Comments By James925

Haha!!! I been to long Beach one time and I got lost badly that time. I was delivering a Cargill load to them. Junky looking warehouse that was right under an overpass so it was hard to see as you drove on the road. Maybe this was the same place that you're talking about?

Hmmm if I remember correctly it was a little mom and pop grocery store, and it was across from a Target. I remember when I needed to get there, they had me turning right on a street where there was an elementary school on the corner, and I would have taken out a few cars and trees in the process. I went through downtown for a bit and finally was able to turn around after a few miles. THEN when I finally got to where my gps routed me, it was the wrong place! I ended up going to a garbage facility, and had to turn around there. Fun fun fun! And this was like my second week out on my own, my dispatch gave me some local runs until he could get me a higher mileage load. I definitely had new respect for local drivers after that.

California is very scenic, but it's definitely not all palm trees and beaches like they make it to be in the movies. Especially where I live in the Bay Area, we have a lot of scenic areas and backroads. Plus we have the coolest bridge ever, the Golden Gate. And along the 5 and 80 there are very few truck stops, and they fill up quickly. California was the one state where I actually hated driving, because of that lame 55 mph speed limit. I never followed that speed limit, I used to always run 60, even when I went into Oregon, they've got the same speed limit. And I never realized how bad drivers were in this state until I got behind the wheel of a truck. Talk about bad drivers! The ones on 880 and the 5 in Southern California were the worst! I won't even get into the time I got lost in Long Beach looking for a receiver....

Congratulations Redgator! It is always cool following you're posts. Montana is a beautiful state aint it? Big as all get out, densely populated in one area, then not a soul for 50 miles! You can literally go from city to boondocks within a 20 mile radius in that state. I spent a LOT of time in Montana, it's where my truck broke down (again) just outside of Billings Montana. Cost me a 2300 mile load, I was none too pleased about that. Spent four days in my truck until it got repaired (had to drive to a random tractor dealer to get parts) and froze my arse off in the middle of August! So I had good times and bad times in that state. I do remember I stopped at a burrito truck at one of the truck stops...delicous!

Since Im usually all east coast the unpopulated WEST was a welcome change. Now cell service sucked. I make it through my day talking to folks. I saved a crap load of money. Being on the turnpike I stop every time I see a Starbucks or Aunt Annies I get tunnel vision. And parking out West is beautiful. Lots of choice EXCEPT the lines. What the heck happened to all the lines?

I had to laugh at the Starbucks line...you sound like me, when I was on 80 west or east (which was a lot) they had travel stops with the green queen (aka Starbucks) and I would make a beeline for one. I did not like the coffee at the truck stops, and for that reason I got a small coffee maker and made it in the truck every morning, I could fix it the way I liked and it always came out good. But when I got a chance to go to Starbucks, it was on! I would load up on the coffee beans. Now back at home, my coffee tastes have changed (I'm a Peet's guy now, or any independent coffee shop I can find) but those were good times at the green queen. And I do remember the cell phone service in Montana sucked, I couldn't even send text messages sometimes. Lines at truck stops out West were definitely a problem for me, and in California, seems like there is a shortage of truck stops, especially on the 80 corridor. Normally for me, if I wasn't stopped by 6, it was a done deal.

Daniel I think the tables have turned...you're my mentor now! I enjoy following you're posts out here, plus we drive (well I used to) for the same company, so I can relate to a lot of what you're going through.

Redgator, I chased that elusive platinum status at TA, let me know when you get it! And Starcar, I think I took years off my life trying to back in at some of those Love's. They are definitely "expert" level backing skills, and let's just say for the first few months of me being solo, I was definitely not an expert!

Well I don't think anyone can top what Daniel said, but I'll just echo a very important point he brought up. When the weather gets severe, stop worrying about if the load will be there on time, and instead worry about how you can keep complete control of the truck in inclement weather. One slip, and it's goodnight now. If you don't feel safe, pull over until you do. If you're dispatch calls you and asks why you're not moving, tell them you don't feel safe. No dispatcher worth their weight will argue with you about that.

You'll be fine. And also make sure you have plenty of blankets and warm clothes for the winter weather. It's amazing how cold it can get outside (and inside) the truck.

Good luck!

Congratulations Redgator! It is always cool following you're posts. Montana is a beautiful state aint it? Big as all get out, densely populated in one area, then not a soul for 50 miles! You can literally go from city to boondocks within a 20 mile radius in that state. I spent a LOT of time in Montana, it's where my truck broke down (again) just outside of Billings Montana. Cost me a 2300 mile load, I was none too pleased about that. Spent four days in my truck until it got repaired (had to drive to a random tractor dealer to get parts) and froze my arse off in the middle of August! So I had good times and bad times in that state. I do remember I stopped at a burrito truck at one of the truck stops...delicous!

In my travels, I only had to pay for truck stop parking once, and that was in Kentucky I believe. Only reason was cause there was no other parking at the receiver, and I didn't have any hours left to drive to another rest stop. But most truck stops are free, and if you have to pay, they waive the charge if you spend a set amount in fuel or merchandise at the store. The real thing to worry about is getting there before the spots are all gone! I have literally taken the last stop at a truck stop more than a few times, and I found that the truck stops in California, washington, Oregon, Arizona, and Colorado fill up very quickly. Seemed like it was the opposite in the Midwest, at least for me. I could go to a truck stop in Missouri or Tennessee at 9 pm, and have my pick of the spots. Or maybe they all just moved cause they knew I was a rookie truck driver!

