Comments By PackRat

It’s only going to get worse. As soon as the flowers start blooming, so do the orange construction barrels everywhere.

Reality check.

Exactly: just because the planets aligned for a hard driven rookie driver, doesn't create a reasonable expectation.

I'm planning for the lower end: $45,000. If I make $60,000 I would be happier than pigs in ***t.

That’s a most realistic expectation for year one.

Congratulations!

I would suggest a small, pancake compressor plugged into the invertor (if you have a larger one). There will still be many things that it will not work for, though.

I’ll stay with the sleeper cab option.

Have you gotten yourself a toy tractor and trailer rig yet? Don’t laugh! If you can get one of the larger ones of at least 1/24 scale, you’d be surprised backing it and watching it work. Same thing goes for it moving forwards and around corners. Another thing you may try is dragging a broom behind you and noticing how much extra distance it takes rounding a corner without it hitting anything, just like a 53 foot box trailer behind your cab. “Rome wasn’t built in a day”. Truckers are born,either—they’re made through constant practice, attention to details, and using their head. You’ll get it!

Awesome to read about your success, Kori!

Smart Trucking , I came across this channel the other day and found it really informative and well done . The host is a longtime vet and shares a lot of useful information. There are SO many negative Bravo Sierra channels/misinformation out there so finding one I feel is good was difficult but I definitely think its worth checking out .

Everything on YouTube isn’t truthful???

Thanks for posting this. These are my favorite “chain” truck stops. RIP to the Sapp brothers.

I haven't been there for a couple years, but yeah, they have parking and a bathroom for drivers. They have drive-up check in so you can sit in your truck if there's a line, and they usually have empties.

When I was going there south on 146, my gps was telling me to turn right off the exit, but you have to turn left to get to the truck entrance. But if you're coming from Conn. I guess you'd be going north on 146, then it looks like you do turn right.

Good example of the need to have a look at Google maps.

Welcome to the site, and welcome to OTR, Keith! Crete does plenty of training, same as every other major company you will see on the Interstates. I was leased onto Crete as an O/O before I came off the road awhile back. Plenty of opportunities for motivated professionals.

I’ve never had an APU as a company driver, or on my own truck. I’ll idle an engine to have either heat or A/C if the outside temp is below 50, and above 75 degrees. I’m not going to freeze or burn up when I’m trying to rest up for the next day. Being rested improves the efficiency of me! These motors are highly efficient at idle, too, and only use just over a gallon of fuel an hour.

My trainer taught me PAL and LAP

Gonna hook up with my PAL and go to town. Pin, Airlines, and Landing gear

When it is time to go, gotta get this lady off my LAP. Landing gear, Airlines, and Pin.

I repeat those every time, silly as it sounds.

I still use the “PAL/LAP” in my head every single time. Never had a problem.

With eight years complete, you should stay in for a dozen more and retire with the great benefits, especially medical.

That could have certainly been a catastrophe! So glad that it wasn’t. Good job on you for situational awareness and being extra vigilant. Complacency kills (on the security guy’s part) and could have ended as the epitaph on his headstone.

Try to avoid. If not possible, stop, get out of tractor, seek a low area (a ditch or any area lower than the surrounding areas)or a sturdy structure with no windows. Lay down, curl up, and cover head and neck areas. Final thought would be to pray.

Never a good idea to park under any bridge or overpass in a tornado, as winds there will be higher and moving from multiple directions.

Actually, you’re demonstrating “cleaning the tarps” in your avatar, Old School.

But that’s lots of free showers at the truck stops!