Getting Ready to Hit the Road with Magnum

Will Do

Well today is Saturday and I am at home as requested. I spoke with dispatch yesterday and got them to issue the reload for Monday morning. Leaving from Raleigh with 3000 pounds going to Rogers, Minnesota. Old Tater is not going to know what to do with himself, especially after pulling 43000 through the mountains on Thursday.

Today, I am scheduled to go to my school and visit with my instructors. There is probably a good chance that I will talk to the students and do a "show and tell" with Tater. I am actually quite honored when asked to do that. They did not call me and ask me to do this, but I am sure that is how it will evolve. And I am ok with that. I just wish when I was going to school, someone would have come in and told us what to expect as a newbie.

I go in there telling them I don't have all of the answers, but I can tell them what "surprises" they will encounter and things that I have found to help overcome. Things like eating, hygiene, truck stop etiquette, parking, DOT, and other things like that they don't teach in school. What they teach is how to get the license, not how to survive.

Anyway, it is supposed to be 100 degrees here in Raleigh today and I am not liking it. But I did get my APU fixed yesterday (had a short), so that makes it a little more bearable.

Good to be home..... slept until (get this) 8am this morning, got up and was met with a big old kiss from the dog. Got to sit here and drink coffee and watch Linda do her Yoga. Although it is only a 2 day break, it does help bring some normalcy to my world. But as days goes by, it gets easier.

OK, gotta go..... laundry to do, haircut, restock truck, upgrade Tater's technological schtuff (yeah, Daddy's got plans)(and a few extra bucks), grocery shopping, and spaghetti to eat!!!!!

To all my fellow fathers out there driving the highways and biways of North America this weekend..... Happy Father's Day to you, my brother!

And to everyone else..... aaaaaarrrrrRRRRFFFFFFF ! ! ! ! ! !

(that was pretty cool, wasn't it?)

 

Well, I would.... but then I would have to charge you $19.95.... hehehehe.... (there are a select few who expected me to say that) Considering how much there is to talk about, I will most likely spread the information out over several posts.

OK, sure..... now understand.... AGAIN.... I don't have all of the answers, and I am not a seasoned vet..... but this is what I have learned, noticed, observed, and what works for me......

One other warning.... this is gonna be a LONG POST.... But blame Fooman.... hehehhehehehe

For starters..... truck drivers do not come out of the chute making big bucks, but over time it can be done. It is like everything else. Hard work, patience, diligence, honesty..... oh yeah, and you are going to have to own your truck to make the higher $$$ per mile. Some people will tell you, "Oh man, if you buy your own truck, you're gonna go broke", "Costs you more to run nowadays with fuel the way it is", and other doom and gloom prophecies. What you are actually hearing are people that don't have a handle on "their business", and suffering because of poor business strategies and planning / expenses.

Owning your own truck can be profitable if done right. I have talked to many that are doing it. And they all did the same thing..... company driver, lease operator, independant owner/operator... in that order.

For those of you unfamiliar with these terms, a Company Driver is someone who drives a company owned truck for a specific company. You have no expenses other than your "on the road" living expenses.

A Lease Operator is someone who has or is acquiring their own truck and "leases on" with a company, running ONLY what the company issues as far as loads and freight. It is basically the same thing as a Company Driver except you own the truck and all of it's expenses. You do get a higher mileage pay though. Depending on the company you run with, there are different packages for L/O's such as baseplates, fuel programs, tire programs, insurance, and the list goes on.

Also a lot of companies offer their employees the opportunity to Lease Purchase a truck through them.... no money down.... no balloon payment..... no payment for 2 months.... no expenses for the first two weeks... and stuff like that to attract people into doing it. Do the math! And look at what you can buy out there on the open market before signing the paperwork. If you lease purchase with a company and they offer you a 2003 truck worth $30,000, and they have you paying $1500 / month for 36 months, you just paid $54,000 for a $30,000 vehicle, which by the way, will be 10 years old and worth very little (and possibly very expensive to keep on the road) by the time you have it paid off. Also, a lot of places stipulate that if you quit working with them prior to paying off the truck, you have to either pay it off in full before leaving the company (including the scheduled interest) or they get the truck back and you walk away with absolutely NOTHING. Be very careful before entering into this kind of agreement. I am not saying that there are not some good programs out there. But I am saying there are definately some bad ones. Frankly, if you can get your own financing (or are independantly wealthy), you are better off getting your own truck through a third party (dealer or independant), and then leasing on to a company, if you want to go the lease route. Generally you need to have at least 6 months experience (a lot of places will tell you a year) before you are eligible to lease on with them. In the same lines, most truck dealer's finance companies will not touch you until you have at least one years verifiable experience. Insurance companies follow the same guidelines with the exception of a few like Progressive.

An Independant Contractor or Independant Owner/Operator is just that..... independant. Owns their own truck, shares none of the expenses with a company, free to enter into agreement with any company they choose, and a lot of times, either has a working arrangement with several companies or brokers, or hunts their own loads down on the internet or load boards at the truck stops. This is the driver that typically makes the most money when times are good.... this is also the driver that typically suffers the most when times are bad. It takes a smart work ethic, driven for results, and a disciplined person to be a successful O/O.

