My Journey as a Truck Driver

I think a lot of it is that he's young and immature, trying to show off too much. We're being routed to Home Terminal, so we'll see what happens. For all I know, I'll be fired for being a trouble maker . . . hard to know what to think.

 

losttrucker, you posted this on a different thread. Since this has nothing to do with that thread, and you came here to pull out quotes, I felt it most appropriate here:

Below is what you wrote, my response in blue:


Originally Posted by ShrugofAtlas
We'll see what happens. Apparently I'm either going to get fired or get a 3rd trainer . . . perhaps its a "me" issue, I'll have to talk to my therapist about that.
As soon as I read this: Quote:
So my background is in business analysis and investment consulting. Waay too many ups and downs the past 15 years. My family is in the warehousing business, have about 1.5 million square feet in Illinois & Indiana, so I've been in the transportation world a bit.

I knew you would have problems with trainers. What does that have to do with anything?? Why does every newb think they need to fill us in on their background as if it matters??
I don't presume anything. All I know is that when I was looking for information on how/what the industry was like getting started, I couldn't find anything . . . so I thought I'd write my own experience. If it helps someone else, great. If others are entertained by it, great. If no one cares, great . . . it'll be a journal of sorts for myself and something that friends and family can follow.

I am confused as to how/why this would indicate having problems with trainers.
Then this:
Quote:
My original plan was to buy my own truck and self-broker my loads. I have some good friends in CH Robinson and a couple of other brokerage firms that encouraged me to do so, but I felt like I needed to cut my teeth somewhere first. CHR was going to give me a dedicated 3300 mile weekly route paying $1.40 mile

Oh boy you are really connected, good friends at CHR and other brokerage firms too, talking bout reaking of arrogance!!

Well, maybe I am connected, not sure. Just wanted to give some background on my options, see if others had opinions or feedback. Perhaps my "connections" is a way to make owner/operator work and someone has a recommendation different than what I thought of. I guess it would be "reeking" of too much arrogance to mention other connections such as my friend who owns a few Taco Bells? Yep, I get all the Hot Sauce packets I want.
And this:
Quote:
I told him I didn't want to sit there listening to a line of crap. To which he lost it, started yelling about I had to respect him, and demanded the CDL instructor to "set us straight". I calmly told him, "listen pal, the CDL instructor works for me, I paid him $3500 for 4 weeks of instruction . . . direct your conversation to me".

He gets in my face yelling that I can't call him a liar, and I need to respect him. I'm still fairly calm, but I'm not sure if he's under control or not, so I instruct him to back up. He does so, and packs his stuff and storms out.

Once again, arrogance, yea you paid your $3500, doesn't make you the boss. So what if a recruiter was blowing smoke, that's their job, show some maturity and quit acting like you know it all.

Yeah, pretty confused about this as well. Who was it in that little anecdote that I was trying to "boss"? A recruiter's job is to blow smoke? And one shows "maturity" by accepting that? Interesting outlook.

You complain about the trainer being un-safe but you say this:
Quote:
A lot of HoS violations probably indicates a company pushes a driver hard . . . but I want miles, so I want to be pushed hard. With e-logs its difficult to run violations, but its also harder to get 3000 + miles a week. At perfect time efficiency, averaging in 34 hour resets, and assuming 50 mph, you max out at 3,062 miles/week. Frankly I'd almost prefer paper logs with the ability to run more miles.
So your willing to violate HOS if you could but speeding is a down right no-no??

LOL, yes, speeding is a downright no-no. The vast majority of the time there's very little benefit to it, certainly not when evaluating over-all risk/reward. I'm happy to discuss that logic with you anytime.

HoS, find where I said I'm willing to violate those rules. With that being said, there's at least a benefit and logic to someone preferring paper logs. If an option came down where I could drive 3000 miles/week with elogs, or 4,000 miles/week with paper . . . then I'd have to make that decision on what "almost prefer" means. Its a moot point, since those aren't the options to decide from.

I'm not gonna approve of all the actions of the trainers either, but come on man, some of the things your complaining about are just petty.

Fair enough, its an open forum . . . what things are so petty that I shouldn't have mentioned them?

