New LOCAL Driver needs advice from other Day Cab Drivers

He ain't ???

 

Have lots of patience. you will be dealing with the following: traffic, tight streets, blind-side backing(the back window is nice to have), four wheelers that don't know what the stop here on red sign or white line is for, tight parking lots, ally ways, backing off the street well impatient four wheelers tell you that you are number one, j-walkers, people that don't care that the light say don't walk and walk anyways, stupid customers that will say, "We get trucks in here all the time", but when you get there they will say, "We didn't know your truck was THAT BIG", bad directions, weight-limit roads but yet your customer is on that road, all this on a daily basis. I think that covers most of it. 14 years of driving, all local and every day I still find something that amazes me

And at the end of the day, you get to park the truck and go home and forget about all.............till the next morning and the cycle starts again

But according to some, I am not a real truck driver. Imagine that.

 

Enjoy the roundabouts.

 

If you learned to back up in a school and out on the road that helps, as i'm sure you know that, but local you could be backing up over 15 or 20 plus times a day. This can be a real pain when your trying your best and so many in the city want to take advantage of the name on the door of the company your working for. Always felt schools should let new students (not you) do some freelance backing B/4 getting a CDL Lic. Just saying watch your back, lots of claim jumpers in the big cities. Making deliveries down town with one-way streets, double parking and dealing with the city kitty's will ad to your frustration, more so on a Friday night. Wide turns into tight alleys can be fun when every one else is delivering to the same place at the same time, and the trash truck wants to get through. You will look forward to the out-of rout run that lets you sit and drive like being Otr again. U might need a beer at days end, Good Luck !

 

just remember that when you are approaching an intersection, slow down and set yourself up properly. speed takes away distance, so like it was said above, do not be in a hurry or you will be in a jam trying to make a tight turn.

local running is a breeze for me when i get to di that. i am in my same sleeper truck. i just know how to set it up for the turns and all that jazz. having your tandems all the way forward wont hurt either, just remember about the overhang in the rear. dont tear a hood off, hence the reason for proper setting up prior to the turn.

good luck!

 

Biggest thing to keep in mind is that MOST city trucks don't use 53 foot trailers
I think USF Holland is the only one here, in Grand Rapids.....
If you are running a pup or even a 48' the backing is going to be a lot to get used to
no so much with the 48' but pup's are squirrely take your time, in about a week you'll be used to it...
Everyone else that has posted on here is good advice, traffic will be the biggest headache, remember you are not getting paid by the mile anymore, so when you sit in 5 PM traffic, just keep thinking the pay clock is still ticking.... Good Luck with it..

 

The rear window, use it a lot. Right turns and blindsiding are much easier with a day cab. Learn how to use a tally sheet if you don't already know. Picking up and peddling a lot of small boxes, you will be resposible for the count.

 

I see your from lindenwold, im from pennsville. Remember us in jersey have lots of jug handles. Once you learn the roads youll be on alot it will.come to you. Like others have said, slow down, set up for turns correctly and it will be a.breeze. ive done local with a 48' spread axle flat, so doing it with tandems or a pup will be cake. And you probally will have to break a traffic law or two. Ive had to set up for a right turn with the whole truck up against the left hand curb and barely missed the power pole right on the corner. And make 4 wheelers back up.

 

While it's gonna have to happen every once in a while. I am not a big fan of the whole "make the 4 wheelers back up" syndrome. That's why you do your set-up's and time your turns. Not saying you don't have a point but I see so many trucks trying to "make em back up" and the only reason is because of their set up for the turn.