How to begin in OSOW?

MJ1657 · Dec 15, 2015

farmboy73 said: ↑

As a side note, I started at a local driving school today. All I can say is, "wow!" Pretty amazing how little of an idea some of the people seem to have about what they are getting into. I was amazed by how many people did not even know the type of freight the company they are planning to work for is hauling. It's hard to imagine that those folks have any long-term plan.

Many of the comments seemed focused solely on the money they are expecting to make. One person even asked the instructor when they would get their first paycheck. I get the fact that we all work for money. I would just not expect to ask that question of a trucking school instructor..seems like something you'd ask in a company orientation. In any case, today was an eye opener.

It seemed like I was the only student definitely pursuing flatbedding. One lady said she "thought" that's what they told her she would be pulling. She wasn't sure. If that is the case, I suppose she may get a wake up call when she finds out more about what's involved.

Just an interesting day.
Click to expand...

I'd bet 2 years from now you will be the only person in that room driving a truck.

TripleSix · Dec 15, 2015

farmboy73 said: ↑

As a side note, I started at a local driving school today. All I can say is, "wow!" Pretty amazing how little of an idea some of the people seem to have about what they are getting into. I was amazed by how many people did not even know the type of freight the company they are planning to work for is hauling. It's hard to imagine that those folks have any long-term plan.

Many of the comments seemed focused solely on the money they are expecting to make. One person even asked the instructor when they would get their first paycheck. I get the fact that we all work for money. I would just not expect to ask that question of a trucking school instructor..seems like something you'd ask in a company orientation. In any case, today was an eye opener.

It seemed like I was the only student definitely pursuing flatbedding. One lady said she "thought" that's what they told her she would be pulling. She wasn't sure. If that is the case, I suppose she may get a wake up call when she finds out more about what's involved.

Just an interesting day.
Click to expand...

Most people follow the path of least resistance. They go to school expecting to be a steeringwheelholder. Sit in school and wait for the recruiters and the prehires. Get a pos job driving a pos truck with another rookie that fried his brain too. Lambs to the slaughter.

Anyways, do your best in school. Let us know how things progress. Luck in battle.

farmboy73 · Dec 15, 2015

Potentially helpful development...found out today that the director of training was a heavy haul o/o for over 20 years. After I shared my long-term goal, he wanted me to meet with him to chat further. I'll try to schedule some time with him in a few days assuming things go well (i.e., I can actually drive the truck ). Hopeful he may have some connections that may help me on down the road after I prove myself. Also found out another trainer here used to haul super loads.

TripleSix · Dec 15, 2015

farmboy73 said: ↑

Potentially helpful development...found out today that the director of training was a heavy haul o/o for over 20 years. After I shared my long-term goal, he wanted me to meet with him to chat further. I'll try to schedule some time with him in a few days assuming things go well (i.e., I can actually drive the truck ). Hopeful he may have some connections that may help me on down the road after I prove myself. Also found out another trainer here used to haul super loads.
Click to expand...

Proceed with caution.

If you go to your local truckstop and sit in the restaurant, you will meet a guy that "used to heavyhaul". He will speak grandiose things about once grossing 150000 lbs on a 5 axle 18 wheeler. Or once he was escorted with a superload across America with a US marshal and ran triple digit speed and bypassed every scale. And the load paid 7 figures to the truck.

Seems like everyone used to heavy haul, after they got out of SealTeam6. Btw, if they're blowing BS, don't call BS until you get out of there.

MJ1657 · Dec 15, 2015

TripleSix said: ↑

Proceed with caution.

If you go to your local truckstop and sit in the restaurant, you will meet a guy that "used to heavyhaul". He will speak grandiose things about once grossing 150000 lbs on a 5 axle 18 wheeler. Or once he was escorted with a superload across America with a US marshal and ran triple digit speed and bypassed every scale. And the load paid 7 figures to the truck.

Seems like everyone used to heavy haul, after they got out of SealTeam6. Btw, if they're blowing BS, don't call BS until you get out of there.
Click to expand...

Good point

farmboy73 · Dec 16, 2015

Yep! I hear you. Notice I used the word "potentially" at the genesis of that little piece of information.

