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Ive been here since March of last year. I had one year OTR flat experience with COTC, but I also had experience pulling heavy equipment for the forest service prior to me driving truck. This is my first project and today I offloaded my first blade.

There is a bunch of projects kicking off right now, so we were short of blade guys. My experience with coming over to blades should not be taken as the "normal". Right time, right place seems to be the modus operandi for this company and I believe thats what happened to me.

Obviously if you do you job, dont whine, be a problem solver not maker, that goes a long way. It may not be acknowledged all the time, or ever. But thats how I approach this job. And if/when you get to the specilized equipment, thats when those traits I listed above will really come in handy and be noticed.

Patience truly is a virtue here. I know of one guy personally that whined and complained up and down about everything, he basically wrecked the transmission after 4 months of being in the truck and finally one of the gals in the office had enough, so she told him that they'd accept his resignation right then and there. They DHed him back to the yard and he no longer works here.

 

well said DD, thats how your mindset should be. When I was at the shop today handing over my keys there was another lonestar driver there that just unloaded on how it sucks that he has to go into the shop, he just came off hometime and blah blah, I asked him how long he's been here, a week and a half, he ain't gonna make it I'm guessing. The shop is a paid vacation, he never asked my opinion though so I didn't give it. Once you understand you're a company driver and that means they can dictate where you go you will be a lot happier.

 

You leaving us man?

 

oh sorry! the keys at kw, I'm in shop to get the dpf filter cleaned. Lol.

 

Hahaha! THAT shop. I gotcha man.

Like DD stated above, I just don't get the complaining angle. A squeaky wheel doesn't always get oil, it sometimes gets taken off and thrown away. My dispatcher LOVES me because she never gets any grief out of me. Sure, I'll say in jest things I'm not keen about but I don't complain. I'm on my fourth tarped load in a row. I joked with her the other day that they're trying to whip me into shape. I've got bigger plans anyway and I want the maximum amount of miles I can get for the next year to satisfy that goal.

 

sounds like mine and some other people I know as far as what your goal is dj, looking into getting your own truck one day?

 

Actually, no. I'm looking to get out of this business completely. I can't take the constant big brother lingering more and more over our heads on medial things that can affect us financially. I'm saving for school right now. It's an Associate's degree but it's a sure fire way of getting hired on with a chemical company or oil refinery. Where I live we have refineries and plants ALL over and they pay very well. Most start out ~$23/hour. Top pay is in the vicinity of ~$35/hour. I've been looking for an out for a few years now and I think I finally found it. With the hours we work and the peanuts we make, I could make almost double and be home every day. Plus, I wouldn't have to worry about traffic citations affecting my employment. Kristen already knows and she's cool with it. I promised her I'd stay until school starts next August.

And the only reason I can even do this is because I have no debt and very few bills...cell and car insurance. I'm banking 60-75% of my income right now. So, if all goes well and I get on a blade project during the slow season, I'll be able to easily attain my goal by August 2015. If I don't get on a blade project then, then I'll stay out as long as need be to bank as much as I can. I'm already doing 10-12 weeks at a time to get all the miles I can. I'd of never went home in June had it not been for my son's birthday.

So, I'm just done. Burnt out as they'd say. It'll be 7 years in September and that's about 5 years longer than I had initially planned to be OTR. Sure, I'll miss doing this. I'll miss a lot about it, but I'm missing way too much at home and I'm not maximizing my potential. I want a home and I want a nice one to retire to and I don't see trucking offering me that. Whereas, I can make ~$70K working the hours I already do and seeing my son a lot more. It's a no-brainer.

 

good for you man, good to have goals, if I had kids I'd probably be trying to get out as well. The regulations are getting a little much that's for sure and some of these new drivers lately I see on the road are a little dangerous, don't blame you at all though. I suppose it's different at this company but other companies telling your dispatcher your leaving in the future could directly affect your future income. Like I said though probably not here, not enough trucks for that.

 

My goal is too be out of a truck at least full time by the first of the year.

 

Pick up my third cross country run in a row. I can't say I'm complaining.