what seasoned truckers start with?

I started off with a small regional outfit what have learned trip plan properly don't let anyone.push you into doing something stupid its your license and don't job hop stay somwere and get some seniority and work your way up the load board reliable senior drivers who deliver on time get taken care of buy their company

 

I went to truck driving school... got out and worked at a Hospital for 3.5 years.. I had been checking out a local trucking outfit (hauling tires) and got a huge "buddy fark" at the hospital, walked in the next day, handed in my keys and was loading trailers and driving the next day.. To say that my rudimentary skills where gone is an understatement.. I couldn't have hit a dock with an atom bomb!

Old trucks with screaming Detroits or OLD Cummins power.. my first truck was a single axle 1966 White Frieghtliner CO, graduated into a single axle 71 Ford "flatback" CO then ended the job there with a 69 White Freightliner two axle that was an ex cattle truck,, had more gauges than an airplane in it!!

Worked locally hauling tires all over the bay area and central valley for almost three years.. then it was onto local hauling of general goods to grocery warehouses (CDL meant combination driver & lumper).. went from that to linehaul for an LTL outfit... wife hated the benies (we were pretty young and dumb) so I left that and ended up in the wonderful world of OTR Driving for years..

 

I drove little 6 wheelers delivering to plant nurseries. Then moved up to trash hauling.

I think it's nuts that they put these yahoos with no sense behind the wheel of a 75' 80K rig with no previous experience operating any kind of heavy machinery.

 

Southern refrigerated transportation..Dragging a reefer, away from home for 8 weeks and when I got home time (3 days) I'd get a call asking me to come out early...

Drove 14-18 hours a day, 7 days a week and net $300 woohoo! (Ok I took a 80$ advance)

example of dispatch: loaded apples in Yakima WA, had to deliver Hunts Point, NY 48 hours later..3,000 miles! I didn't make it..sigh

I kinda like electronic logs..I run out of hours now..and for newbies, your not BS'd into believing that you're less of a driver for following the rules.

 

This may be off but im new how do i post a public message

 

I think you just did . If you want to START a new topic, open the forum that you want it in..and there is a BLUE button that says NEW THREAD.

 

I never attended truck driving school. They didn't exist when I first stated driving. I started out driving a straight truck for about a year and then moved into driving 18 wheelers. I stopped counting my miles when I reached 4 million. My first driving job was for a manufacturer hauling their products.

 

I started with CRST. I learned not to drive team for companies they don't have team freight. I also learned that teaming with strangers wasn't good. I also learned not to eat McDonalds late at night when you going to go to bed and your partner is driving, and you are high rolling in an international cabover. Dang sure do miss those days.

 

My trucking school was here is a map California is west here is some fuel money here is what time you need to be there.
What I learned don't take a semi down (maybe wrong about this) route 28 by lake Tahoe at least not on first run.
But learned how to drive rough but got it done