Profile For Sandman J

I agree. Doing the High Road here over and over made taking the test at the DMV a breeze. Anyone I come into contact with that wants to get into trucking, that's where I send them.

Oh, and also apps that are specific to your company. Mine has one that is like a dummy version of the ELD. It shows very basic info on my current and next assignment, not enough to be useful, but I can read and send messages just as I would on the tablet, and I can see but not change my current duty status and current clocks. They also have one that is used to send in the BOLs.

I downloaded the hammer app, and will check it out. Also downloaded the trucking parking app that I came across earlier on here. Any other useful apps that I can download now?

Thanks

For scaling loads, CAT has two apps that are useful: "CAT Scale" for locating nearby CAT locations, and "Weigh My Truck" for when you're at the scale. You can input and save your fuel card info to pay and weigh from your cab, and it'll show your weights and email you a copy.

The Blue Beacon app will locate their truck wash locations.

Any truck stop your company allows you to fuel at you'll want to have. I fuel mostly at Loves and I can pay for my fuel and activate the pumps as well as see how many are in line for a shower and book one right from the app.

There's plenty more but those are the ones coming to mind right now.

Read everything you can here and don't be afraid to ask questions. When I was starting out I thought every problem that arose causing me frustration and time was unique to me. By getting active on the forum I realized every rookie goes through those same problems, and with time and experience you can usually quickly work through all of them.

I'm not a quitter but had I not realized I wasn't a bad case the trucking gods took a special interest in trying to get me out quick as I came in, I wouldn't have made it. I learned it's just the rookie blues that we all go through, and now I know how to quickly remedy those problems that hung me up so much in the beginning.

Some customers are first come first serve, some are strict on appointment times. If you go to the same locations over and over again, you start to learn how they operate.

I choose to drive nights. Less traffic on the roads, less truck traffic at customers, plenty of parking options when I shut down. My company has a lot of 24/7 customers and if I need to visit one that isn't, that's planned toward the end of my shift once they open.

Excuse my ignorance as I haven’t driven OTR in over 15 years, but is idle air still a thing at the truck stops? The company I worked for didn’t want us to idle while in the bunk so they paid for it if it was available. I haven’t seen it in a long time but then again, I get to sleep in my own bed every night. I wish we could have had APU’s on the trucks, that would have made it a lot more comfortable. Nowadays it’s just annoying if the AC doesn’t blow cold enough 😂

I think I've only seen two truck stops with them still up. Can't imagine they were functional as the only reason I know what they are is from reading on this forum for so long!

I have a ThermoKing TriPac and love it, even though I'm writing this while sitting at a dealer for service. My company's newer trucks have Carriers and I haven't heard a lot of great things. I briefly drove a Freightliner with Opti-Idle and didn't get used to it. I wouldn't want to be in a truck without an APU.

The first stint I did on the midnight shift in my last career, I maintained my sleep schedule even on my days off. It was great for being well-rested but horrible for work-life balance. Every other time I worked mids I adjusted on days off and readjusted when back to work. I drive mostly overnights now and I've found taking melatonin as soon as I shut my clocks off for the day. Then when I need to go to sleep, my body is more prepared for it. Listening to binaural music, keeping it cold and all the curtains drawn helps me.

Scary stuff Ryan. Glad you survived and are taking your time deciding your future plans.

Team or slip seating could explain the truck/driver radio.

Good point Errol, I hadn't considered that.