Profile For Stevo Reno

No one can mention the G.O.A.L thing too much ! It saved my butt more than twice out there when I drove. I remember 1 particularly well,it was late at night after I drove my full 11 hours. I was "trying" to back into the ONLY hole I found. This was in Az. I forget which fuel stop. Problem was, I was trying to cut the trailer, into the slot, with a fenced area in front of me, and a tight fit on my blind side too!

Something was making me not feel right. So I popped the brakes, G.O.A.L, and sure enough, the corner of my trailer was inches away from hitting the sleeper of the guys cab! I about crapped myself hahaha.... And gave a big sigh of relief, and gave up on that spot, drove a bit down and found a big dirt lot, with plenty of spots, just before my clock ran out. I'll never forget that close encounter, glad I listened to my gut instinct too.

DOT needs to get it into action like ICE, and "Git R Dun" faster hahaha Maybe the DMV offices across the country need to do the same right where it starts, with ALL licenses, CDL and automotive, trash the study books in all foreign languages as well, and have ONLY in English! Ya KNOW there's even more Non English understanding drivers in cars, who are menaces on the roads.

Funny, is thru life going to renew my licenses, I remember seeing mostly Asian study booklets. Korean, Cantonese, Malaysian, Chinese, and of course, Spanish. Don't remember ever seeing any in French, Polish, Russian, etc hmmmm

Bottom line, if you're driving a big rig anywhere, it's experience and should be taken as that. Shouldn't matter if local or OTR. You still had to obtain your CDL A, with all that process involves. No company can read a drivers mind to know if he transitions from a local to OTR driver he can't or won't adapt / like it. You sure can jump the opposite direction and go local without the pre-judgement.

LOL yeah well, part of the paperwork process to marry here, I had to Fed Ex my divorce paper(2 pages) to Calif. $70 for a paper to be "apostilled" (certified) by the State Dept, being a legit doc from 1988.

Buddy n his wife went to L.A. court for a copy of the paper. Becuz I sent a photo copy by mistake to a notary dude to handle it. They got another copy from the court, walked around the corner to the state dept to certify. another $50 for those 2 pages.

Then, it cost them $127 to Fed Ex the same 2 pieces of papers back to me here in Phil's !

I have my VW collectibles too packed in a big tupperware type tubs, I've collected since 1980. from 1/18th scale to hot wheels. Beetles and buses, a LOT of em are 1 of a kind now, and can't be replaced. I figured well over $1,000+ for all, couldn't even sell em for $500 in 2022 pffft.

I did make sure to grab my chrome original, German VW Bus front emblem from 1968-1970's it's worth $150+ all day long. Took it off my old side box door, I mounted that in 1983, when I found it in a trash bin at work. Used to dumpster dive when I worked for Waste Mngmnt found LOTS of good "trash" Even a pair of pre 1967 beetle full bumpers I grabbed and put on my '66 custom fast bug those were worth $150 each back in the day.lol

Pete, well, cigs here are from $2.50 up to $3.30 for Marlboros, I splurged headed to airport, and bought 1 pack of Marlb's for $12.50 figured last time so why not lol.... I smoke Mighty's which are made by Philip Morris(marlb's) My last trucking physical in early '22 the Asian Dr was shocked after my 50 years of the habit, I had good lungs, no copd etc. I told him "it's genetics bro......I buy them by the carton/ream as they call em, for 1500 pesos / $24USD now they went up a bit in price.

Gas is colored, 93 is green-96 octane is red. Diesel is cheaper here than gasoline. As far as tools, I got 2 suit cases at Wal Mart $50 each, and maxxed em both with 50 lbs of tools each. I did have to pay $200 for the 2nd checked bag (airline allowed 1) After researching shipping a box, I found I would pay way more than in checked bags. Plus a strong possibilty, I might lose them to theft, once they x-ray and see my snap on/ mac tools lol.

There would be a tarriff/import fee of 30% + the VAT tax of 12%, as well, as the value couldn't exceed 10,000 pesos ($175) which 1 set of my metric S-On wrenches cost well over that amount years ago ! So I figured was safer to just bring em in checked bags. Besides my Mac set of pliers, channel locks needle nose etc pliers cost me $150 back in 2018 alone.

Glad I made it with no snaffus, and all my tools were with me lol.....Can't afford to ship my big ass box and the rest of my tools, oh well. Maybe another $60,000+ in my shed in buds 2.5 acre lot, he can use em if needed, but he ain't into much mechanical except basic stuff hahaha.....

