Profile For Grumpy Old Man

At Prime we just switched over to ELDs. It is a pain not being able to cruise around the yard without being put on the drive line. As a result, my logs are a mess to look at. The following is an example of the old logs compared to the new. The image below is me at the Prime terminal after receiving my new truck and not being cognizant of the effect of the new ELD. Every start and stop was logged: driving from the shop to the truck wash, stopping to wait in line, moving again, etc. Then picking up my load and delivering it. It is not pretty. I'm going to have to be very careful from now on.

Do you have a yard move option?

I always forget my lights. I usually remember after a few minutes, but one day, I parked during daylight, closed my curtains and went right to sleep. Woke up at 10 PM and realized I left them on. Felt like a jerk.

Better to forget the lights than your brakes.

For sure.

Solitude.

I always forget my lights. I usually remember after a few minutes, but one day, I parked during daylight, closed my curtains and went right to sleep. Woke up at 10 PM and realized I left them on. Felt like a jerk.

Nice truck.

Don't You Dare Miss That Sign!

Absolutely. I was on a truck route yesterday. No problem at all, if you read signs. If you don’t, and we’re in the left lane when you missed a sign, you would be missing the top 7” of your truck and trailer. CLEARANCE IN LEFT LANE 12’6”!

Also, your GPS is a fine tool, as long as you double check EVERY route beforehand. Take it from me, mine took me to downtown Portland ME, where I had to be escorted through town by the police to a safe route. And this is AFTER I checked the route against company directions. Every time since, on the same route, it has been correct t. No idea why it was wrong.

But I have also noticed it will try to take me different routes than normal many times. Luckily it is my weekly route, so I just ignore it.

I went to Sage truck driving school in San Antonio, TX. My experience was really good. In class stuff was pretty meh. Had some awesome instructors, one of which was from australia (used to do the trailer trains, you know something like 16 trailers connected to 1 truck). He also did not censor himself so he said some funny stuff. As for the driving portion, I went in not knowing how to drive a car manual let alone a truck. by the end of day 1 of driving I had shifting down just fine. passed dmv road test on first try.

A big plus for Sage is that they don't put multiple students in a truck per session. It's 1 driver 1 instructor 1 truck. Places like roadmasters put 3-4 at least per driving session. So you're out for 4 hours but really only drive for maybe 1 hour of it. With Sage you get the full 4 hour session.Only time I had 1 instructor multiple students was when we were doing in yard driving an that's because he could get out and rotate with whomever needed more help.

I agree. I attended in Rome, NY.

The administration was overworked so there were a few hiccups with scheduling, and part of that is because NY is so backed up on exams.

Class work was almost a complete waste after completing the High Road training here, I found very little I hadn’t already covered.

As far as driving, the backing practice was 1 instructor for the class, which in my case was 2 students, but I had the truck to myself and practiced the maneuvers for 4 hours straight. All road driving was one on one, 4 hour shifts. The instructors were all experienced drivers and were great.

In the end, all that matters is that they teach you to get your CDL. After that, your company will give you your real training.

There is a pilot just over the state line on I-84 that is always packed. Even if you are just getting fuel it can take forever to get out of there. Whenever I'm in that area I always seem to have a fuel stop there. Here is a photo from google maps. It is usually worse than that at the fuel pumps in my experience.

That is Sturbridge. Stayed once, never again. 7:30 PM, it was packed, and was a zoo. Paid parking is blind side backing, with the spots angled away from the direction you are backing from, while fuel pump exit traffic cuts behind you. You can’t see either side of your truck, and the last couple of spots have dumpsters in the way.

Wow, lots off negativity over the northeast!!! I dont mind it at all, well, as long as I can avoid I-95 anywhere from just before Quantico through Maine...lol. like others say, plan to park by 4-6pm at the latest if at all possible. Most northeast driving is alright though and yes the drivers are a little more impatient so sometimes you have to make lane changes happen (as safely as you can) or miss an exit etc. cause they dont like trucks in front of them and often keep coming by regardless of your turn signal being on.

I run northeast every day. It isn’t the northeast, it’s MA specifically

Once I get there I’ll be able to o/n at the shipper. I made it out of Texas today. I survived Houston one more time. Thanks for all the tips ! I’m really looking forward to the aggressive drivers!

That’s great. Few that I have been to will let you stay overnight.

Market Basket was one, nice place.

I run from Buffalo to Maine at least once a week, I plan my trip to never have to stop in MA.

Avoid rest stops like the plague. If you pull in you may never get out, and they are almost always full.

There is a Loves and a mom and pop at Canaan NY. The Loves will be full around 7, but you can usually we’ve yourself into the mom and pop across the street. It has 2 lots, the main one, and one across from Loves. The grill makes some really good sandwiches and burgers. Do not get a double burger unless there is at least 2 of you.

And they absolutely do not get the concept of merging. Take the middle lane if possible.

Truck stops are largely non existent, and fill up EARLY. Reserve parking if you can’t get there by 4 pm.

This has been one of the hardest few months of my life so far

Someday maybe I can stop you when you're passing by, !

Lol

I’m back in my old truck for a couple of days. Apparently the radiators in Freightliners are made of plastic and aluminum foil. This is my second radiator failure in 2 months.

Anyway, you can have your manual, I’ll stick with my AMT. Can’t wait to get back in my new(er) truck.

Thanks for the paystub pic. It looks like you might make closer to 50k your first year. How many hours are you usually home on weekends? What’s the over $3000 employee expense reimbursement all about?

Thank you!

I started in mid January, and was with a trainer until 3/22.

My check stub as of 9/6

I am hourly, northeast regional, home on weekends.

If you could put together two back to back jobs at a mere $12.50 per hour each, say one job during first shift and one job during second shift, you would make roughly $52k per year and be home every night, and have weekends off, too. Naturally any improvement you could make on your pay rate at either job would increase your annual pay or allow you to cut some hours at the other job. Sure, this plan is initially 80 hours of work a week, but as you are considering truck driving anyway...

;)

Doesn’t sound like much of a life to me

As of 8/22, I had 5 months of driving, 43,392 miles, 1186 hours @ $20 for a total of $23120. That includes no training pay, no tuition reimbursement, nothing.

So annualizing that I would make $55,488 per year, assuming I perform on the same level.

As an hourly driver, I'm paid any time I am driving or on duty.

Thanks for the paystub pic. It looks like you might make closer to 50k your first year. How many hours are you usually home on weekends? What’s the over $3000 employee expense reimbursement all about?

Thank you!

I started in mid January, and was with a trainer until 3/22.

My check stub as of 9/6

I am hourly, northeast regional, home on weekends.

Some of it is actual reimbursements for things like parking, scale fees, engine coolant, but there are also lumper vfees in there. I write a comcheck, and they deduct it from my pay, then reimburse it when I turn in the paperwork. it is just accounting stuff. does not add to my gross

I started in mid January, and was with a trainer until 3/22.

My check stub as of 9/6

I am hourly, northeast regional, home on weekends.

I forgot to mention I had 2 weeks, or close to it, with no truck due to breakdowns.

I started in mid January, and was with a trainer until 3/22.

My check stub as of 9/6

I am hourly, northeast regional, home on weekends.

Kool A tron

I've only had this a couple months, but so far it has been great