Profile For IDMtnGal

Each state will have different laws about them. I did see them in use on Cabbage in Oregon.

Laura

Since I park late at night and get up and leave later in the morning, nosing in is not a problem to back out that late in the day. I don't do it all the time, but if I'm super tired I do... Just got to pay attention to my heavy duty deer guard cuz I forget that it sticks out bit further since I can't see it.

Laura

Haven't gotten anything from shippers or receivers yet but did get an email from the company that we are getting $50 in our paycheck this Friday and to come by the office to pick up a goodie bag.

40Daze

I just checked the map and it shows you still sitting in Burley! Are you doing a 34 reset or is the app not tracking you? Are you at Americold or the new plant, NewCold? I like that place, although the rails are a pain in the neck when backing in during the night. However, I go in there a fair amount that I've got it down pretty good :-)

Laura

Baron,

I was 63 when I got my CDL through a school and am now 69. I would not advise a school because, living in Idaho, you will have a tough time finding work. Most of the companies in Idaho or down in the Salt Lake area would require 1 years experience... I had that problem. How I got around it was by being hired by my first boss and his wife who hired my brother also. My brother had 6 months experience but the insurance company said I had to run with him. Now, I will tell you I had experience driving long-haul with a chauffeur's license Back in 88 to 93. I never drove after that till I got my CDL. But I had started looking for work before my brother was hired by my first bosses and needed one year requirement.

So, you go to a national company as you call them, get your training, run for a year which will go by fast and then go to someone that suits your purpose. I drive for a company out of Twin Falls and we run to Wisconsin down to Arkansas and everywhere West. Only once did I go into Western Tennessee, ran up to Kentucky to get my load and came back through Illinois to Missouri and normal routing after that. I can be out between 10 days, which I did at first when I joined this company, to being out 3 weeks or so with a run by the house while under load. I do need to go home on occasion to do IRS paperwork and stock up the truck and head back out, but I'm doing very well with how the company runs me. Many smaller companies in Idaho stay from the Mississippi River on West... So that might be more Regional for you.

Why did you pick Pokey? Most people coming from California have settled in the Boise to Ontario area. I live just west of Twin Falls and we're beginning to get a lot of transplants from the West Coast... But it's still fairly reasonable cost-wise.

Laura

Howdy!

The questions you are asking has me thinking that you don't have your CDL yet, so that means no experience.

I hate to burst your bubble, but until you have a number of years experience, you are going to pay a higher cost in insurance and other related expenses.

You are putting the cart before the horse...You need to go to a company school where you will be trained in exchange for roughly 1 year of driving. Going this route, you won't pay for school up front and will only pay if you don't fulfill your obligation. Then, you can look at your situation to see if you are still wanting to be an 00 or you need more experience. I came back out on the road 6 years ago after being off the road for 22 years. Now, more than ever I have no desire to be an 00. I look at the bills when I breakdown, because I have to sign them, and the cost of repairs of even simple things is beyond ridiculous!

We do have a few owner-operators in this forum and hopefully they will weigh in. However this site is more to give new people information on how to be an excellent driver.

Laura

Laura I tend to be up here most of the time. I’m currently in ID and dispatch tomorrow headed to neosho hit me up sometime you’re from my other home the Pacific Northwest would like to know a driver from here. I see your bio might call sometime.

No calling before 9 a.m. Mountain Time :-) I do a lot of driving at night, like today I parked at 0330.

I just checked my loads and I deliver at 0900 tomorrow in Clearfield UT at Americold. Then I mosey on down to West Jordan UT and pick up at Dannon Yogurt at 1400. This load is a little looser... it delivers 1210 miles away at the crack of dawn (0600) on the 16th. That run will go south out of West Jordan on 15 to Highway 6 that goes down to a little bit of I-70 and then jump off to go through Moab on 191. Lots of 2 lane roads til I hit I-25 just north of Albuquerque.

I was stationed at Mountain Home AFB from 1982 to 1988. Got out to drive long-haul and lived in Mountain Home for another year before moving to the Boise area. I met my husband, who is now deceased, when he was teamed with me. He hated driving so we lived in Eastern Idaho on a cattle ranch, worked in Rock River WY and several places in Central and eastern Montana....all on cattle ranches, til he became Traumatic Brain Injured. When workman's comp paid me to care for my husband, we moved to Buhl... 17 miles west of Twin Falls where I've lived for 12 years now. I like Idaho's weather where I'm at. It does get cold but not like Montana or Wyoming. Anyway, I have an hour left on my clock and I'm in North Platte near the Walmart and some food places, so I'm going to get in gear, get my coffee and be ready to do the last 649 miles today.