Quote:
I can pretty much do it by sound now when upshifting, but downshifting I still use tach a lot. I learned on a 10 speed, so the tach range was about 300; but on the 8 speed, I'm finding that the range is about 500 or so. That is something that I'm learning on my own, but thought a mentor could assist with. Both of them though, when I start talking about tach and rpm get a glazed look.

This is something you can only learn by doing it. Every person will tell you something different about shifting but it's something that just gets better with experience.

Well, ok, I appreciate that. If that's the case, then why am I being evaluated on shifting/grinding? Why does Illinois CDL drive examination only allow for a certain amount of grinding? Further, why was my CDL Instructor able to explain gear/tach/speed ratios for smoother shifting?

The route you complained about from Gainesville,GA to Tomah,WI is an STAA approved route, as I've had to run it myself, although it does suck but there are no weight restrictions, just some by-passes around the towns.

Hmm, do you have any idea what route we went on? If so, perhaps you can explain how I misinterpreted multiple signs that banned vehicles with more than 3 axles, or weight limits of 13 tons. I guess in his defense, he thought a ton was 500 pounds . . . oh wait, nope, that's not a good defense either. Would obviously make the legal weight differential even greater. By-passes around the towns? Yep, those by-passes probably are legal, that's generally why they are there . . . course, when you choose to bypass the bypass, then that would mean he drove through the towns, which often ban trucks. But again, since you knew the route we took, there must be some mistake that I'm making. Apparently I learned how to read about 31-32 years ago, but I did attend public elementary schools. Perhaps my sign reading abilities are not up to par.

Then get mad because he did't go in the scalehouse with you?? He wasn't driving you were, what would you have done if you were solo when you got your first inspection?? The scale master isn't gonna beat you or anything.

I'm going to assume you didn't read that entire section. When I'm solo and I get my first inspection, I'll probably just ball up in a corner and cry . . . or, I'll have made sure that my load is legal before. Further, I apologize if my expectations of a "Trainer" to go with me for my first inspection to explain any terms/questions I may not know is unreasonable. I guess my logic that I'll take a reduced pay and forced "roommate" in order to have someone show me around the block first was also unreasonable. "Reaking" of arrogance, I would've been better off apparently just taking full pay and figuring everything out myself anyway.

As far as sleeping at shippers/receivers or rest areas, alot of drivers do that, it's not my prefrence nor does it seem like it's yours, but you can control that when you get your truck.

Just suck it up and get your training done, then you can do things your way.

Excellent advice! thanks so much for taking the time to contribute!

 

So I saw on another thread that JBS didn't work out for you . . . yet others seems to love JBS. I admit, I drank the kool-ade a bit, but have some concerns. Is it different standards? Different expectations? Or is there a way to prosper at JBS that isn't necessarily available to everyone?

Would appreciate any insight and advice!

 

Hey Pete, thanks for the support . . . its all good though. Just wanted to respond to his "thoughts". I'll respond to pretty much anyone who cares enough to write something.

I'm headed back to Greeley to either get my own truck, or trainer #3 for a week or so. . . I suppose I could get fired myself as well, who knows. I chose JBS specifically because the recruiter assured me a "high probability" of getting into a new '12 truck. Their training pay is below average, their training period of 6-8 weeks is much longer than normal (most are 2 weeks) which means longer to making "real" money, and their rookie pay scale is about average, although for the jobs I was offered pre JBS, its the lowest (Roehl pays $.31 plus $650/week training and tuition reimbursement, a $3500 value; Carry offered $.40/30 per mile, no tuition reimbursement). Since I'm living out of the truck, I wanted the best living conditions I could find. I was also initially drawn to the longer training period, assuming that as a newbie that's something that would be valuable to me. Perhaps it could've been, but hasn't turned out that way. I have no intention of quitting, not really that upset about JBS in general, but . . . won't be heartbroken if I need to go elsewhere either.

As you've mentioned many times Pete . . . I just can't wait to get solo. Truthfully, I've really enjoyed everything but the trainer issues quite a bit. Nothing has been really surprising, and so far I've got a real passion for the lifestyle and everything it entails.