Profile For Auggie69

Hey guys need some suggestions on some great Local companies to drive for in Boston,MA?

Name as many below, I’m looking to be home every night and I have 2 years of CDL experience by the way.

Yeah, if you want to bust your ass and make good money there is Sysco, FoodPro, McClane, Performance Food, etc. FedEx, UPS, XPO, Estes, R&L, Yellow, and others, also do local home every night delivery.

Ryan k. I went through Troops into Transportation in Fort Benning. They offer it on many military installations. They trained me on manual but it doesNt really matter as most companies don’t have manual anymore. This school will use your gi bill and use that to pay for all of your endorsements.

From the research I did, Schneider , Werner, transport America will consider your experience as far as starting you off on a higher pay but you will have to go out with a trainer.

I am with Werner and can’t complain. They are paying back my cdl school monthly even though the gi bill payed for it. I also get their apprenticeship program money which is very nice on top of my paycheck. What state will you be living in?

Can't he take his time and use the GI Bill for his trucking school (and get all the bennies that provides) and THEN once he graduates and picks a company he can go through their orientation?

So I just hit over 3 months solo earlier this week and I passed a solo milestone of 150 safe deliveries. I have been to more stores but the sweep stops don’t count toward your official safe stop count. As long as I get paid for them I don’t care. Actual count is probably around 250. I am still enjoying what I do and learn more every day. I strive to become as efficient and safe as possible. Here are a few things I have learned .

PRE TRIP Check everything, an ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure. Also kicking a 70 psi tire and a 100 psi tire sound pretty darn similar. Only difference is that one is a ticket. Pull out the pressure gauge and check your tires. It doesn’t take long

PRE PLAN ROUTE It’s easy to get too comfortable by plugging in an address and rolling out. But I promise, it can get you into some trouble and you can end up in places you DO NOT want to be in

SET UP IS EVERYTHING! Before pulling into a store I will look and see how I need to set up and if I have the room. The key to backing successfully, especially in DG is setup. Here you might not have the option to pull around and try again. You need to get it right the first time or prepare to go into the store and ask ppl to move their vehicles( I’ve had to do it, not fun but Gotta do it at times)

COMMUNICATION IS IMPORTANT ! One thing I was getting a little frustrated with was my loads home. The closest stores that deliver to my house from my distribution center have me driving out of route 70 miles each way. That’s are 140 miles of free driving. No biggy but it adds up. I finally asked about this and they said “why didn’t you say something before? We can poach a sweep load from the other dc to get you paid for getting home” so with mileage and the stop pay it’s at least an extra 100 bucks that I get just for going home at the end of my Friday load. My dispatch team works hard and I don’t envy their job. But they were more than willing to help me out and keep me happy when I brought up a concern. They aren’t mind readers. If ya got a concern or need something , ask about it instead of letting it fester and becoming bitter.

BE KNOWN FOR YOUR WORK ETHIC A lot of our delivery area was affected by the hurricanes this week so for once there wasn’t enough freight to go around. When I would rush in to get my paperwork I would hear other guys complaining about not having a load. One guy asked me how long I have been there and seemed a little ****ed off when I told him . Insinuating that loads should be given to drivers with more longevity. I asked him how many loads he typically runs a week and he said 3-4. When I told him that I do 5 consistently and would do 6 if my 70 didn’t get in the way he scoffed and mumbled that he wasn’t gonna burn himself out for the company. Point is, When loads are scarce it pays off the be the guy who will run, who doesn’t complain about taking low mileage loads every now and again.

Everything isn’t always sunshine and roses but thats life. Having fun so far and keep on trying to get better. Be safe out there drivers ! If you made it this far down, thanks for taking part in my journey!

They are building a new DG near our center. Damn thing has to have the smallest parking lot I've seen not to mention where the DDrivers back up. I'll take a pic as it develops a bit more.

Anne A - You're referring to Schoolhouse Rock, correct? My favorite will always be "I'm Just a Bill..."

OH MI GOSH~!!! YESSIR~!! I sure could NOT remember the name of that show; .. "I'm just a Bill, I'm only a Bill .. and I'm sitting on the stairways to Capitol Hill" ... and the Preamble.. omigosh.. YESSIR~!! ;) (<< as I cry tears of joy and rendering, and pain of old age, hahahaha!) TYSM!

ps: As I sing.. 'We the people, in order to form a more perfect union.. establish justice, insure domestic tranquility.....' Another song in my head! Better'n Green Acres, I guess, haha!! Thanks for that trip down memory lane... I could just NOT remember that show's name~!!!

pps: I learned one in Pioneer Girls (Summer Bible Camp) for the Books of the Bible, both old and new; still sing THAT one, on occasion, when I'm looking up a verse~!!! (AND I still remember the Pioneer Girls' song!!!)

Incredible~!!

Brett's website barfed on this soooooo

https://youtu.be/FFroMQlKiag

As they say time flies when you are having fun, hard to believe but today is my 3 year anniversary with Old Dominion. In those 3 years especially at the beginning there where times i thought about hanging it up but have kept pushing so far, and if the cards fall right in the next few week may end up having a good run fall into my lap. Just wish I had gotten my CDL sooner instead of waiting 7 year.

Now only 35 more years till I can retire!

Ha! Got you beat! I can retire in only 25 years.

Of course I'll be 84 BUT STILL ENJOYING LIFE!!!

The past couple of students i had were doozies. One was so unsafe I refused to pick her up after home time. Talking on the phone while driving and taking pictures while driving in a construction zone were big problems.

