Central Refrigerated Truck Stop

Wish I could have. Here's what happened:

Have a doughnut.
Listen to boring but short speech.
Stand here for the camera, smile.
Enjoy your trip to Washington.
Exit.

On the bright side I picked up another cross country after my 34. Pacific here I come.

 

Who is your Senator?

 

BSU is gonna Kick there Butts

 

Not a pink truck, but funny.. My hair is!!!! But don't do the make up thing!!!

 

Like someone else said, listen to the instructors and when you hit the road with an trainer, listen to them as well. My trainer didn't teach me to do solo driving and for some reason I didn't think to ask. My first load was from Fontana to somewhere in Kentucky and I found out by day #2 that I better develop a trip plan and watch my hours so I could deliver on time with some hours left over so I could get away from the dock and park afterward.

Trip planning is something you want to listen closely to. A well planned trip has a 80% chance of success. A poorly planned trip will result in a late load, or getting re-powered. There is no shame in getting a re-power if something comes up that you couldn't avoid, or you told the dope that gave you the load that you couldnt make it. That happened to me twice and I called the terminal manager and he got me a new dispatcher (driver manager).

Good luck, you CAN do this. I am a former construction project manager and drove about 5 years, 35 years ago before my first son was born. Times got tough again now and I am back at it again. So take it from an old man, it is only as hard as you make it.

 

I heard that there was an F-5 tornado out there somewhere too. Where did that one hit?

 

I got assigned to the west coast region about 6 months after I went solo. My dm changed positions and I requested to stay with him so now I'm back on the 48 again. I am gonna miss the west region, but just got happy with a dm and don't want to go back to a day between loads and 4-34's per month. I actually dont like driving in CA or OR because of the 55mph speed limit. I have a lead foot and one speeding ticket to show for it. Now I just wave to everyone as they pass; can't afford the fine so I dont do the crime.

 

4-34's? im a little lost on what that means but the 55 speed limit is a little rough sometimes but if central trucks are set at 62mph then anywhere on I-5 you are jsut fine with goin 62 and the cops dont even look at you

 

He means 4 34 hour restarts in a month. That means he was sitting away from home, parked for 34 hours at a stretch on a regular basis.

 

Oh don't get me wrong - they will run you ALL over - and it will probably seem like they are keeping you away from home - and who knows they might be doing it on purpose, but that means they are thinking it out... I don't think they go that deep. IF you are the nearest truck to that load - you will be asked to do it. IF you have 'home time' scheduled - make sure you REMIND them (your DM) and what I had to do was to say - fine I'll take it, but what run do you have to get me home which is scheduled on <_____>... I was unassigned to that load and given a load going in the RIGHT direction - LOL!