Comments By Hopper

Sure! Share your experience with us. My team driver and I did a year with FreyMiller. It was a good experience. We left for a dedicated route that got us more home time. FM is a great company to work for in our opinion. They didn't want us to leave. If you get Jay Witherspoon for a dispatcher, tell him Mike and Terry said hello! Good luck to ya my friend!

So I am starting orientation with frey Miller out of OKC. I didn't see anything on TT about so I thought I would share my orientation experience here. Are yall cool with that.

Hey Marc, If you are not in the habit of checking the kingpin pull lever when you are about to get on the road, do so. There are people out there who will tamper with your truck when you park for the night or go inside to get lunch. Check it everytime you return to the truck after leaving it unattended. Takes 3 seconds .

Hopper

For sale: Cobra commercial GPS in the box. Used it 1 day, repackaged it when it told me to take a "non truck route". I was in unfamiliar territory but I did not let Mr Cobra convince me to take that road.

my map book has never misguided me.

Hopper

Hey Janet! I trained with a guy. He slept in his clothes, I had PJ's (short set) I just changed once I got up in the bunk. I recommend you Ask for a trainer with more than a couple years experience. My trainer had over 30 years of solid driving, he shared many pearls of wisdom that you won't see in a manual or get from greenhorn. I left nursing to drive 9 years ago, financially it was a very smart move for me. Good luck and stay safe!

Hopper

Hey P.C! You will see veterans that have disabilities. They get hired frequently. They have to get waivers sometimes as previously mentioned but they won't obtain them unless they are capable of handling the equipment. The only stupid question is the one unasked...

Old school, you are one funny guy! Those of us who are from Lufkin aren't so entertaining due to Angelina county being dry for so many years..

Hopper

Hey Ham, I left the nursing field to drive, it pays better and evidently I'm pretty good at it. And I am a female. A female friend does flatbed in the carolinas, She is happy. Look for a company that pays well and has consistent miles. Sign on with the lessor of the evils.. ha! Flatbed tends to be heavy, You will grow to prefer a weighted trailer, Its safer for me (dry van) to be loaded. As far as tight places, they are everywhere but you will learn to navigate where you go. I was trained to use all the real estate available when turning till I learn the length of my equipment. So, swing wide till you learn how much room you need, and always watch the back of your trailer. its as important as whats out the windshield. Pay attention to where your rear axle is too. Where it sits will effect how the trailer reacts when you turn. If a company sends you to a location to be loaded chances are your not the first truck to be picking up there, if that is so then other trucks are getting in and out. You can do it as well. Watch other trucks while you are sitting and waiting to get a door. You will probably see how others get around and backed in at that facility. Good luck! Hopper

Same thing happened to us, brakes locked up on the trailer in Arizona at a fuel island. Only 3-4 pumps. Made it hard for others to get fuel with limited pumps and me unable to move. You will run into drivers who don't care or aren't paying attention. You can't change the world but you can make a difference in your corner of it. Chalk it up to distraction or a bad attitude. Be safe out there! Hopper

I turned 53 while in training on the road. I am 62 now. My team driver was with a different trainer at the same time. He was 56 while in school. We still team drive together.

PJ, so your retired law dawg, into nascar, AND you ride. We have all that in common! Except I wasn't in LE before driving, but my ex husband was. Small world!

Thanks for reply, those are some pretty smiles up in your cab!