Profile For IDMtnGal

I remember 'mobile' chapels, when I was out on the road with family, in my younger days. Do they even exist nowadays?

Yes, there's a number of Truck Stops that have them.

Laura

Happy birthday Laura and if you happen to be swinging through St Louis again sometime in the next week I'll be there on time

I will be going through St Louis sometime later on Sunday. Will know more when I park Sat night.

Laura

Pilot in Decatur IL. My brother bought me dinner (fish sandwich, fries, ice cream) at McDonald's!

Laura

Thank You Everyone!!

Had a long day of driving across Indiana, IL, MO, IA and into Neb. Fueled in Decatur IL on I-72 and found out my brother next to me in age had delivered and picked up some equipment for his company south of there. So while I fueled and grabbed a shower, he came up, bought me supper at Mickey Ds. Then he headed north and I headed west.

I will get to Cheyenne about 1900 tonight and in the morning on Weds, will meet up with my Son and d-i-l, who I haven't seen in 6 years.

Pretty good birthday all things considered.

Laura

Evanston, Wyoming July 2021.

The Pilot at exit 102 off of I-80 has a lot within easy and ambitious walking distance. The Wyoming Visitor’s Center is a half-mile walk. They have captive herds of bison. Bear River State Park is right next door. Bear River State Park has several miles of gravel hiking trails along and around the Bear River. Very easy trails. Several miles of more challenging trails lie beyond the State Park boundaries. The trails are multi-use so you will encounter mountain bikers.

Rob D, Slight correction....Evanston is on the border with Utah. There is a PFJ at exit 3 and one at exit 6. The Bear State Park is off Exit 6 near a Rest Area.

Exit 102 in Wyoming is Rock Springs and has a Walmart SuperCenter but not a PFJ.....that's at Exit 104.

Laura

Nope. If you really want to get technical, On Duty while you are talking with them about the issue(s), then off duty. If they are going to have to drive the truck, sign out of the truck so their Driving/On Duty time is not logged under your time.

Laura

Stopped in nephi or how ever it’s spelled lol and got lunch.

Nephi is correct. It's pronounced NEE-fy 😁

Laura

Thanks! As long as Im taught everything I need to look for. As I said in another post im not good at mechanics and im watching alot of videos many about woman drivers and they sure know alot about their trucks. I just wonder if they were as green as I am and hoping they were lol

Of course they were as green and greener than you....EVERYONE IS when they first start out at a new job. No one is born knowing anything.

Some women may have worked being in a mechanic job before driving. However, they would be rare as that is a good paying job and there are few women diesel and gas engine mechanics to begin with.

Laura

I was a kid in San Berdoo back in the 50s and 60s. This time of year the temps are scorching hot...110°-115°+!! No humidity but still too hot for me!

Enjoy your TDY!

Laura

My son was a Master at Arms K9 Handler in the Navy. His last assignment was at Great Lakes Naval Training Center. Every other week they graduated boot camp/ basic training. They had to take their duffels and place them on the floor in a big Auditorium. Then he would take his drug dog and walk him through it. Every graduation class had one or two that were trying to sneak their drugs out. Why??!! It's like, with the internet, you do know that dogs can sniff through Vicks VapoRub, coffee and all other scents. Someone always has to try it. There went their chance to see the world!

Laura

Can we just stop at the company we drive for and just bring the truck in for inspection when we have time off?

If they have a shop and park it there. However, if you are doing a 34 reset, take the truck from where you parked it, for example, at your house or a truck stop, you drive it over, you are on the drive line. It cannot be Off Duty Personal Conveyance because you are doing a "Duty" job. That ruins your 34 hr reset. Got written up on a Level III inspection for doing that on advise of another driver. 😝

Laura

I'm going to have to disagree with Laura on this one.

Rob,

You are correct on this one...I didn't think about the felony aspect of his situation. Too bad I can't remove my answer.

Laura

Pretty shady on Prime's part if you ask me. But hey, I guess that's one way they get away with paying a little higher than the average. Always a trade-off.

What's shady about it? I'm not seeing anything I'd call shady.

Laura

While driving to the Boise VA, I listened to the Real/Fake video. I would say he has a pretty good grasp on truck drivers.

