Profile For Spaceman Spiff

Currently watching a primate circle the block here in Vernon CA, memories.

Tony, I have only been out seven months driving OTR. Maybe I just haven't had the call return to me yet. Some of my work is rig driving, some days I drive a pick up and others a forklift in one of our warehouses. I suppose the variety could be shielding me from consistent burn out that you seem to be suffering from.

I definitely don't miss all the mountain and steep incline driving, chains and anti gel. There was some independent factor that was nice but I was suffering weight gain and all.

My gig now is strict Mon through Friday so I've been able to exercise, go to the beach and work on the house again. Those kinds of things just conquer all thoughts of OTR.

THAT BEING SAID, if I started over again for CDL training, I'd be right back at Prime in the solo flatbed division. I still count straps I see on trucks and pity the poor drivers tarping in the next lot while I wipe down my mirrors or something equally taxing.

Anne and old school, good to see familiar faces (profiles). Hope all is well. I'll post an update thread soon as to not hijack this guy's entirely.

Real tough one. I left the flatbed world last year to run Southern California local and would not consider returning anytime soon.

Your relishing in the dawn overtaking the nose of your cab and looking to the new state line each day is just my 100-yard alley dock and holding my breath while Google maps shows the traffic on i 5 camp Pendleton South to see how many hours extra it might take to get from LA to San Diego.

Have you charted a path back to the road or no?

Why getting so dirty?

I suppose now we will debate as to preferred caliber, metal finish and brand of firearm, Todd?

I thought he was from Boise?

Old school

I think in the right situation i might drop that info to and interviewer, those could be pertinent skills.

Could you back those customers into a 90 degree alley dock?

Certain topics are so intertwined with politics the mere mention of them becomes political.

The mere mention in casual conversation that I drive a full size pickup truck is political.

Full size? You *******.

Dammit, why do you weirdoes always come from a city that I like.

So this is to reduce sodium and such due to medical reasons?

Oswego is great! Bit of a small town to wander through and then bam giant factory.

Glad you gave in to the dark side

How did he post three times in one minute?

Why intentionally dehydrate yourself?

Tell it politely but firmly, "no."

Is this happening in creep mode or with you on the pedal? All docks or just ones with a graded slope?

I don't hit alot of docks but backing in at truck stops and places I sometimes have to fight the spread axle tire binding effect my trailers have. Feels like a bucking horse a bit if the angle is steep and the asphalt is particularly grippy.

I don't know how bad it is for you but I try to ride it out or stop if it gets heavy. How fast is the truck moving when it bounces?

Ever get that "foot bouncing on the pedal dance" with the truck ?

This is great initiative on your part and shows a good deal of character. However don't be rigid in your personal training to the point where it becomes difficult to re learn the way your new employer wants it done.

First day at Prime for my class, they handed us the pre trip sheets then spent the next ten minutes having us go through it crossing things out, re wording and editing things.

Get a good feel on the general procedure but I promise, you will have an absolute ton of time to study the exact frame work for your employer while your training as well.

Keep the attitude.

This is big. I'll line up my schedule to be tuned in for sure!

I dunno, get enough of these electric mowers in a "platoon" or whatever and you may have something. Imagine the turning capabilities.

Hey buddy,

One year will go by quickly. The important thing will be to get that drivers license as soon as possible, since the one year clock starts once you actually receive it.

Find a job that you can stay with for that time as well, keep all the paperwork in order and relationships in good standing. Part of truck driving is a background check that they will do on every driver that applies to a company.

Make sure to bring as much paperwork from Brazil when you move up here. The industry will want to know what you were doing for years, it's part of ensuring the applicant was not training at a terrorist camp and is now trying to get access to a huge truck to drive into something.

The most difficult thing you could do would be to take time off between working in Brazil and starting to apply in the US. Time spent unemployed makes the companies uneasy. You have to go through extra work to prove where you were living and what you were doing.

Btw OTR driving is a great way to see the world (US) and still make money!

Hi there,

When you say basic PPE what do you mean exactly?

For those reading, PPE has specific products it can protect against while still be critically prone to failure against other's. Polyvinylchloride (PVC) will protect against certain bases but fails against d-limonene (orange oil). Viton is a beast against almost anything except ketones.

The important thing for top quality PPE is to understand what you are transporting or will expect to be exposed to. Then work backwards, identifying the proper material that defends correctly against it.

As far as water cooled clothing, you need to reach out to companies like DuPont or better yet, the chemical manufacturers and get the list of protective gear approved for the products you're hauling.

In my haz mat courses, we always did suit scrub downs after exposure, not sure how feasible that will be but if a rinse station is available that would be cool. PPE should never be stored in the driving quarters.

Try looking into DuPonts Tyvek suits, or the monster, Tychem series. https://www.dupont.com/personal-protection/chemical-hazmat-protection.html They have databases in there to match chemicals appropriately to the suit series so again you will have to know the products SDS ingredients.

Best of luck!

One question at a time. Read the questions all the way through too! You'll do great.

Be nice to John Candy

Ok so after some checking at Prime, we basically just go by state regulations as noted in the post. However he stated it was between 400 and 600. Wonder where the 600 is.