Profile For Dave (formerly known as KnowItAll)

Only one I know for sure is Montana. If you fail the pretrip or backing portion you can retest the next day schedule permitting. Fail the driving part and it's a long agonizing 7 day wait to retest.

Awesome play by play! Think ya might have a winner here!

1 day off per 7 on. Max is 5 days off in a row. Way it works is one would call their FM and make a request a few weeks in advance. Before ya know it, you're home! If you sign on with the regional fleet you can het home often.

Haha! I'm still here!

How come the know it alls never come back?

Turtle, really like reading about the trainer's perspective. I thought about doing Wilson Logistics version of PSD, D-Seat, but I'm a horrible passenger! Therefore I give you proper respect for being able to do student training!

No flatbed. Just regional dry van (western 11), north western heavy haul and advanced fleet (Prime reefer).

Hello,

I also have a question, that I couldn't find on the website does JP have flatbed driving opportunities?

Thanks

I'm a little partial to the Wilson Logistics (Jim Palmer and Wil-Trans) fleet.

In most cases it will defrost eventually. I have yet let a trailer dry out before setting to below freezing.

The Prime video reminds me of Starship Troopers propaganda scenes. Swat, Smash and Scrape those bugs! We're at war with the bugs! Kill'm All!!

Apologies, momentary laps there.

On my 2016 Peterbilt the brake lights DO NOT come on when the jake is active. The early 2018 Peterbilt I did my team training in did however.

For me on down grades, it's highly dependent on several factors. How heavy am I? Slow speed limits? Lots of curves? And lastly, but certainly the most important, what grade am I dealing with?

I'll use east bound Montana I-80 Homestake pass as an example with 79,000 lbs. 7th gear all the way up. First crest I'll go to 9th. Second crest is where it gets interesting. Down to 7th through the twisties then 8th for the last few. After the last curve I'll go to 9th to the bottom.

Used that pass because it has speed limits for trucks and it is rather technical. 25 mph at the top then goes to 35 mph then 45 mph back to 65 mph.

Heard good things about Jim. Good luck and keep the shiny side up.

Hey Dave, thanks! I'm heading out tomorrow morning, 4/27 with Jim Pickrell who apparently I am told gets his students through C and B seats very quickly so I'm guessing we'll be going non stop.

Cheers, Kelly

With the recent Denver crash in mind I thought it was time for an uplifting article.

Illinois' Trooper Thanks Driver.

WOW! Congratulations Driver!

Sounds like I might be in Missoula in a few days. Might get to meet if you're still there.

Any updates? How is the D seat training going?

Awesome, congratulations!!!

Well, my 9 month anniversary (6 months solo) is quickly approaching so it's time for an update!

So much has happened and I've learn a lot of things and don't quite know where to start. Still no accidents *knocks on wood*. Almost had a blowout and also had a cracked rim. Stumped the dude trying to find the leak until he sprayed the inside. Maintenance hadn't seen anything like it yet. Lets not forget about all of the wrong turn adventures. Last but not least, lots of winter driving.

Oh winter driving, that is where I'll start. Since it is spring and getting shutdown in western Nebraska do to an April blizzard. How fitting! Of all the things I've learned about winter driving the most important is knowing when to call it a day and park. Ice and white out conditions are automatically parked. Need chains? Parked! There were a few times on Homestake, Lookout and Sherman Summit passes I should have chained up but made it up and down safely.

Running I-90 in Montana and Wyoming plus I-80 really makes one appreciate the states that clear the roads! Oops, forget about Oregon. They don't use salt to treat the roads! I-84 through the Columbia Gorge was a real treat this past February. 4 1/2 hours to travel 130 miles. Troutdale T/A to Broadman Loves. This was the day before the 24hr shutdown on February 12th! Biggest lesson learned this past winter, slow down! If others are being stupid, get off the road and shutdown.

Another lesson learned. Never trust a GPS with out checking a map first! Watch for signs and double check truck routes in and out of locations. Check company direction and if needed call the location for directions. Arnold PA has a Smithfield plant. There is one way in and out. It's an older part of Pittsburgh and the streets are narrow. Very narrow! Miss a turn (like the turn from Pittsburgh St on to the C. L. Schmitt Bridge) and there isn't anywhere to turn around. But!, you can make a loop to get back on track! How do I know this? Ain't telling *grin*.

Also, bypasses are built for a reason. Example, 435 and 635 in Kansas City are the best way through. Was going south on I-29 to I-49. GPS routed me through KC instead of around. Lost an hour do to traffic. Might have been the shortest route but definitely the slowest. With that in mind short cuts can be awesome. From KC to Springfield, taking MO 7 to MO 13 is a great route that cuts off 50 or so miles. Another short cut that cuts of 50 plus miles is US 212 from Crow Agency, MT to Belle Fourche, SD then US 85 to Spearfish, SD.

Until next time, stay safe!

It's a very long walk to the restroom when you're docked at the very end!

"Most" of the place I go to are easy to deal with. Some combination of good spacing around the docks and friendly people.

There will be more to add on that list. The good news for us is that most places aren’t terrible, just a few end up as bad experiences.

Same as Rainy. Budweiser. St Louis and Ft. Collins load the same.

79950 lol

beer load was 46k pounds!! i burned off some fuel then was good.

Picked up a loaded trailer at the Fontana CA dropyard going to Pepsi in Las Vegas. 0900 appointment time and get there at 0800. When I get there there is no one ahead of me at the gatehouse. Check in is a breeze and I'm told to take door 11 once it's empty. Bump the dock a little before 0900 and proceed to wait. And wait some more. Finally after about an hour I feel the tail tell shaking of a forklift. I'm thinking cool, might get out of here and headed off to the next load. Nope! Warehouse folks must have been breaking down each pallet before unloading the next one. It seemed like about every 15 to 30 minutes they'd unload a few then nothing.

After 4.5 hours I get the green light and head to the gatehouse. Head inside and the dude already has a detention sheet started! He gives me the bills and the detention sheet. I'm out of there! Remember the part before where there wasn't anyone waiting when I got there at 0800? Well there is now! Didn't count exact numbers but I'm guess there's a line of 15 or more waiting just to get in. 8 or so on the drive and as many lined up on the street.

Thankfully I still had time to head up north and find parking at the north Vegas loves.

Someone not only dropped a dozen balls but let the monkeys out to chase'm too! Welp, add another place to the poopy list! Have three places on that list and they're all in Nevada! Dakota Packing on Arville st in Vegas, Pepsi on the south side of Vegas and the McCarran NV Wal-Mart DC (7+ hour wait to get unloaded).