Comments By Pennywise

The forums software **** the word D I CKIES clothing

I wear gloves 24/7 at my work now, I wear like 6 or7 different styles, what ever come in through work or what ever I buy. My favorite are from Walmart, they have them at everyone I have been to. They are in the clothes section by the orange safety vest and the ****ies work wear. On the Velcro tab it says " Wells Lamont, hydro Hyde" dark blue stretchy back and a yellow leather Palms and inside fingers. Not to thin, not to thick but feel thin, form fitting, and stretchy, but they last long and wash well for there thickness. $12.95 Least favorite "mechanix gloves" way to expensive, wear too fast and come unstitched when wet. But the again I am very rough with them and put a lot of hours on them.

Learning on my own and with YouTube about how to properly read the Randy McNally Motor Carriers Atlas. So everything highlighted orange is a route designated for vehicals with STAA dimensions. What does STAA stand for?

Pick Vermont, there is VERY little highlighted orange STAA, even though VT does not have a lot of industry, there has to be stuff that needs trucks beyond the highlighted orange. Can trucks go on the pink "principal highway" or orange and yellow 'Other multi lane highway" they just have to check for low bridges? What about the grey "other road" is it go at your own risk or stay off all together?

Page "A12" "State access policy" under distance allowed in miles from national network, and under "comments". Does this tell me how far I can drive with my truck off/away from either the STAA routes or principal highways? I just have to check for low bridges and now truck signs on my own?

My response will be limited due to the fact that I am not a trucker yet. My little knowledge comes from reading trucking forums and articals. The biggest hurdle for most (not all) is the not being home a lot, and being alone. For me its easy, for others it is very hard and depressing. You sat you do t mind being alone, but just remember it can be different in a truck 24/7 on the road, not just at your house alone. There are ways around this a little if you know about trucking and have been reading articals on here such as the carrear guide. Dedicated, local, and regional trucking can get you home weekly or daily. Opposed to OTR where you are out for a month give or take.

I am kind of like you, sick of the people I work with. I want drive a truck, because basically you don't have to deal with other people at work (for the most part), just you and the open (or bumper to bumper) road. You still have to have limited dealings with the office and other drivers in the road that might **** you off more than the people at your manufacturing job. Though you are leaving the job you hate, make sure you are ok with the reality of truck driving. Not just being alone and away from home, but also driving 11 hours a day, crazy sleep times, traffic frustrations, eatting different, sleeping in a truck, truck stops etc. Truck driving sounds cool because I always picture it in my mind as driving across the open, flat, highway in the Midwest with no one around (to many movies). In reality, its not like driving your Jeep down the highway doing 65 then going home to sleep. Driving a 53' into a major city which is barely car frindly, then sleeping at a truck stop in a bad area with some very sketchy people walking around. Its a lot more that just driving, lots of trip planning also. But you said you have been lurking around here a reading a lot so I am sure you know all this. Just want people to really think hard about the realitys of trucking and not the Hollywood version the think they know. Sorry to hear about the situation with your kids and family, sounds very sad. Just watch yourself because trucking can be very depressing for some because of the isolation and it can just add and build to an already not so good situation. Or on the other hand the isolation can be joyful and liberating, just depends on the person. Best of luck!

Ill start off by saying.... yes I have 2019 Rand Mcnally, laminated, motor carries atlas, I know its the most important tool in my cab, and I have been studying how to use it with youtube videos.

Some people don't like GPS because yes they screw up sometimes, and because they are ment for cars. Now the new Garmin Dezl is designed for trucks where you can enter you trucks size and weight and it will keep you on the roads where you can fit. Has anyone heard stories or first hand of the Dezl or the Rand Mcnally designed for trucks screwing up. By screwing up I mean under a low bridge or a local road your truck is not suppose to drive down after you had entered your trucks size information. I know they screw up by not finding addresses or taking you the long way. I can deal with that, but going under a low bridge or local road that's a real screw up. I

Gotcha, great because there was one thing that bothered me about Swift that I was hoping I wouldn't get if I drove with Knight. Not Swift bashing just something that didn't work because if where I live.

The Bass Pro Shops analogy is pretty much spot on. Basically, the corporations merged into a single corporate entity (Swift-Knight holdings I believe but don't quote me on that), but the two companies are still being run as separate operations. The biggest change was that Kevin Knight now runs both. But we don't use Knight equipment or facilities as Swift drivers.

Is it safe to say as a Swift driver you feel like you work for them and not a new merged company? What I am getting at is... Example, say on the website I like Swifts policy on home time or something, now I join and find out the merge changed this policy and it is now under Knight or vice versa. So I can work for Knight or Swift and it will fell like two different company's, different Trucks, Pay, Policys, Training, Terminals etc? Just because on "Trucking Truths company reviews" and other things I have heard makes one company my 1st choice and the other my 2nd choice. Just want to make sure the merge doesn't change these things.

Researching company's for when I finish my CDL school, looking at Knight and Swift on my list. From what I have read they merged, but they have two different websites. I'm not a buisness major so I don't know how these things work. How does this affect drivers and workers, is it like your working for one company and you would never know it used to be two? Or are they still there own companies Trucks, Terminals, websites ECT. And they only thing that changed with the merge is money, and paper that employees and drivers don't notice much? Kind of like Bass Pro Shops bought Cabelas, but just on paper, they are still keeping the stores and the brand names separate the way they are.

First, you are correct, there are many things to consider when choosing a company and how fast the truck goes doesn't matter. Most companies dispatch at around 50 mph. That gives you plenty of time to get there. There is traffic or construction everywhere. When I was in school one of my trainers shared a story. He started his day and while driving in his governed truck a bright yellow truck blows by him. A few hours later, same truck blows by him again. This happens a couple of more times. When he was pulling off the exit to park for the night that yellow truck was right behind him. There are so many variables between point A and B that will make a difference in how fast you get there. Good luck.

Great point, I didn't consider what the dispatcher calculates at.

Stop over thinking everything. There is so much for you to learn just to drive the truck.

and to answer your question... No. Im governed at 62mph and usually lock in at 60. I make plenty of money and spoil myself rotten with hotel rooms, good dining and tourist attractions. Plus i get fuel bonuses... my highest fuel bonus in ONE week was $250. so figure just by driving 60mph, im 500 miles ahead pay wise.

So you think it is safer for a new guy to drive 75mph cause one idiot on the road isnt bad enough?

sorry.. couldnt help it.

$250 fuel bonus now you have my attention! I will have to read up on fuel bonuses and how those work. Yes I do tend to over think things, but I do think there are things between companys that can make or break it for some people. Some people its transmitions and APU's others it is pet, rider policys and areas . Thanks guys!