Help a trucker wannabe out!

..Okay my fine young friend,I'm hearing that you want an escape from your family, "freedom of the open road". also no more "boss breathing down you neck", yup thats right, instead, you'll have these folks & issues.. a dispatcher;a shipper;a receiver;a broker; bad weather; DOT inspections;a log book that just never seems to work in your favor (logging is an art-form and takes years to learn);and the same applies to driving a big rig, its an art-form if you do it properly.
Your wife gets in touch with you, theres an emergency at home...your company is not going to have a taxi take you to the nearest airport, you'll be lucky if they even get you a dispatch going in that general direction..
Have you ever heard the term lumper? These guys charge you to load (sometimes) and unload (most-times) the freight you have in your trailer..Thats a whole nuther ball-game young man..
Consider this, you've been up almost all night driving to your destination, mother luck is on your side and you arrive on time, only to be told that the freight is driver unload and you cannot use their forklift, but you're welcome to use the pallet jack..
No big deal, right? Oops, the freight has to be broken down.That is separated and re-palletized..Several hours work at best..Will you get paid like a lumper, not a chance..Now you get to see the open road and freedom.. The next load is 200 miles away,you'll be in rush hour traffic and the shipper closes at 1800 hours.. Lets see, its only 1400 hours.Divide 200 by 4 hours and you've got to average 50 mph to make it, piece of cake..
Just hope the scales are closed,traffics not too heavy etc., because if you get DOT'd your log book has you in the bunk sleeping..BUSTED....you drive the rig like you stole it and get to the shipper att 1745, made it..Wrong, they're open til 1800, but they stop shipping at 1700.. You're in the middle of no where; wore slam out; and so you call you dispatch and give them the news..
Nothing you can say will convince them that you did'nt goof off some where or you would be getting loaded.."Call back in 30 minutes" they say.
Are you starting to get the real picture? I could go on for hours and hours my young friend..Its not just about making it in small quarters. Shakey...HAPPY TRAILS...

 

Hey Shakey, I believe ORG will be able to handle all that at once and do it with a smile while at the same time looking forward to the next day! See the difference?

 

Not bad buddy BUT...don't forget that DOT medical card.

 

Oh yeah, make sure you bring your long form medical card and the card itself. They will need both. I would also recommend you bring your laptop. You are going to have a lot of time just sitting around. Plus we all want to know how you are doing!

 

Man do I hear the "can't sleep part" loud and clear. I know all these fine folks have known you longer than me and encouraged you to get to school, but if it ever does come to you thinking it was a mistake, (I of course, know it never will), I sure hope you don't hold helping you through the pre trip and shifting against me..."TOO MUCH"....LOL

I'll bet you are on both accounts (anxious & relieved). But come Monday a whole new leg of your adventure will begin. I know you're about to become very busy and "focused" on the next step. I hope you'll have the opportunity to keep in touch with me from time to time buddy. I really do enjoy our conversations.

I've read so much on here about good and bad mentors. Obviously I can't speak to that myself but what I do know after seeing you in action is this. If you get even a so so mentor, you'll do fine if you simply listen, absorb and don't "interrupt" hehe...YOU know what I mean buddy.

What's this?? Is this the same "worry" I saw in you about so many other segments of this journey?? The same self doubt about that pre trip, shifting, learning and passing the backing skills?? I SURE HOPE SO because if it is, You'll conqueror it all as successfully as you did all that. You were pretty hard on yourself about all that and that's GOOD IMHO.

Why? Some folks allow self doubt to hold them back while others use it as a tool to look deep within and analyze those aspects of themselves that need attention. I think it's pretty clear which category YOU belong to my friend. Just remember buddy, orientation is simply the next bite of the elephant...right?

Nothing irrational about that as I had the same thoughts. Of course, perhaps that simply means we're both being irrational? Perhaps. But non the less, it's a justifiable concern. A pretty large part of my life sits on this laptop so I've decided to take a 500gig USB hard drive and burn an image of the whole system to it. That way, should I lose it or it gets broken, at least all I have to do is replace the unit. I've also made sure that I password protected EVERYTHING on it so it can't be accessed by anyone but me.

Yep! BIG changes ahead buddy and I for one simply can't wait to get going. Ever since I climbed out of that truck after a month OTR I've wanted nothing more than to climb right back in. I miss school for that reason and I've actually thought about stopping in there to see if the instructors would let me run around the yard some...LOL

Like you, I had no idea just how much would be involved in getting into this though. Sure wish it was 20 or more years ago or there was a shortage of drivers right now. I suspect there IS a shortage of "good" ones but it's impossible (it seems) to convince anyone we are... or, at least will be as we grow and learn from here. But we'll just have to see what happens from here.

I believe you'll have your pick of whoever you want. Choose wisely grasshopper.

 

Geez a girl goes away for a few days and you boys go and get all ''truck driver like!!'' BAWAHHAAAA!! I saw those few inuendos and OMG ORG it's a truckers forum so rip it up occasionally trust me you will need to!! OKAY do NOT blame me I am just an innocent bystander with pom poms in the corner! Me and Aftershock (tee hee) would both look great in cheerleader outfits!!!!

Seriously though ORG it has been a ride and half so far and now with the prehires coming in I can see where you are starting to get nervous and just want to *hit* the asphalt! Sounds like alot of the companies that you are looking at and are looking back at you are what are considered the ''bottomfeeders'' but of course as I have said before it can be what you make of it! Another newbie I have referenced here (oldnewbiegonnabe) JUST finished up his training with Swift and should be in the process of testing out and getting his keys! There are several *key* TTR (well ones I follow around LOL!) that work at Swift and really have no complaints. NO company will be perfect or without problems. Just make sure you keep your left door closed, offer to help out and be available to take what ever load and not refuse things! In other words do your job!

Just FYI on your list of 'stuff' to take. Make sure you do read thru packing list for newbs on here. Remember you will be sharing your jail cell ooopppps I mean the sleeper berth with another human being for anywhere from 5-8 weeks depending on your training hours. You will be ON YOUR TRAINER'S TRUCK- really. If you talk to the trainer ahead of time ask him what's on there. I would say what fits into 2 bags would be it! not suitcases either harder to shove into small spaces. No to the lounge chair...too big. Laptop yes you will want to play on TTR when you are BORED BAHHAAAWWAAAHHHAA no really that way you can continue to keep us peons entertained! basically you need clothes for a week, shower gear/bag, laundry soap, maps etc that you all mentioned. You will be surprised at most of the crap you really don't need.

And on ONE LAST NOTE! (*on a roll now*) you will look sexy wrapped in orange and looking like a pumpkin if Schneider hires ya! If you are a Swifty I will be waving at you some day on the NYS Thruway as you eat my dust governed at 62MPH!!!!!!

okay one last last note: don't forget that besides the Truckers Report being informative it's also a place where you meet some great people and have some fun! Nice to see that ORG you now are thru so much and at the point you can have some fun now!!!!!