In over my head...

You need to take a deep breath and chill. Your probably stressing yourself out. I never saw a big town till I started driving trucks. What's causing the stress? To big of vehicle, worried about what everyone else is doing, what is it?

 

Any GOOD company understands not everyone picks up on new things at the same rate. Be up front with them and tell them if you really like the job and just want to learn to do it right. IF they are worth their salt they will understand and let you learn at your pace. Who knows you may even win employee of the month some day

 

I told my boss at my new company that and he told me that just because I liked it didn't mean I was qualified tho frive a truck. Gotta love the velvet hammer approach.

Needless to say, I'm not there anymore. I had the same problem with their nonexistent "training" program. I was stressed out by the lack of structure and whatnot. There were other factors, many, that figured into my ultimately walking away, but just hang on for a while and get through each day and let the experiences teach you.
You'll be fine.
If, on the other hand, it doesn't get any better, cut your losses and jump out and find a place you feel more comfortable.

 

You can still use a gps to get to construction sites. Call and get turn by turn directions first. Then scroll along the gps those turn by turn directions. When you find the site on the gps, click on the "route to here" icon (using Rand McNally gps). If you will go there often you can save it in the gps. The gps may still have you come in to the site from the wrong street, so you still need to use your head a bit.

Another thing new city drivers forget to do is "Lean forward and look for traffic coming that is hidden behind your mirrors when you are pulling out into traffic at a stop sign." This mistake is very common in city driving.

Reduce stress by turning the am/fm radio off. Remember to breathe and practice positive self-talk. Don't say to yourself "I suck at city driving." Say to yourself, "Alright! I made that turn nice and slow and missed the curb, sign, fire hydrant, or pedestrian." Oh yeah, watch out for pedestrians that sneak up at intersections and hide right in front of your hood.!


What other specific challenges are you facing?

 

The great thing about being a local flatbedder is everyone exspects you to be a slowass construction site work is usaly easy stuff, lots of big equip to unload you. Dont sweat the no gps thing get used to memorizing a few dirctions then pull over to check you book or written directions. Nobody cares if you pull over and throw on the hazards for a few as long as your out of the flow of traffic. And NOBODY knows where that new job site is the first time. Get a good headset so you can call a job supervisor or fellow driver for fine directions when you get close. Stop short of the job site if its not obvious where to go. Better to say where do you need me than sorry im in the wrong spot. Be very deliberate with everything you do. And get used to being cut off flipped off and honked at, just part of the job being local your driving not them. They will get over it...

 

Oh i remeber those days. We all had them when we were training. You dont know stressed out untill your lost, blocking traffic on a turn at night in the city lol. Your company knows your new and knows it will take time to adjust. It does get easier.

When you get to job sites make sure you ask for the right company reciving your stuff. Most of the time if you have the wrong compnay they can point you in the right direction. Just try not to get overwhelmed and take a deep breath. We've all been there. 6 months from now you'll read this post and laugh becuase your so good at your job.

EDIt: STREET BEATER HAS SOME GREAT ADVICE.

 

Another few things, gotta look ahead 3 blocks down the street , lane closers parked cars beer trucks bikers they will all be a problem if you dont see them coming. In hevey traffic areas espesaly around universitys leave slow off the line. Its not about hauling ### on the b roads and surface streets. Watch for no truck and not a truck route they mean diffrent things, if a bus fits you can normaly fit also but dont use that as a rule. Lots of good advice on this site probly thousands of years of combined exsperiance, stop by the ltl local threads or the flatbed threads alot of good drivers in those threads that might not see your post here. Congrats on a local gig slow safe double and triple check your tiedowns roll on

 

I don't drive an 18-wheeler so I can't relate in terms of size while operating in a city, but I do operate a flatbed straight truck and nearly all of my deliveries are to job sites that have no address or are impossible to find (Virginia Tech comes to mind, ugh). I jumped in by myself going and I was doing the same deal, nervous wreck about getting to the drop without being late or causing issues. Best advice I can offer is like others have said, deep breath and chill. My philosophy is if I miss it, I can always turn around. Unfortunately i'm sure that's not an option in a lot of situations with a semi, but if need be i'm sure you could take another route and get back to the location. I was also straight forward with all of the people I dealt with. If there was a contact I would call, let them know my situation, find out if there are any places close by such as a McDonald's or a store or something that I could GPS and would get me close (i'm awful with over-the-phone directions). If all else fails, make someone come out and flag you down. Most of the time the people I have dealt with have been pretty helpful in getting me there. Your company should understand that this is unfamiliar for you and you're not gonna be perfect the first few times out. The more you do it and get accustomed to the challenges it becomes much less stressful. Oh, and like the other guy said, people getting ticked and giving you the bird/blowing their horn is part of it. I just wave.

(hopefully I didn't make myself look like an idiot here)

 

While I feel for the OP, it can be overwhelming, but things sure are different now. It shows how dependent one can get on a GPS, and when they don't have it, all heck breaks loose. I know, an old man is talking, but when I started, we didn't have GPS, or cell phones, the boss gave us an address, and booted us out the door, and it was sink or swim, and guess what, we made it. We stopped at a truck stop, actually got out, made a phone call, got directions, picked up a map, found someone on the CB who knew the area,( when people were still cool on the CB, and I'd do the same for someone else) and ta da. I hope things get better for them, but like they say, they were even with someone, we were on our own. Things are so different today.