Well, another update and another change...

Thanks Semi.... 1st solo day under my belt... and really enjoy tanker...

today was different that the first two loads I delivered... with the first two loads.. we emptied all the load into one tank... so pretty simple.. today.. I delivered to one place.. but the had 7 inlets.. so, they had me put some in one tank til it was full, then fill another tank, then put the rest in a third tank...
So.. really good practice in the procedure..

now... one thing that really stands out to me.. how nice all the recievers have been... okay.. yes.. I have only been to 3 places... but still.. all 3 were really nice.. and it just feels different then when I would go to a reciever or shippper when I pulled van or reefer...

Pulling a tanker is different.. feeling it move around... but I like it and one of the other drivers said it is like reefer.... so who loves pulling reefer cant sleep without that reefer running or kicking on and off... pretty soon, the waves with just be a familiar feeling to ya..

 

Thanks Semi.... yeah.. I am always mindful of what I am hauling... also my Boss is strict on safety... from our PPE, our driving and our loading and unloading procedures...

you know.. I have seen a lot of posts and adds where they say "they take care of their drivers".... and I didn't really get it... but, with this new company I am starting to...

When I was with werner there was always talk about all the unpaid work we do... I didnt complain cause it just seemed like part of the job to me..

But, now I am with a company who truly does take care of thier drivers.. for example today.. I come back from my morning run.. and I have a front blinker light that doesn't blink.. so I was going to change the bulb... but could t find anh spares in the truck and so I ask my Boss where I can get a bulb so I can change it.. he says... there is a sandwich and
Chips for me in the breakroom.. to go take my break and ne will take care of my blinker... which he did..

So there I am, getting paid while I am just stitting i. The breakroom eating while my trucks get fixed and loaded...

wow

 

Yeah.. I am starting to get a better feel for the load.. and keeping my starts, shifting and stops smooth... it is obvious some drivers understand tankers are gonna be slow on the take off... and then there are those who dont... like one I had behind me leaving a truck a stop at the light at the intersection. .. he got right up on me and didnt realize I was gonna be able to shift up to speed as fast... he was making me nervous... cause he was right on my tail and shifting up like.... Fortunately, I was there to pick up a seasoned veteran driver.. 10 years pulling Tanks and 15 years before pulling everything else... he talked me through it and said in all seriousness... dont rush and break a drive shaft.. let him run his dumb ### into you.. he will get the the worse of it... "

Fortunately he didnt run into me....

anyway.. I got to pick up this veteran driver cause he was dropping his truck off to be worked on and lives near where I was delivering... I was going to drop him off before I delivered but he went ahead and stayed... but it was great, ne took the time to show and explain all sorts of things...

also... with a full week under my belt.. I am really aware of the difference between working for a mega and working at a place like this...

at first I was kind of nervous that they want us to drive the speed limit.. especially when I was in South Dakota where the speed limit is 80mph.... but, after doing it and getting beyond my governed speed comfort zone... wow.. there are definitely advantages... passing a slower governed truck in a governed truck sucks.. you just end up in a nose to nose race.. slow race but a head to head race none the less... while traffic piles up behind you... but, in my truck now it has more power and is not governed.. so when I pass someone I can actually pass them.. I can even step on jt a bit to get by them faster and back over... so as odd as it seems.. driving a more powerful truck able to go the speed limit and faster if needed to get ahead of a pack or whatever is actually safer than driving a governed truck...

which of course lead me to asking about fuel mpg... which ne explained and tne said.. simply put.. you are paid hourly.. I dont want you saving me pennies in mpg while costing me dollars in wage..

Now.. what I really love about it.. I just did a run where I delivered pretty much right next to a place I use to deliver, drop n hook with werner... but, it took me only 9 hours to the whole thing where it took me almost my whole 14 with werner.. with the governed truck, waiting for load assignment, sending all the macros.. and such..

I will just grab some salt, pepper and ranch and go ahead eat crow... I truly never got why so many drivers complained about the qualcomm and macros.. cause to me there were simple and big deal... which is true.. sending macros and using the qualcomm is simple and easy... but it is a lot more time consuming the doing paper logs...

now even though I will admit that I am starting to see more of the negatives of a big mega lime werner... I do still believe that it was a good place for me to get my feet wet and get experience.. so, I could not only get a good Job like I now have.. but to be able to do well enougn to keep it...