And Tracey nailed it, its how you carry yourself at a truck stop. You walk around like you belong there, no one will mess with you. Keep you're eyes open, walk with a purpose, and act like you have every right to be there. No one will bother you. Also what helps is dressing professionally. Some truck drivers dress well and you'd never know they drive a truck until they get into the cab...others well, lets just say they aren't "fashionistas."

And Redgator, I actually found that Loves where the hardest ones to get in and out of, I would try to avoid those altogether if I could...the Petros and Flying J's were always huge, and Pilots were average size, but filled up quick. I had a few encounters with lot lizards, I just smiled at them and shook my head, or ignored them altogether. They'll get the hint and leave to the next lonely truck driver out there.

Good luck!

There are success stories out there of people who have had amazing trainers; I'm one of them. Unfortunately in the world of trucking, the good trainers get overshadowed by the bad ones. I, like you, heard of the horror stories about the bad trainers, and was literally praying every night leading up to meeting him that he wasn't one of "those guys." I fortunately had a great trainer.

Soak in as much as you can, and remember the trainer is probably just as scared of you as you are of him. He (or she) is taking a complete stranger on their truck, no idea of your habits, whether you're a good driver or a bad driver, what your work ethic is like, nothing. They are giving up their personal space with a complete stranger for a minimum of 4 weeks, sometimes more. Almost everything that happens on that truck is their responsibility.

Like was said, soak in as much as you can, and remember it's only temporary. Now no one here is saying that you have to tolerate it if things get completely out of hand. If things get to that point, then find a spot away from the trainer and contact dispatch and tell them you want off the truck. You, as a student, ALWAYS have that option, and don't think you need to get put through the wringer while you're on the trainers truck.

That being said, you also have to have a thick skin when driving a truck. You're trainer may fuss at you if you do something wrong. Like my trainer would tell me sometimes, "you gotta put on you're big boy pants." Nothing will ever go as planned in trucking. A clear day can end in a storm quite commonly on the road. And like Old School said, it only takes one moment of inattention and you're whole world will collapse around you. The trainer, like was said, is there as a buffer to keep you from making a potentially deadly mistake. And trust me, when you get out on you're own, you'll have at least one time in the first month where you wish you could turn to your trainer and ask "what do I do now?"

Hopefully you'll get a good trainer, someone who will teach you the fundamentals and show you everything you need to know. Don't be afraid to ask plenty of questions either, you'll only learn by asking! PS, I bought my trainer a cup of coffee from Starbucks when I first met him. That broke the ice, and definitely put him at ease...

Good luck!

Centrals policy was that if you lived within 75 miles (or maybe 50) of a terminal you could take the truck home. But like Old School pointed out, if you live in the average neighborhood, maneuvering one of these monsters in a local neighborhood is interesting to say the least. And if you add a 53 footer, add to that the turning of the trailer as well. I live in a very tree lined area, and I got initiated when I brought my truck home. Well, the truck being 13 feet high didn't sink in until I got down some of those streets. Next thing I knew branches were falling down...ooops.

I think it's a rite of passage for new drivers to come home and show off their office on wheels the first time they get home time. Everyone can ooh and ahh over you're truck, and you have a major feeling of accomplishment. But after that, if you live in an area like I did, the hassle of bringing it home just didn't add up. I parked my truck where I thought no one would touch it, and on the 3rd day I got a ticket saying it needed to be moved. My city has a law stating you can't leave a vehicle unattended on the street for 72 hours. Got a couple of panicky calls from my dispatch about that as well. And if you can leave it at a terminal, it's much easier. You know where it is, it's safe (and if something happens at the terminal, it's not you're fault), and just lets you relax when you're at home. One less thing you have to worry about on you're day(s) off.

One of the most important things any driver worth their salt will tell you is to G.O.A.L (Get Out and Look) like Will said, and TAKE. YOUR. TIME. This isn't a race to back up. People will honk their horns in impatience, yell at you on the cb, let it go. When you're backing one of these up, this isn't the time to be a hero. Would you rather take an extra five minutes to back up and not hit anything or two hours filling out paperwork and dealing with an angry driver who's truck you just hit?

Don't be afraid to get out and look as MANY times as you have to. You're license is on the line, not theirs. And don't get too reliant on the mirrors when backing up, if you have to stick you're head out the window when backing up, do it. One of my biggest difficulties when I first started backing was I was relying only on my mirrors. Well, a Gordon driver definitely informed me of my mistake when I got a little too close to his truck. Turn off EVERYTHING when you back up,and roll down the drivers window so you can hear everything. Even towards the end of my career in trucking, I always had the radio off and the cb off when backing up. You never know when something can happen at any moment when backing, and you need to be prepared for it. There's a reason we're called "professional drivers."

Old School, I had to laugh at new drivers needing plenty of room, I certainly used every inch I could when backing up! Still do it now...you know you've still got trucking in you when you back up a car and throw the flashers on. I was wondering why people were looking at me crazy!