Profile For Bobcat_Bob

The Volvo seats were extremely painful to me, I can only sit in it for about an hour or two at a time. 

I have the same problem with the Volo seats and some of the seats in our Freightliners and KWs OD picked a uncomfortable seat to spec, luckily not all the trucks have them and the other ones are comfortable.

Unless there is something vehicle related or a lot of misdemeanors you should be fine.

CFI is pretty forgiving I'd start with them.

What kind of accident?

have never had many problems with the landing gear cranking. Two fingers are usually sufficient.

You are lucky when ever it gets really cold, we have some legs that are next to impossible to crank. Even putting my full weight on it they barely will move. Had a trailer where the legs froze and I had to drop it in the shop on stands.

Your post is very confusing. What is "hotshotting

Hot shots are the drivers who use pickup trucks instead of of class 7 or 8 tractors.

I did the numbers on hot shoting and you'd need to work full time to have any realistic chance to make money. Your expenses are very similar to running a big truck while having to settle for less cpm.

No body here hot shots that I know of, but there definitely sites around that can answer your questions better.

Yes

I felt a disturbance in the force as someone mentioned LTL!!

All the LTL companies have sleeps as far as I know, way more day cabs but still a fair amount of sleepers. We usually run to Salt Lake City from Chicago with them a bunch. Not sure how many we have but they spend most of their time on 70 running east and west I believe. I see R&L and UPS with sleepers far more often than OD.

Side question for the LTL guys. I've noticed sometimes a trailer will have plastic hanging outside the door

Roll up doors leak more than swing doors so that's just a rain curtain to keep water off the freight, customers don't like soggy boxes.

Congratulations and welcome to the darkside!

I agree with Anne see about company sponsored training, at least if they accept you you'll know.

I don't doubt she has seen companies overlook worse but those may not be the type of company you'll want to work for.

Personally I'd go Martin they have the best looking equipment. And I don't just mean appearance wise.

A few years ago KLLM was talking with my dad and one of his vendors about overhauling their maintenance department and at the last second pulled the plug. That has left a poor taste in my mouth when it comes to them and how they view maintenance.

That's great to hear! Keep up the good work!

I've been here 4 years and honestly most everyone is pretty happy, you'll run into a grumpy gus once and awhile but they are few between. At least for drivers and dispatchers, I don't interact with dock workers very often but they seem to stick around for the most part so they must be pretty happy.

Turned down a day cab to stay in what I assume is a sleeper truck? You sure you passed that drug test??

But seriously congratulations on starting this new adventure!

Ah yes the age old question, especially when you are new. I think playing it safe and surviving your first winter is important as you gain experience you'll easily be able to identify when it is safe or when it isn't.

My first winter I had a close call with black ice and it still worries me to this day, however coming into my 4th winter I am now more able to recognize the subtle signs and determine if I should run or not. I will say last year I ran in conditions that would have kept me off the road my first year.

Remember " I'd rather be at home wishing i was on the road, rather than being on the road(or ditch) wishing I was at home"

Glad it wasn't worse!

Personally, I do not like lease operators training future company drivers. Most lease operators run on thin margins and becoming a trainer is a easy way to put extra money in their pocket. Unfortunately it leads to many people who shouldn't be trainers teaching new drivers and since their hearts aren't in it they just don't seem to care.

Just try to stick it out to the end, it sounds like you are learning something which is what's important. Plus you never know your next trainer might be worse.

Try Terminal manager first if they are unavailable, try operations manager.

I do my meet at a Loves if they have any GPS left at that price I might pick one up.

I would say to call insurance companies and see what they say about insurance. Generally speaking insuring a CDL required vehicle to someone with no experience is incredibly expensive.

Generally you have to get your finger prints done by the TSA and then take the approval letter from them with you to the DMV to test for Hazmat.

Not sure about doubles/triples some states allow you to take those with permit others don't. I think here in Illinois you take them once you pass and they add them on.