Profile For Truckin Along With Kearsey

In keeping with Brett's vision of educating and encouraging, I decided to post one real trip per week as a trip planning exercise.

This is for newbies who need extra practice, or someone just starting CDL school. Trip planning and time management can be difficult but practice makes perfect, so get a jump on it to make rookie life easier and start earning that money faster.

The "empty miles" is what you will drive right now to your pick up. The "loaded miles" are the miles between your pick up and delivery.

Use your atlas to find your best route, and be sure to add extra time for any cities, mountains, fuel stops, 30 min breaks, and your 10 hour breaks. The weight of the load and terrain can burn more fuel, so be sure to stop and fuel! Use Trucker Path or a truck stop guide book to help you select parking and fuel stops. Be sure to plan to park after the customer. Use a weather app to check the radar ahead.

This load is a meat load, so finding a washout (use google) could be another step. If you are flatbed, then add tarp time instead.

Remember: You can only drive 11 hours per day must include a vehicle inspection, must abide by the 14 hour clock. (see the High Road for HOS , or just ask on the thread if you have questions.)

This is a multi stop load.

Pickup: Dakota City, NE Mon By noon

Delivery 1: Newark, NJ Thurs 0400

Delivery 2: Philadelphia, PA Thurs 0900

Delivery 3: Syracuse Friday 1400

My trainee was an Uber driver and denied. Then he called another recruiter and was approved. Ask for a supervisor if you like cause not enough money is not an excuse.

Deadly Ohio I-80 Accidents: [Realities of Trucking]

Thats my video. and yeah i am.still upset.

CDL Life is reporting 125 vehicles were involved in multiple pile ups. i swear i saw every one of them.

was scary and very sad. people definitely died.

Anyone in the OH or PA area on I 80... please please please... park it for the night.

I have driven through WY, CO, UT, and Montana winters... but the past 24 hours i have seen more wrecks and total carnage... its the only word.

The screams on the CB of "Slow down, slow down, theres a wreck ahead! youre gonna pile up" then literally seeing and hearing the crunching and crashing sounds....

It took me 10 hours to drive 300 miles due to the clean ups....and although i don't scare easily, i was a bit shaken.

Be safe guyz

2.) I met a very special guy six months ago... and we just solidified our relationship.... so I got a new boyfriend... a former Marine, Truckin boyfriend in a turtle slow Prime truck lol

Well, geez... I'm a former Marine. K/3/6. AND starting Prime 11/18. Wish I'da known I might have had a shot :( (LOL Kudos. Mazel Tov!)

Hey...mine is that I landed a sweet gig at Prime, Inc. Right now, that's a lot.

awwww thank u

It is more than just using your 70 though. It is knowing when to start your clock and making sure you arent wasting it. I rarely drive in traffic. i will park for 2 hours during rush hour. then i do the 8 sleeper. some will say i save only min, but some east coast areas could be an hour of traffic.

Getting to the customers early and taking breaks there or nearby before your deliveries helps to ensure your "availability"

I know drivers who only did 2000 miles but used all of their 70 staying on duty at customers.... so knowing HOW to ise the 70 is important.

I did a video on trip planning and time management. Maybe that could help you understand.

You GO Jeremy!!!

Yay.. more Primates to meet.

Well, I trifecta’d this week out of Pittston! After running 2800 miles straight. Then transferred my cdl to N.C. now waiting on my tnt to get routed out here so I can get started. In the mean time, I get to spend quality time with my wife and three dogs and see the rest of the family. Congrats btw Kearsey!

whooooo hooo!!!

Ohhh so you can go from Moses to Moe and I can't go from Rainy to Kearsey??? hahhahaha

Rainy is what i always used on forums... but my real name is Kirsten, "Kearsey" to friends and family. I kinda got tired of being called Rainy which was my dog's name. lol I have never stayed on a forum this long.

But I am glad you are keeping positive! Hang in there buddy!

and no offense taken.

Come on guys... I want to hear some awesome things that happened to you this week!!!

1.) Two months in a row I was named "Top Performer of My Fleet". We have 93 drivers on my fleet, so not shabby. Plus I get $50 in Prime rewards to use in the company store, cafe, and salon/spa..... (take a guess where that money gets spent? lol) This is my 4th month this year and it is an awesome feeling.

2.) I met a very special guy six months ago... and we just solidified our relationship.... so I got a new boyfriend... a former Marine, Truckin boyfriend in a turtle slow Prime truck lol

Okay..... Your turns!!

I think some of the issues hapoen when new people who do not know us or our quaifications question us. We must remember, they do not know us.

I stated on another thread that I loved Old Schools podcast. It allowed me to "get to know him". I kinda think it would be cool for the mods to have something giving our credentials. May e a podcast hearing our voices and tones. Otherwise, a new person just thinks "who does this jerk think he is"?

I guess we could do it on our profile pages? just some thoughts.

My guess is that many wouldn't notice ..... until it becomes a problem. At that point "failure to obey company policy" goes on your DAC. According to Prime HR, that line prevents tons of people from getting hired at Prime.

Have an accident or DOT inspection?

it may be on the police report. It is the law to produce the rabies records to an officer if asked. I have been inspected 4 times and twice they placed "small pet 9 to 15 lbs vaccine confirmed" on my inspection report. Vaccine are given in weights for dosage. Would.someone catch "large pet 60 to 80 pounds"? idk.

Need to go into the shop? I am finding out that many companies require you get repaired ONLY at their terminals unless needing a tow. If the company forbids German Sheppards, chances are it will be noticed by a mechanic.