When I first came out on the road 7 years ago, it was about making money so I could pay bills off. After running illegal for a company that ultimately got shut down, I would only drive for a company with electronic logs. I made more money as before. Running for that company was standard, but it made me realize what I wanted while out here on the road. So when I go to companies, I don't even ask what the rate of pay is, because it really isn't that important. I have two requirements and so far this last company meets them very nicely. Because I am a good driver for them, they reward me with pay raises over and above the yearly pay increase. So, while I don't make near as much as some companies, I really like where I'm at and won't change unless something happens.

Laura

Hey guys, super new to all this. I have a big question for you guys out there. I have two companies I am looking at to go through there cdl program. Wilson logistics and Roehl. I want your opinion on witch on I should look harder at. Thank you for your time and any input you all have.

Both are good. Look at both company's program and see which will fit you.

Actually tho, don't restrict yourself to just those 2. Use our link and apply to all the companies in the link. You may get turned down by those two for any reason and it's better to be ahead of the game.

Company Schools

Laura

Well, I'm back! I made it and I only cried once!!!

I went through 3 months of training with a local carrier. There were times when I didn't want to go back to work from my 34 but damn it, I pushed through and did SO WELL!

Thank you to all of the advice and suggestions that I received! The knowledge from this forum had me super ready and although there were Real Life events that I couldn't prepare for, I got a great insight on what to expect and man did it blow my trainers mind.

THANK YOU!!!

CONGRATULATIONS

Reefer IS really erratic. My load planner tried to keep me unloading at night since I'm a night person. However, with running this cheese load, it's all over the clock. When I was younger, I could deal better with weird times and I do pretty fair at my age. However, I do have to pay attention to when I get tired and take a nap, so I don't drive off the road....haven't yet, but have come close.

Laura

Thank you OS! That really help! So, do you guys have quotas to meet like how many loads to do in a day? The more loads or the more miles you do, the more you get paid? I really like the flexibility of it but when you're on the road it seems like its more of the country side, are there groceries near by? I know one of my friend, even tho he's always in the city he have a hard time finding toilets for some reason lol. Do you guys have that problem too?

It depends on the type of driving you do. If you are OTR, then you can take food on the truck with you and heat it up or fully cook it. Or you can eat at truck stops (yuck). The local guys will have to talk about how to eat on the road.

Also, there are truck stops and rest areas that you can pull into to use the bathroom facilities. If you have an emergency, there are ways to take care of that also.

You are putting the cart before the horse, but when you are in training and for the first year or so, you should be doing long haul or dedicated over the road. So then you have a load that may take from 1 to 4 days to pick up and deliver it. Then after your year driving you may want to go into local or pull doubles, tankers, etcetera...they will have their own time frames. Even with over the road, you may have a load that has one or two pickups at different places and two or more deliveries at different places. For example, I will pick up in Idaho on Thursday and deliver in Greensboro NC Monday morning. I will more than likely go down to Mount Olive NC and pick up a load late on Monday or Tuesday. Then I will deliver it Thursday in Wisconsin. I will pick up in Wisconsin or Northern Illinois on Friday and that's where it varies for me. I may go straight to Idaho or I may have a 2 dropper, one in Denver and 1 in Ogden Utah. Then I run home empty to do it all over again.

Trucking has too many variables to be routine.

Laura

I read an article that stated with the driver shortages companies continue to allow sexual harassment against women to keep women out of the industry. Everybody is selling something mostly BS.

What a crock of doggie do!! I haven't heard that one yet, but it doesn't surprise me that someone would come up with it. However, we know that's not true because of all the women getting hired and all the women out here. When I came out on the road in '88 there was an estimated 100,000 women in all facets of driving. If I saw one or two women driving long haul in a week, it was like old home week because you just didn't see us out there. Now I see a half dozen women a day!

Laura

You're home during your 34 hour reset, correct?

While I realized your question was directed to Chief Brody, I'm taking it as a generalized question.

You can take it at home or you can be out on the road and take it. Your scheduling is what you determine it to be. I have taken a 34 hour reset out on the road and visited with a brother. Most of the time I am home, like I am now because I am on a dedicated cheese run from Idaho to Greensboro NC. I was out 10 days this last time and because I have a doctor appointment tomorrow, I'm home a bit longer than 34 hours. I do pick up Thursday and deliver Monday. It's not a bad run and getting three days off in 10 days allows me to get things done around here.

Laura