Comments By Paul F.

Thank you g town.

Today did not go as well as planned, but it could've been far worse.

The day started with me locking my keys in my truck. Luckily I was at the terminal and they had one for me. Then they didn't have a trailer for me so I had to bobtail 40 miles in the opposite direction to pick one up. (And 40 back to square one). The trailer I picked up was in a dirt lot so there's now dirt from my feet on the floor of my freshly detailed truck. I had to find a washout, because of course the trailer was filthy. I got there and had to wait over 30 minutes because they had one Bay and the truck in front of me had flower leaves and paler fragments galore. Sweep, pressure wash all sooooooo slowly. Unneventfull drive to the shipper BUT when I got my used truck I was pleased to see 2 load locks I now don't have to buy them. I dropped my trailer then hooked up to the loaded one. Went inside the trailer to put up the load locks, BUT THEY WERE BOTH BROKEN. The guy said it was ok if I assumed responsibility for the celery, I did not so I had to unhook, bobtail to the pilot (thankfully it was less than a mile, and buy 2. (Cheaper than the company store, but by now even my off duty was eating into my drive time. I have to drive from Schenectady to elasabeth NJ in 3:09. I can make it, it's about 180 miles.

I made it to the receiver violating my clock by 9 minutes. Now there's about 7003 trucks there so I have to wait. I'll get some sleep, unload off duty, and can roll again by about 10:00 am.

I said it could have been worse, but I had hoped it would go better.

Rinse and repeat

Oh, I got into a fight with my wife on the phone too. Stupid 💩, but ain't it always?

I'm on my first solo dispatch

I am finishing up training and have driven both nights and days. Each has its advantages, but I've found that even having a good "night" sleep I'll still be drowsy until the sun comes up, them I'm fine. I think it has something to do with the circadian rhythm, but a 5 hour energy and roughing it out for a bit I've done it. I've never felt that I was dangerous driving. If I did, I would take a nap.

That actually seems to be that one thing about this industry I came as a surprise to me that being a complete lack of any type of sleep rtthm sometimes i sleep during the day sometimes I sleep at night sometimes i sleep in the afternoon sometimes I sleep in the evening there's just no rhyme or reason but the loads going to get there so you got to do what you Gotta do

Thank you. all very good advice. My preference for mellow music is Pink Floyd. I also have an album of Led Zeppelin music performed by the London Philharmonic orchestra. I love it. I keep nuts and fruit in the truck. My fruit of choice are apples, clementines (easy to peel while driving), and bananas. I do drink a ton of soda though and I love coffee but try not to drink it as it drastically increases my pee stops.

I intend to get a freezer and cook at home, and eat a lot of home cooked meals reheated in the microwave. I'll make a ton of rice, some stir fry, some stew, some eggplant parm, and portion them in ziploc bags, and I'll have a home cooked meal in minutes. I'll also have a number of hard boiled eggs. They're a good snack and egg salad can be made easily.

I have a culinary education and have been in food service for 35+ years so bulk cooking is easy for me. It will also be much less expensive.

Thank you all for your motivational comments. I hope I can be as good a citizen here, that most have proven to be.

I've read most of the articles and the weekend dispatch email links.

This site has helped me to get where I am in this process.

Thank you Brett.

My only beef is that you took down my "nickname/handle" regarding sitting apparatus royalty 😜

I've been approved for upgrade. We finish this load, then go from Ohio to Connecticut, then (I hope) deadhead to pitston so I can upgrade on Sunday

I got a critical event yesterday it was a hard braking event. I got off the highway and had to move to the left lane. I signaled, checked my mirrors, and when I looked up the light was yellow so I stopped hard. I'll have to speak to safety about it, but after speaking with my DM, was approved for upgrade. I was told I may have to endure additional training as a result but that's not the case thankfully. If I had to, it would have left a very bad taste in my mouth. It would mean they valued avoiding critical events more than safe driving. The roads were dry, and I felt (without thinking, just driving instinct) it was safer to stop than to continue through a yellow light with a 70 foot vehicle, that I was uncertain how long it had been yellow. My trainer told me I had handlers itroperly. I explained myself, without being belligerent or confrontational. I prayed I was not going to be given an additional 10,000 miles ESPECIALLY since it occurred after I achieved enough miles, but due to timing she was unable to get me to upgrade before the weekend, so we got additional loads.

My next post in all likelihood will be from a "rookie solo driver".

Woot woot!!!🎉🎊🎂🎼🎉🎊🎂😂

What will probably happen is you'll get put "out of service" if you are currently in violation, and you will get fined. As to how much that fine will be, is going to be determined by the state you are in when you get caught.

One of our drivers recently got a nice little 750 dollar fine for a minor infraction in the state of Connecticut.

I lived In connecticut. Ant they are expensive for tickets.

In one week years ago I got a ticket in New York doing 92 in a 55. It was like $75 I got doing 71 in a 55 in Ct it was over $250.

Old school, were you on 70 )I think) yesterday in Missouri (I think). I got passed by an empty flatbed looked like a black or dark blue tractor and had "old school " on the back of the tractor ?

Thank you for all the information. For the record, I said. " tongue in cheek" so didn't really expect an atta boy,

But the question still remains what will Joe law do to me if I'm caught?

Fine? How much? Or what? I can't imagine I'm arrested if not in an accident.

What happens if you get caught driving when you're out of time. (by law enforcement, as Well as your company) Is there a difference in if you're 10 min over vs 3 hours?

My expectation is a fine/ticket/csa entry from law

From the company, I'd (tongue in cheek) expect an "Atta boy". You did what you needed to do to get it there on time.

Thanks in advance 🌵