Well, I'm finally back home with my filipina wife n her 2 kids after having to return home for 1 month. Law here, as a foreigner, I had to exit for at least a day or 2 before 36th month mark. I decided to go home to Calif, sell my honda civic sport coupe I left, and bring back 2 checked bags of tools whewwww that was rough making the weights right. Not to mention the traffic has gotten so much worse in Cali and the Cajon Pass like OMG! hahaha

Fix a couple of cars for my best buddy of 57 years, since he is more of a brother, than my 3 half bro's ever were. Visited my parents grave at the Riverside Veterans Cemetary again, maybe my last time to do so. Since I really don't plan to go back, unless of some emergency. I really seen how bad Cali has gotten and have NO desire to go back anytime soon!

Talk about inflation back home jeezus louise ! Marlboros went from $8 a pack (at same place) to $12.50 yikes! Only bought 1 pack on the way to Ontario airport to fly home. I bought 1 carton of the cheapest I found for $65 lol , here I can buy 3 cartons for around $65, and made by Marlboro company!! Not to mention food, 1 cafe we used to frequent, went so a pastrami deal for 2, $45 w/ a 20% tip.

Anyway I couldn't wait to return here to my new home/life, plus they missed me. I did finally get thru the hoops to get married here, that was 1 helluva journey !! The outgoing Mayor of Cebu City married us, and 2 other couples before leaving office 6/1/25, on 5/28/25.

Now that I am home, I will work on the spousal visa, which will cancel out me going to immigration every 2 months to extend @ $50 a pop, saving around $300+ a year and the travel expenses. And just 1 annual check in with around a $10 fee lol. I'll tell ya, the Ontario Airport in Cali is sooooo much easier than LAX to arrive and depart from!

Time flies, seeing I've been on TT 11 years now, wow ! Even though I'm not driving now, I still enjoy coming and reading up on things going on and with some of you long timers hahaha , and the originator of TT, Mr Brett !! Thanks guys and gals for the tips n tricks over the years a lot of them helped me during my short 3 year tenure on the roads of the USA

Peace and health & safety to 1 and all

My 2 DUI's from my youth at 19,were almost 40 years in my past.When I went to Roadmasters to try them, and the head recruiter told me they were not as problem due to their time span. Even though I started elsewhere, those never were even brought up, and I did truthfully reply "yes" to have you EVER had on any application I made.....

My feeling is, don't do the crime if you can't do the time. I have NO empathy for ANY drug users be it legal or otherwise. I smoked heavy as a teen 15-17 years old. Back when weed was weak, it still got you stoned. I got tired of feeling sluggish and the whole scene and just up and quit forever after.

Then my son, once he and his sister went to live with mom n her hubby, he became a pothead, and street thug, constantly locked up for theft etc. I tried to talk sense into him to join the military n make his new son proud. Of course he never listened and continued on his life course or crime and jail. Well, in 2013 I got a call he was found dead in jail @ 28 years old. From a Heroin O/D IN jail no less. So he evidently progressed from pot smoking to Heroin, and I only found out, once he was dead and gone, NOT a good feeling.

Trucking and ANY form of substances that impair judgement, and reaction time do NOT go together, PERIOD !!

Totally up to you which you'd prefer to drive. I , myself did the auto since I only was driving 3 threes, until retirement. I can drive anything out there, and have driven manuals in all types of vehicles. Hell, @ 15 1/2 took my DMV drivers test in my 10th grade girlfriends 1966 VW beetle.....Which I barely passed lol because the tester didn't like my speed shifting up & down.

But I digress, I did NOT want to be driving a manual big rig, and having all that extra to deal with. The auto tractor was great, and fun to drive, besides my training company had an all auto fleet. Besides the auto's can be driven as a manual to some extent, with downshifting the lever, plus using the jake brakes as needed.

And most big companies use auto's anyways. The U.S. has pretty much eliminated manuals in pick ups and automobiles. Here in the Philippines, ALL the taxi's are Toyota Vios w/5 speeds (Toyota Corolla in USA)

Seems to me he was "distracting" you on purpose, as a test, how you'd handle it, even as small as it were. In school, IS 1 big test on it's own. There's plenty of ways to test you without you realizing it. Just concentrate on what YOU'RE doing behind the wheel, ignore the chatting etc.....Yes, YOU messed up, it happens, and you need to learn from it, so it don't happen again. Keep your head on a swivel, and check your mirrors every few seconds, to avoid scraping/hitting something, you're nearing the finish line of training where ever you're doing it at.

Good Luck, and suck it up buttercup, own everything YOU do out there.