Profile For Jamie

Yeah I hate Wyoming, I was stuck there for 3 days recently. The same reason, first it was an accident, then snow and then high winds. They ended up opening the Interstate while I was stuck there for just two hours before closing it again around 21:00, thankfully I was able to leave right away and got out of it. Because two hours later they shut it down again and it was shutdown for like 12 hours or more again.

A lot of drivers will tell you to make sure to compare your GPS route

Felt the need to add that it's a good idea to do so, just I don't personally do it.

I've heard some good things about it, I personally use the Garmin dezl 780 and have had very min problems. But just to throw it in there, never blindly follow your GPS, always make sure to read road signs, etc.

A lot of drivers will tell you to make sure to compare your GPS route with your Atlas Map, but I haven't done so in the last two and a half years(just make sure the GPS is set correctly) I've been in trucking and things have been good on my part, just got to use common sense. If it doesn't look like a truck route, then it's probably not. But some advise I have gotten awhile ago was "Never turn down a street/area that you aren't prepared or skilled enough to back out of.".

I heard some pretty good things at GPTrans Co, I considered going there before I came to Crete near the end of 2019. I'm loving my time here, but do share your experiences with us!

Are you going solo or team?

Made it there and out this morning, got there around 0730ish and it was quick drop and hook. I didn't make it far due to the snow storm, I took a 55 mile detour to get a parking spot since NJ currently has a full CMV ban in place on most interstates.

Crete does a pretty good job at sending a decent route to the customer general location, but once off the highway/interstate, you're on your own to make it there safely. But I do plan to find the best route tonight and while I'm getting unloaded in the morning.

That's Long Island, which in itself isn't so bad. Getting there can be the tough part, however. Depending on your route in, and the time of day you're coming in, you can hit some pretty good traffic.

Plan your route well in advance, and stay super sharp and focused while executing that plan. The last thing you want is to miss a turn, and then have to scramble on the fly to reroute yourself.

Which direction are you coming in from?

I'll be coming in from Harriman, NY, my current appointment is at 0500 in the morning, and I have basically all day to pickup the next load, so I don't plan to head to far so early in the morning, depending on when I'm done with this one.

I would like to add, I have gone by New York City on i95, but I have never actually been anywhere down that way.

So my next load assignment tomorrow has me heading into Greenvale, NY which will be the closest I've been into the New York City area since I've gotten into trucking, they have me picking up a load to t-call at a yard in PA. Which due to tomorrows winter forecast, we shall see how that goes.

Is there anything I should know heading that way? The location doesn't seem very far off interstate i495, so I don't believe I have much to worry about.

Jamie OD has pretty good insurance and if you choose LH in 3 years you could be around 100k and still be home everyday.

I have considered OD for awhile for linehaul work, but up until recently, they wasn't hiring out of my area. Due to the plans my wife and I have on starting a family, me moving into a local position will make more sense than being away for weeks at a time or only being home a few times a week, etc. So if I can make about the same or more with similar health benefits, it'd be amazing.

I would love to stay with Crete long term since they're a great company, but they just don't have enough local positions besides at the Walmart DC in Cheyenne, WY, which I don't want to run out of that DC due to the areas they run and it's the worst managed DC out of the Walmart DCs Crete runs dedicated out of.

As you all know my first driving job was a huge disaster and will probably be used as an example to new drivers and potential drivers on here of what not to do at you're first company lol. I've turned my truck back in today and am moving on with my life trying to figure out what the hell I'm going to do next. My question is, is it worth keeping my CDL or should I downgrade since I will probably never drive a CMV again. By the way just to clear up any confusion since I saw someone on another post saying I was terminated, Western Express never fired me my DM asked me to resign and I agreed so I didn't have a termination on my record. I was having trouble making appointments on time and knew he could use that as a way to get rid of me.

