Comments By Greg M.

Off topic but this comment triggered a memory.

Back in the 70s my family's ready mix concrete company went union, Teamsters Local 100 in Cincinnati. I don't remember the details but sometimes the union would send laid off LTL drivers to us.

Very few, if any, ever stuck around. Mixer driving is a totally different world than bumping docks. My dad was in charge of maintenance and drivers. I still remember his favorite phrase "Freight haulers aren't worth a damn as mixer drivers."

According to him his best drivers were Appalachian county boys who moved up from Kentucky back in those days. They naturally had a feel for that sort of work and they were making more money than they had ever seen so they were highly motivated.

I’m guessing some Yellow guys will end up at ABF at some point since they’re Teamsters as well. The Union will probably push to have them be hired before new members. The rest will retire or be scattered among the other no union ltl outfits.

Moved perhaps the oldest trailer I’ve ever moved yesterday.

Drivers on my account park our trucks in a small gated lot next door to our customer. When I finished up yesterday my dispatcher said that the lot needed an old storage trailer moved and that I just volunteered.

No one could remember when it was last moved. Tires and landing gear were sunk into the ground at least 6 inches. When I put air to it I was very surprised to just hear a few leaks and the brakes released with no issues.

No room to turn around in the lot so they blocked traffic and I pulled onto the street and backed up so I could pull back in.

My dispatcher called me today and said the lot management was very impressed with my skills.

Here is a picture of the BEI trailer in its new resting place. Should be good for another 20 years.

You should also take the time to try and educate yourself on all the things you didn’t know. Everything you mentioned you should be able to research online and at least get the basics. Pretty sure all the things you mentioned have been discussed on this website as well as being covered with videos on YouTube.

RB in Springfield, Ohio is also pack full of tractors and trailers. In addition the International Used Truck facility east of Columbus was full of identical looking white sleepers along with a bunch of other trucks.

When I was hauling mail a few years ago I drove the owners old 1994 Pete 359. The USPS was using a few short shipping containers to haul mail. They were really difficult to back into spots at first. They were so short that by the time I could see the rear of the trailer around the sleeper it was not where I thought it was going to be.

They do ride nice, but more difficult to back.

I was at a place two days ago and a new driver (two weeks solo) rolls in with a extended nose 379 Peterbilt, pulling a 20 foot shipping container. I watched her try and back it for at least 15 minutes all over the lot. Everywhere except the assigned dock beside me. Finally I got out to help with some guidance. Well, 15 minutes later, I end up backing it into the dock.

They really look cool, ride nice, and exemplify "Truckers".

Not sure what all the secrecy was about. Load was a bunch of short pieces of the wood that pallets are topped with. Took it to a dumpy pallet refurbishing place.

Someone is either afraid of being cut out as the middleman or they don’t want the shipper to realize they are providing a competitor with raw materials.

Of course it wasn’t sorted correctly and they wanted to know where it came from. Said I wasn’t sure and to check with broker.

Broker also asked if I could haul more of their load’s because I communicated so well. Told her it wasn’t my call.

On a strange load right now.

Was instructed to call broker before arriving. Instructions were to go into shipper empty handed with just a piece of paper with the pickup number and broker name. Told repeatedly that it is a “Double blind shipment “. Not to tell anyone where I am taking load.

Getting loaded now. Picking up at a pallet company and dispatch has receiver as another pallet company but the address in the dispatch is not that company. Looks like a pallet customer.

I think a little pallet arbitrage may be going on.

It’s unlikely that these types of companies would have a training program where they help you get your CDL. If you have a cdl they may be willing to train you in their equipment.

Be aware that driving these types of vehicles can be extremely dangerous. You are always loaded to max capacity and normally deliver to construction sites and are loading/unloading on unstable and uneven terrain.

I grew up driving dump trucks and I remember being “scared” on a regular basis. You often pull onto jobs knowing that you are likely to get stuck and will need a dozer or other truck to pull you out.

Have you considered school bus driving? Where I live there is a shortage and schools have signs out advertising free training. That would get you a class B and enough experience to be considered for the construction type jobs.

Last week my company had 4 new drivers start. I saw the safety guy on Friday and asked him how they were doing. He laughed and said "Fine, when they decide to show up." Two of the four called off multiple days their first week. Wonder how long they will last.

Also companies normally contact prior employers to verify experience. If your goal is to avoid the current employer finding out, that probably won’t work.