New Career Begins

Another day comes to an end on the road. Woke up this morning in PA and drove to NJ to drop my loaded trailer. Picked up a empty to drop at another lot and then bobtailed down to Southern New Jersey to pick up another trailer.

No real problems today except for missing my exit once but both me and the trainer were confused at the time. Dispatch directions and our GPS were at odds. A quick check of the map showed that GPS was correct and dispatch was wrong.

Well, there was also the fact that dispatch said to bobtail for 15 miles to pick up an empty trailer. It was actually 69 miles which we told her twice but she didn't believe us. Makes me wonder if they teach dispatch how to read a map or use mapquest?

I did get to experience the lovely NJ Turnpike at 5:30PM on a Monday! I actually loved it, gave me ample opportunity to practice floating the gears.

Anyway, then back up the NJ Turnpike to find a TS so we can call it a night. Have a good night all and I'll try to update again tomorrow.

 

We we're dispatched to CT to pickup a preload bound for north of Buffalo, NY. Discovered a missing mud flap and flat tire during the PTI. One of the inside trailer tires had about a 10 inch gash in the sidewall. So a call to roadside to get repaired at our off duty location.

Starting snowing about an hour later and about 4 inches in less than an hour. Thankfully my trainer, Bobby's stepmom lives about four miles way. So after the tire was repaired she picked us up to wait out the storm at her house.

Woke up this morning to about two feet and still falling and wind is gusting to 40mph. So looks like we wont be back on the road until tomorrow.

 

So we dug the truck out of two feet of snow and ice this morning and hit the road from CT to Buffalo, NY. I did most of the driving today and am beginning to master floating the gears. My backing still leaves something to be desired though...LOL! However, my backing problems today had more to do with the snow, slush and ice more than anything. My trainer says that I'll master it in this weather and then be an expert in all weather conditions.

He had me change my driving position today to a more relaxed sitting and it made a world of difference. No sore shoulders today!

I really wish we'd get some longer runs than 400-500 miles though. Anyway, we're bedding down for the night in Buffalo and suppose to have a load out of here in the morning. Hopefully will take us south for some warmth. 9 degrees here tonight!

 

Time for an update:

Our last load out of Buffalo, NY was bound for Kentucky. Had to stop near Erie, PA overnight to get the DOT Bumper on the trailer repaired. Seems that it was repaired with a weld sometime prior but then someone decided to hit something with it again. My trainer gave it a kick and it moved like a swing...not good!


He got up at 330 this morning and starting driving and then I got up at 530 to drive. This allowed us to keep the rig moving a little longer to make our delivery appointment at 1300 in KY. When we left Erie this morning our ETA was 1316. We arrived at 1248, so between the two of us, we managed to make up some time...WOOHOO!

My trainer is lacking the miles he'd like this week so he sent dispatch a message to inform them that he wasn't happy. Upon arriving in KY, we were dispatched a load from TN to TX so he'll definitely get the miles he wants this week. That is if we can move the delivery up from Tuesday to Monday. We're waiting on an answer on that since Monday is a Holiday.

So we're stopped for the night in Knoxsville and then onward in the morning.

Oh and my backing is getting better, but still have to really stop and think. I keep catching myself trying to back like I'm in a four wheeler...ugh!


I did receive a rather great comment from my trainer yesterday. He told me that he's the most comfortable with my actually driving after only 5 days than he has been with all the students he's had this last year.