Here you go. Apply for anything that has the word "driver" in it.

https://careers.fedex.com/freight/jobs?stretchUnits=MILES&stretch=10&location=California&lat=37.25022&lng=-119.75126&woe=8

Oops. Try this Oops. Try this.

How is the health insurance at FedEx? That's a big deciding factor on when I am looking more into switching to a local job.

I don't know if they are hiring, but find out who the USPS contractors are. They pull the US Mail between cities. They seem to haul with unmarked trailers that only have a big 6-digit number on the back roll-door.

I did two years driving a shuttle for Swift from Memphis to St Louis. (There are other routes out of Memphis.) The schedule was four days on, two days off. I'm not sure if it's still running but you can always ask.

I would consider Swift when it came time for something more local, but I heard their health insurance isn't the best, and although I don't really use my health insurance now, my wife needs it the most and the insurance Crete offers is pretty great. But sadly Crete doesn't have many local options, besides out of the Walmart DC in Wyoming.

Yes, keep it. I still think you should look into linehaul it would probably be a good fit.

I’ve thought about linehaul work for a long term plan, a way for me to be home more. But it seems no one is ever hiring in the Memphis area.

Not that I’m looking to switch right now, but for a long term plan, yes.

I have the same thing as in the OP, but I also have a few of these on the top bunk:

You'll only need 30 days of compliance for your CPAP, I've had mine for two years now and that's the only thing the doctor requires. But you'll since you have sleep apnea, you'll only get a one year medical card.

I've seen plenty of truck stops/rest areas/etc have handicap parking, and I have seen trucks parked in those spots with their handicap window tag. Usually you will only see one MAYBE two spots for handicap parking, but it isn't at all truck stops/rest areas.

I made it to Gothenburg, NE, 410 miles from Rawlins. Now it’s time for some much needed sleep.

Good news! They lifted the light high profile vehicles restrictions, and I got out of dodge ASAP. I’ve been up all day, but lucky I did leave when I did, about two hours later they put the restrictions back in place due to high winds.

So it doesn’t look like I’ll be making it over elk mountain tonight. But I did figure out a detour route that will take me into less windy areas, I’m head out in the morning, assuming it’s not to windy in Rawlins.

When they close it to light vehicles, is there a set weight that you're no longer considered light or is it left to driver discretion?

I have yet to find a direct answer on the Wyoming sites, but I have seen it mentioned around the Internet during my research that most drivers say its between 20k-30k in the box.

So it might be left to the driver, but you can be fined if you are caught driving with a light load during those restrictions, or if you get blown over; you'd probably get a fine once they find out your load is light. So that's a good answer. What I found on their website is:

Closure to Light, High-Profile Vehicles: In locations where wind gusts are 60 mph or more AND where adequate signage to indicate the limited closure is available, WYDOT will initiate a closure to light, high-profile vehicles. This type of closure may also be initiated when conditions are very icy but the wind gust threshold is less than 60 mph. The closure is targeted at vehicles that are prone to being blown over or being blown off the road such as recreational vehicles, moving vans, campers, small trailers and lightly loaded commercial vehicles but smaller vehicles pulling trailers are also included in this restriction. Drivers of vehicles that fail to heed this type of closure will be considered in violation of Wyoming Statute 24-1-109 and 'shall be subject to a fine of not more than seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00) or to imprisonment for a period not to exceed thirty (30) days, or to both such fine and imprisonment.'

Research shows that when wind gusts exceed 60 mph, there is almost certainty that multiple vehicles will be blown over or be involved in a loss of control type of crash. These crashes most often result in debris on the highway that results in a road closure to all vehicles. It is important to note that WYDOT does not have adequate signage to implement a closure to light, high-profile vehicles in all locations. Additional sites may have wind gusts exceeding 60 mph and pose a significant risk of blow over. In these locations, WYDOT will indicate 'Extreme Blow Over Risk' on our information systems and drivers should exercise special caution.

I plan to stay parked long enough for my 34 hour reset, since that will be over at 21:00 tonight. Might as well get that in, with all the setting around.