Comments By Dan67

I am a shift driver and home daily. I drive a stubby, (lightweight sleeper) and I use sleeper birth status occasionally when sitting at a long 2+ hour load/unload to pause my clock. I go "off duty" while sitting in the cab, or if I decide to take a nap I go "sleeper birth". Both are correct. When I am done for the day, if needed I change to "sleeper birth" to get the required 8 hour minimum. We have to have a total of 10 hours "off duty/sleeper" daily. Even though I log "sleeper", I don't stay in the truck. I drive home and sleep in my own bed.

Just 1 thing I would add is show 1 minute "on duty" or "on duty yard move" before and after going to an off duty status. Remember we need to log it as we do it. After you get loaded/unloaded we need to open/shut doors, do paperwork etc. Our logs need to be accurate as possible and should reflect that. I know many OTR drivers just use "sleeper" and "drive" and only use "on duty" for the pre and post trip inspections. They try to conserve as much of their 70hr clock as possible to maximize their earnings. But, we still need to show on our logs we are doing the little stuff.

The first year is always the hardest and it will be the lowest paying. That is just how it is.. As you gain experience and knowledge start looking at different companies. But for now if you can wait, I'd wait until the economy improves and you gain more experience. Cannot give you advice on dating relationships, I was married with kids when I started driving.

Not bashing on you. But you need to understand that you where behind the wheel and not your trainer, so the fault is on you. The trainer and you should have had your heads on a swivel looking all around. The trainer has too get a feeling on what your abilities are and advise you on what you are doing correctly and what needs improvement. Coaching you onward and doing more observation as your time goes forward until he releases you to the next trainer or you go solo. As for the debt, you signed a contract with Swift and you will need to honor it. You did not complete 12 months employment with them so you owe them the amount for your training. I doubt any of the mega companies will touch you until you have repaid that debit and get atleast a year of safe driving under your belt. Look at the various class B jobs out there. Driving dump trucks and garbage trucks etc. One thing that gets beginning drivers in trouble is, they focus too much on the tractor and not enough on the trailer. Truth be told, their job is to drive the trailer.

The more backing you do the easier it gets. Being a local guy, I am on 3~5 trailers a day. While the road drivers use 3~5 a week. I've heard from several of our customers say they see experienced drivers struggle to back and then they see me come by and just back it in. It's a skill, the more you do it the easier it gets. The right setup and tandem position can make or brake a back up too. Still to this day it is important to GOAL. The best backing job is the one you don't hit anything or anyone.

Just a quick update! I took an at home test early July and unfortunately failed. Took another one about a week ago and passed. I'm taking the cdl permit test next Friday and applying to Prime as soon as I pass. I've also looked into other companies but I'm really leaning on the tanker division bc I want to get into fuel hauling after a few years of trucking. I appreciate all the feedback and laughs 😂

You are making a huge mistake. If you fail the first test, you killed a career before it even started.

I work what my company calls "Short Haul". Its basically local work paid by the hour, but with a stubby sleeper. I think Prime Inc calls them a lightweight sleeper. I start and end each day at my terminal in Anderson SC. My shift normally starts at 5am. But according to customer demands my day can sometimes start at 3am for the week.

My longest day was a few weeks ago. I had to come in at 3am. In all, I spent 18 hours on the time clock for my shift. Got an empty trailer from the yard and went across town to get a load of refrigerators. Delivered them to Atlanta GA. Dropped load, hooked an empty. Drove to Gainesville GA for a 5 hour live load. Dropped the load at my terminal and hooked an empty. Back to get another load of refrigerators and deliver them to Saddlecreek warehouse in Greer SC. Dropped the load, hooked an empty Back to get another load of refrigerators and stage the truck and trailer back in Anderson SC for the next days delivery. I was able to go off duty status and do a split while in Gainesville GA. When I was finished for the day logged sleeper birth. Left truck, drove home.

Yes, there are drivers out there that will pull that pin just to screw you over. Get into the habit of doing a good walk around the truck before you get back going. Another think you can do is set the trailer brakes first then pull forward a tiny bit to put pressure on the 5th wheel. Then set the tractor brakes. Even superman would have a hard time pulling that pin handle.

Coming back up from Atlanta today I encountered a bad wreck involving 4 semi trucks in Commerce GA. Traffic was slowing for lane closure and road construction. Truck 1 in left lane was slowing. Truck 2 in right lane stopped. Truck 3 slammed into the back of truck 2 and into the side of truck 1. Truck 4 slammed on brakes and hit the left shoulder guard rails and median hard to avoid truck 1, 2, and 3. Heard on the CB radio from a guy at the time it happened, driver of number 3 was playing with his phone and it cost him his life. Driver 4 was also distracted with his phone. This is a very dangerous profession, take every measure you can to ensure your safety while driving. Stop reaching for stuff. Stop playing with electronics. Just drive defensively and use those mirrors, because your life does depend on it.

This site is devoted to helping new drivers getting into the industry. A majority of the members driver employer owned trucks. The trucks are equipped to specifications demanded by the companies for safety and efficiency. Like the truck I drive, a 2023 Freightliner Crapcadia. I have a stock radio that is AM/FM/XM+Bluetooth. It is linked to the trucks safety systems that mutes the radio when in reverse. And if the side radar detects objects, it mutes the radio and gives an auditable alert. The same thing happens if the Lane Keep Assist activates.

I start very early in the morning and I've hit many animals over the years. Had a dear leap onto the highway right into the side of the trailer, then getting rolled up under into the rear tandems getting obliterated. Had dear run out in front of the terminal gate and get hit just hard enough to knock it on its butt and not hurt it or the truck. I've hit dozens of bats with the air deflector on the cab roof, it sounds like a gong. You know they are bats because birds just don't fly at 3~5am. Oh and, at least a billion bugs.