Tanker work provides a little exercise. Hauling hoses around and climbing on top of the tank to tighten dome lids and clean out caps.

Old man


On a serious note..... take a couple thousand units of liquid vitamin E!!!!!! I take any where from 2000 to 4000 a week. It makes a HUGE difference, and vit E is pretty cheap. ITS GOT TO BE THE LIQUID capsules!!!!!! Regular vit E won't work.

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I could have told you I was old! My body tells me every time I start to do something!

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My childhood dream of becoming a truck driver turned into a nightmare!

Not too terribly long after I started driving, I blew out the tendons in my left knee while trying to lift a truck transmission. It was ugly, is all I can say about that. A long time ago, no insurance, didn't go to the hospital. Didn't walk for a month, either. At least, not normally.
When I finally got back into a truck and start pushing in that clutch, the bone would literally come out of the socket to the side. Although it didn't hurt, I had to let go of the clutch as I couldn't push it in.

It took a long time (as I said, if I had insurance, I would have gone and had the knee surgery and it wouldn't have been an issue) - even a year after that incident, my knee would come out of the socket, it was plain freaky. Forced me to abandon double-clutching and taught me to downshift to the point my brake usage was - as little as possible, cause' I did NOT want to push that clutch in if I came to a complete stop.

Although I never did have the knee "fixed", I don't have a problem with it now. Then again, that thing about downshifting never left me - I just don't use the clutch that much. My knee creaks here and there, but that's the extent of it.

Ever try using your right foot to push the clutch in? Lol.

as far as auto's go for training you want a manual. if you train and test on an auto you will have an auto restriction (you can only drive autos) on your cdl. when i went through my training my left knee did hurt but pain killers (otc) worked my personal was tylonal (sp) now my left leg is stronger than my right and i some times find my self walking in circles (lol) when you go to the gym the first time you cant bench press 300 lbs and 100 lbs makes your arms jelly then after a while 100 lbs is nothing and you can do 300 lbs. it all comes with exercise

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Pumpkin Driver - we got problems but so does every one else
Army Driver
"Wars come and go, but my soldiers stay eternal." tupac

My issue is more of geting some slight pain after pushing the clutch in many times in a day; the somewhat short range of motion in this movement seems to aggrivate something in my knee joint. regular walking and even leg exercises don't give me any problem. I guess it's kind of like when people get carple tunnel syndrom from using the mouse and having to click those tiniy movements with their finger.

may pain killers be your friend find what works the best for over the counter products and stock up. not ideal but you wont have the pain

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Pumpkin Driver - we got problems but so does every one else
Army Driver
"Wars come and go, but my soldiers stay eternal." tupac

Hmmm...I don't know how true that is everywhere. My hubby's bestfriend took his CDL test here in Texas in an auto and he does not have a restriction. As a matter of fact he is now driving for J.B. Hunt and does not have an auto.

As far as what companies use autos - I know that USXpress does and so do IDC. Other than that I am not too sure.

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No Carb Diet! No Cheney. No Ashcroft. No Rumsfeld. No Bush.
January 20, 2009 End of an Error!!
I think...therefore I'm a...Libertarian!

Unless you drive a slow wagon for Swift, that is. When you drive for SwiftQuit, you'll also strengthen the muscles in your light-switch hand. This comes from signaling all the drivers who pass you at night.

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--Paved Dudley--

Yeah I drive a Swift truck
And that means one thing
It means she's slow
It's a typical company truck
It's just all show and no go

I'm gettin' passed by Yella
And even Overnite
I'm gettin' passed by ever' body in sight
46 days on the road
And I'm not gettin' home tonight

No, my hometown's nowhere in sight
And if you think I'm pissed off
You're right
46 days on the road
And I'm not gettin' home tonight


Love pissing off those trucking company insiders.

I tested on an auto when I had my CDL renewed, that was the only truck they had. They said it didn't matter and I would get a regular CDL. I passed the test and did not receive any restrictions on my CDL.
BTW, I HATE auto tranny's in trucks, especially on hills and would never want to drive one again.