What is the most expensive mistake a beginner can make?

They would all lie and say they were dead, then sue you and come back to life.

 

Believing everything he reads on the internet about trucking.

 

Gaining over 50 lbs in 6 months while OTR driving

 

learn to make your own food and not buy junk at the truck stops and you wont gain, I invested in a 5 day Ice chest and I make my own Sandwiches, carry only bottles of water etc and I have lost 28 lbs in the last 2 months. I do eat out but not often or try not to, also dont be the trucker that has to park close every time you stop somewhere, I parked in the farthest corner of this Barstow TA tonight to get some walking in.

Its easy to gain weight as a trucker though, I gained a few lbs while I was training with a mentor since he ate out everywhere and I had no room for an ice chest.

 

That's what I was going to add to what everyone else has already said.

A dispatcher can make or break you. Don't argue with them if you can help it. You have to take the bad with the good to get the better if that makes sense. Nobody wants that crap run but they have to be done and you have to do your fair share. After your dispatcher establishes a relationship with you and they know they can depend on you things get a whole bunch better. Many times there will be a few drivers sitting in one area waiting on a load. When a good load comes available guess who will get it? Not the whiny baby thats always late but the driver he trusts and doesn't give him a hard time. It's not sucking up but having the right attitude to succeed. Having a hot head and a lack of patience gets many.

 

well put

If you piss off a dispatcher they will make your life hell
treat them nicely and you normally get it back

I always take the crap load for them and normally they back me up with another heading out, scratch their back and they scratch yours (sometimes)

 

I never heard of a 5 day ice-chest. Where do you get those?

 

I got mine at a Kmart back home since thats the only big store in my small mountain town. They have them at Walmart too, I paid $45 for mine on sale and its a decent size that fits in my passenger seat resting against the dash, I usually buy one bag of ice every day or 2 to keep it maintained and I dont idle my truck so sometimes its in hotter temps.
My ice chest is a "coleman extreme"
this is the one I have
http://www.coleman.com/product/62-q...er/6262A748?contextCategory=8581#.UcfKEvmcGdc

Coleman has 6 day ones too but they are more expensive and I heard you can even find 10 day ice chest out there but I havent seen one personally so I dont know the truth in that.

Just looked at Walmart.com and they have a few different coleman extremes that are cheaper, just check out a walmart if you want one.


*edit*
also its built where you can use bungies and strap it in somewhere, has notches so they hold it in place.