Career Change at 53

Here is the ugliest load of lumber I have ever seen however, considering these over sized looking railroad ties are bolted together in fours and used to move heavy equipment over mud, I guess they don't need to look pretty!






Just thought this looked really cool

 

I am still With my trainer and will be for 32 more hours of driving. I should be finished next week sometime and in my own truck hopefully, the following week.

The lifestyle is much more fast paced than I expected. Since the holiday's we have not had to wait more than about 4 hours for a load, and have been on the road constantly, which is why I don't post more often.

I was worried about home time but found that you can get home time any time you want it, all you need to do is request it.

I was also worried about personnel hygiene again, I found that it is not a problem as you fuel just about every day and all major truck stops give free showers with fill ups, they also have lounges and coin operated washers and dryers so you can wash your cloths and most of the terminals have showers as well as coin operated washers and dryers too.

As far as meals go, you can put on a lot of weight eating out all the time if you don't eat right not mention the cost. My trainer has a refrigerator but does not use it, I plan to try and eat healthy and out of the truck once I am on my own. (there are some good threads in this forum covering the subject and have great suggestion on meals)

As far as being prepared or surprised I would have to say a little of both.

It will be interesting to see how my views or if my views will change after being on my own for a while.

 

I got off my mentors truck on 2/12, took my road test Monday morning 2/14, took phase two tie down on 2/15 and 2/16 and yeah, I blew my backing so had to take the backing class on 2/17, it was well worth it. Then I had to wait for a truck, seems swift has a shortage of trucks at this time.

I was assigned a truck (a Volvo) on Friday 2/25, got the call at 4 pm so, I went to the terminal Saturday and inventoried the equipment, there were a few things missing but, because there was no one in on Saturday in the flatbed division I couldn't get what I needed til Monday 2/28.

After updating my equipment I dropped the truck at the body shop. I had them move a tool box from the passenger side to the driver side and add a tarp rack where the tool box was on the passenger side.

Also had them replace missing cat walk section, what little cat walk there was, was piled so high with coil racks, dunage, V-boards, and tarps you couldn't get on the cat walk. Got the truck back Tuesday afternoon. (should have taken pictures but didn't think about it until after I got it cleaned up and organized)

Then went over to the main shop got my chains and bungees for the tires, fuses, spare bulbs, glad hand seals, and the enforcer lock set. After that I had my permit book updated while that was being done I went to see my DM to get an accident camera and blank com data checks. Then I grabbed a trailer and headed home.

I spent yesterday afternoon and all day today loading the cab with all my stuff and finished organizing the headache rack. Now I am waiting for my first pre-plan.

I haven't posted since I got off my mentors truck because the week after was busy with classes at the terminal and the week after that when I was waiting for a truck was spent fixing things that had broken around the house while I was out with my mentor. (amazing how much goes wrong when your not there to keep up with it)

I will try to post more frequently when I get on the road I will also try to remember to take and post more pics. That is if anyone is interested.

 

Well I got my First pre plan, a van load going from Phoenix costco depot to a costco in Henderson NV would have been nice if it had been a flatbed load.

I need to tell my DM to tell the planners that 44,500 Lbs van load puts me over weight by 500 Lbs on each axle, they need to keep in mind the extra 2000 lbs in equipment I carry.

Got to Henderson early am waiting to unload have a feeling I may be spending the week end here.





It's a 2009 Volvo with 253,500 miles on it smaller sleeper no top bunk but has extended wheel base which will work nice for flatbeds.

Driving a truck OTR is definitely more a lifestyle than just a job, for me it is kind of a traveling lifestyle and I love road trips. I would prefer to do them on my Harley but hey, at least I am on the road.