Now I can tell you from personal experience.... no one is going to take you serious when you graduate from school. Why? Because YOU DON'T HAVE A CLUE. And I am (was) no exception. There is such a dynamic out there that you could not possibly imagine if you had never been exposed to it. So be patient and learn what you can. I still have a long way to go myself. But you know what I have gotten into the practice of? Buying knowledge..... How do I do that? Simple.

Go into the restaurant at a truck stop (and if it is one that is a Mom and Pop stop that is even better), and look for a driver that is clean, groomed, and "older". You can start with sitting down near him (not NEXT to him)(or her) and just spark up conversation. Let them know that you are new and learning. Ask for advice. And then when they are getting ready to leave, ask them if you could pay for their meal. And that is how you ask that makes the difference. If you say, "Hey, let me buy your meal", you will most likely be told No. But if you say, "I really appreciate your advice and I would be honored to have the opportunity to pay for your meal", you will probably get the chance. And I can promise you that you will walk away with knowledge that you couldn't possibly get any other way.

There are drivers out there that would sacrifice their life for you, and there are others that would run over you in a truck stop if you were walking across the lot and they wanted to get on the road. There are drivers that keep their truck spotless and take a shower everyday, and there are others that turn your stomach when you are standing in line at the receiver or shipper. And there are drivers out there that are nurturing and want to pass their knowledge on to the "new generation" of drivers. And yes, there are those out there that are going to try to make it as hard on you, and do their best to insult and make fun of your "lack of skill". That especially takes place at loading docks and truck stops. You hear it on the CB all of the time. I usually just keep mine off unless there is a genuine need to have it on. There is a reason they call Channel 19 "Sesame Street".

Lots more to come on "The Newbie Experience", but let me say this.... help your fellow driver when at all possible. If you are in a truck stop, or a loading dock, and you see a driver trying to fit into a slot, offer to help. If you see someone sliding their tandems, offer to spot them while they do it. Don't sit there in your seat and babble with the rest of them about how terrible someone's skills are. It is so easy to be walking across the lot, and stand around the side of a truck, eyeball whether or not the driver has it, and then walk on. Of course, there are those who are too "good" or proud to accept or acknowledge your help. And that's ok..... because I took the extra step to make trucking a little better, regardless of whether or not that moron was willing to see it that way.

And as always..... ARF!

 

Well thank you Dodge. I appreciate the kind words. It makes it all that much more "worth it".

Advice about getting into the trucking industry? RUN!!!!! Naw, just kidding. The best advice I can give you (for what it is worth), you have already figured out. It's all about attitude. Plain and simple. You can believe everything you see and hear, OR you can listen to it all, check your facts, and then make an intelligent decision.

Most importantly, when you are going out looking for "that company", make a wish list. Find out all of the facets of the job, and base your decision on what YOU want and what fits YOUR desires. When talking to recruiters, realize that it is their job to "sell" you on the company. In a way, I guess t is sort of like buying a car. You know what you MUST HAVE, what you would LIKE TO HAVE, and what you absolutely DON'T WANT. But make a list, and then interview the recruiter. ASnd if you hear something you don't like, scratch that one off the list.

Here's some things to consider.....

• How many miles are drivers getting RIGHT NOW (right now is important)
• What is the mileage pay
• Hometime policies and time expected between breaks
• Rider / Pet policy
• Assigned truck or Slip Seating
• Benefits
• Layover and detention pay
• APU's
• New York City / Canada / Mexico
• Where are the freight lanes
• Endorsements (hazmat, tanker, doubles/triples)
• Monthly / Quarterly / Annual Bonuses
• Tuition reimbursement
• Training Pay
• Training Time
• Solo or Team
• No Touch %
• Scales, Tolls, and other reimbursements
• Vehicles
• Types of Loads

And the list can go on and on. Like you said.... Research!

Then once you get about 6 or seven companies that you are interested in, head for the truck stops and find drivers that are working for them. Explain who you are and that you are considering applying with them, but you would like to buy coffee, dinner, whatever for that driver in return for getting to pick their brain. You will be amazed at how well this will be received.

Now you interview the recruiter. If all sounds well, THEN you pursue the pre-hire. It is usually best to wait until you get at least a week under your belt in school before contacting the recruiter. THat way, you can say you have completed your first week of school and by then you should already have your permit.

And ask around on these forums. Create a thread saying something like "Looking for information from current (company name) drivers". This will help eliminate the disgruntled former employees from posting (usually).

But read up on everything you can. And if you ever have a question, just ask.... me, someone, or anyone...... but ask. I certainly don't know it all, but I might could point you in the proper direction.

Now go git 'em!!!!!

BIG ARF!!!!

 

Back on the road again.

Rolled out of Morrisville, NC with, now get this, 3100 pounds. And for those of you who don't know, it is like carrying a bucket of feathers.

Old Tater was just so proud of himself today, zipping up and down the mountains with little to no effort. I think I only downshifted on the fly maybe half a dozen times through NC, VA, WV, and KY.

