Comments By Hrynn

Oh, ****....I just realized I left my lock on the trailer I dropped this morning.....

Everyone gets those feelings of intense worry/stress when they first go solo. It can be very nerve wracking being out there on your own dealing with the backing, lack of parking, hours of service, trip planning, and everything else with no one beside you to guide you through it. You just have to stick to it. You will get the hang of it. Most people I've talked to didn't lose that feeling completely until they had passed the six month mark (myself included). It's tough, but do your best and remember if you have specific questions about anything, the people on this forum are usually happy to help you out.

Many companies offer cdl training. I work with Roehl out of the Dayton yard. Schneider and Prime and Millis also offer schooling that I have heard good things about. I cant say what will be the best fit to you. What are you looking for in a company? Nationwide, good hometime, pet policy? These are the kinds of factors that will help narrow down youe list of potentials a little more.

Roehl didn't do a mandatory shut down, but they sent out a companywide message on the truck pc that said if you are driving in any of the heavily affected states and you do not feel safe SHUT DOWN. Just call your dispatcher so they know the situation.

I'm sure some more experience drivers will chime in here, but the general consenus on this forum is that it is a bad idea to own your own trucks just coming into the industry. The profit margins for trucking are razor thin, I think I've been told 3% profit. Not to mention, you are completely new to the industry and don't have any notable driving experience.

I'm not trying to just shoot you down, but it is not something that I would recomment doing.

What are HHG and practical miles?

There are a few different ways that companies caluculate your mileage for a trip.

1. Practical miles: The distance from zip code to zip code by the most practical truck route.

2. HHG: The distance from zip code to zip code by the absolute shortest route possible, regardless of truck route

3. Hub miles: The actual miles a truck travels between destinations.

These are just different ways companies determine how to pay a driver since you could easily get lost, take a route that isn't as efficient, etc and turn more miles on your odometer than necessary. It also has to do with how they negotiate costs with customers.

Some extra info about Roehl: I am Not sure what up front costs you are referring to. You will have to pay to get your own permit before you go to the school but other than that well actually pays you during training. You also do not have to pay for room and board.

I went through their program before they started paying you during your CDL school but they did put me up in a hotel at no expenses to myself. I had to pay my transportation to get to the school but I have heard others say that they are now paying for you to go there. With me when I finished phase 1 of training they gave me gas money to cover my ex travel expenses home and the expenses to get to them in the first place. I can't say much about prime. I don't know a lot about their program with several other drivers in this forum work for them and hopefully they will chime in and help you out. As the above said they are both good company so you will most likely have to weigh your options and figure out what is most important to you right now

I find it risky to converse about birds of any age on this forum ... ... but do you have to keep them in a cage? If you're worried can't you just chain them by the ankle to your bunk, leave them a small stack of magazines to share and a warm bath robe for each? Cages seem so inhumane

I'm always confusing or enraging people in this forum, it's a surprise to me. Here's a rule of thumb: assume I'm joking & read it again, or just pass over it entirely.

I knew you were probably makin a joke....I just don't know what it was about?

Read bird as the slang term for a woman and it will make sense. Lol

Keep in mind this seems to be a "best of" compilation. Give Renegade that, at least.

I've used my air horn twice, I think. Both were for kids pumping their arm in the timeless signal to "honk at me!"

I've only used mine once and for the same reason. It was well worth it. Some gradeschool age boys getting off the school bus pumped their arms, and I scared the **** out of some teenage girls. Hilarious.

What are some tips and tricks this winter to deal with stubborn locking jaws?

Earlier today, I was trying to hook to a trailer, and for the life of me I could not get the jaws to lock all the way in. I kept getting that 2" shiny patch showing that it wasn't really latched. It was pretty irritating, but at least it was a good reminder to never trust a tug test alone. Always visually check your connection as well. I did the tug test when I backed up and everything seemed fine, but it was not on closer inspection.