Comments By Cwc

Sorry I got a chuckle when "this is week two, we shouldn't be practicing you should have it down"

You'll be learning new things for years to come. Expect to be a competent backer in 6ish months sometimes more sometimes less. Until then, relax, don't hit nothing , and take your time.

And no.. Don't drive on crap tires.

Can't speak for CA Raptor ( and a few others) is from there he might be able to help. You will have one license in your home state and any endorsements are good nation wide.

I think NY has a special one for metal coils I'm sure a flat bedder can speak more on that.

Not sure that answered his question. (Also not CA) But I almost lost my motorcycle endorsement when I first got my CDL. Had it not been for a watchful teacher over an administrative person that would've overlooked it, I'd have had to retest for it.

So that *might* have been what happened.

Then again it is CA.. Again hopefully someone from the leftcoast can chime in.

Had this experience a couple of years ago in Michigan I believe. The roads were elevated on bridge type platforms. Several lanes either direction. Everyone just kinda started sliding and coming to a halt. I got to the far left lane and put my tires on the rumble strip.

After that I got to watch the oncoming traffic do the same thing except they had a steady stream of people that were in to big of a hurry and had to go. So 1 by 1 you could watch cars get a good slide going and slam into a jersey wall, either the one in the middle or the one on the far side of me. After a good couple of hours a salt shaker showed up and we got moving again.

But I'll never forget people watching others wreck and then deciding they can do better on an ice covered embankment in a turn.

I got my CDL from CRST. The easy part is the testing. After that the real trucker training begins. Learning all the little ins and outs. Like finding your own empty when you're in areas that have few. Or making sure you read the messages before delivering or picking up to make sure you're taking the right route. Don't be a thorn in your DMs butt.

Also they do a lot of drop and hook, which is good for a newb. A lot of FedEx, UPS, Amazon. Most of those places are pretty big and easy to navigate. Get that down in your first year before you jump ship. And before you do ask if they have anything you might want like a dedicated route. Even though they don't advertise it I know of more than one driver who ran solo on a dedicated route. But... They won't give it to you while you're still new and under contract.

Stick that first year out. I know I remember hearing everyone talking about who would get out of their contract, and how, instead of how they would work their butt off.

It's been awhile back but an oversized passed me and a little while later I passed him while he was pulled over. A bit later he passed me again so I got on the radio and asked him how his visit with the road pirates went. He said they were just checking permits. Since then I've had similar experiences with chemical tankers. Not myself with just a food grade. They seem to leave me alone. But it does make you think... Would I really want that kind of attention. I recall Brett mentioning chemical or hazmat not being worth what little if at all extra money that comes with it. And I think I'd have to agree. Although I have spoke with a person that said they ran local and was home each night and made 1500.00 a week while dragging a "pipebomb" or cryogenic tanker. That I might consider as I have been OTR for awhile now and I have a few goals for 2020.

I spent some time in the wind tunnel yesterday and I won't lie... It hurts today. So... In 2020 I plan on more skydiving and less worky work.

Generally the lighter the truck the more rocking and jumping it will do Freightshakers aren't the best riding trucks to begin with in my experience.

Jump into a heavy Volvo 780 and you can leave a drink open and on the rear table and finding sitting where you left it after your driving shift. Which I've done. A Pete 579 (I think?) Was just a little less in quality as far as ride then the Volvo. Kenworth T880 - T800 And for me the Freightliner is kinda at the bottom of the list as far as trucks I've driven in terms of ride quality.

And I've never driven an FL classic so I can't really compare but I wouldn't imagine that's a light truck. So it probably does ride pretty smooth.

Hopefully he does some fast talking with PAM or start with the dry van division. This is a bad time of year to learn to drive a truck with an olympic sized swimming pool behind it. Or best case scenario I'm completely wrong and they do have a dry bulk division. That would be great.

I think he might be in the dry bulk division. Country boy, are you hauling dry goods in the bulk tanks?

I'm not sure they have a dry bulk division.

I would also add that you don't need to feel like you have backing down 100%.

I say that because awhile back I made a comment to another here about the way I "passed backing skills" and they took that as I was given my CDL.

But I really feel like as long as you have a decent grasp and your good with GOAL. You should be good to go. Learn different ways/angles cause they will come in handy. Different ways of setting up. And each time you get a new tractor... Guess what you get to learn even more caise they are all different.

Enjoy!