Navigation For Newbies (emphasis On Parking Lots)

Cones won’t help. You won’t have time for them and 4 wheelers would just run them over anyways Just go slow and if there is not enough room to get straight in the parking lot do NOT nose in. That’s when you back in off the highway. Managers won’t help and the ones that do have no idea how to back a truck. More than likely they will give you the wrong corrections if they do help.

I did all of my training with Werner on the dollar general account and I had a very good and thorough trainer so that helped a lot.

Good luck if you decide to go that route . As others have said there are easier options out there. It was a great job for me but it is not for everyone. The unload gets easy after awhile but at first it is a bit harder than you think it will be

Larry . That’s a great unload time for your trailers. I told you when you started that you would get faster. Keep it up!

I was watching Hussle.Motivate like someone suggested on here and they got out of DG because of shipments consistently being late or being loaded very sloppy. Have you experienced any of that? And do you think you could make more with Sysco or U.S. Foods getting paid hourly?

There are times when the warehouse got behind and sometimes you get badly loaded trailers but it’s something that you get used too. I have heard of Sysco trucks being poorly loaded as well. And backing is just as bad if not worse!!much worse

IMO food service such as Sysco, us foods is much harder work than dollar general.

I made a lot of money when working DG but there were others that had worked there longer that didn’t make nearly what I made. I’m assuming food service delivery is the same. Rob T can confirm or deny this.

Flatbed , dryvan , reefer…imo is all about hustle. people who work at the same company have wildly varying paychecks because trucking is performance based. Alot of things are based on the individual driver. Some drivers “get it” quicker than others.

I Left the DG account because my wife needed me home more. Wasn’t because of the workload, backing, or poorly loaded trailers.I honestly miss it and keep nagging her to let me get back on the road. Whether I go back to DG or try something new like flatbedding. I always had an interest in flatbed.

There are times when the warehouse got behind and sometimes you get badly loaded trailers but it’s something that you get used too. I have heard of Sysco trucks being poorly loaded as well. And backing is just as bad if not worse!!much worse

IMO food service such as Sysco, us foods is much harder work than dollar general.

I made a lot of money when working DG but there were others that had worked there longer that didn’t make nearly what I made. I’m assuming food service delivery is the same. Rob T can confirm or deny this.

Flatbed , dryvan , reefer…imo is all about hustle. people who work at the same company have wildly varying paychecks because trucking is performance based. Alot of things are based on the individual driver. Some drivers “get it” quicker than others.

I Left the DG account because my wife needed me home more. Wasn’t because of the workload, backing, or poorly loaded trailers.I honestly miss it and keep nagging her to let me get back on the road. Whether I go back to DG or try something new like flatbedding. I always had an interest in flatbed.

How ARE the new 'digs' doing ya, PapaRay? I raised up that thread a bit ago; don't think you replied!

(Now watch, I'll be a dum arske liar, for not checking first, hahaha!)

Just to throw this in, You're a great guy for listening to the 'likes' of the missus!! All that aside, the hustling you have put in with the DG at Werner, pieces & parts here: Papa Pig & the ... Lift Gates!

The 'Rolltainer' fun continues: Rolltainers ROLL !! (OR?)

You, my good sir, seem like an awesome candidate for flatbedding. With your experience, strength, background, and wherewithal, you should be able to land some good stuff!

A few that I'd love, were I you .. LoL! Hogan Transportation (cars, etc..) Drive4Hogan.com ~ Erroll could help ya! Link wouldn't cooperate; sorry!

Good ole' raw flabed, for experienced drivers: Keim TS..near you!

Another one that liked Tom; Transport National: Heavy Haul / Experienced Drivers. We still hear from them; they are all over, between you & I , too!

Okay, I'm good..... More later, perhaps? Ask G'Town and Old School, for Pete's sake; look at THEM bad boys go!! Would you ever entertain Prime's flatbed fleet? Chief Brody and previously Turtle, sure are/were taken great care of!

That's not EVEN mentioning the others, with smaller gigs, that share on here OFTEN, but not oft enough, haha!

Let us in on the latest, Papa Pig.... Good to see ya, man!

Thanks for stopping in, as always;

~ Anne & Tom ~

Cones won’t help. You won’t have time for them and 4 wheelers would just run them over anyways Just go slow and if there is not enough room to get straight in the parking lot do NOT nose in. That’s when you back in off the highway. Managers won’t help and the ones that do have no idea how to back a truck. More than likely they will give you the wrong corrections if they do help.

I did all of my training with Werner on the dollar general account and I had a very good and thorough trainer so that helped a lot.

Good luck if you decide to go that route . As others have said there are easier options out there. It was a great job for me but it is not for everyone. The unload gets easy after awhile but at first it is a bit harder than you think it will be

Larry . That’s a great unload time for your trailers. I told you when you started that you would get faster. Keep it up!

I was watching Hussle.Motivate like someone suggested on here and they got out of DG because of shipments consistently being late or being loaded very sloppy. Have you experienced any of that? And do you think you could make more with Sysco or U.S. Foods getting paid hourly?

I suggest trying to take something less stressful that DG or foodservice your first year. Your first year should be dedicated to learning how to safely maneuver your truck and trailer. With foodservice you're a lumper that happens to drive a truck. I got my start with PFG 2 wheeling a 28' trailer everyday usually 15-20k pounds. Depending on the day I could have 10-25 stops. I made it through my first year without any accidents but I consider myself lucky. I believe a large reason was because I'm in a much smaller metro area (Des Moines IA) than most in the country. Out in Vegas the guys/gals with seniority will have the gravy runs like dropping pallets at casinos. You'll be stuck with the mom and pop restraunts in shopping centers that nobody else wants to do for a variety of reasons. My first year I made about 85k. I kept a diary about my experience doing Foodservice as a rookie

Anne, things are ok. I just get a bit bored from watching and being repetitive instead of doing.

I think if I venture into flatbed I would like to try maverick. But I really do miss doing dg tbh. (Miss those fat paychecks too)Lol Primes hometime is a little too sparse for me

You don't need a paycheck. You have the big retirement bucks coming each month.

Brian,

Have you thought about starting off with flatbed?

Brian,

Have you thought about starting off with flatbed?

The only company that has entry level flatbed jobs in my area is Western Express. I would have to go OTR and I don't want that.

Anne, things are ok. I just get a bit bored from watching and being repetitive instead of doing.

I think if I venture into flatbed I would like to try maverick. But I really do miss doing dg tbh. (Miss those fat paychecks too)Lol Primes hometime is a little too sparse for me

PapaPig,

You KNOW Werner (or ANY DG hauling company) would LOVE to have you back, haha! Yeah, I couldn't handle your job, either. I'm a 'handsy' type of person; would drive me nuts!

Maverick sure IS a top notch flatbed company, by their #'s it seems .. plus their hometime. A couple more you may want to look into, are Boyd Brothers and Keim TS. I highly suggest you check them out, if you DO decide to go flatbed. You miss exercise & action, not to mention the 'challenges' I bet.

Let us know what becomes, good sir.

Glad to see you stop back!!

~ Anne ~

Brian,

Have you thought about starting off with flatbed?

The only company that has entry level flatbed jobs in my area is Western Express. I would have to go OTR and I don't want that.

Brian;

Have you, also, looked into Boyd Bros. and Keim TS? Keim even has a TRAINING program, as of recently. I've spoken with both lately; you may not have. You could check Hogan, as well.

Worth a look see!

~ Anne ~