I'm 3/4 Of The Way Through My 200 Hr. Mentor Phase W/ Swift

Running my 3rd solo dispatch as we speak! It's cool being the "Captain of the Ship" but also very anxiety heavy. I'm by myself in a rest area hundreds of miles from home in Pennsylvania & as I kept passing rest stop after rest stop I knew I was pressing my luck with capacity but I knew I could get just a little further tonight LOL.

The day after tommorow has me really anxious as my preplan has a 10pm firm (live unload) delivery...I just know finding a place with a vacant spot to shut down around 11pm is gonna be next to impossible. I prefer rest areas because I detest doing 90 degree backs in the black of night & feeling all of those invisible eyes on me. (i like shutting down before dark if at all possible).

You see that sign that says "next rest stop 70 miles" and THEN you see all those trucks parked along the offramp to the entrace & exit cause it's bursting with trucks. Ugh...

Running my 3rd solo dispatch as we speak! It's cool being the "Captain of the Ship" but also very anxiety heavy. I'm by myself in a rest area hundreds of miles from home in Pennsylvania & as I kept passing rest stop after rest stop I knew I was pressing my luck with capacity but I knew I could get just a little further tonight LOL.

The day after tommorow has me really anxious as my preplan has a 10pm firm (live unload) delivery...I just know finding a place with a vacant spot to shut down around 11pm is gonna be next to impossible. I prefer rest areas because I detest doing 90 degree backs in the black of night & feeling all of those invisible eyes on me. (i like shutting down before dark if at all possible).

You see that sign that says "next rest stop 70 miles" and THEN you see all those trucks parked along the offramp to the entrace & exit cause it's bursting with trucks. Ugh...

When you making your 10pm delivery take a look around. Many times you can find a place to park in an industrial area. I've backed into a door of a business that appeared closed for the night and had many open doors. I just picked one and went to sleep.

Charlie, take a closer look at Trucker Path. Open a "no-name" truck stop (has a T label).

Many are better places than Petro, et al. Yes, many are not so much. Read the reviews.

But I've never had a problem parking late at the mom/pop places. And coffee refills are around a buck, instead of Flying J's $1.50 or so.

Running my 3rd solo dispatch as we speak! It's cool being the "Captain of the Ship" but also very anxiety heavy. I'm by myself in a rest area hundreds of miles from home in Pennsylvania & as I kept passing rest stop after rest stop I knew I was pressing my luck with capacity but I knew I could get just a little further tonight LOL.

The day after tommorow has me really anxious as my preplan has a 10pm firm (live unload) delivery...I just know finding a place with a vacant spot to shut down around 11pm is gonna be next to impossible. I prefer rest areas because I detest doing 90 degree backs in the black of night & feeling all of those invisible eyes on me. (i like shutting down before dark if at all possible).

You see that sign that says "next rest stop 70 miles" and THEN you see all those trucks parked along the offramp to the entrace & exit cause it's bursting with trucks. Ugh...

I second this! I 9/10 will park at a rest area before a truck stop unless it's daylight & I can really see what's behind me

Hey Tractor, a little behind on my reading, glad to hear the mentoring is going well. Good for you! Safe travels.