Joe & Tow's new trucking adventures/ex GTI thread

I just finished Orientation Day 1. One to go then 3 days of securement training and a week with a flatbed trainer before they toss me the keys to my own Mighty Steed.

 

Though I prefer retirement, I am also excited about getting back on the road. I do have some adjustments to make equipment-wise - no APU or installed amenities, serious no-idle limitations, and old equipment until I gain seniority - but I will adjust and adapt.

 

Be careful DD ...

 

I was reminded about "caution" each time I pulled out my CDL today and intend to be very careful. No illegal loads, no HOS violations, nothing that can out another point on my already-overloaded driving record. These are the first points I've ever received and I was one point away from maxing them out in one fell swoop.

 

I looked into western several years ago...one of their dispatchers bragged how they ran solo drivers like teams..

After talking with several of their drivers i found this to be correct...

I wonder how long you have to put up with them before others will start accepting you..

 

I don't know. It's all about insurance and many of the apps and responses I got asked about suspensions in the past three years, so maybe this is my last trucking employer. Or not. I'll try again after a while since I have other things I want that WE doesn't have.

 

Based on my own very limited contact with folks here, the two trailer groups - van and flatbed - are run very differently, as one might expect. The company gave a huge pay raise to the flats (I start at 37 cpm) but not the van drivers. And there are fewer ways to run teams since I'll be mainly working the Midwest, probably delivering lots of steel and other stuff for the auto industry, I think - they don't hire van drivers in Michigan, only flats.

But I knew what Western is when I signed up and I'm happy to have the seat. Flexibility and keeping my good sense of humor are the keys to success.

 

How about an update DD.