I'm hoping one day to be cured from my skepticism, but thus far I haven't discovered the effective treatment.

In any case, if he's legit he might be a good guy to know. If not, he might still be a good guy and a good source of truck stop tall tales! (Tell me about the time they used a KC-135 to refuel your hot load enroute to the base cause there wasn't time to stop with that piece of equipment they needed in Fallujah by tomorrow afternoon...)

Arkansas Frost · Jan 4, 2016

TripleSix said: ↑

Well, what I did was a little different. I trained drivers to pull wind blades. I didn't train them to drive. They already had driving experience and OSOW experience. The thing is, the bigger blades will put you in 'superload territory' in most states because of the sheer size.

When pulling oversized, most guys want to the load to be placed evenly on the trailer. A blade is not heavy, but the sheer size puts alot of leverage and loads of torque on the rig. Load it evenly on the trailer, and the whole rig will sit crooked with the majority of the weight well over the passenger side of the truck. And the beam of the trailer will slap the bottom of the blade causing damage.

So, basically, what I did was show the guys how to stretch the trailer, insure that the trailer was straight before loading, load the blade offset to the left for the trailer to sit evenly, and trip plan. The main problem I saw was guys that had been pulling OSOW loads long before never really learned how to trip plan an OSOW. Everything that you take for granted on a smaller oversized load becomes a huge issue under the bigger loads. Things such as mundane as fueling and parking become a huge issue.
Some guys have their fuel rewards cards. They always plan their stops around the Loves and Peelots. So they get a blade, and try to pull it into a Loves. With the myriads of rookie doorslammers pouring in and out of a Loves, everything gets gridlocked. The truckstop will have to call the police, because they will have to shut down all traffic and back the load out onto a highway. I had a driver do this. We started out at the same point in the morning. I dropped my trailer, and went and fueled at a mom and pop. This guy didnt fuel because he still had a half tank. A half a tank of fuel is not going to get you far with a big load. There are some times, depending on the terrain and the wind and the availability of fuel, where you may have to fuel up twice in a day. The cost of fuel isn't as important as the availability of fuel with the bigger loads. Anyway, I called down evil upon this driver.

So, if you're a rookie and are looking at geting into the OSOW business where do you go? TMC pulls OSOW, but you have to do stupid pet tricks for a few years to get into their "heavyhaul" fleet to pull combines and stuff. Rinaudo will let you move up to OSOW without years of mandatory pet trick performances. Bulldog will put a rookie in a 2+3+2 multi axle and send him down the road. That's seriously insane, and then you see these guys getting in a bind and not knowing anything about their trailers if they have to back up. It's suicide, because with a trailer that big and loaded, if anything happens, the fine can be bigger than what 2 average company drivers will gross in a year.

Most OSOW companies wont take rookies. I'd reccommend going to a flatbed company and hauling general freight for a year. OSOW is the same as flatbedding, in that we all follow the same regs, US and Canadian, but the main difference is that you also have to follow the state and province regs, and even local regs. In pulling flats, you learn how to secure the load so that it will not shift. If a heavy coil shifts, its coming off the trailer with the kinetic energy of a scud missile. You learn to drive accordingly. You have to actually be able to drive. There's no just being a steeringwheelholder. The bigger coils do not have to shift. All it takes to put you over in a ditch is for that big SOB to lean to one side. The big steel coils are normally around the 48k to 50k area. Now imagine getting something like that double the weight. 100000 lbs. Scary, eh? And driving is the easy part.

Because of that, I'd reccommend getting some good ol fashion flatbed training to where you get your rhythm down. You know, where even before you load, you know instantly how many chains and straps you need, how to think on your feet. Once you get your rhythm, you will be like a machine. Never miss a beat. Hammering loads home. You will probably notice that these OSOW guys run the same way. Left door shut all day. No complaints. It's funny, because in other forums, you will hear people complain about having to drive tired. Run 400-500 miles a day, pulling a box, complaining abou being forced to drive tired. Toughest thing they have to do each day is wipe their arse and they're tired.

