Ten days on the road and I'm a-gonna make it home tonight!

I drove 2300 miles, backed into a few tight docks, dropped, hooked, and generally drove my buns off.




Day 1, started off with a blind-side 45 into a cheese factory (this is Wisconsin, after all) and followed up with this one into a dock designed for 40-foot trailers. Not so easy with a 53 and no experience. But it's in there.



Another tight dock, this one on day 3 (or 4, they sort of run together) at a chemical plant in S. Carolina. Picked up 44,000 pounds of mica, dropped it off at a drywall factory, and then swept all the dust out of the trailer.







(If you've ever sat in a Century you know how I staged this one )

So far so good. No accidents, and only a couple of pucker-worthy moments. Hauling it down on the interstate to stop for a backup that just appeared out of nowhere, driving through Chicago, and some back roads in Kentucky (lots of hills and no shoulder). Learning the Qual-com, paperwork, and all that stuff. They'll make a driver out of me yet!

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He ain't wrong, he's just different, but his pride won't let him do things to make you think he's right.

Keep 'em coming Moses. ...and dust that dash

Good luck n be safe!

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"Contentment isn't only measured in dollars." AfterShock

One more incident I just remembered. We'd been running all week in pre-pass states, and then came to Michigan, where they don't use it. So I'm tooling right along, waiting for the beep that never came, and had to whip into line from cruising speed before I passed the ramp (good thing the box was empty). So if you were in that blue Volvo I cut in front of in line, I apologize.

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He ain't wrong, he's just different, but his pride won't let him do things to make you think he's right.

That tight dock you showed is for flats. That is what we deal with everytime we hit a dock, plus we have that 10 foot spread to deal with. A lot of people say flats don't back. If you are a newbie considering flats so you don't have to back remember a lot of these docks are built for 96's 102's are even tighter. Here is a tip for you. Take your tarps out of the box and put them on the deck before you back in if you want the the fork truck to put them on top of the load. You sure are not going to get them out once you back in the hole....

Most docks for vans are even with the end of the building. The ones like this are designed to load and unload from the side.

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

That's what I figured, but they wanted it there.

Good tip on getting the tarps out first!

And as far as flats backing, I saw a Melton driver lose both tires on his right-front while backing into a TS. Blew 'em right off the rim.

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He ain't wrong, he's just different, but his pride won't let him do things to make you think he's right.

Glad you're doing well. This is a good company to get started with.

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This is my winch bar. There are many like it, but this one is mine. It is my life. I must master it as I must master my life. Without me my winch bar is useless. Without my winch bar, I am useless.

So far they've treated me well. Except the trainer made me drive through Chicago construction traffic

As for the shorts and tennies (I know somebody out there is shaking his head at the decline of the image) it was good and hot when that pic was taken. If the weather's decent I have on blue jeans and work boots.

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He ain't wrong, he's just different, but his pride won't let him do things to make you think he's right.

So long as you look presentable at customers, there is no reason not to be comfortable. With the exception of flatbedding, jeans and work boots aren't really necessary. As for Chicago, be thankful you did it with a trainer the first time. Mine was solo, and was the heaviest traffic I'd ever been in.

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This is my winch bar. There are many like it, but this one is mine. It is my life. I must master it as I must master my life. Without me my winch bar is useless. Without my winch bar, I am useless.

Yeah, Chicago traffic can be a real nightmare! The only good time to go through Chicago is at about 3 am. I did it quite a few times in a two week span once. I'd grab a load out of a paper mill in Green Bay, WI, drop it at a Chicago railyard, bobtail down to Lafayette, IN to grab a brand new trailer out of Wabash, and roll right back up to Green Bay. Can you say BORING!

Good luck out there Moses, and keep it between the ditches!

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I didn't say it was your fault, I said I was going to blame you.

Dynamite comes in small packages, Nitro comes in smaller ones, take your pick!

Well, if you ever find a stretch of road in chicago that does not have construction, then you missed your turn,, because you are no longer in chicago!

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