From the Young Bucks..

First, welcome!

Second, amen! If I haven't F'ed up three times during the day I feel almost incomplete!
Today: missed my first left, took the second (I knew where that one went), unfortunately the line was 6 long to pull out and turn around - bugged some guys to shove to the curb. Had to back myself up after turning because another guy was doing what I was doing, before I could proceed out again. Then went into Boston... took the 4 wheel access point to my Shipper. Parked it, wandered around, found my place, asked a 4 wheel to move otherwise 'I'd wreck his ####.' Docked - trailer nice and straight; tractor ####eyed-45... Boston, ya know.
Back to Westfield, rolled a few sidewalks (man-hole work), trimmed a tree, went into the guard house BEFORE processing, had to blindside back to the street.....

Another day in the life.
But yeah! Welcome!

Oh, and to mention: I'm 'new breed'... These guys aren't scary. Funny, generally, as long as they don't take themselves seriously.

 

Welcome aboard Jarhead. I ain't all that young and I'm still screwing up but learning every day.

 

Welcome!

I am young, too. I generally don't post my age unless people ask me, but I am 21 years old. A lot of people look down on me because of my age and particularly my size (I am VERY small) and sometimes that's very discouraging. I like to tell people I am a "new" school driver with "old" school values. But nonetheless, I am trying to show all the old guys that there are good kids my age that take their jobs seriously and aren't just the lazy POS's like others my age, that have absolutely NO work ethic and no desire to do anything valuable with their life..

But, I have a similar history to yours. I was raised in a truck, grew up in and around one my entire life. It's in my blood, that's for sure. I went to college to learn how to be a mechanic (for personal reasons, and kind of a somewhat back up plan in case trucking fails me one day). I currently now work for my Dad, it's been a long time coming, me working for him. I enjoy what I do and love every minute of it, and I take this job very seriously. It's my life and my passion! I don't cut corners, I don't break laws, I don't speed, etc. I do things exactly how my Dad does and taught me. I drive slow, I take the time to be extra cautious about everything, I am courteous and polite to others (seems rare to see ANYONE being polite to anybody anymore, it's very aggravating) and I am out here, doing my job as a professional trying to show everybody that truckers are people, too. I am also by no means a super trucker. I mean, just because I drive a Pete and run paper logs, I am nowhere near an outlaw, never will be and never want to be lol.. I make mistakes every day and will take the fault when I do screw up. And instead of pointing fingers or trying to place blame somewhere it shouldn't be, I instead ask people how I could do better or for advice. But I do agree with ya, the world out here on the road is very different from how my Dad told me it used to be.. it's very sad in my eyes, seeing so many people out here who are just doing this job because it's "just a job". There is very little passion and heart in this industry anymore (like you and I have). It saddens me how many foreigners are doing this job, running around 100 MPH, being ignorant at truck stops and on the road, etc, and most importantly, CAN'T EVEN SPEAK CLEAR ENGLISH! Man, like what in the world! I get there are tons of different people out there, but we are in the good ol' USA, people here, especially in this industry, should be speaking clear and good English. If I go a day without hearing somebody in a truck stop speaking who knows what, I would be be absolutely surprised! I could go on and on in just a year and a half of professional driving. But I don't really let that crap bother me too much, I still love this job and wouldn't want to be doing anything else!

I hope you're enjoying your time on the road so far and I hope more great things come to you! Keep the rubber side down and have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

 

Since this has turned in to talk therapy for our screw ups....keeps us humble, right?!

Called for my first police escort last week when I came upon a washed out road in NC from the last hurricane. As soon as I turned on to the road, orange sign says "thru traffic must take right at light". I go another block or so looking for the light til I'm right up to the washed out road/bridge. Pulled to the side, hit the hazards, called local PD.

Small residential side streets to my left and right would have made an oops into a catastrophe. No way was traffic going to allow me to maneuver to get turned around with my 53' spread.

Officer shows up, stops traffic, and I'm on my way within a minute or two. Explained to officer I saw the sign but didn't see the light to turn at. Says it's right next to the sign! Apparently I have difficulty multitasking and can either read or look for landmarks...definitely not both! (still a little peeved there was essentially no warning)

Cop was nice and seemed no big deal but assured me I would've been ticketed for hitting the side street and was glad I called.

Just hit my 6 month mark in this new career. Twice yearly avg. of police escort sounds reasonable?!

Pretty minor ordeal really. Always heard that you may need the police to get you out of a jam/prevent a worse situation. Never thought I'd need one but glad I recognized it when I did.

Semper Fi

(Corpsman here, lived in 29 Palms for 4 years)

 

Hello and Welcome.

 

welcome to ttr!

 

I missed my shipper in New Jersey my 2nd week on my own and went down a residential neighborhood in attempts to double back. Come to find out that was very impossible. Called 911 and asked for an escort. 7am on a Monday morning they closed both sides of the streets down, got me backed up and I was on my way. Headed down to the TA in Atlanta when I had the bright idea of taking the backways. All good up until I had to make this virgin tight right turn. Needless to say everyone got the f out of my way and I made it with no damages to the 16 thousand light poles on the side of the curb. I've gone over bridges that had signs "absolutely no trucks" on the back roads of Mississippi. One had a 4 ton weight limit and I was 39 tons my first few weeks were rough on my own but I've been on a hot streak as of lately!