New Career ... From the beginning.

I have been following Mark's thread with interest as well, and was happy to read your post (jeff1971) about leaving Law Enforcement to drive. I write mystery novels that feature a former homicide detective who is now driving a big rig on the highways of N.A. (a series called - what else - the highway mysteries) and will be interested to hear of your transition from officer of the law to truck driver. I hang out on Truckers Report (fly on the wall, mostly) to soak in the atmosphere.

BTW, Mark and others - I would love to get actual road photos from drivers to feature in the header of my blog at http://redonald.com if anyone wants to contribute some quality photos taken from the driver's seat.

 

I certainly do not want to hijack Markus's thread here but would enjoy very much a PM telling me where I might get a look at your novel. I do enjoy my kindle I have several friends that are O/O and I have family that has driven. I have no illusions of grandeur like some do about the lifestyle. I just know this has always been something I want to do. I also drove a dump truck about 20yrs ago for a little while. So once the adventure begins I will follow in suit and post my experience in the transition.

Markus keep up the great work friend! Love the updates!

 

years ago, I had a REALLY bad round. Left home, head to Chicago. Loaded to FL. Got to FL and loaded in a lumber yard. Sat at a stop sign and waited for a Taylor forktruck to go by. This guy drove across the road, over a stop sign and ONTO my right side steering.

I called the local police for a report. OMG. The yard through a fit. I still got the police report. Also went across the street and got a disposable camera and took all the pictures I could. Including of the forktruck on top of my truck.

Drove it back to ND where I was based out of to the welcome surprise of THEIR insurance adjuster wanting to question me for a disposition. I hadn't even had a chance to talk with our own safety folks about it yet or even to get the pictures developed.

I walked away and went to the local 60 minute photo and got the pictures developed, left the negatives with my parents and went back to work.

The adjuster had the balls to ask if my lack of experience caused the accident. Thank god for the pictures. My safety director ran the adjuster out of the building so quickly.

Truck was in the shop two weeks getting fixed.

Left the yard and headed to Seattle. Got 3 hours from home. hit a pheasant with the hood. Took out the A/C condensor on that big Mack and also a corner of the radiator as well as a brand new hood. I was shut down.

They had someone shuttle me a truck out and hauled that one home.

On the return leg, the springs went on the one side on the tractor. Never broke an actual spring, it was just leaning. From Billings in, I had a leaning load that was getting worse. But limped it home.

Got another truck and headed into Chicago to finish the load. Got the load out of Chicago and it was a hot load of extruded aluminum. Hot enough, 12 hours for it to cool before I could tarp it.

We went to the truck stop in Cicero, Ill I want to say. Union 76 if I remember right. There were 4 of us from the company there. All driving Macks. We tied the dogs up, took a group picture and went in and had beer and pizza that night to relax.

I sat in a chair in front of my truck and had a leash tied from the Bulldog to my chair with a set of orange cones one of the other drivers gave to me as a gag gift.

I wasn't having much luck that Feb/Mar 1990. It was my first 6 weeks solo on the road OTR.

 

This is one of the factors in me leaving my first employer. It DOES jeopardize your CDL/Livelyhood when you are required to drive in a land where you cannot read the Language. Or in this case, the American Driver in front of you either. From what I've been told, a rear-end accident in this business is really bad news.

 

I can see it now, Markus. All those parking places and ... a guy with a loud-as-can-be reefer parks right next to you.

 

looks pretty friendly

 

Hey Mark, first I would like to thank you for your great posts. You, Wedge and others have been a source of information and inspiration to me as I too prepare to enter the twilight zone. One question I have is what do you guys do to secure your rigs when you have home time or just want to catch a ride into town for a couple of hours? Or do you need to be chained to it? Stay safe out there and again thanks for your honest down to earth posts.