Abilene Motor Express....A New Place To Call Home

Let me introduce myself. I am about ready to make the jump to Abilene. I've got a ton of questions about the company. I know that NO company is perfect and the we all human. And mistakes will and do happen.

A little about myself. I've been the transportation industry for over 13 years. My family a owned company running B class vehicles. It was a small company. I was a Jack of all trades. It was great working there and wish that we could have continued running, but the the financial numbers said it was time to close.

Now to the questions. I just up graded my cdl from B to A. I've got every endorsment you can have. What is the training like at the company like???

Are there apu's in the trucks?

Are any of guy's/lady's running out west?

I live just outside of Albuquerque NM. I am used to running in the mountains and snow. What is the chain policy?

Is it possible to be out for 7 to 10 days and be home for 2?

Thanks

 

Talked with Sandra today and orientation is scheduled for Wednesday, August 24th. Drug test and physical is scheduled about a week before.

 

I had another question to bother you with, sir. If you take home time outside of your home state for 2 or 3 days (i.e. to visit my daughter in Jacksonville) is it ok to park at a truckstop? Or do you have to find a "privately-owned" place to park?

 

I saw an odd sight today in ohio on 35.....what appeared to be one of our regular trailers...not leasing(atleast not marked that way) being pulled by what appeared to be a fully marked white swift company truck....

It was going in as i was going out....hope not many drivers are sitting in rva still

 

We have an owner op here that has a black and white paint job on his truck, and ANDCO is pulling our trailers but I think all their trucks are KWs. I hope swift isn't. Would that make us Green swift?

 

I'll answer what I can. Training questions @MidWest_MacDaddy as I did not train here. I'm sure he can answer all of those.

No Apu's.

Teams run west. Some solos do also. I think it's the luck of the draw. But if you hired on, you'd go out west alot in your honeymoon phase.

I'm not sure what the chain policy is. We do have chains. But I think I recall someone saying it's up to the driver. It's not forced for you to chain up and roll if you do not feel safe to do so.

Home time is one day off for every week out. So I'm sure if you wanted to work 12-14 days off 2, maybe 3 if you communicate well that'd be ok. When I ran otr I would stay out 3 weeks with 4 days off. It's all about communication with your fleet manager. Call them on the phone. See them in person if your at the terminal. Voice all concerns. "Squeaky wheel gets the oil"

Ask any questions you may have here. We're an ok group as long as your not vegan. I'm kidding. We'll help any way we can.

 

After that brief infomercial...back to regular programming. Im on the gatorade merry go round so here are some thoughts

They are keeping me rolling. Got sent move back to wytheville and gonna be there tomorrow....asked if they could keep rolling and id get up after my ten instead of timing an empty around 730, hour later got load to mtntop

Yesterday at my pu, was able to legally scale only 300 or so miles into a full fuelup, as leaving another abilene wasnt so lucky..returned with scale ticket

Columbus ohio ref gatorade, not great truck planning, in no particular order - road closed, detour, missed or missing detour signs, low clearance on recievers road, 2 lane roads, T intersections from and onto 2 lanes, 2 90 degree curves close together (go right then left real quick), meeting another truck while in double curve, all while passing large warehouse full of trailers after large warehouse full of trailers. And the best....if u are last truck friendly turn or place less than 1 mile before low clearance, some markings BEFORE, not AFTER, the entrance would be nice....

But all is well...knowledge gained, and driver and all equipment used is in same condition as 0450 this am when brakes were released.

 

Thanks for the info. Vegetarian/Vegan Indian wordDuh for poor hunter. I like my steak to jump when I stick a form in them. With no apu's, are driver allowed to idle their trucks to run ac's or heaters?

 

Yes. Trucks have an idle sensor on them. I can't remember the Temps but if it gets so hot it will idle, so cold it will idle. All trucks have the bunk heaters too. Plus our trucks cone with built in fridge/freezer and inverter. 1800 watt I think. But long story short, I idle. I've never had anyone say anything to me about my idle time since I've been here.

 

I usually run 23 straight up to Williams TR, then TR on Groveport Rd. Whse will be on your L