Comments By John G.

Hi all, **if you're a tldr guy, skip to the bottom for a numbered list of questions. If you wanna be Dr. Phil, learn about my background, and hear about my first week driving local end dump, start here!

The past 10 months of my life have been the hardest period of my life. I decided to quit my teaching job of 8 years where I was well-liked, comfortable, had summers off and took (past tense) a lot of anxiety medication to handle the boredom from repetition.

How long can one teach the same subject without going insane? This year the students were less and less engaged in class, while deeply hypnotized by their cell phones. I'm only 30, but I can already feel the age gap widening in communication-I had not experienced this before covid, but I was known as one of the most liked teachers by students. We had engaging discussions, we learned a lot and this disappeared. I was teaching to collect a check and hoped for good interactions and learning moments. Students told me this- I am not bragging.

During this school year, I got my CDL for the second time, but this time was different-I busted my ass prepping for the test with the intention of driving full time when school was over.

Before, I hauled containers during summers for an owner operator, but this was a side hustle with no benefits-I still had benefits from the teaching job.

Except for my trucker friends and girlfriend, I got nothing but flack from parents, since our family values education. Last year when I saw a 15 year teacher makes only 10k more than me, I stopped seeing teaching as an option if I want a comfortable life. I felt immense guilt towards the job (which didn't always treat me well) and my family. But ****, I want to make money and I love trucks, I put my windows down when driving next to them to hear the exhaust. Enough background, let's talk about my first week.

I got hired as an end dump driver at a yard 45 min away from my house. We leave the yard at 5 or 6 am, which means I wake up at 4 to get there.

On my way, I get a big cup of coffee, a bottle of water and healthy snacks (protein cookie) to last me till lunch. During lunch, I get a bigger meal, but not a coma-inducing carb bomb

The trips are about 30-50 min from one site to deposit shale at a concrete facility.

I am on a special meal plan, I am an athlete, and my nutritionist has me eating healthy snacks every 2 hours so I'm not hungry.

I was able to make 6 of 7 loads on my first solo day.

There was one curveball- I took the road test in a tractor trailer. When I got there they told me I will start in a super tandem (fancy dump truck). I had never driven a dump truck before, I have just hauled containers. I am still figuring out the quirks with these, as I've noticed they feel top heavy. I'm not mad about this- the manager told me I will drive a tractor trailer in a month or sooner if I feel comfortable. I got a clean bill of health from my trainer, who only spent two days with me.

A couple things I noticed: -there is not lot of time to jerk off. This isn't a bad thing, but a new feeling for me. It's back and forth with the loads with an occasional stop at a gas station to pee, get a snack and drink. I also don't **** during the day, so as one can imagine I get some nasty gas by the end of the day and all hell brakes loose when I get home. But at least I can stop and pee, and this was one of my biggest fears. The cab has a camera inside, so I can't go in a bottle

-at the end of the day i feel accomplished. I even stayed later than a few other drivers to clean the truck

-I also feel tired, but not bad. My clinical anxiety has almost disappeared, since I work a full 12 hour shift

****TLDR Here are the questions for local drivers.

1. What do you do to motivate yourself to keep going? On m first solo day, I could feel the motivation and hustle to get the **** done. I made less food stops than the day before

2. Good coolers for a small cab? I find cold drinks wake me up well. I also eat a half a small bag of chips, it's enough to get me going

3. How do you handle post lunch fatigue? I pulled over to sleep for 10min, but couldn't sleep so I kept trucking and drank a Starbucks. I want to improve on this

4. What do you do at the end of the day? When I get home I have mixed feelings. I want a good meal- I usually eat my first real meal of the day, I eat gas station snacks throughout the day. I feel tired, but I still have to workout. When I get a rhythm to the new job, will I be able to workout again after work?

5. Entertainment? I have a 4G phone, and I'm wondering if I should upgrade to 5G. I listen to podcasts, audio books and radio shows. I have yet to get bored

6. What do you do for comfort? The seat don't recline in a dump truck and the ride is rough. My back is sore, so I stretch and workout. I'm thinking of trying a purple seat cushion

7. What are handy items to keep in truck? I got cleaning supplies, air fresheners and put a light sunscreen since the windows aren't tinted and I don't want nasty skin, but I'm enjoying my tan!!

8. Bonus question.. Do the older trucks powered by ISX, 60 series or C15 drive better? My truck has a paccar and it's an auto. It feels gutless and I kept getting passed. My truck is auto, the ones passing me were old, mid 2000's manuals. My goal is to be an owner operator in a year and I want an old school truck with a big engine and a good seat

Thank you

Thank you very much for taking the time to answer my questions

I received training on operating the bed.. Not to dump on uneven surfaces was the big idea.

