Starting out for rookies

it's busted HTML for the quote symbol. Used to see it all the time in MS Front Page. My guess is, he's using MSIE. But that's probably my personal bias speaking.

 

That is quirky quotes html. But I'm using Firefox. for some reason forum programs don't really like Firefox.

 

I use SeaMonkey instead of FireFox - I see the same silliness - but I meant that he was probably using MSIE to post. it's gonna look fine to him and any other MSIE user, but those of us with real browsers see periodic garbage thrown in by his browser.

 

Oh ok...now it makes sense.

 

I started with a small flat bed company, money wasn't great, but I do not have the horror stories alot of guts who went to a CDL mill and super carrier have.

 

Hey there HHP,

I'm a newbie about to start school and came across your post. How has your decision to go to school and become a truck driver worked out? Was it what you expected it to be?

Thanks

 

Okay, I saw the thread "paking list or new students", what about making a list for new truckers? I pretty much understand things like maps and what not, leave at home because the trainer will already have some....enough to take one as a souvinear even. And I dont plan to get nice sheets, etc. cause a sleeping bag will do till i am solo. But what about WHEN I am solo. I do have a briefcase, which was handy when i went to college to be an architect. Has nice areas to bring maps/guides, etc., and would be a good place for my laptop and/or ipod.

Maybe someone could take the time as to what to buy once a student driver becomes solo.

Also thought about how NASCAR drivers who are rookies, like Sam Hornish Jr., and the like, they have orange stickers on their bumper. Maybe till a student driver has a year under their belt, or "X" amount of miles, they have stickers on their tractor =)

 

By the time you go solo, and after asking and observing other drivers, you should have a pretty good idea which items will benefit you best.

Just keep in mind that a Big truck only has so much available storage. Many ideas and items will, at first, appear to be good ones, but not always.
And, if it doesn't work for you after trying it for awhile, ditch it or give it to another driver. It might work for them.
Don't be a collector.

Small items, like a Swiss Army Knife are sometimes more handy than carrying several larger items to accomplish a given task.

I recommend you NOT purchase and/or depend on items of lesser quality. There MAY come a time when you and/or other's well-being will depend on the quality of the tool you're using.
Failure may not be an option.
What's in YOUR wallet?
Believe me, need it once, and it's more than paid for itself. And it's better to have it and not need it, --- than to need it and not have it (to a point).

A HIGH QUALITY flashlight is a MUST, IMO.
Not some cheapo plastic carp.
An aluminum flashlight --- MAG-Light (lifetime guarantee), with main offices in Ontario, California -- not far from the truck stops -- in a Big truck accesable industrial area (at least the last time I was there. Call ahead to be safer) and will replace defective parts and all 0-rings on a walk-in basis. Fifteen minutes is not unusual. You can also purchase new lenses, reflectors, and bulbs (use the BETTER, brighter bulbs. Radio Shack can fix y'all up there, and have comparison information on the brightness and expected life for each bulb). CARRY A SPARE BULB --- MAG-Lights provide a place in the battery cap, under the spring. Two will fit.

I've also had excellent service from Brinkman flashlights.

Three or four D-cell battery styles are what I prefer. I have used as many as 6, but find it a tad too long, and not as handy.
Although, I did appreciate the little tag Brinkman included with that 6-cell flashlight. The ULTIMATE Protection From Darkness.
Hinting that, when swung like a bat it could clean a thug's clock.
Or ring their bell. :smt075

And a spare flashlight of equal quality is a good idea. Spare batteries, of course -- and a second flashlight is a good place to store the spares, ready to go if the first flashlight has weak batteries or blows a bulb.

The new LED flashlights might be the better choice. Or one of each.

NASCAR requires their rookies to display a
YELLOW bumper, ....... but I understand what'cher sayin'. I've thought the same thing on occasion.

Big truckin' companies switch trailers too often to have the stripe displayed there, and by the time it's seen on the tractor, it might be too late.

When I was a driver trainer of a large truckin' company, I was still able to remember how I wanted to be seen as a competent Big truck truck driver, and my trainers helped me do that.

Of the two excellent trainers I was assigned to, neither wore a patch, badge or name tag indicating they were TRAINING ENGINEERS or SAFETY ENGINEERS, as long as I didn't make my NewBeedom (or NewBeeDUMB) obvious.
They weren't prone to volunteering that information either.
If the other company drivers didn't know they were trainers, we tried to resemble a team, and acted that way.
Hmmmmmmmmm
I just realized sunthin'.
Part of Big truck truck drivin' is acting lessons.

Anyway --------------------

One of those trainers had a 16x20 sign that read,
Warning
Student
Driver
and threatened to tape it to the back of ANY trailer we were hooked to.
I didn't want that!
And it remained in the side-compartment.

As a driver trainer, I used the same incentive for trainees assigned to me -- and only used it BRIEFLY, twice.
The trainees got the message even before the general motoring public.

But, .......... I digress ------------------------

 

absolutely true. I started out - before I was ever hired - with a shopping list for my own truck. Having spent only 3 weeks on the road, that original list is toast. Only about 10% of the items on it are still there. The new list is even a little shorter - but a whole heck of a lot more reasonable. And I also know that about 25% of the list is fluff - nice things that can wait.

I recommend a multi-tool. I don't like leatherman - had two, lasted about a month each. Found one that's lasted a couple years now, and cost only $25. What's best about it is the fitting that allows me to use any of them thar interchangeable screwdriver heads.

Even does a dandy job opening those (^&*^(^ cable seals (nice lady at Sysco, SLC found that out a couple weeks ago. Almost stole my ... tool after I got her trailer open for her)

I recommend you NOT purchase and/or depend on items of lesser quality. There MAY come a time when you and/or other's well-being will depend on the quality of the tool you're using.
Failure may not be an option.
[/quote]
absolutely - the best you can possibly afford

I'm not sure - might depend on the application. I've found that the LED lights tend to distort color and spatial relationships a bit. For checking the 5th wheel and the locking jaws/bar - yeah. Other stuff, it messes me up.

Still, one or two of each...(I carry a LED type on my key ring)

I also like to have a mondo light (6 quadrillion candlepower) - but acknowledge that's probably a tip of the hat to my search and rescue past.

hay! that's MY job!

 

HeY!
Don't think I don't appreciate you doin' your job, Lurch --- 'cause I do.
YuP!
And you do it well.

Thanx to you,
I took the day off.
HaiL!
It's the 4th of July.

I seized the opportunity to consume an unknown quantity of Sierra Nevada Pale Ale.
And watched the fireworks. :smt030