Comments By Stevo Reno

Made me remember, when I first got out with my trainer, a nice guy from India, a L/O with CRST.... I was driving at night someplace out in the north east area, well, I missed my freeway change over. I got off, backtracked over 12 dang miles, until I could exit, and go back to the right highway change.

So yeah I wasted 25+ miles and some of his fuel lol. Later, when I told him my error, he got a little irritated with me. I said "Hey bro, I'm new at this, and never been out here. At least I fixed my mistake, without waking you up to help me" He agreed it was ok. you'll learn

Paul, the thing is to stick to 1 main way learning/studying for those tests. Be it here (best option) or something else. My class mate was listening to everyone telling him"oh use this app, that app", etc. He was overloading his brain with way too much useless info doing so. I stayed up 2 nights in the cafeteria "trying" to help him get it. Problem was he wasn't American, he was from El Salvador, and did have kind of a learning disability.....But he had grew up in the US.

I got thru training, out with a trainer, he was behind in school "trying to pass" He literally took 3 tries til he finally got his permit / license... We drove together for like a month, well I drove, he didn't drive much because he never slept!!.....Finally, I got fed up and kicked him out of the truck @ our terminal, to find him someone else to co-drive with! lol

Breathe and relax, when it all clicks for you, you will be thinking "wow all that mental stress was for nothing!"

Well Dennis, I also shave my own head every couple months lol 1 inch long bugs me now! Here in Phil's my hunny cuts my hair for me, so I don't miss a spot hahaha.....

But barbers here, only cost ya 50 pesos(90 cents) And it's a helluva a cut, ya get dusted, powdered, and a neck/shoulder massage...I'd give em a good tip when I used em

PJ that was my biggest issue with my co drivers (3) when we were parked, they always had to slam the damn door getting out while I slept lol....I told em all "you don't need to slam the door, push it closed, and a second push if needed" I was more considerate, when I exited the truck, not to wake them, by slamming the door !!

Lol Dennis, hardly a hippy, So Cali is just funny like that..

I used to have hair to my butt, but I cut it all off in 2002 and donated it to Locks of Love...It was around a 35 inch pony tail (15 years growth) in memory of my 6 yr old nephew who died from a brain tumor.

I never forgot how he was embarrassed losing his hair to chemo. He wore a micky mouse hat all the time, and was even buried with it.....

So I grew it for that, don't miss it at all, I like my 1/8 inch short hair now hahaha.....No more $$ on shampoos,conditioners, blow dryers...Bar of soap and I'm good lol

I too had a "plan" to drive 3 years, retire at 62, and move to Asia! 1st company was team, and started at 31 cpm worked up to 46 cpm by 1st years end. Then got a big bump up to 60 cpm to retain drivers. 22 months later, I quit, and took 5 months off, I did earn around $30k first year, then $38k midway thru 2021.

Then December 2021 got a driving job with another company @ $59 cpm, a brand spankin' new 2022 truck. January til March 23rds retirement day of 2022... I was taking home from $1,500 to $2,000 per week, saving over $20k+ of it for my start here in Asia....

Of course I had NO debt or bills either, and stayed out 3-4 weeks before taking home time...Of course this was before the industry took a dump with freight and pay. Gone are those signing bonus's being handed out to attract drivers !! I feel for the newbies coming in now, with the market in the toilet like it is now.......FJB lol

I loved the auto's (FLs) I set the jake to 1 sometimes 2 and let it do it's thing when it needed to. Besides, both companies I drove for had the manual option not available to use. My guess is too not let some drivers create more problems than it's worth, messing with manual mode lol

I'd gotten a fist pump a time or 2 out on the road from kids. Brings back memories of us doing the same thing, as kids to truckers lol....Easy to make a kid smile and make their day too lol

1 of my funniest, I was in my '69 lowered, patina'd VW Bus, @ the drive thru at In & Out burger. As I approached the pick up window, 3 little blonde girls, maybe from 6-10 years old. They came running across the dining area inside, to the windows by the drive thru. All 3 of em gave me a big wave and a thumbs up/peace sign. Made me crack up laughing, so I gave em all the same in return,with a horn toot, they were cracking up laughing.....

Funny, when ever I was out cruisin' around town in my '68 custom muraled, and real flamed, high performance Beetle, I rarely got any looks hahaha... My Bus every time I drove around town, always got looks and high 5's etc

*** And we have our free roaming chickens to eat as well. a flat of 30 eggs here, is only like $3 here, and they are what in US? for dozen, over $5-6?

BK I quit eating many fast foods on the road. I used to like buying those watermelon cups, grapes, boiled eggs, etc at Love's Then I'd eat subway sandwiches. Get a 12" save half for next hunger pangs. ANY breads are bad for weight gain, I found that out in 2012-2014 when I had knee surgery for flying thru the air on concrete. Cracked Tibia @ the knee, then 2014 slip n fall at auto shop in Az I worked at, breaking my same leg's shin bone. I couldn't stand or walk well during healing. So I made quick sandwiches, and a coke @ home, hobble to room eat, n nap......I gained 50+ pounds because of all that bread and quickee foods. Frozen burritos, pizza and such, anything fast I could put together to eat, since I couldn't stand and cook much...

So by the time I retired I was already down over 30 pounds from diet change. Trying it here in Asia too even though rice is a staple here ("Rice is Life" their motto)haha...I buy ground beef when I want any, but pork is more common as is fresh fish....So far I've stayed about the same or lighter eating better/smarter... We don't have fast food close to where we / I live, out in the (boonies) mountain province lol