They give you a few permits and some crappy maps(Bring your own map). They want you to highlight the correct route. One used to be a route around San Antonio on 1604. I forgot which way you are supposed to go, but it is is confusing and it looks as though you are supposed to go east, but its says north or some ####. Its just making sure what you are reading is correct and follow the complete route from beginning to end and then reverse it and read it the other direction to make sure.

They ask a few obvious questions about how to find the center of a load. For example: How do you find the Center of the load on an excavator or any other tracked vehicle? The answer is obvious. You look where it tips when you drive it up on the trailer.

They also ask you how to find the center of a trailer. Of course you measure from the center of the axle groups. This is all common sense too. If you have two groups of 3 axles on the rear with a stinger you measure from the center axles and divide in half. That is the center.

They also ask other simple questions like: What do you do if you get hung up on a railroad track and there is an escort behind you. A train starts coming as well. The answer is you back over the escort's car if he won't move or is out of the vehicle. You also call the railroad if you truly get hung up. Not the police.

Another one they ask is what do you do when you pull onto a job site? The answer is you ride up into the site beforehand with your escort if you are a ###### like me so you don't cost Anderson $10000 to have a crane turn you around.

One more they mention is how many inches do you run your high pole from the max heigth? You run it 6" higher and you creep under bridges if it goes off. Your escort should follow you and you should creep as he is following you.

On the lease deal,can you go home when you want (like a true O/O),or only when ATS say's you can? That's the make or break with me.

They seem to be more willing to please, but I'm guessing its 3 weeks out unless you are lucky enough to be near a major account of theirs. They used to haul the #### out of Varco Pruden and they had a few guys that lived near the plant in Wisconsin.

They recommend three weeks out. You get one day off for each week you are out. You are not limited to this. You can go home whenever you want. Remember, you are not making money when you go home. You can easily get behind in your lease payments if you spend too much time at home.

Most successful ATS lease drivers will stay out at least three weeks.

I was in the northeast, so i was whenever i wanted. I had a dedicated run, so i was actually home everyday, which was pretty cool. I lost my dedicated customer, cause whenever I took the a weekend off, the drivers covering for me were always late. One guy was a day late because he fell asleep at the truck stop 10 minutes away!!

The classification system leaves a little to be desired, IMO.

I spent 99% of last year being 175' long, and 84,000 lbs hauling Clipper blades, but because I have no experience at all behind a height pole, they bumped my DOWN a class to 3.

That makes no freakin' sense whatsoever, but that's big companies for you.

They told me in 30 days they will route me back to St. Cloud, and I can test into class 2, so hopefully they keep their word.

Also, my first load was a disaster. 115 mile deadhead, 300something loaded, and sit for the entire holiday weekend.

Pretty stupid when I live in Wisconsin, especially considering how much these guys haul for Manitowoc Crane.

Anyone ever have a claim for damaged cargo? Let's say for instance...you know...hypothetically if a guy stepped on an air conditioner unit while he was tarping it, because you cant tell where to and not to step, and AC units are a pain to haul, and it was his first frickin load...what would happen?

I'm not sure, I've never had a cargo claim. How badly was it damaged? Can you fix it? I have never had to tarp any airconditioner I have ever hauled.

Basically what happened was that I was climbing on top of these things, and stepped into a part that looked solid, but in fact turned out to be a flap to direct airflow or something.

I dunno. I should probably just fess up to it. Not doing so would probably be worse if they found out...

Did you get the extra insurance for cargo claims? If so, it shouldn't cost too much. Yes, if you can't fix it, reporting it would be best. If delivering to a job site, usually the contractor will tell you as long as it works they don't care. Just note it on the BOL. If a claim is filed you are covered, if one isn't filed, you are covered. Look in the Driver Handbook for the specific instructions on how to report damaged cargo.

I just hauled some parts out of Manitowoc Cranes. There were 148 peices going to Houston for shipment overseas.

When you talk to your dispatcher it never hurts to give them suggestions. They can speak with your Load Planner and they just might have what you as for. You never know.

I wanted to get to Texas. I told the Planner I was going to sit for a while to see if a load to Texas became available, I got a load offer to Texas a few minutes later.