I now have a wonderful student!!!! Many trainers state that one thing students fail to do is read signs. I stress this in training. Read the signs. Every sign.

Last night I awoke to my trainee whispering. I was irate thinking she was on the phone trying to be sneaky. I soon realized she was not only reading every sign... But singing it.

(Green acres theme tune)

Weigh stations are the place to be.... Narrow Lanes are ahead for me.... Trucks entering the highway

It was great! Im.so excited to have someone who truly wants to learn

Green Acres theme song? Cripes, just how old IS this student?

;)

Https://ktla.com/news/big-rig-driver-reunited-with-her-furry-co-pilot-miss-kitty-following-banning-crash-that-left-both-hospitalized/

Kitty

Https://ktla.com/news/big-rig-driver-reunited-with-her-furry-co-pilot-miss-kitty-following-banning-crash-that-left-both-hospitalized/

I’ve been up and down that mountain many many times. It really isn’t that bad. I know of several that are far worse. However I always see trucks coming off on the NC side with smoking brakes. I have no idea what makes it that difficult.

I can see a problem in Winter. However, I've seen "smokers" on I64 heading out of Charleston to VA. I don't get it. You're brakes ARE SMOKING!! WHY ARE YOU STILL HEADING DOWNHILL???!!

At least stop and cool off.

Fancy Gap is a PITA. Always wrecks there.

We were coming back from our weekend trip, and saw this on I-77 coming down out of Virginia into NC. I personally have need seen a truck so far up the ramp.

Fancy Gap?

How close will that put you on hours give or take?

Ill wave to the west when I get there, We will make it work at somepoint.

Its 610 miles round trip an with the pay raise that went into effect yesterday it makes a nice payday

Our longest run (660 miles) you'll be counting the minutes rolling into the gate. I've had a many as 20 and as few as ONE!! Twice I was within a few miles and said the hell with it and went over. Safety lectured me, etc.

Auggie69. It’s neither, I just personally liked it. The website I got it from is marine ran I think and caters to a lot of military . Lots of cool stuff and they are running a sale this weekend

Thanks for the tip! Just bought a few things from them!

Waiting around to get the truck serviced. I hate waiting lol.

Dude, I'm in awe. Great job. I would never do what you're doing.

Curious - the Blackbeard flag. Is that a particular unit reference or tankers in general?

I’ve enjoyed my 6 months at swift. But it’s time to move on to better pay and benefits. I was told by the payroll office that since I started at .43/mile as a military veteran that I wasn’t eligible for another raise until 54 months after I upgraded to solo!! So long story short I looked around and did a lot of research and found the best pay/ benefits package possible that would take me with my 6 months experience and that was CRETE. As a husband and father of 5 kids, I think If I’m going to be stuck away from home then I might as well max out my worth. I have nothing bad to say about swift. I will recommend them to anyone, especially people wanting to get their cdl. I just can’t make the same pay for the next 3-4 years when I can give myself a .10/mile raise at a different company, right at the start.

So does anyone have any info on their experience with CRETE? It would be nice to hear some different perspectives and experiences. Thanks a lot, stay safe!!

They want you to wait FIVE YEARS to get a raise?

Don't you have t get anther background check completed too? Had to have it done when I first got mine. Letting mine expire as my employer does not handle hazmat freight.

Yes, you do need another background. That's part of the process.

Did a quick review on TT in the HAZMAT section before hitting the DMV today.

Passed with flying colors!!!

All right, here it goes. I am 51 yrs old and am looking to get my cdl. I've mainly worked warehouse/forklift jobs but want to start driving. The issue is...25 years ago I got 2 DUI's. I also have 4 FELONIES on my record the last one being 16 years ago. All of that happened before I was married or had kids. I have settled down now and am married, have 2 kids and no longer drink or lead a crazy lifestyle. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to go about finding a company to get training/hired with?? Can I even get my cdl and get a job with my past?? Any suggestions/advice will be GREATLY APPRECIATED.

Have no idea if this works.

Expunge your record

https://www.peoples-law.org/expungement-and-changing-your-criminal-record#:~:text=If%20you%20were%20found%20guilty%20of%20one%20of%20the%20expungeable,including%20probation%2C%20whichever%20is%20later.

I bet you would get some looks for sure!😂🤣😂

I will be working tomorrow if you want a picture with the red and blue's flashing 👮‍♂️

Here's a pic a fellow driver sent me a bit ago of what he experienced today.

You go to pick up an empty trailer and find that you can't hit it straight on.

If you were to experience this how would you handle it?

Would you call dispatch and tell them you can't hook it ultimately bobtailing 130 miles to the terminal, use your truck to pull dumpster away, wait a couple hours for the trash company to come move it, hook at an angle, or would you do something different? Often times we face challenges that are something you don't encounter frequently but you're required to come up with a solution so you can keep rolling. After some of the newer drivers talk it over I'll let you know what the driver did as well as how I'd have done it if it was different.

Highly unlikely I'd run into a Fedex trailer like that but if I did I wouldn't hook. Wouldn't even try to hook.

The few times I've run rail trailers and have trailers like this, I grab a yarddog and have him pull it out. Last time even the YARDDOG screwed it up and jumped the pin, nailing the back of his hostler with the trailer.

Nope. Won't do it.

Holy Smokes. So this is where the IT people go to pasture. I to was in the IT field for over 20 years and experinced what Gary and others have experienced. Trucking also looks good for me. See you all on the road.

I got laid-off from a major software company after 17 years. Took a year sabbatical and decided I no longer wanted to work for Chinese masters so went into trucking :)