I don't remember much..it was a smooth trip. But I almost got stuck in the mud on the way out of my shipper when I swung too wide and took my tractor right off the road!
The customer who is shipping the freight. This is where the driver will pick up a load and then deliver it to the receiver or consignee.
My first solo load was Waupaca, WI (Waupaca Foundry, plant 2/3, wharehouse B) to Clarksville, TN (Akebono Brake). I picked up in the afternoon on a Thursday. I ended up stopping around 2 in the morning at the Flying J in Haubstadt, IN (junction of US 41 & I-64). Got up the next day and finished it out before heading home.
Lumber out of Philadelphia Mississippi. Picked up on Friday July 3rd 2015 with my current company. I did work about 6 months with a drilling company prior to that. 1st with them was, be here Monday morning at 7 & pack cold weather clothes....me: where we headed? Answer, Sedalia Missouri for about 3 weeks ( turned into 6 months with a few breaks in between, longest stretch 6 weeks) but anyhow showed up Monday. Them: See the green Mack over there with the tanker trailer, keys are in it just follow Waylon, his in that 3500 with the drill cab. That's it my training, I'd been out of CDL school approximately 2-3 weeks. But I made it.
A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:
My first load was so uneventful that I don't remember.
But not too long after that I had a load I won't ever forget. Had to pickup a load of banana's from Delmonte in Gloucester City NJ going to the Walmart DC in Lewiston ME. The load was delayed at the shipper , because I didn't park on the street just outside the shipper (very bad part of town) I had started my clock to get there. I told my FM that because of the delay I wasn't going to make the delivery appointment time. Her reply was, not to worry, you'll make it just fine. Well, long story short, I ended up having to get it repowered because I did run out of time. I met a very good friend on that run, he was the person that took the load on in from the TA in Greenland NH.
The next morning when my FM returned, she was very upset with me because I had the load repowered. Well, that was the beginning of the end for me with that FM at Prime. I had so much trouble with her, that was one of several reason's I changed from a company driver to a L/O here at Prime.
Ernie
The customer who is shipping the freight. This is where the driver will pick up a load and then deliver it to the receiver or consignee.
I was in Springfield MO and my first load was only 100 miles away, for 2100 the next day. I was so nervous, I drove up there at 0100 and parked on the street at the customer. I didn't realize I could attempt to go in early but had my food and porta pot.
At 2000 I approached the gate that had an intercom. Nothing. Called the customer, got a voicemail. I messaged dispatch "I'm here an hour before the appointment and no one is here." So I sat figuring I would just block the gate until someone came in. Two hours later I was still messaging dispatch "I've been here I swear and no one is here." I even called them, "am I getting in Trouble for this?"
Finally a guy came out "sorry. No one realized the security guy called out sick until we were standing around for a couple hours doing nothing"
Wow lol
My first load was a two drop in ththe Chicago area. I was a horrible, nervous wreck!
My backing was so awful at the first drop they sent a yard jockey out to talk me into the door. The sad part was that there was acres of room to maneuver.
I managed to get the two drops and a pickup done with only a couple nervous breakdowns but then I went to park at the TA in Bloomington, IL.
Didn't swing wide enough coming around another truck and rubbed his bumper! I didn't even know until another driver came into the restaurant screaming at me about a hit and run and he called the cops.
Yeah that was a terrible ending to a horrible day. I wanted to call dispatch and tell them I was coming back to Olathe to bring the truck back...
Oh and 3 days later, my truck breaks down in Oklahoma with a bad fan clutch. My first week was pretty rough!!
Yes...a load of industrial shelving and hardware for a Walmart under construction in California. How ironic, considering my plan to eventually run Walmart Dedicated.
Vividly.
It was a load from the Hershey DC in Ogden, UT to McLane Foodservice in Lakewood, WA. There was a snowstorm on Snoqualmie Pass, and they threw the chain law up about 2 minutes before I got to the summit. Yep, had to throw chains for the first time on my very first solo load. And in doing so, I discovered that the shop had lied when they said I had all the chains and bungies I needed. I had to sit on the side of the road for 90 minutes waiting for a service vehicle to bring me a bag of chains and a bag of spider bungies. Still made it to my delivery on time, and I already described the back I had to face once I got there. I told myself afterwards if I could get through that, I could get through anything. So far, so good! 👍
Deadheaded from my home park location in Ottumwa IA to our drop lot near Iowa City to pick up a load of insulation. Decently open drop lot, backed and dropped the empty (extremely crooked), then brought the load into Iowa City to a construction site... Followed the GPS to the point where I saw the site directly on my left. Didn't see a way to get in so I went to the stop sign up ahead and went to turn left. I didn't swing wide enough, so my trailer came inches from hitting the front end of a car that was at the stop sign. I stopped and set my brakes waiting for them to back up, but they were so freaked out that they didn't move, so the people from the construction site, who saw this whole thing happen, came out and guided them back. After that little fiasco, another car passed me yelling, "Learn to drive!" Anyway, I turn left into a very narrow alley and gave the workers my bills and they told me that i needed to be a few blocks down to there storage lot. I was told to back up since I wouldn't be able to come forward and turn out, so they spotted me back and I went to the area they told me to go, parked on the left curb, and they hand unloaded me from the street. They were done about 2h later which made me late to my next appt to the point where they were closed for the night, so dispatch took that load off me.
That was one hell of a first day.
To drive with an empty trailer. After delivering your load you will deadhead to a shipper to pick up your next load.
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There are no trucks at my home terminal in Lancaster TX, so the company is flying me to Michigan tomorrow to get a truck. From there I will be given a load to drive back to Dallas, about 1200 miles. Not bad to start with, right?
Terminal:
A facility where trucking companies operate out of, or their "home base" if you will. A lot of major companies have multiple terminals around the country which usually consist of the main office building, a drop lot for trailers, and sometimes a repair shop and wash facilities.