When am I no longer considered a new driver?

You know I had a similar thought not long ago. I was driving in the wee morning hours, radio off, just thinking. And I started thinking about if I'm now the old guy in our company.

We have 18 other drivers where I work. The oldest is 68 years old, the youngest being 23. I'm right in the middle at 37. I've held a CDL since the age of 18, but didn't start driving full time until I was 27, so call it ten years of full time driving.

With the exception of the 68 year old, and one other fellow who's in his 60's, I've held a CDL longer than the rest of the guys. I've been pulling dry bulk tankers longer than all of them. I don't say any of this to brag, I'm not proud of being 37 years old....

But now I find myself teaching the older drivers some things about unloading the trailers and, quite honestly, driving in general. And the guys younger than me I swear have me on speed dial.

All that being said, even though I'm not officially the old guy in terms of age, have I really become the 'old guy'?

 

1. Wannabe
2. Student (got out of school)
3. Rookie (needs hand holding)
4a. NonDriver (he can legally drive, but he can’t drive because he he’s too stupid or chickenshat ...usually calls people who can drive “Supertrucker”)
4b. Supertrucker (the bottom of the line Driver. Can actually drive, but is a slacker, lacks ambition. Wants everyone to believe that he is the end all be all of trucking. Has pulled every load known to man, has the biggest pecker, financially wealthy, supermodel wife, ex navy seal, big mouth liar.
5. Driver. Ready to go to work, no hand holding needed, self starter. Will run circles around any Supertrucker without even trying hard. A driver can drive ANYTHING on planet earth.
6. Trucker. The organic part of a truck. Truckers come in 2 forms.
a. The Machine. The Machine runs constant. Constant miles, regardless of weather or traffic or location.
b. Supernatural. Specialize in the “impossible.” Road demons and highway gods. Vampire trucker? Road demon.

 

Oddly enough, a guy I went to class with used to call me 'supertrucker' just because I ran 11 west 2500-3500mi/wk and he stayed local maybe doing 3-400mi/wk. I never considered myself anything but green until I bought a truck and now I realize how green I really am. I never take any load for granted, never assume that my securement is always tight, and drive (most of the time) like I've got fragile stuff on the deck.

 

When am I no longer considered a new driver?


when you change your underwear, after going down your first mountain pass....

 

I'm pretty sure we've all gone down a grade and had an "oh ####" moment once or twice.

My first one was at the top of cabbage when I lost a gear, my second was monteagle when I discovered my new trucks Jakes didn't work.

 

I remember when I was in school and also when I was new. And in some ways Im still a little kid. That has been helpful but somewhat off putting to see others are too stiff and formal or whatever to engage in some horseplay.

A long time ago on our first team assignment in Little Rock, we were to go to Russelville and drop our trailer and the other company driver gets our trailer and gives us his going to Memphis. What came across the qualcomm was not recognizable. So we called the dispatcher to get clarification.

It turned out that he just honorably discharged from the US Army at 23 not long before we came along and we were essentially his first dispatched trucks.

Oh boy..*rubs hands with a glimmer of mischief in my eyes.. whoo doggie is this going to be FUN.

But I detected a note of I AM NEW! and we just told him look. All we want with this trailer is location of such, load here, drive and deliver there and give us the date and time if we can do it. Or not.

That's it? Yes, even better if you just gave us the proper numbers attached with the load, physcial address which goes into our GPS laptop of both a and b.

A few loads later that ran long pretty smooth, We told him you are a awesome dispatcher just keep on doing what you are doing.

I cannot help but smile thinking of all the things we could have him doing. But no. Its not good for business either way. He did good. After a certain point the subject of being new etc did not matter anymore.

I remember another dispatcher who said there is 6 inches expected up on Somerset PA on the Pike west to Ohio that night. It would behoove us to stay in Breezewood for a day until they cleared it.

We went over that way to Bedford then up to Altoona on the good old 56 route up Babcock Ridge and west over more of the mountains to 80 one or two of the pulls were closer to a foot.

Next morning we were in Toldeo Oho. Called in. Dispatcher could not believe it. You are where? You are too new for winter driving.

I interrupted him, I told him were doing winter driving barefoot dedicated to Baltimore GM out of Lexington KY for automotive glass for Astro Vans. Back in the 89 winter. This storm is nice but not that big of a deal.

Silence... Hello. You still there boss? hello?

Manger came on line and told us to grab dinner, he will be with us later.

He never did.

I don't understand to this day exactly what went down in that office but manager made it clear we were to decide if we needed to stop or not. Gave us updated scheduling based on Toledo...

If I had known then just how much we would be dealing with Toledo in my life I should have bought a house up there.

 

I say as soon as you help another driver you've started to move from new driver to driver.

 

Guessing local guys never become #6?..... I'm pretty cool w. #5. Just asking to clarify the 'grey' area.