Comments By SOBER-J

This one is new to me also. I never heard it mentioned the entire time that I drove and that was 1998-2008. So what is the DAC report? Who's in charge of it? Is it automatic or do the company's send info to it? Is it free for me to check my own on a web site somewhere?

Sober-J over

Hey guys I been out of trucking for awhile. Be back in a couple more weeks. Can anyone tell me about the computer logging. Never used it before. Heres some questions I have.

Do we still have paper logs just in case computers go down? How does DOT check the computer log if they decide to? Do we get copies to keep for taxes? I think that got to be a yes. How sensitive are these things? If I sleep at my pu or del point and back into the dock will it start my day automatically?

Any other info you would like to throw in will be appreciated.

I'm Sober-j over

Nothing wrong with a cobra 29 if you have it peaked and tuned at a cb shop. Make sure when you hook up you need 18 feet of cable going to your antenna. That helps a lot with reception and getting you out there. There not to expensive probably around 130. Course you'll be at close to 200 when it all said and done.

Now if you want something with more power so that you don't get "walked on" when your talking look into a Connex. But on a good clear day I could get radio checks from 10 miles out with my cobra 29. And I did have it peaked and tuned but thats it.

Antennas are like cars and trucks. Depends on who you talk to. Firesticks are pretty good and not to expensive.

Hope this helps.

I'm Sober-J over

Hello all, After a lifetime of working my ass off in the 9-5 world I got laid off 2 years ago. I have hit an age discrimination wall I can't seem to penetrate. Every job I go for I loose to someone younger. I am currently working a job any 18 year old can do for. $15.00 an hour. I watch trucks drive by my building every few minutes all day long. And I dream, why not me? I can do that. I talk to every local driver who comes to my loading dock and they all say the same thing. Driving sucks compare to what it used to be. One guy has been doing it for 39 years and only makes 22.00 an hour working for ABF. I still want to drive.

I have a recruiter for a privet school NETTS in Andover Ma coming over Saturday to tell me about school. I would rather go to a trucking school for swift or prime or something. But I'm not sure what direction to take yet.

Are there any companies that I can do my year out of New England so I can do OTR but still return to NE and see my family? Most seem to be everywhere but the east coast. Can I do training then do my year driving local? Should I pay for NETTS so I can start with local job? So many questions. If I didn't have a 10 year old son, I would just go drive OTR anywhere. But I'm not sure if my family can adjust to me almost never being home with him being so young right now. Last of all, how do they get you home for your off time if your doing all your driving out west somewhere?

And Last last of all. What kind of income can I really expect to make? I have years of debt to payoff thanks to this economy.

Thanks to all who reply. I honestly can't wait to change my life and work in a world where I'm not that old man who can't find a decent job.

Paul.

Hello Paul, This may help you a bit. I am going to US Express in a couple weeks just working out a notice with my current employer. They have a Northeast regional that gets you home every weekend and starts out at 39cpm for me. Not sure if you get that coming out of school but I been out of driving for 5 years and have to do a refresh which they also take care of.

This might be good for you. You can see the states the NE REG runs on there web site and find out pay info. I live in VA which is "southern by the grace of GOD", haha, but it is the last state south you would travel on it.

Don't get me wrong I been out there before and know what to expect. Its always possible they send me out of the region but in this business you have to be ready for the unexpected. That's probably the biggest gripe of a lot of drivers. Also why this site is so good for new people coming in.

I'm Sober-J over

Curiosity has struck me and I did some search.. there seams to be some talk on 2hand weed smoke conflicting with a hair test... I myself don't smoke, never have, but I am around people who do... This is an article I found, wanted to see if anyone else had something on this....

2 Hand smoke

I been doing a lot of research on the privacy invading hair test. I been out of trucking for 5 years and about to come back. Been doing apartment maint. and I go in there homes to fix whatever they need. Many, many times I walk right into a cloud of pot smoke or see the stuff sitting right out in the open. From what I have found out marijuana residue from the smoke stays on furniture, clothes, towels, ect... for months. It can also get in your clothes and hair from being there. I do not smoke and have no problem with a ua or blood test. But this hair thing needs to be banned NOW. I was worried sick I would fail it just from being around it so much and not about to take the chance. I was to the point of making appt to get one done on myself just to be sure. You can do that. Its not as much as people think. I been getting my DOT Phys card renewed every 2 years at Valley Occupational Medicine in Roanoke VA. They will do the test for an individual for 70 dollars. That's the only way to be sure that I have found.

Honest truth though. I would rather be on the road with someone that smoked a joint the night before and went to bed with a good nights sleep than those who put down a bottle of liquor then get up and go still half drunk. Sad thing is that alcohol will clear out of the system by the time they have to take a test. same for all the hard drugs you don't have to worry abut them showing in your hair if you do not use but that's not true about weed. It will cause a failure if your around it to much. You sit on a heavy pot smokers couch (assuming they smoke in there house) and it is going to contaminate your hair.

So if you think you could fail that test my advice is get your own test first to know for sure.

I'm Sober-J over

Now that I am about to start a new career in trucking Tuesday, I have found my whole perspective as a driver and future trucker has changed. I drove from Atlanta to Gastonia, N.C. to visit my Aunt and was amazed how RUDE 4 wheelers are to truckers. I saw them cut in front, follow WAYYY too close, switch lanes with NO BLINKER at all, speed around them like they were an "annoyance"...I followed a Swift driver (at a respectable distance) for quite a while just to see how he managed.... I-85 in Greenville S.C. on a Friday afternoon is nuts, I watched people run up on him, cut RIGHT in front of him with NO blinker whatsoever, whomp on the brakes RIGHT in front of him...None of which affected this driver whatsoever. He maintained his speed, lane control, obeyed all traffic restrictions, used his signals perfectly, signalling way before he made lane changes, kept up with traffic flow, and was completely professional...Now I am the first to admit, I have done the SAME rude things in the past, but this trip has taught me that truck drivers have to be amazingly patient, safety minded at ALL times, and disciplined in all aspects of driving. SO beside learning how to shift, back, turn, pre-trip, etc..I'm gonna have to learn to deal with morons...y'all pray for me!!

Yes sir you better get used to it. Keep that following distance. Sad thing is all those four wheelers probably weren't even thinking about ole swifty. Wait til you get one that's ****ed at you cause your in there way. They will darn near cause you to wreck. Good thing is the jerks usually go on or get off and its just a few miles of headache then back to work as usual

Sober-J

WHICH ONE IS BETTER FOR CDL GRADS?

I would go with Schneider over Werner if you've narrowed it down to those 2. That's were I did my school and training. Back then, in 2005, they had there own school. They were a really good company ,back then, with plenty of freight which means plenty of miles. I can't imagine much has changed, they are the largest carrier in the nation now, if I'm not mistaken. They also had very well trained ,safe, and experienced drivers to do your over the road training when you start with them.