Profile For Fleetwood Mac

We all have some pretty cool moments in our day where we see some awesome scenery or get a chance to do something neat. I thought it would be awesome to have one thread here in the forum where we all share those moments. It doesn't have to be anything awe inspring. It doesn't have to change the world or move anyone to tears. Anytime you're thinking, "Hey, this is pretty cool!" just shoot a picture of it and share it here.

This is mine from today. I'm on Poke-O-Moonshine which is a mountain on the outskirts of the Adirondacks. It's not one of the huge ones but it's right down the road from me and I go there all the time just for a good workout and the fun of being in the mountains with my doggy.

This. Any marker easily visible to measure out the distance from the side of your cab. Works like a charm.

The easiest way to move the tandems to a specific hole is to use a marker on the ground, either in front of or behind the edge of the step on the driver’s side of the cab. I use extra load seals, the fluorescent orange ones Walmart seals outbound store loads with.

If you need to slide the tandems (for instance) 1 foot, or two holes (standard spacing), to move about 800 pounds off the drive axles and onto the tandems, place your marker on the ground 1 foot behind the edge of the step. Move in reverse until the edge if the step is aligned with the mark. Stop, reset the pin and then pull up so the tandems are relocked.

I typically move tandems 3-4 times in a given shift, depending on the work assignment. Dealing with nuts, bolts, bar and other things is time consuming. What I described is the quickest, easiest way to improve accuracy when adjusting the tandems.

Marc this is something your trainer will cover with you and should have you practice and execute in real-time situations.

I stop at Walmart frequently enough to resupply that I just went ahead and joined Academy Bank -- the ones in the stores. Very convenient!

Im curious about a few things about being on the road and dealing with your finances. 1- do you generally use personal checks? I'm on my last book of checks and don't know if I should order more. The only time I use q check is for rent and car payment. I'm pretty sure my car payment can be made online, and I just made my last rent payment so that won't be an issue. My other bills can be done online. Are there random things that come up in which you need checks? I'm sure as an o/o or lease driver it may be useful in situations but I assume even that could all be done with a credit or debit card over checks.

2- alomg the same lines, do you need stamps on the road? I can't think of a situation aside from mailing a letter or post card where stamps would be needed. Do truck stops sell them?

3- how do you get cash on the road? I plan on having my checks direct deposited. I assume truck stops have atm's, but are the fees high? That seems like something they could skyrocket prices on to make a buck off drivers. I'm sure banks aren't always near a truck stop either. I'm under the impression that you will have to pay for things on the road like scaling loads and you have to use cash because they won't take card or check. How do you keep cash on hand? The only way I can think of is going to walmart or similar places where you can get cash back. But there are still limits on what you can get back.

Any info you guys can give me will help. I'm hoping to take my permit tests next week and if all goes well I hope to be down at prime getting started in 3 or 4 weeks. Maybe a little longer if needed.

A bit of advice -- when you go in for your A service (50k miles) DO NOT GO TO FONTANA for it. I made that mistake and sat for a literal week! Go to SLC or Denver if you're west.

Well according to the office in Fontana I have to have a mentor who also uses a CPAP machine. So if they use one they will have an inverter. Hope it will be strong enough for two CPAPS. I will start a daily diary once I go over the road (time willing.) When I was down in Fontana, they had about 7 trucks waiting for change out due to miles. So maybe the new ones will be my mentors truck. We'll just have to see.

Kind of a weird time to be going out but I guess it will be OK. Mom and family not happy about that part (she's 97.) Might be the last one for her.

I just got my driver number for Swift. So now I wait for the mentor. Because I use the CPAP, I have to wait on a CPAP mentor. I don't know why but that is policy.

It has been a long haul to get to this point. But now I might be going out tomorrow????? I have to be ready to go. So anyway, I'll know tomorrow they say.

That's great news, man. Happy for you. Bout time you get to go on the road! Keep us posted.

Hang in there, man. There was a snafu due to miscommunication on the part of Swift and the lab on my UA and it wound up costing me two weeks waiting in a hotel that I was under the impression Swift was paying for until I got the bill. Laid my foot down, went and retested and got the results back the same day. My advice (if you're not already doing this) -- pester them every day because they let things slip through the cracks. One of the reasons I had to leave them -- we get lost in the shuffle alot because they're so dern big. You have to be very proactive with Swift. Good luck!

Thanks guys it's a sad world we live in that the lazy thieves can get away with it. A lot of it has to do with that when you make a transaction with your debit/credit card, the clerks don't bother to check I.D. for them. Especially big purchases. I did narrow it down to one gas station while I was down in Ontario. So hopefully they will get it straightened out soon. I had been saving every penny I could for the trip to Swift orientation.

Best thread I've seen here, thanks Rainy D!

Newbie drivers this is for you

Thanks Rainey. Almost one!

"One tip I learned on my own if you ever struggle with getting the tandems to the legal weight I always use duct tape to help mark the hole I'm backing the pin into."

Gosh darn can't believe I hadn't thought of this.lol Thank you!

Big intermodal player. That’s the extent of my knowledge on them.

Huh. I did not know that. Thank you!

I was a Swiftie and this happened to me twice lol Had a great mentor who made sure I checked over the truck each time we got back in it.

Did ya tick somebody off, and this was their attempt at revenge?

I doubt that is the case. Unfortunately there are a few nutcases out here who will pull this kind of nonsense just because of the company name on the truck. Every Swift driver knows what I'm talking about.

It's outrageous, but a reality that has to be dealt with.