"Well, what company would you reccommend a guy with rookie status go to, Six?"

Depends on the trucks. Midroof, manual tranny, and no stupid "company policies" like telling me when and where I can idle the truck.

"But what about pay, Six? And hometime?"

Whatever company I'd went to to learn the ropes would be a temporary gig. Once I got my rhythm, I'd be looking to jump ship. I retired in 2000 and went into building homes. The housing market burst overnight in 07 and I had 4 houses on the market. The banks were after my houses and I put in an online application. One company called me that day, had 65 mph trucks, with 10 speeds, didnt require me to go to school, but I did have to ride with a trainer for 3 weeks. it was Swift. "Wow, I didnt know Swift had flatbeds?" <<<-------That's what I said to the recruiter. I put the app in Thursday, they called Thursday, I went to work Monday. I was with them for 5 months, got back in the rhythm in a few weeks and instantly looked to jump ship to see if I could work my way back into a heavyhaul gig. When I went home, it was to clean out my truck. I didn't go there for respect, or to get the dispatcher to like me or win a popularity contest or be the greatest Swift company man in the world. It was a speed thing. I needed to get back into a truck without having to go to school. I'm not looking for a "home." I don't care what the owner's name is. I don't care what your mission statement is. I am not wearing your t shirt and I sure as hell am not wearing your hat. Blink, and you wont even realize that I was ever here. But that's me. Megas look at you like fresh meat, and I look at megas as a toe hold.

I actually had 2 trainers in that 3 weeks. There was a van driver, an old marine drill sargent that came up to the motel looking for student on a saturday night. Swift had wanted me to ride with a flatbed trainer, butthere wasn't one available, so I was sitting in a motel. Sarge was cool. Saturday night, I get behind the wheel for the first time in nearly a decade. Sarge sat there for 30 minutes, and said, "It looks like you know what you're doing", went into the sleeper and went to bed. When he got up, I had driven SC,GA,AL,MS and was stopping in Lafayette,LA for fuel. First trip. Monday morning, we were sitting in San Diego. Sarge called his dispatcher, "What is this guy doing in my truck?" INSURANCE. I guess even being self insured has its limits. Of course, Swift wanted to know why a flatbedder was in his truck too. It's a means to an end.

Of course, the limpwristed crowd will think, "That horrible trainer! Going to sleep with a rookie behind the wheel and making him drive all night! There should be legislation! Write your congressman!"

Just because you're fat, wimpy, lethargic and effeminate doesn't mean that everyone else in the world is like you. When I was growing up, the fat kid was always the center on the football team. You guys want to be cheerleaders, but dont have the energy to jump around. Some of us dont require cattle prods and handholding.
Click to expand...

This needs an "applause" button.

Arkansas Frost · Jan 4, 2016

Great thread. Thanks to all. I've been running dry van for nearly a year waiting to get off of an extra board so my family and I can have more stability. Found out today I may be waiting 6 more months. I ran flatbed before this and I'm getting this itch to try getting into OSOW. Stay the course Farmboy. I was told I wouldn't last in trucking nearly 4 years ago. You find out quick whether or not you really love it. Thanks again everybody, y'all gave me plenty to think about!

Log in or Sign up

Forums

Find Trucking Jobs

How to begin in OSOW?

MJ1657 Road Train Member

Trucking Jobs in 30 seconds

Wait, employers can't reach you!

TripleSix God of Roads

farmboy73 Medium Load Member

TripleSix God of Roads

MJ1657 Road Train Member

farmboy73 Medium Load Member

Arkansas Frost Heavy Load Member

Arkansas Frost Heavy Load Member

Trucking Jobs in 30 seconds

Wait, employers can't reach you!

Log in or Sign up

Useful Searches

Find Trucking Jobs

How to begin in OSOW?

MJ1657 Road Train Member

Wait, employers can't reach you!

TripleSix God of Roads

farmboy73 Medium Load Member

TripleSix God of Roads

MJ1657 Road Train Member

farmboy73 Medium Load Member

Arkansas Frost Heavy Load Member

Arkansas Frost Heavy Load Member

Wait, employers can't reach you!