something else shiny and sparkly to grab my attention. Not being able to drive out of state dimmed my excitement.
Fast forward to 2003. I'm living in Phoenix now with a wife and two little boys (2 & 4). I looked at driving again, did some research and went with Schneider. At that time, they were offering schooling. I signed up, headed out to Fontana for training and then began driving a 1999 orange Freightliner Century in the Western Region (mainly CA, OR, & WA). I spent 7 months in the region and then transferred to a dedicated local account. After a while at that, I was offered the position of Yard Dog at the Reckitt Benckiser warehouse in Tolleson, AZ. The OTR time was hard because I missed so much of my kids growing up, and I wasn't there to support my wife. After getting on the RB account, I was home every night. A while later I changed companies and went to work hauling petroleum in tankers. Mainly local work, home every night. After a few more years, I transitioned into dispatch and became the lead Night Dispatcher. 6 years of that beat me almost to death (high stress and screwed up sleep schedules w/two boys in middle & high school.) I let my CDL lapse in 2016, and in 2019 I reached the breaking point. I walked away from that job and went to work in the fraud department of a major bank.
Now I'm back behind the wheel again, delivering aviation fuel!
Posted: 3 years, 4 months ago
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I had to wait for him to land before I could depart the airport after delivering.
Posted: 3 years, 4 months ago
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I had to wait for him to land before I could depart the airport after delivering.
Posted: 3 years, 5 months ago
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Has anyone ever been a yard dog?
You will learn how to pull a flawless 90 alley dock from right or left side. These skills will sorta help you if you go back OTR, but keep in mind that the yard goat turns on a dime whereas a larger truck, eh not so much. I had fun when I did it quite a few years ago. The only issue was that the AC was horrible.
Posted: 3 years, 5 months ago
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I never should have given up my CDL back in 2016. Ugh.
Congratulations sir!
I hope it all goes well for you. I would never recommend starting out as a tanker driver, but I wish you the best.
I actually started out in dry van with Schneider back in 2003. So I'm really "technically" starting out as a tanker, but I understand what you're saying.
This should be fun.
Posted: 3 years, 5 months ago
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I never should have given up my CDL back in 2016. Ugh.
It's amazing what happens when you have faith. The company had a trailer I could use and I passed my CDL skills/road test and then passed my HazMat endorsement test immediately after. My new license came in the mail and tomorrow I start training on how to be a gas hauler again!
Posted: 3 years, 6 months ago
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Thank you...my dispatch told me yesterday i wouldn't get in trouble...now he is turning it on me saying because of my attitude..i have to sit..and wait for them to send someone to get the load....no layover pay...i have done nothing wrong...
You will never win an argument with your dispatcher, and it's not worth the effort. Just document the incident and address it with them at a later time, when things calm down. When you do address it, make sure you include how you were made to feel by the actions of the dispatcher.
Who knows, maybe the driver sent to pick it up will refuse it because it's overweight.
Not only are you risking a ticket if you pull the load, if you get into an accident while overweight, and they can prove you knew about it, you are in a world of problems.
Posted: 3 years, 6 months ago
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If a dispatcher is forcing me to run, or to turn in my truck and quit...my next call would be to the safety department. But, that's just me.
Oops. I missed the word "overweight" after "forcing me to run."
Posted: 3 years, 6 months ago
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...my dispatch didn't like my concern and said he could just have me turn in my truck...i am so saddened to be treated like this..i am a great employee...
If a dispatcher is forcing me to run, or to turn in my truck and quit...my next call would be to the safety department. But, that's just me.
Make sure you document all conversations you have with anyone about this. Based on what you're saying, it sounds like your dispatcher may need to have a "Come to Jesus" meeting with Safety...unless the whole company could care less.
Posted: 3 years, 6 months ago
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What if I don’t remember an offense or date to list on the background check?
If it's a reportable offense, you might find it in a detailed DL report, or you can reach out to the court and see if they have a record of it (depends on the type of incident/offense).
Posted: 3 years, 2 months ago
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Photos, oddball things
This was the first thing that popped I to my mind as well!