Profile For IDMtnGal

Reputable truck stops do not deal in cash only, no receipts. That is when I would say, I'm sorry but I don't carry cash with me... Just credit cards. My feeling is that it was a scam. I hope it wasn't very much.

Laura

My boys named him Zorro

I have a friend who says I should name mine LOL

Laura

Co driver got pics from home in Muscoy. His huge pepper tree was blown over, roots n all across the driveway. Family told him 95 mph winds, they are along the 215 at base of mountains near Cajon Pass

I know where Muscoy is. When I lived in San Bernardino back in the sixties, we used to get those winds in the spring... they were known as the Santa Ana winds.

Laura

My trainers coming from Nashville I’m hoping to get sometime out that way too would be awesome

I went by The Grand Ol' Opry on Hwy 155 yesterday. Lots of cars and a couple bobtails. Might be impressive inside but I wasn't impressed by the outside....mostly shops I wouldn't go in.

Laura

If you can't get some company to give you a job on dump trucks, then your alternative is to get your CDL-A. In the upper left corner, click on the 3 bars...it takes you to the index. Read up on the different topics and then click on this link: Companies with Training

A CDL-A will open more doors for you at good pay and maybe even good insurance. Let us know how it goes.

Good Luck!

Laura

DON'T use Chantix without reading about the side effects first! My baby brother's doctor put him on that and he's come close to committing suicide several times. It really screwed with his brain, to the point that he has had electro shock therapy to help him get thru the bad times :-(

Laura

Application to Many Companies

Use the above application that lets you apply with the one app to a number of different companies. Expect many "No's", but there will be someone willing to give you a try. Don't leap at the first company.

Laura

Hey all,

Recently graduated CDL school, no experience other than the CDL training as far as driving a tractor trailer. I did pretty well on the driving, the pre trip, backing, etc. in school and road tests. Passed with flying colors, CDL in hand. That’s all.

I have just been scheduled to go to orientation for Trans Am Trucking. I understand from the recruiter that there will be a 7 day orientation, and if I pass their training, driving, and backing requirements, I will be sent post haste into the wild blue yonder as a solo “driver”. The recruiter said that they have no trainer/mentor program, which is something I was kind of looking forward to and counting on to actually learn the business and day to day details that you never think about until they arrive.

Am I making too much of this? Maybe it’s not that dangerous at all, but it seems kind of foolhardy to me. Now, I am very grateful that Trans Am is willing to take a chance on a new driver, don’t get me wrong! I had a dwi three and a half years ago that keeps me from some other companies that have established mentor programs.

I just understand that there is a LOT to learn, and there is a big step from getting a CDL to becoming a professional driver. I’m wondering if it’s possible to be successful in this without having a guiding hand to navigate these first steps, and if it is more common than I think to start this way as a new driver?

Thanks for any thoughts.

And holy moley I never knew how windy it could get out west! On I-80 in Wyoming there was a “extreme rollover risk” advisory and 75mph wind gusts. I ended up getting caught in it and I never had a scarier moment trucking so far. I drove in it a bit driving pretty slow with my hazards on. I don’t get how some of these truckers are just flying down the road doing 70 mph in such wind. I passed 3 other semis that were rolled over in a ditch and then I just parked it on a off ramp for it to calm down. Definitely the most stressful day of driving I think I’ve ever had.

Wasn't that fun??!!

Last Tues with a 43,000 lb load, I went thru WY from Evanston to Rawlins, then cross country to Rapid City, SD. On Weds, went across SD to Worthington MN, then cross country to St Paul. The entire way was REAL windy....50-60+ mph. Turned around Thurs and went back to the same place that I had loaded at with 21,000 lbs on, in the front half of the trailer. The entire way was again 50-60+ mph winds. I slowed down to 45-50 that rocked me back and forth. My poor arthritic left wrist was killing me by the time I got home in ID yesterday.

Robert B The Dragon....I left the Twin Falls area tonight about 9 p.m. and see that you are just east of the 84/86 split in ID. Which way are you headed? I was going to run across that way, coming out by Little America. It's only 2 miles difference between going that way or going down to Ogden to catch 80. Got into the construction and saw a lighted sign saying bridge out 86 must detour, so I decided to head down to Ogden. Made it to Snowville when I ran out of hours.

Laura

Or get a wonderful friend like Pack Rat to laugh with while you are driving

I was depressed before I came into trucking. Now life is wonderful

I will second that. PackRat is a character and fun to talk with!

Life is too short to be depressed! When I drove from 88 to 93, there were no cell phones and running team it was hard to read while going down the road. Now, when guys are whining about having to sit waiting to get loaded or unloaded, I just laugh because I can call friends and family, use my phone to get online and stay in touch with friends that way, go to websites to research things that interest me, play games, listen to music, Etc.

