Profile For Noob_Driver

Thank god the newer trucks have auto creep. My 17 didnt and I set my camera off at least 50 times backing under a trailer.

I work for Millis and have for about 2 years now. I started their school in Richfield Wi in February of 2019 I believe and graduated march 12 I think. I have a diary in the training section here somewhere. I love my job and love my company. Terminals were a major factor in my decision because I live on the south side of Chicago and most companies i contacted would not let me leave my truck at a Gary indiana truck stop (totally understandable, lol) when I go on hometime. So I picked richfield to do my schooling and to be my home terminal. Millis's school is amazing at richfield and I've heard good things about the other schools as well. I'm not sure where your from though. Class sizes were insanely small when I went. I had 5 and one left so we got lots of backing time and in truck experience. With covid they've actually cut that in half so it's a max of 3 students at the richfield school which is nuts for actual behind the wheel time. After graduation you go out with a trainer for 15k miles which usually ends up closer to 20k by the time u get your own truck because of scheduling and loads etc. Plus by the time 15k gets around you and your trainer are comfortable and you can get some fat checks by running as a team for a week or 2 while using 2 clocks. I was in my own truck in about 6 weeks I believe including 2 sometimes. While pot hole pete who also is with millis and did a diary around the same time as me took a bit longer (his diary is trash ignore it).

As far as miles go I dont run like a madman and I clear 2800 to 2900 weekly miles on average for the 2 years I've been here. We run a ton of heavy loads weather its beer loads or paper rolls but you get used to that. Great equipment, I started with a 2017 kenworth t680, last summer I got put in a brand new t680 and we dont usually let our otr and regional trucks get over 2 years old. If you got any other specific questions let me know.

Some of our drivers have been talking about a Galanz 3 in 1. Apparently it's a microwave, air fryer, and convection oven. Been thinking about replacing my microwave with it.

Not gonna lie, I generally run 1 or 2am to noon and I've taken quite a few 30s at fuel islands. I think being the middle of the night I can get away with it hopefully.

Someone from Millis posted these on a facebook group that a family member is looking to restore. Not sure what it is but it looks awesome.

How are you liking Millis? Are you regional or OTR?

I have a buddy who delivers Pepsi and he cut out boards with a slant and added heavy duty coat snaps??? Not sure what to call them but he has 4 boards that are graduated with a slope that snap together for different heights. Almost like a tier I guess. I'll see if I can get a picture

Cant be said enough. GOAL. I've been solo a year and a half and still stress over backs. Not sure what your situation is but I found starting my day at around 2 or 3am gets me wide open truck stops around noonish to end my day. With that you can practice for awhile then still get a nice straight shot out in the early am when you get rolling. My companies trailers have tails so I get two free get out and looks every time, lol. I'll usually close one and then purposely "forget" the other just so I can get out again. (In my mind they're not judging me) but I also still get out and look and when I get to where I know I'm good I get out one more time. (Yes I've had airhorns blown at me and I just wave like they're old friends.)

I'm with millis too. Went through their school and did a diary here as well. I graduated the school in Richfield Wi in march of 2019 and been solo since May of 2019.

If you got any questions let me know.

With where you live definitely call Millis right away. With covid they've limited class to 3 students and they need bodies. I had 5 students in my class and got tons of backing reps in richfield Wisconsin in the dead of winter with snow and ice everywhere. 3 students would mean even more. You might actually get too many reps and start overthinking.

Well I left my status unchanged, as I have always heard you will learn the most in your first year solo. So I considered that year my training period. Now I just have to watch out for over-confidence, stats I have seen show most accidents happen in careers between six months and two years experience. A bit of relaxing, and perhaps biting off more than you can chew so to speak.

That cabover in the bottom picture needs at least one more sleeper!

I agree! and that's a tight dock too, no way he might sided it.

I dont think we fuel at any Petro or TA, never seen it as a fuel solution for myself or anyone else I talk to.

Packrats got it right major companies "buy" fuel in bulk months in advance at reduced rates. Whoever gives the best rate is who we buy from. Mainly pilot/flying j and Loves. But mainly pilot, we do get loves occasionally because I think we lose whatever we dont use in that bulk purchase or we dont get refunded the full amount we paid..... not 100% sure on that part though.

Ugghhh haven't updated this in awhile. Still with Millis, getting a steady 2700 to 3100 miles a week. Been solo for about 14 months now.... haven't hit anything in over a year, lol.

Goodluck Moe.

At least you got to go to Panera..... I love their soups.

Our spotter at Miller brewery in Milwaukee saw this on the docks there

Another spotter of ours at Owen's Illinois in Lexington NC took this pic as well.

Hows flatbed freight Old School? I feel likevim seeing less of them on the road out here and Ive noticed alot of flatbed tractors and tanker tractors hooked to leased dry vans. I talked to a Oakley tanker driver who said they had recently rented quite a few dry vans when i was docked next to him at a beer distributor. I got a chuckle out of him trying to figure out his tandems, i helped him out and he said he hadnt slid a tandem in 20 years!

Who actually owns the interstates? I know each state maintains their stretch of the road but are they subsidized by the Federal Government for some of the cost of repairs? If so i would love to see the Government buy some of this unused land along the interstate and create some truck only parking. Nothing fancy just parking spaces i dont even need restrooms with vending machines ill take a porta john if it means i dont have to stress over late night parking.

After a preventable accident where i did something very stupid on my 2nd solo run my truck got turned down from 66mph to 62 mph. In about a month Ill be turned up to 70mph when my 1 year accident free kicks in and Im excited about it. Not because i think ill get more miles but because i think it will get me more rest. Instead of pushing 10 hrs for 500+ miles i can cut some time off that which translates to more rest for me.

My first hiccup with the negative effecta of the corona virus.

At a kenworth dealer having electrical issues sorted and the waiting room is closed to the public.

Its 38 degrees here with the wind feels like 30. Going to get a hotel room if its a long fix but they said it might be a quick easy fix and they need to run a full diagnostic test to figure that out. Probably be out here for 2 hours.