We were hauling loads one day within a cement factory, and the roads inside there were unpaved and tilted. Everytime we went on the trail the trainer was nervous as hell. There was one part where the pavement ended with a decline on the side, and every time the trainer got nervous. It didn't matter if I took it slow or at 5 mph, you could feel the lean. I thought it was better to take it moving so I could correct and offset the lean by steering slightly into it. It would seem to me that steering opposite the lean going slow would make it worse

I am just trying to get a sensibility for the truck.. It doesn't feel like its gonna tip, but it was enough motion to catch my attention

The trainer was also pointing out pedestrians and **** like I didn't see them. I finally told him I got this, cause simple **** like that was distracting me.

Agree on big following distance. Will bring a tire gauge to check them during pretrip. Do you leave the Jake on or do you switch it every time you need it?

When dumping, they told me to look at the ram to make sure it doesn't go sideways. It's kinda hard to judge this from the seat. Any tips for this?

One more question, after dumping, do you pull forward then lower the bed or do you lower it some before closing it?

Thanks again for answering my questions

Got a new job hauling end dump. So far it's great. I like being back on the road. I need some tips for driving a super tandem

We get about 6 loads per day. It's about a 30 min drive each direction. Here's my questions:

1. Is it worth hauling ass VS cruising with traffic? I haven't gotten paid yet, nor have I worked long enough to figure out if it's possible to do an extra load. The truck has a paccar engine and it makes passing other trucks sketchy. I try to avoid going full throttle, in case of a blow out, I want to have extra power to counter steer.

But, I try to keep pace with the other drivers and they go at least 70. I like going fast, so I'm not complaining-I was just wondering if these trucks have a little play (not wobble) in the steering that requires constant hand movement?

2. How do you drive a dump truck in highway speed curves? Do you want to go slower than the limit? I get a little nervous passing people in curves, but I check the mirrors and am within the lanes.

The company is starting me with a dump truck instead of a tractor trailer. I'm cool with this, but it feels top heavy in comparison. I was driving in a turn at 70 mph and a car cut me off and I hit the brakes pretty hard. I could feel the weight shift, so I let off the brakes and corrected the movement. Made me pucker up for a second

3. How forgiving are these trucks in turns?

4. This truck has giant front tires.. I look at them very closely in pretrip and post trip. How scared should I be of a blowout and what is the best way to handle a blowout with huge tires? In school, I learned to accelerate and countersteer

Other notes: Since this is the new section, I want to say I like my job so far. I dunno if anyone knows if they will hate their job in two years after the first week though. It is very long hours (12 hr shifts), but the parts I like most is the actual driving. I enjoy podcasts, radio shows and music at loud volumes. On my ride home, I still notice truck engines and listen to truck exhausts after I've been in one all day. I'm really grateful I got my CDL, cause of all the job opportunities I have

Is there a way to move it or do I repost? Im using my phone, my computer don't work

You'll be best served posting this on the General section, with more drivers reading posts and topics there.

Got a new job hauling end dump. So far it's great. I like being back on the road. I need some tips for driving a super tandem

We get about 6 loads per day. It's about a 30 min drive each direction. Here's my questions:

1. Is it worth hauling ass VS cruising with traffic? I haven't gotten paid yet, nor have I worked long enough to figure out if it's possible to do an extra load. The truck has a paccar engine and it makes passing other trucks sketchy. I try to avoid going full throttle, in case of a blow out, I want to have extra power to counter steer.

But, I try to keep pace with the other drivers and they go at least 70. I like going fast, so I'm not complaining-I was just wondering if these trucks have a little play (not wobble) in the steering that requires constant hand movement?

2. How do you drive a dump truck in highway speed curves? Do you want to go slower than the limit? I get a little nervous passing people in curves, but I check the mirrors and am within the lanes.

The company is starting me with a dump truck instead of a tractor trailer. I'm cool with this, but it feels top heavy in comparison. I was driving in a turn at 70 mph and a car cut me off and I hit the brakes pretty hard. I could feel the weight shift, so I let off the brakes and corrected the movement. Made me pucker up for a second

3. How forgiving are these trucks in turns?

4. This truck has giant front tires.. I look at them very closely in pretrip and post trip. How scared should I be of a blowout and what is the best way to handle a blowout with huge tires? In school, I learned to accelerate and countersteer

Other notes: Since this is the new section, I want to say I like my job so far. I dunno if anyone knows if they will hate their job in two years after the first week though. It is very long hours (12 hr shifts), but the parts I like most is the actual driving. I enjoy podcasts, radio shows and music at loud volumes. On my ride home, I still notice truck engines and listen to truck exhausts after I've been in one all day. I'm really grateful I got my CDL, cause of all the job opportunities I have

Hey all, I have a truck driving job hauling aggregate that i start May 19. However, I am always looking for extra hustles to make money.

I sort of need a utility trailer (centex 16') to haul my lawn equipment, atv's, etc. I was wondering if I could transport any small freight in this trailer for money if I joined a load board. Obviously my long term goal is to buy my own truck , but I can use this trailer (it costs about $3,500) around the house, but would like to find some extra ways to make money with it. If I have a free afternoon and can make an extra $200 by helping people move, I am a happy man.