There are some companies way more lenient with the weight. I would find one of them.

I get what Victor is saying.. which is why I started the Youtube channel... cause some people.... (Packrat) think I am a mean witch lol

I have never said that......directly.

You're my favorite female trainer, for Prime, that's a moderator, on TT, from Jersey, that drives a Pro Star, and has a cat, named Goofball .....

and rides a broom.

It's not a Pro Star... its an LT A26 tha k you!

Right and you know if the chat thing does not work out entirely I mean having the ability to see a video response even. You would just have to record it but I mean it would help because then they can see how we are saying something and not take offense at it so easily. I know that in the past I have taken people the wrong way and the did not mean it the way I thought they did that is why I am saying we should at least put a video feature on here for the benefit for others and if it does not work out we get rid of it and if it does we might even enhance it a little. No one got anywhere without a little risk is also what I am thinking. I do get your point though cause chat can be abused pretty easily.

Victor, i dont think a recorded response would work. Most of us barely have time to repsond to posts. Im amazed i find time.... but i isually do it sitti g in a door whe i should be sleeping lol

I get what Victor is saying.. which is why I started the Youtube channel... cause some people.... (Packrat) think I am a mean witch lol

I thought Old School doing the Podcast was totally awesome. Maybe Brett would consider the moderators doing a sort of "intro" in either a podcast or video. That way I may not be seen as mean.

Some people who find us and post right away dont know us, and have no reason to believe us. So an intro discussing our credentials may be helpful?

Hi and welcome Taylor!!!

That is awesome to hear that you love your company. We love that here!!!

Ooo awesome thank you Kearsey! My road atlas should be in the mail today so I will give it a go later! Also, just downloaded the Trucker Path app. Any other good app recommendations for trip planning? I see people recommending Google maps for basic routing info (not to be followed to the T, lol) as well as getting an idea of final mile type stuff.

I use Google maps for satellite views rather than routing. I also use the TA/Petro, Flying J, and Loves apps.

Look at the satellite view for parking and understanding layouts at customers and truck stops. ANY info you have before hand will calm your nerves.

Kearsey's long memory:

We also discussed reviving Errol's backing practice activities.

I really enjoyed posting these myself. I only stopped because I wasn't driving OTR any more and finding new opportunities to post as a backing "problem". I'd love to moderate more of these.

For those who haven't seen the Backing Practice™ series, this is a link to a BP Table of Contents

Hahha.... yeah I am a woman and never forget!

I was soooooo nervous about backing, and having you post them taught me to slow down and observe. To take my time and think. It made me look at backing as a puzzle to solve and I tell my students exactly that. Calm down and solve the puzzle. It works!

You have no idea how useful that was to someone who was terrified of backing! When I told Brett he responded, "Really? It made that much of a difference?" YES!!!!

So get cracking Errol. lol I am not sure it needs to be a "problem" per se... but what about truck stops? "which spot would you choose?" what i call a kearsey spot is one that faces the aisle and cant be blocked in at night. Or even post the differences between say a small Pilot with 50 trucks and a Petro 5 miles away with 300 spots. Newbies don't always realize a truck stop will be full and then they panic. Showing them with the satellite pics is an awesome teaching tool.

I was considering doing it myself, but honestly, i do not have the time right now. I have been running harder than usual in expectation of upcoming surgeries so I'm trying to save money. Drive and sleep is my life right now.

But yes Errol.... that was an amazing teaching tool. And Old School used to discuss time management and trip planning regularly, although not an official series.. So believe it or not, between the two of you, my nerves were settled and I became an awesome driver. Thank you!

Brett wrote:

I asked for her advice and she really let me have it, the way only a Jersey girl can.

Yeah guyz... Brett and I spoke in our native "Northeast Language", bold, loud and passionate. hahaha

I'm going to start posting one trip a week so new drivers can practice trip planning and time management. We also discussed reviving Errol's backing practice activities. Another might be a weekly spotlight on great truck stops that always have easy parking for newbies.

Something I didnt mention to him is a "Vent Thread". Maybe we can post one per week... so people can just get out their frustrations without really looking for advice. Moses' thread made me think of this. Newbies often feel alone, as if no one else ever sucked this badly at backing or had a tough day or week. Feeling not so alone can help alleviate some of those feelings, especially on a forum with so many outstanding experienced drivers. That is one of the reasons I always included my rookie mistakes in my articles.

Sometimes I think the negativity comes from one person just trying to vent their frustration and needing support from others that understand, but not necessarily a critique. So now an already frustrated person gets defensive cause they needed a "yeah, i locked myself out of the truck too, you aren't an idiot" not a lecture on the importance of spare keys. It isn't about babying or coddling, it is just about supporting others through that emotional roller coaster of training and beyond.

Trip Planning, backing and finding parking are major concerns for newly solo drivers so we thought these types of exercises could help.

Another issue we discussed is the differences in company policies and how things get done. Having never worked anyplace else, i assumed all the large companies pretty much handled maintenance and other things basically the same way.

I have found out only recently that one company requires an FM approval every time you want to use Personal Conveyance, one allows only 25 miles PC per day, another does not allow 8/2 splits at all, one allows Yard Moves only in a terminal or gated facility, and another requires almost all repairs to be done at the terminal. We will figure out a way to organize this info, but we will need all of you to help us accumulate it.

By making sure we know the various policies at companies and attempt to stay up to date... cause some like Prime change constantly... we can better help those who need answers.

If you guys have any ideas of things you want or feel is missing, please let us know. All of us here are determined to provide the tools needed to be successful.

And all of us will strive to continue the excellence of Brett's vision.