Comments By Pick/Grin

I would probably glue a button to the dash and put a label over it that says "warp drive", maybe request via CB if anyone has a spare flux capacitor.

It's cool, but I couldn't help but make rocket noises when I roll from a red light.

Roehl pays .32 starting with dry van, plus a little bonus for short haul and normal rates for dead heading. Detention pay is $10 an hour after waiting two hours. Not sure about layover as I've never had to wait for another assignment.

I believe reefer gets .02 extra, I'm unsure about flatbed. No speciality hauling like autos or livestock, tankers, doubles, or bellyloaders. Some terminals have daycabs.

Additionally, this company goes to great lengths to hire drivers. I live in PBC, an hour north of Miami. Despite being 5+ hours from the closest dropyard in Jax, they fly me into Chicago twice a month at no cost. That speaks to us South Floridians.

Even as a lowly van driver, I check for bulges and tracking. I don't ever touch freight, but paranoia about the doors swinging open up a hill has got me checking everytime I pulloff the road to rest.

It's kinda funny how some companies work. Some seem forgiving, others not so much.

I can't give you practical advice, but I know a guy who manufactured and distributed several millions of dollars worth of cocaine in the mid 90s. Charged felon, but he still got a job with PTL and he's doing pretty good now. I believe it has to do with the time in which it occurred. After so many years, they don't consider a problem. Just depends on the company, as some look back three years, some ten years.

Roehl emphasizes safety and home time above anything else. I think they're great, I maintain a positive attitude and let them know that I'd like to hit a milestone as far as mileage goes. I get at least 450 miles a day, a week off of the time, and some of the dispatchers are really good people. Recent repairs to the truck really messed up my sleep schedule, a few days later they took note and set up loads so that I could resume my normal sleeping habits, and I was even able to recover some of that lost time with slightly longer loads. They know a lot of their drivers are new, many of which are simply not confident in themselves. The company sees this and they work them in a way so that they could be broken in and shown how things are to be done at an appropriate pace. Some of the guys complain about miles and locations and how slow the trucks are, but I don't mind any of that negativity. I'm treated well, they see that I'm working as hard as I can and being as safe as possible, and everyone wins. I cannot say much about Schneider as I don't know any drivers for them and have not spoken to any of their drivers. However, they are a starter company much like Roehl. A lot of these bigger companies didn't just magically appear, they have a reputation and massive fleets for a reason. I'm sure there's a lot of good to be said about Schneider as well.

I was told that it's not laziness to look for the easy spots. The less you have to turn the wheel when it comes to parking, the less likely you are to hit another driver.

I would rather spend 15 minutes the night before trying to line up my trailer with a hole, than roll out completely blind. The truck pivots on your fifth wheel, so I would imagine it's a lot more difficult with that point being so much further in the spot.

Deer are not particularly bright: they may run across the road, stop short, and bolt right back to where they started.

Their sight is great, as are hearing and smell, but they tend to juke trucks and cars.

Oh, and don't do it in school. Definitely a no no

I think Errol mentioned hitting the right rpms and then tapping the throttle to bump it outta gear. I managed to get it down nice and smooth in only a few days after figuring out the basic concept.

Get your rpms to where they need to be, tap the pedal to slip out of gear, and wait for rpms to drop/rev the engine, slide back into gear.

I found out through trial and error on some low speed roads with no traffic. I imagine it like tapping the pedal replaces the first clutch.

I wish I could describe it better =/

You can skip gears in this manner as well

Went from MA to WI, I-80 most of the way. Loaded heavy, but I've been getting awesome miles all week. I stop at exit 71 in Ohio, wait my ten and start rolling again at 0300, still got a ways to go on the day of the appointment.

A few miles down the road and my check engine light's on, but no difference in the ride so I find a spot to pull off and check all my fluids and whatnot. I can't find anything wrong, levels are consistent and I can't see anything dripping. I alert dispatch and am given the green light to keep at it. Some minutes pass and my radar (controls cruise, gauges distance and speed, and activates engine brakes if an object is detected) starts acting up in addition to the engine icon. I gulp and figure dispatch doesn't wanna hear this at such an ungodly hour. I let them know that I gotta stop at the terminal before I continue towards the consignee to get it sorted out. It gets "fixed" and immediately craps out a mile outta the gate. Luckily, the cons was ten minutes away from another terminal. The truck was sent to a dealership and I've got a bunk here, no complaints.

Being connected to so many functions, the radar is turning the engine light on. It's purely for convenience, and the delays pushed delivery back a whole day, but I got 2750~ miles in six days and I feel like this was a good decision.

I figure if I get pulled over, a light on the dash would prompt a more thorough inspection, despite being legal as the radar is not a primary function. Good call? I'm alright with my miles so I'm happy as can be, and I would imagine even something minor would need to be fixed quickly.