48 Year Old Rookie

Welcome to the forum MONGOOSE. Lot's of 411 in here as you've noticed. Have to give you prop's for researching before you made your first post. You will fit right in. Oh, btw, here's a warning, this forum is ADDICTING.... Goodluck to ya.

 

So I take it you are planning on going Flatbed? Good luck with your new career choice. Things are what you make them out here. Stay positive and you'll do fine.

 

Sounds like you know what to expect.
Welcome to the road. Stay legal ( not worth cheating anymore) and be careful out there.

 

Roehl is a good choice to start with. You won't get any arguments about running legal and the loads usually have enough time to give a newby wiggle room. I was mid forties when I went from photographer to driver and made the mistake of going to a company that didn't care what you did as long as you didn't get caught. Now I tell people I have worked for two trucking companies and two mistakes.

 

Welcome aboard!!!

 

Good luck! (This from a 50-year-old guy who has had a few career changes himself.....)

 

Mongoose,

Wish the best for you. Roehl has many plans to get you hometime. I drive the 14/7 program. I am ready to get home after 14 days and ready to be back on the road after 7 days at home.
I have only driven dry vans for Roehl but can say as a general rule, dry van is the easiest (non-physical) driving position. Refrigerated will put you in a lot of food warehouses where unload times are lengthy and you have the hassel of com checks for lumpers. Flatbeddin will help your excercise routine because EVERY load is touched. Either by securement or tarping or both.
I use a ice chest. I carry enough food to last me a week and then try to find a Walmart to resupply. Not all trucks have APU's to power a mini fridge. I use a 12v oven for cooking and really does a good job. Just need to look for menu's that fit your needs.
I walk at truck stops and have no problems. Some of Roehl customers require a reflective vest, so if it makes you feel safer wear it when excising.

 

I've heard you can't have a mini fridge that would plug into the inverter and knowing how often some of the APU's break down I don't know that I'd want one. We carry a 12v Coleman cooler, a Burton Oven (12v) and a microwave and sometimes a mini crockpot. There is alot you can do with the Burton, it just takes a bit longer to cook something in it. I've made meatloaf in the Burton, spaghetti in the crock pot... There are alot of possibilities it just takes some planning.

As far as exercise at a truck stop some are better than others at least if you don't mind walking. Alot of the TA truckstops have a walking trail, you can get the map from the cashier. There are some truckstops we won't venture anywhere out of the truck so we try to plan the trip so we don't stop there.