Just starting out.

Wow. After only 13 weeks he's made it as a truck driver. I've been out here well over six years and still learning! Every day when I park my truck safely for another 10 hour break, I thank God that I made it THAT day as a truck driver!
Chaining up puts you in an elite group? Yeah, a group that doesn't understand chains are for getting to somewhere safe to PARK. If you have to chain up, it's because the roads are too dangerous to drive on... SO most drivers decide if they are that dangerous, the SAFE thing to do is NOT go out on those roads. If LTL carriers "make you chain up" they have forgotten WHO is the captain of my truck.

 

Thanks for the update. Keep us posted. I thought you had a firm commitment already to hire but I may have misread that. You are really out there on faith, aren't you? Best wishes.

 

Why are you quoting 2005 earnings? What about 2008? Thnx

 

Here goes...

After working closely with recruiting at Watkins Shepard over the last 3 weeks I was expecting to start orientation on Monday. No go. I received a call from the superior today saying that they are being impacted by the economy and will not be bringing me on. To say I am disappointed would be a colossal understatement.

This company has been on my radar screen since I started at training school four weeks ago. I have all my paperwork organized, medical, CDL A in hand and was looking forward to seeing western MT. "Bummer" doesn't cover it.

I have calls to make on Monday.

 

The reason that I posted 2005 earnings was because that was the first year that I had worked all 12 months in the trucking industry.

My first 6 weeks I averaged 1,917 miles. The second six weeks 2,771. The third six weeks 2,878. I went through a tremendous learning curve the first six weeks. The difference between the second six weeks and the third six weeks was that while the third was only 107 miles further, but it was so much easier than the second six week period. I actually had time to do other things beside eat, sleep, drive, look for shippers, look for consignees, and look at maps!!!!!!!!!

The first six weeks I had to get organized. The first thing was write down my route on notebook paper using 2 lines so I could read it easily and put it on a clipboard. I kept the clipboard on the passenger seat and grabbed it when I wanted to remember what the route was. Here is an example of how I wrote my directions:

431 miles I-80 X126
37 miles I-55 T/R X287
1.0 miles Pulaski RD T/L
0.4 miles 47th ST T/R
0.5 miles LAWNDALE AVE T/R
0.1 miles MILLARD AVE

AMIGOS FOODS
5251 MILLARD AVE

Just remember to print the above in double or tripple the size so that you can read it easily. The message board reduced the size of the font that I selected.

I kept a kitchen timer with me so that it would go off 5 - 10 minutes before my exit. Then kept it going off every 2 minutes until I was within 2 miles of my exit. If I didn't use a timer, I would forget and drive past my exit.

With the economy in the shape it is in, you will not be able to get the miles that I was getting when I started. They would usually give me a load within 10 minutes of my empty call. Now I am hearing that Crete drivers are waiting hours to get a load. I recently inquired with Crete about working for them again and was told to only expect 9,600 to 9,800 miles a month due to the economy and not the 12,000 that I had been getting. Also they slowed their trucks to 63MPH from 65MPH.

 

well here goes. I have just finished my first week of training with werner. i am lucky so far as i have a great trainer who has been with werner for 11 years.he is very patient and knows the system at werner.we visit 2 or 3 stores per day and it is somewhat hard work but all comodaties are in roll-tainers and just need tgo be rolled into the store and the manager takes over.right away b my trainer told me you don't have to help me unload but i can't do that so it goes fast. I am in a motel for a day and a half while b has a little hometime.werner paying for motel.so far so good?

 

I’ve just completed my classes at TCE, in Eagan MN. I’ve got my Hazmat, Tanker, Doubles & Triples, and Passenger endorsements. I was pre-hired with three companies: Warner, Swift & Roehl and after some extensive research, I chose Roehl, refer division. I’m excited to begin my training, but my class doesn’t start until mid May, so in the meanwhile I’m looking to learn as much as I can from Roehl drivers that my have advise about orientation, training or any other issues that might help a new driver, hit the road safely and maybe a little wiser.

Thanks in Advance,
Baba Looey