Instant O/O and Load boards

I just talked to Pharm on the phone. He is doing just fine. He is almost to his destination. He is hoping to get un-loaded tonight. He has been dispatched to pick-up his next load in Augusta,Ga. on Monday. So far he is doing great. I thought I would give an update on his behalf.

 

Thanks for the update... I'm sure hes having a blast..

 

I don't think I'll ever forget my first run, and I'm sure there ain't a driver out there that won't. The feeling of helplessness is like no other I'd ever experienced. Especially when you realize that you're representing so much as far as truck drivers on the whole to the general motoring public (4-wheelers). I tried so hard to not make myself look like a rookie that I actually made myself a more obvious target.

Your analogy I quoted gave me a feeling that I don't want to forget. Every once in a while I sit back and get that feeling all over again, but now along with the rush of it all is a calming peace that comes with experience. As you can tell up there by my stats, I've only been driving for 5 years so there's still a lot of things I've yet to experience and some things I probably never will. However, the day to day routine things such as setting up your maneuvers to back in somewhere or planning your route will quickly become old hat. Of course, one can't be too careful and allow oneself to become overly confident otherwise one might find themselves making a phone call to ones boss explaining why the curb side trailer door is no longer attached to the trailer. In other words, there will be a new challenge just around the corner ready to make one look like the fool one is by being overly confident. Don't ask me how I know about this, please. The wounds are still healing.

During your first few months, it may seem to be too much at times and I think this is why a lot of people (especially those who entered trucking from a white collar type of job) don't make it past the first 6 months (I realize this most likely isn't an option for you due to your owning the truck). I recall a friend of mine, who is very intelligent and dare I say far more so than I, once got so frustrated that people who couldn't form a grammatically correct sentence could, for the most part, safely and efficiently operate an 80,000 lb, 500 horsepower, 70 foot long beast of a vehicle up and down the highways and in and out of tight docks, truck stop parking lots, etc. But yet, this friend couldn't figure out how to shift the truck without grinding the gears, or having to come to a complete stop and sometimes back up traffic due to losing a gear along with several other aspects to the job that this friend felt she should have just been able to learn more quickly. I completely understood my friend's frustrations, as I somewhat shared in that same thought process earlier in my career. All the training in every job I'd ever had prior to trucking came very easy to me and 95% of the time I was told that no one picked up on the ways of doing whatever job it was that I was doing at that time. Trucking was certainly more of a challenge for me. As a very basic example, I had no idea there were as many signs on the road as there are until I started driving. (Note: I obviously don't know you, Pharm, outside of what you've said on this thread and the site as a whole, so please don't assume I'm trying to insinuate anything regarding your character or personality.)

I know that you're aware of the fact that the road ahead of you isn't going to be an easy one, so I won't bother reminding you of that fact. (Oops, I reckon I already did!) I just want to encourage you that even when aspects of this job/lifestyle/adventure become mundane, discouraging, stressful and just a down right PITA, that maybe you too can bring back that feeling of what motivated you to make this very first trip that you're on right now.

For me, being a truck driver is the only thing I ever wanted to be when I was a child. I remember riding my bike a mile and a half down to I-55 in north central Illinois (just about 30 miles north of Bloomington, IL) and I'd stand on the overpass looking down at all the trucks zooming by and wondering what kind of stories they could tell, or what the inside of that truck looked like verses that one, or just how do those air horns and air brakes work, or how many miles they had traveled in the past week, or month, or year and what kind of sights did they see that some people may never get to see (or may not want to see)? And now, some 20 years later when I get the opportunity to pass by that same overpass, I look up at it wondering if there's ever been a kid do the same thing I once did and end up becoming a trucker. And while looking at that overpass, I wanna shout out loud, "I DID IT! I'm living MY dream!"

Of course the dream was always good, which completely contradicts reality.


Sorry for the long winded post, y'all. I think I wrote most of this stuff for my own benefit just as much as anyone elses. Every now and then we all need a reminder of why we started down the road that got us to where we are today, don't ya think?

 

Hi Pharm: We just finished reading all 34 pages in one sitting and we're on the edges of our seats waiting to find out what happens next. We admire your courage! A few pointers since you have been asking for advice. No. 1: Sleep every chance you get. No. 2. Safety first (or is that second???). No. 3: Don't let brokers or shippers push you -- they will but remember, safety first. If they're worth anything, they'll respect you for it. But then they'll push again. No. 4: Don't be afraid to ask for help backing into a parking spot or dock and don't sit on your butt watching somebody flail around trying to back in when they're obviously in need of a second set of eyes. I've been doing this for years and I still ask for help when I can't see what I'm doing. Hang in there.

 

That's a good way to lose your spot.

An old yard dog like me will come along and blindside into it while you're making a loop... Click here: http://www.thetruckersreport.com/tr...2-here-we-go-finally-o-o-2223.html#post641261

Hit the back row of the truckstop during the day, when it's mostly empty, and practice, practice, practice.

LOL... practice backing in beside the shiniest O/O rig you can find... they'll be more than willing to give you some pointers and lots of help backing in.

 

Did I see you behind a pilot in Charlotte on thursday around noon time? Saw a truck looked just like yours in picture with trailer of your description? Hope it all goes well for ya.

 

this is good advice.........but stay away from the back row at night or the cleaning ladies will keep you up all night. LOL.
Did your trailer have the load gauge on it? that is a good looking setup you have. Are you going to come across the mississippi or just around the southeast? i called and talked to Marci at beatrice NE office friday we are sending our paperwork to them monday i plan on calling her back and talk to her about the dedicated broker service.

 

LMAO. You'll get all kinds or free advice &, um, "helpful suggestions" if you follow that recommendation. Might even get a couple of new nicknames.

BTW, nice rig. Good luck with The Great White Hope.

 

Hey PP, Glad to see that everything is working out for you. Nice set up you got there. Now that the first load is behind you, the others will get easier as time goes by. Thanks for all the post, and good luck to you. Looking forward to my first load.