Laura

Rob T..... Came thru again. 20 is a good route to take from Southern Wisconsin to Utah and west. I'll catch you next time. I just fueled and still have 7 hours of drive time.

Catch you later!

Laura

I was driving down I-40 in Arizona when the Serpentine beat broke which forced me to crash into a guard rail. Also the Qualcomm was not working so it was hard to report it. When I got back they told me that I was terminated due to safety reasons.

How long had you been driving at the time? How long have you been off the road now?

Laura

This is how I do it.

I want to see you in action!! HAHAHA

Laura

How do you get messages from WYDOT? That seems like it might be pretty useful, once I finally get out of the terminal anyway lol. Its amazing how fast that changes tho, 2 weeks ago I was running across 80 there and running the a/c on max. Now they got blinding snow and black ice lol

JakeBrake

You need to use a desktop or laptop to sign up for text messages on the below web page. While I get text messages on my cell phone, I signed up 6 yrs ago on my laptop.

Text Request LinkWYODOT Text Link

On the above page, go down the left side to 511 Notify. Beside it is a description with a clickable link to sign up for text messages. On that page you can select the roads you want messages about. I do I-80 and US 30. When I take other roads on occasion, I go to the Closure page.

Laura

Probably just taking his 10 and trying to get as far off the road as he could. All so he didn't have to listen to all then nasty jake brakes.

Laura

Text messages from WYODOT:

I80: Evanston - Exit 91, Flaming Gorge Way: Closed BOTH DIR due to winter conditions. As of Sep 08 at 08:52, the est open time is unknown. 08-SEP 08:53

Here's the website for WYODOT Road Closures:

WYODOT Road closures

Laura

Back in March, I used the link on this site and ordered it without any problem. The book that came (5 years of driving) took about 6 weeks... That was at the start of this China virus.

Laura

Depends on your company. Some companies will tolerate anything between 10 to 14 mph over, while others will fire you for anything over 10. Go talk to your safety and admit to driving that fast and let them know you won't do that ever again. Of course we aren't supposed to speed, but if you are going to, don't go more than 4 mph over the posted limit...depending on where you are driving.

Laura

That was too funny!!

Laura

Just as they were getting ready to roll my gurney back to the surgical rooms the anesthesiologist asked, "Is your heart rate always this high?" I responded with, "My heart rate isn't high. At least, I'm not feeling it." "Are you nervous or scared," the anesthesiologist asked further. "No, what's wrong," I asked.

My heart rate was showing to be 135 or so, and I kept telling them if my heart was beating like that, I'd surely know it. They insisted on doing an EKG, which showed I was experiencing A-Fib. They refused to do the surgery until I could get clearance from a cardiologist. Because of the Hurricane I couldn't get any cardiologist on the phone, so I went back to Nacogdoches and got an appointment set for the following Tuesday.

Old School, my VA doctor told me that most people don't feel their AFib. I asked my brother if he felt his before he had his minor stroke and he said no he never did. When my afib started I could tell that my heart was racing so I took my blood pressure which also gives me my pulse and once it started, it stayed over 115 BPM resting. Even a little bit of walking across my kitchen would raise it to 150+ BPM. For the four months that I was in AFib, they tried regulating my BPM with Metoprolol. It never worked, so then they shocked my heart and now it beats 68 to 72 regularly.

Laura

Use the black plastic grass that are at the truck stops... They're already cut to fit onto your steps. Trying to get them zip-tied is a pain in the neck but that's how you attach them. I used my points to get them for my driver side steps for taking my dog in when the weather is nasty. Otherwise, at 10 pounds I just lift him in and out :-)

Laura

From FMCSA website. So, Type II shouldn't be a problem.

Laura

On February 21, 2019, FMCSA published a Federal Register notice (FR 84 5549) withdrawing its September 3, 2003, notice concerning exemptions for certain individuals with insulin-treated diabetes mellitus (ITDM) and its November 8, 2005, revision. Select this link to view the withdrawal notice for the Federal Diabetes Exemption Program.

https://www.regulations.gov/document?D=FMCSA-2001-9800-0380

Last updated: Friday, March 8, 2019

FMCSA BP Link

These can be more of an issue than your older problems. Found FMCSAs link for Type I and insulin Type II diabetes. Will keep looking. So, you will be on a yearly medical card.

Laura