dedicated dollar accounts

This is hilarious. You're a stone cold rookie, what in the world makes you think that any company is going to trust you with a dedicated account. Count yourself lucky if you don't spend the next 6 months teaming 48 states with some fatso who makes you call him poohbah and demands half of all your cigarettes. The nerve of some drivers, I tell yah...

 

Lol thank good

 

from what i have read BOTH are labor intesive. they are both driver unload.

 

ClayC84, ignore everything TheCowboyState said. This dude has no clue what he's talking about. Why would any company trust you with a dedicated account ? Easy answer.....the turnover in trucking is 100%+. Their lucky if they can get you to do this. Rookies can get on just about any dedicated account with these Mega Carriers. You just have to ask.

My advice to you is don't do any of these Dollar Dedicated accounts. I'm guessing you want to do it because you'll be home weekly. Have you ever seen these stores ? Search this website and read the stories from those who have done these accounts. There is a lot of hard backing and then unloading a million items. As my wife says about these Dollar Accounts.....You haul a lot of Dollars but make None yourself ! Suck it up your first year and be open to staying out for 3-4 weeks till you have at least 6 months to a year experience.

What terminal are you at ? Where do you live ? US Xpress is a big company with A LOT of dedicated accounts. Let those of us here help you get on a better one.

 

Idk about the East coast but out here in the west every Dollar General is in the tiniest towns and has a very tight parking lot with no room to maneuver ... I would stay away from it being so new and wait until you have more experience to deal with that stress

 

wish you the best of luck on the new job

 

clay, if you do go with a Dollar account, you will find some of the stores were designed and built from "scratch" and some are converted from other businesses. The ones that are scratch-built will be easier to navigate and will be set up to handle the 53' dry van trailers you will be hauling. Unfortunately, you will probably find the converted stores extremely difficult to get around, as they were (probably) built to only accommodate a max 48' trailer. Also, look for access roads and signs like "truck route" to get you into the dock area in the rear of the stores. Try to avoid the parking lots if possible, as they are set up for cars, not navigating big trucks. You WILL end up rolling over some grass curbs, etc. Just watch out for the lights. In the dock areas, you have the "yellow deer" (yellow concrete poles about 4' high). It is VERY easy to miss seeing them, and they can cause some major damage to a trailer tandem (trust me on this).

I do agree with the previous poster. If you can, do an OTR stint for several months to get used to that big thing behind you, and how it is going to react. Over-steering when backing is the biggest issue I found when I just started out, (and I still do it occasionally). Remember when you were told to GOAL?? Do it. Seriously. Get out, look, learn how the trailer swings depending on the tandem setting. (backing). Remember, the shorter the wheelbase, the quicker the ###-end will turn. A longer wheelbase (tandems set as far back as legal) gives a slower swing, and can be more forgiving.

One more thing. SPEED IS NOT YOUR FRIEND. If you are uncomfortable with the speed you are going, back it down! Do not be embarrassed. Do not try to keep up with the other trucks. Do your OWN thing and be safe.

Good luck with your driving career. I personally love to drive, and wish I had started earlier in life. It can really be personally rewarding.