Noob Trucker Starting With Dollar General.

Completed my 1 week with TE and 1 week with Mentor. And now just completed my first week solo.

Overwhelming to say the least. Had customer issues that ****ed my 14 hour clock twice my first week. I missed the Pilot J truck entrance and went on a 10 mile backroad adventure that miraculously came to an interstate. At least I didn't make the mistake of trying to turn around. My gas nozzle fell out, I can't seem to master having the gas nozzle stay in. I tried to back in the drop yard where i park up my car. Failed 3 times, to tight for the 45. and luckily someone left. that left 2 spots open.

With having to actually learn to drive and back, I decided why not do 100% unload and kill yourself. I'm totally drained.

What made you take on Dollar General right out of school?

Laura

You've picked probably one of hardest ways for a rookie to start a career in trucking. You've done a good job surviving your first week continue to stay safe.

It gets easier. Try to park at your store the night before and that will help with the clock . If you need any advice just ask

What made you take on Dollar General right out of school?

Laura

I worked at an Amazon sort center in inbound for 2 years, and I've been watching hussle.motivate on youtube for a year. I blame him. lol The numbers on the job site were impressive. Of course now I realize its all recruitment BS.

It gets easier. Try to park at your store the night before and that will help with the clock . If you need any advice just ask

My biggest problem are those fricken toppers. My last stop was a 1500 piece. I used 5 uboats along with 2 RT's on the liftgate. However I had both sides full of toppers. I ended up using 10 empty's for the toppers. I tend to be hyper focused on wanting to get the RT's off asap. What s the best method for toppers?

I also have been only pushing. I notice Hussle will push the RT's wide base first and then pull them off the liftgate. I'm pretty fast so that may be splitting hairs with time saving?

I'm at 600 pieces an hour. Which surprises me I'm that slow. If I can get a method for those toppers I would be set.

His videos helped me out and I had a good trainer. Tbh I don’t like when they send ppl otr for training and then give them a day long ride along to show them the account.

Toppers. That’s the bane of everyone’s existence. But you will get faster with them. My rule is to try and not touch the same freight twice. So I always have a uboat or mt rt to put stuff in and clean as I go. Move the uboat to the toppers,not the other way around so you aren’t walking around so much. Some stuff i let fall but I pull some of it off before I move the rt. Just saves me from bending over as much. If you can pick up 2-3 boxes at a time instead of just one.do it. Paper towel packages. … don’t try to throw them on a uboat, stack them up in a rt. They just fall off uboats. Same with clothing items that fall off. Little boxes I try to throw in the loaded rts as I go. If a loaded rt is only half full, I throw toppers in it. Totes-move the uboat close to the stack and slide the whole stack on the uboat at once , that way you only have to pick up the bottom one.saves time, and your back, if the store has a horrible lean , I sometimes put the tires in an mt rt so they don’t slide right off. Putting cardboard on the uboat can help too. Sliding totes are my enemy.

Pushing the rt in the store wide wheels first is correct for most stores . It’s less likely to tip over and wide wheels are easier to go over some of the thresholds. It Varies by the store if I push or pull them off. Gravity and such. I will put most on the liftgate narrow wheels first because you are less likely to tip one off. And for the heavy ones I will push it off the liftgate with my foot or my butt. (Saves your shoulder from repetition injury)

You will find your technique with time. It WILL get easier. Especially with cooler weather coming.

Also little miscellaneous crap that falls out of its package. Chemicals, soap , whatnot. Especially when the box hits the floor. Don’t try to throw it in a rt cause it will likely just fall out. Find an empty tote and throw all of that stuff in there . Saves a lot of hassle

Ray, those are some great tips, material for a longer video. I watched Hustle & Motivate quite a bit when Michael took on the DG fresh account at CR England and told him he was crazy for taking the first reassignment offered to him but he got some good backing experience. Hustle hasn't gone into the details of unloading as much as you just did.

Hustle jumped from the frying pan into the fire when he went to Sysco for a while. He's quite entertaining sometimes.

Thanks Harvey. I try to help where I can.

Another tip. Carry some sturdy wood blocks with you. That way I’d the trailer is leaning you can roll one side of your tires up and level it out.

If the storage area doesn’t have a lot of room , keep the loaded uboats outside and push them in last.

For tight stores remember to take the time and slide your tandems forward BEFORE you get in a bind

If the ground is flat enough you can stack 2 rts in line and push them in that way. If they are really heavy get one through the door , then get the other one behind it and you can do the same thing. That really helps save time, especially for long hallways. As you get deeper in the trailer you can also pull 2 rts at a time to the lift gate(wooden floor this works great, metal floor not so much)

How did this week go Larry? Any better?