Tonight I am shut down at the Petro in New Point, IN. Running a little "tighter than normal" load that is due in Rogers, MN (just outside Minneapolis) by Wednesday morning at 6am, so it doesn't give me a lot of time to sightsee.

Also got on the phone with dispatch today and got my next load lined up to run back to Rocky Mount, NC as soon as I off-load. And it SHOULD be a preloaded trailer, so that will make it even nicer.

As a tally, I will have had a total of 6 days off this month, and if I can get one more long load in before the month is out, I will be well over 10,000 miles for the month. And that of course, converts into $$$$ nicely. It ain't easy.... especially when you have had as many days off as I have had, but it is do-able for anyone out there that wants to put forth the effort. OH YEAH, and it was all done legally with electronic logs (sorry.... just had to say that)(there was someone that PM'd me saying I was wrong about getting good miles using e-logs).

Anyway, drove 11 hours straight today, gonna do it again tomorrow, and hopefully between loads, I will have time to get Tater a "Spa Treatment" at the Blue Beacon.

But for now, that loud crashing noise you can hear coming from SE Indiana is me hitting the pillow.

ufffff!

 

Nope - Brokered load

Yeah Old Tater and I did pretty well for ourselves this month. Hopefully it will keep moving well into the upcoming months.

Hope you are doing well.... holler sometime when you get a chance. I hate calling you as I know you are pretty busy

Waved at cha the other day but I doubt you saw it..... it's the thought that counts )

 

THUD!

Well it is Friday night and guess what..... I'm home again. Partly by my choice, partly by the limitations of the HOS. But that is ok, I am not upset about it.

Well I would have got my 10,000 mile mark had 3 things happened.... Tater made it through the mountains quicker, the place I offloaded in on Monday would have been quicker, and the pre-loaded trailer would have been loaded and road worthy. The road worthy thing was not that big of an issue, an LED light connection was loose, and a tire was low. But it still took time to fix both of these. All in all, total lost time was about 5 hours, and when I offloaded in Rocky Mount, NC, I was 4 hours shy of being able to comfortably agree to take a run to Nebraska, which would have given me my 10,000 miles. So instead I opted to take a run that delivers in Wisconsin on Wednesday. That will give me a GREAT start for the month of July. Hey, it's the nature of the business. And the way you stack your own deck CAN determine the outcome of the game.

So here's how the week went down.... Wednesday, I arrived at the receiver at 5am for a 6 am delivery. Was there until 8am. It was a small load, but they were short handed and all the grumbling and complaining in the world would not have done a thing to improve the situation.... they were maxxed out. So I went and started talking to an O/O and got some GREAT INFO from a 38 year veteran. His name was Norris and he was a WEALTH of information. I dare say he gave me some tips that no one has even discussed with me..... how to "vacation" while on the road. Just another reason why it is good to talk to others.

So anyway, once unloaded, had to shoot down to the SE of Minneapolis for a load that was scheduled to be loaded and picked up prior to 945. Arrived at 935 and it was still on the dock being loaded, so I drove around and dropped mine. Then I went around, backed up to the trailer, and waited for them to finish. Again, no reason to complain. It would have only complicated matters. Once I pulled away from the docks and did my pre-trip (ALWAYS DO A PRE-TRIP WHEN PICKING UP A TRAILER), that is when I found the light and tire issue. Also, the on-site scales were broken, so I had to make a guess. I must admit, my trainer ("The Trainer") gave me a bunch of tips on sliding the tandems and determining where to set the axles based on what the load looks like and how it weighs. (but that is another post)(and you're gonna have to ask him).

Finally on the road, I ran down 19, onto 52 (quite a picturesque ride) and jumped on 90E. And Tater and I drove it hard. Pulled into the Flying J in South Beloit, WI., as the clock ticked off the last minute of my driving time. Got up at 330am, showered, coffee'd, waited for the clock to tick off the 10 hour sleeper, pretripped, and hit the road as soon as the pretrip was complete. This is where the rubber hit the road. I stopped once in Walton, KY because I needed fuel and I could no longer sit (and Tater got a Spa Treatment), and then I ran it straight through to Hurricane, WV. Shut down due to running low on hours.

Woke up this morning at 3am, and hit the road at 330. Let me tell you something. If you have never run the WV / VA mountains in the summer night, you have not lived. Yeah yeah yeah.... the experienced truckers have done it a million times and it is no big thing, but it was my first time doing it, and the moonlight was just right, and there wasn't another soul on the road for many miles at a time, so it was simply a rush! Right up until I hit that wall of fog. Then as I cleared the fog, there was a family of deer on the right shoulder of the road. Reality Check. But I am here to tell you that the 30-40 minutes of free running was an experience I will never forget.

Arrived in Rocky Mount, got unloaded, (have I told you how much I love lumpers?), blazed up to Whitakers, NC, did a drop and hook, and came home. Can't believe I am actually still awake.

Anyway, headed back out Sunday night.... going to look at a Kenworth W900B in Wilmington, NC on Sunday. Who knows.....

Holler at cha later

Woof!