I wouldn't complain about having it in my driveway, but I can mow lawns (I have all of the equipment) and can help people move (small moves, but stuff like fridges that wouldn't fit in a truck bed) with the trailer. I also have a tire business, so I can toss the tires in the trailer instead of heaving them into the truck.

Let me know if there are any ways I could monetize this as a part time thing. Thank you.

My friend who is a truck driver recommended I do local instead of OTR. I got an offer for an end dump job. I am going to start training a month for now. I am real excited. The hours are long- I will have to wake up at 3:30 to be at the yard and leave to pick up the aggregate by 5:00 am from the truck yard.

How long did you work for the previous employer? You were never asked to submit a pre-employment drug screening there (illegal), nor any random samples?

Good morning,

I am applying for JB Hunt Intermodal and the lady is asking me for paperwork from my previous employer.

The only thing is my previous employer is an owner operator, and he never drug tested me. She is asking for paperwork for a DOT drug test

I told her I didn't get one from him and she said she will note it.

Any ideas?

Thanks,

John

Howdy, John G. !

Good to see ya back, sir.

Does your previous company appear here? (It's a little tricky to use... go to the bottom, middle box.. and do a search, then make sure you search by 'name' unless you KNEW the DOT #'s.) FMCSA/Safer Web Search.

Also, if he 'did' test you (without your knowledge; though chances are slim, unless they 'forged' you in...) Look into the FMCSA drug clearinghouse, here: FMCSA Drug Clearinghouse.

Finally, do you have a DAC report, from 'ever?' Obtain a FREE copy of your DAC, HireRight.

Oh, whoops! One more: Get a $10.00 cc of your PSP if you can; Pre Employment Screening Program.

Hope this helps; PLEASE add your state .. at least!

~ Anne ~

ps: The guys above are so correct; you're an 'accident' waiting...sadly. Not even your fault.

If the lady at JBH won't take you on, here's this....

Go real : Apply For Paid CDL Training

and/or : Apply For Truck Driving Jobs

Thanks for the warm welcome- I didn't see it in the database, but he is leased to a big company. I guess I operating with their DOT number.

The guy from the local JB Hunt yard called me and asked "where the hell are you?" (politely) and I told him I am waiting to be cleared by the main office. I won't be mad if I don't get this job, I just wanted to be home everyday. I an offer for a dedicated route I can always drive instead.

In the meantime, I got a goofball job as a part time gopher for Penske. I will be driving their trucks back and forth from the clients to the shop and moving trucks from one Penske to another.

This job requires a DOT drug test, so it will count as legitimate experience.

I've never worked for JB Hunt, but from what I've seen it looks like they own and maintain their own chassis units. That's a good thing because the ones the rail own usually suck.

I did work for Pepsi for about 2 months and I quit because safety wanted me to wear 2 masks and safety glasses over my prescription glasses because of COVID. I wasn't going to do that and definitely not in April or may when it's warm out and you're doing a physical job.

The company is ok, the equipment isn't great (I saw a lot of violations) and it involves a lot of physical labor and a lot of FML backing situations. They operate 40 feet trailers and I had to do a lot of backing off the street, a lot of squeezing between Werner and fences and a lot of blind side backing. My backing did improve a lot. Probably the only positive out of that situation.

Interesting- thank you. Sounds like a pain in the ass. Not gonna be working for Pepsi anyway- I missed the interview. For some reason I thought they were going to call me, but it was a zoom meeting I was supposed to initiate. Whoops. Nothing good comes from Zoom lol

Gotcha, thanks. I also had to explain that he paid me under the table, but at the same time, I was grateful for the experience.

I guess I will tell them that I didn't take the drug test then?

Overall, I am in a good situation- I will be paid over the summer regardless of which trucking job I get- I work as a school teacher and my contract ends over the summer. Then, I will have to figure out if I want to drive or teach full time.

Do y'all have any opinions over my choices?

I got offered a dedicated route from DFW to Kansas City with Dart. I will be home one or two days during the week and some weeknds. Here, I will get experience doing OTR

I may get a local JB Intermodal Job- I have watched videos on this- It looks like you take 53' containers to different customers. I like the idea of being home and the odd hours. They told me I would start my shift at 5:00 PM- I love the idea of working into the night and have never had a chance to do it yet

My other option is a Pepsi Local (non delivery) job. I am speaking with a lady about this job this afternoon. Don't know anything about it (yet)

I worked for him for 3 months. Never asked for a drug test. It's illegal to ask for one?

I had one other job I applied for ask for some official documentation for a drug test and I just told them I don't have it. I told JB hunt some BS "i got one from my other employeer (a shop I worked at)" because they seem stricter.

How long did you work for the previous employer? You were never asked to submit a pre-employment drug screening there (illegal), nor any random samples?