Im starting out really green

So....I got my cdl last month. I've been looking into some of the mega-haulers and some of the local companies around my area for a job. I was going to end up with Swift (they had the best hometime) when my school called me and said they had gotten a call from a company looking to start running drivers out of my area. I went down yesterday and talked to the OWNER of the company did some backing and he told me i had the job. He has been in business in Jersey for quite some time but lives in NY and wanted to start something closer to home.
I'm starting at .41 a mile, will be home EVERY weekend and one day during the week. I am thrilled.
So here is my dilemma. I dont exactly understand the HOS. I know i can drive 11 hours at a time with 10 hours off. And that i can only be on duty for 14 hours at a time. Are there mandatory breaks that have to be taken? I did just read the post about the 8 and 2 but do i have to take the two? or can i just get an hour to eat and whatever else and keep on truckin'?
I'll be driving a Freightliner Century Class. Anything i should know that will help me on the road if i should break down? Easy fixes? Things that always break on these trucks?
Also does anyone have any words of wisdom or anything else that would help me out? I really cant wait to begin this career and want to make sure that i know every thing that anyone could say that would help me out. I understand that most of this will come with the experience and getting miles under my belt, but the more you know....

 

My map reading skills are excellent. My daddy taught me to use a map. He drove for 41 years before he passed. They taught the load stuff and balancing the load. The scales is a different story. They showed them to me and told me to go in the truckstop and get the printout...but that was pretty much it.

 

Nope. The school focused on making sure that you didn't kill anyone driving basically. I wish i could have gotten some more instruction, but i watched my dad do his logs for so long that i can tell what i need to do.
I'm not going byway of swift. It's a real small company. I'll be one of 7 drivers to begin with. Actually the first one for this location. I just got off the phone with him and he said that he will go over everything i need to know before i get in the tractor.
It's gonna be my truck so that is a plus. Anybody have any comfort items that they would bring along on their first trip that would make it more comfortable? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Does anyone have a 12 volt coffee maker they carry in the truck? i drink at least a pot a day as it is now, mainly so i dont get the withdrawal headaches and it would save me a ton of money to fill my thermos in the truck. Cheaper to buy a gallon of water than to by coffee.