 

So.. I am off today and really enjoying it... for starters I got an early start to my weekend off... I got off work yesterday at 2pm.. so I had time to mow my yard, clean my house and get my laundry done and then unwind and relax on the patio before getting to bed at a decent time...
Being home on weekends is not new for me... with werner I was pretty much always on home weekends accounts.. but, I generally got home Saturday afternoon after 5 to 8 hours driving and headed back out early Monday morning...
so, this morning I met up with some werner drivers to go for a ride.. I knew they would ask me how my new gig was going and if I liked it...

when I rolled up... I got there right in the middle of o e of the drivers venting about the crap he had to deal with that week, and how is check wasn't even enough to cover his bills... Fortunately he did put away the extra $500 he got the week before for the sign on bonus..
Well.. after he finished venting... they asked how my new gig was going... At first I just kept it low key.. said there was a lot to learn, but I do really enjoy it...

only they asked me a lot of questions... like how much I was being paid, what was the equipment like, and such... which I am making good money and really like the equipment..

after a couple hours of riding we stopped for brunch and so of course we talked more about the differences and such...

now, here is what really sucks... the guy who is really unhappy at werner has also made things bad for himself at werner and probably his future opportunities.... he has some late loads... mostly due to over sleeping.. or lime last week pulled over to take a nap and set his alarm wrong.. so napped for 4 hours... in a day cab.. so, missed his connection with the other driver, had to be put up in a hotel and wouldnt have enough hours to do a run the next day... so, his own fault...
also, he has a few stupid incidents... backed into a truck at a truck stop, clipped a car on a right turn, turning from the wrong lane and took out a customers gate... also, has failed 3 inspections and been put out of service all 3 times..

He has two months more of driving experience than I do and asked if I could get him on where I am...

It sucked... but I had to be honest with him and tell him they wouldnt hire him with all that crap.. and he needed to straight up and get a good year of no incidents, violations, accidents or late loads...

Afterwards, while we we riding back home... I was thinking of how much I like and appreciate my new gig.. and how glad I am that I did not ruin my opportunities.. I always worked hard and did my best.. in my 18 months at werner I did not have any late loads.. that were my fault.. no incidents or violations..

No matter where you are at now.. do not screw up and limit your opportunities... or you will only be able to make lateral moves... mega to mega or not so good small company.. you need to perform well enough to make a move upward to a better company... but, understand, better companies want better drivers and hold you to higher standards... they wont put up with the micky mouse crap, like over sleeping, or taking out gates, like the megas do...
Also... you got to keep your self and the truck presentable...
I know my new boss would send a driver home.. maybe even permanently.. if they showed up looking and dressed like I have seen some werner drivers dressed... and he does not tolerate trash in the truck, or you letting your coffee spill and slop all over without wiping it up.. and he does check in your truck.. well, his truck really.. often...

 

Okay wow... this weekend feels really long... but, in a good way... when I had weekends off at werner it was only for 34 hours... maybe a bit more...

But I have been off work since Friday at 2pm... I got my yard mowed, laundry done, cleaned my house, been out riding with friends a couple times already... and I still have more time off...

what is really nice... is my truck is already to go for my first load Monday.. so all I need to do is a pre trip and I am ready to roll.. so I only have to be there 15 minutes before I want to roll.... with werner, I needed to show up at least 30 minutes early so I could do the qualcomm macros and get a load assignment.. which I could usually get withing the 30 minutes... but sometimes there were snags... like, having to wait while they found me an empty trailer or what not....

With all this time actually off on my weekend, being able to get things done around my house and have fun with family and friends.. I actually do feel very rested... which will definitely set me up for a good week... sometimes with my short werner weekends I was tired from all I had to do at home that I never started my week well rested...

Crazy.. feels like I am not working as hard as I have in the past 18 months... and yet, I am getting paid a lot more...

so... since I still have the rest of the day.. I am gonna fire up the grill... gonna treat my family to a nice BBQ dinner...

now... again, although things for me now are much better than they were at werner... I needed to get some experience to be able to get this job... so, I am glad I stuck it out with werner cause this guy doesnt hire you if you have a lot of job hops... you have to have your last year with the same company....

so, if you are at a mega and not happy... just know it doesnt have to be forever.. just keep your record clean...