Do new drivers use gps? Truck driver stuck on the highway ramp

Give it a shot, I think things are really going to pick up in trucking. If you are single and with little debt, you might be in on the ground floor of something good. Trust me, I would not be saying that if Trump were not president. Normally I would not recommend this field to anyone. As far as getting a truck, I can only speak for myself. it is a love hate relationship and can be very costly if you purchase the wrong unit. I would stay away from all EPA emission trucks. Don't worry about the ELD, as I can see the HOS being revised here in the near future if what I am seeing out here is to be the new norm. Which is late deliveries and pickups due to a lack of any flexibility in the HOS. I believe that will be changed.

But yeah, if you can afford to starve for a bit, it can be a rewarding occupation. I do it for the freedom it offers. I work when I want to work, as I am not a 9 to 5 guy. But, all I own is paid for, including the truck and the house. I have no real bills to speak of, and have no credit cards. Just a lease on my Chevy Silverado, insurance and utilities.

If you do go the ownership route, it would be a good idea to learn how to wrench on this new truck of yours, these shops today will rape you, especially on an EPA truck. learn your mechanics and operation of these diesel motors and the trucks systems. That is what will make or break you out here.

 

Yep. That was the saving bacon right there.

Due to the width of my load it was a no no to go through Austin, TX on I-35. My Rand McNally is difficult to input turn by turns and it went haywire just before I was supposed to exit onto a loop. Then Google Maps went haywire, constantly telling me to do a U-turn. I cancelled the route on both of them to avoid the distractions pulling a 10'4" trailer through construction zones. Don't get me started on why the permitted route goes through narrow concrete barriers like that.

Because I had spent a couple of hours the night before studying the route, I never really needed the paper cheat sheet. Once I was back on I-35 south of Austin there were no more detours, so it was safe to bring up the route on the Rand McNally.

 

I lease my truck to an outfit out of Canada, we run auto parts around Michigan, Ohio and Indiana. I rarely leave Michigan, and we do not go into Canada, but they are talking about it.

Right now, I am not interested in the least in regards to turning my authority back on. The rates I am getting here, even after their cut are better than anything I could get in this field as an independent. And carrying 3 million cargo and liability is not cheap, so I work for them. I still do much of what I did as an independent, I just don't have the headaches, which is worth it to me. Get your CDL, it won't hurt you, and keep it, it is a good insurance policy if everything goes South. Trucking is the one occupation that will get you three squares and a cot if the sheet hits the fan.

Like your limo business, there is a learning curve here, trust me on that, as I am still learning every day out here. And it is not for everyone, I know more guys that got into this and quit than actually stayed.

 

I just bought a dry erase board the size is 8.5x11 the same size as a sheet of paper. I will write down the bulk of directions on it and simply erase each step as I go.

Anyone else use a dry erase board? Or am I the only weirdo lol

 

Whatever works. I used to use a notebook, 6" x 9", that way I have it if I ever needed the directions again.

 

I've teamed with drivers that use the windshield as their "erase board". All the directions are right in front of them. I haven't done it, but it does make sense.

 

Google maps is pretty good to have...agreed.