Laura

What do you consider affordable? I don't shop WallyWorld as rule but just went and bought one for $29. It's a spare because I had a hard time hearing with it. I went and bought a Plantronics Legend from eBay for $75. At the truck stops its $119. My last Legend lasted 3 years when the outer casing came apart.

Laura

24 ft gooseneck horse trailer loaded to the gills with household items.

Laura

I'm sorry it didn't work out. My dad was a brakeman on freight trains. We would call the dispatcher, see where he lined up, how many trains were coming in and get an approximate time. Once called, he had 1.5 hrs to get to the station. We could never count on him.

I met a new guy at Little America Truck stop 2 weeks ago. We have met up a couple times since.

Anyone wanna make bets on how long I keep this one????

Lol

OMyGosh! That's too funny!

I'm going to guess 6 weeks. I was 4 years into being a widow and had a couple friends tell me that I should look for a companion or husband. Well two ex-husbands and being widowed, I'm not looking for a husband. But having a companion might be okay, so I joined an online dating site LOL NEVER AGAIN! I met several guy's, and a couple were former drivers. While I realize it's okay to have friends, I'm not ready to ever get married again! I was very upfront about just wanting friendship, but these guys want to get married... NOPE NOT EVEN!

The last guy and I texted back and forth and one day he called me, which I told him no phone calls just texts, so we ended up talking more often. Then one day he talked about steering wheel holders. I asked him his definition and I would be in that category (less then 10 yrs and went to a school). That was it for me, I don't consider myself a steering wheel holder!

Laura

Howdy!

1) - MVR -- Within the past 3 years, only thing on my MVR is a fender bender from 2 years ago. I've gone ahead and filled out a request to get the police report so I have the facts. Prior to that, I had my license suspended due to an unpaid ticket, but that was over 3yrs ago. Anything besides that report I should prepare myself with?

2) - DOT Physical -- two years ago I had a bad drinking problem and wound up in the hospital twice. They prescribed me meds to help me to quit. I've been off those meds now for 6+ months and continuously sober a bit over a year. I was anxious, depressed, manic, . . . all kinds of crazy. . . but it was the booze talking, not my natural brain. Anything I can do to prepare for the DOT physical?

3) - Work History -- My 10-yr employment history has gaps of up-to 6 months. Including right now (thanks 2020). What is it they're looking for in terms of "proving unemployment?" And how far back do they care about that?

Thanks!

1. Getting your MVR should be fine.

2. Getting a letter from your doctor stating the start and stop times of your meds may help at companies that require only 6 mths off meds. Many companies require 1+ yr off certain psychotropic meds and you have to realize that insurance companies are the ones requiring that. My brother was on lithium for 25 yrs and other meds for varying lengths of time and had to be off one year.

3. Companies require 10 years. So gaps were "looking for work" to show a continuous timeline. If you have anyone that knows your non work time frames, have them write a note.

Laura

Drove across Wyoming last night and this morning. Winds were 40 to 50+ mph and I had on 8,405 lbs! Slowed to 40-45 and came across before the 60 mph winds started up.

Rain from 150ish mm to 41mm. Snow in the hills from there into UT. Roads were just wet.

Laura

Yeah I know. I'm usually sitting behind someone for a bit, so I just leave it in Off Duty and then change. There may be DOT in a Truck Stop, but I've not seen any on the past 4-5 years.

Laura

30 minutes on duty not driving can count as your break now.

Yeah I know that. This is what confused me: With the move away from the OFF DUTY time requirement for breaks

What move away from that? I still fuel in off duty, pull forward and then put it in On Duty/fueling, run in to the bathroom, sometimes grab a drink, get my receipt and can do all that in 30 mins....now I don't have to worry about doing all 30 minutes in Off Duty and then add a little bit of time for fueling.

Laura

Inconsiderate drivers are nothing new BUT the new HOS rules are making it WORSE! With the move away from the OFF DUTY time requirement for breaks I'm seeing more drivers trying to milk their time in the fuel lane for their 30! Whenever something changes there will be drivers who try to take advantage and it will take time for rules and policies to catch up to curb those abuses.

I'm cornfuzzled....the 30 min break can still be taken entirely in Off Duty or a combination of Off Duty and On Duty...at least that's the way I understand it. Is that not correct? I haven't read anything about it being strictly done in On Duty time.

Laura

I've seen trucks blown over in WY and some were even parked on ramps. Winds are nothing to mess with!

Laura

I have a VERY GOOD load planner, so I wouldn't need to work on my loads with her doing it. My last company....that would have been handy to have.

Laura