48' or 53' Trailer Van, which is better?

I have some Questions if you don't mind... These is some things I wonder if you know about. That concern me with you going out there with no training at all. I sat in the driver seat for 18 years and i still wouldn't just jump in a truck and take off with no traninng.

How far have you driven your truck or any 18 wheeler, how many miles, or hours which ever way you want to explain.

Do you have a family at home that is depending in your salary to keep things running.

Have you ever been on a trip from beg to end from pick up of the load to delivering of the load.

Who taught you to drive?

Do you know how to slide your tandems if your weight aint right.

What do you know generally about trucking. Was your dad a trucker. Anyone in your family in trucking.


I think you need training of some kind. This is my concern. I couldn't go out buy me a medical bag and put out a sign telling people i'm a doctor and expect to have people come to me. LOl! I know this is a little extreme example but that is what worries me. you will be driving at times and weighing out close to 80,000 pounds and never had any training.

What do you do if you have to come to a quick stop. Do you have a clue where your blind spots are. Do you know how to handle going down a big hill. do you even know what a jake brake is. Can you park that thing, can you back into a dock.

I'm just as concnerd about those others that any newbie is out there putting at risk as I am yourself. YOU must know what you are doing when you go out there. Do you see my point.

Depending on some of the answers you give me I may think it would be best to have
your neighbor go out with you. Mistakes yea you're going to make a lot of them. We all do at first. But some mistakes are costly and even a small bit of tranining like 4 weeks can teach you a lot.

I'm in no way trying to talk you out of doing this, I'm only trying to see what you know and learn if you are really ready to make that first trip.

Jacks

 

I was assuming he at least took the 4 week CDL course. I did. Wouldn't even attempt it without that, myself anyway.

 

O.K. , now I have some questions and comments . You say you will have your own authority and you will be open for business tomorrow . I know there is no way you already have authority . Who do you expect to give business to somebody with no experience and no authority ? Do you really think you can compete with the cutthroat rates of larger carriers and make a reasonable profit .
Being issued a CDL in no way confirms you are qualified . A hazmat endorsement does not qualify someone to haul hazmat . They need additional certified training .
Suppose you are given a load that requires you to go into an area with icy conditions or down a steep mountain grade ? Could you handle those conditions ? Do you have the backing skills to be able to back into a parking space at a crowded truckstop or to the dock at a small yard ? Can you park at a dock with the tractor at a 90 degree angle so you don't block a traffic lane ? I could go on and on asking you if you are competent in areas I know very well you are not . Inabilities and inexperience at a shipper and receiver will result in loss of accounts .

 

I did make a typing bo bo there.. I sat in the passenger seat most of the time during my 18 years. LOL !! But still I never drove but with all that I know I still would not expect to go out there and just buy a truck and jump into driving without having training.

I'm not saying that you really need two years to make it. But I am saying you need at the very least 4 weaks of Truck Driving School. The things i mentioned are the smaller things that you should know to go on the road.

I'm not a driver, so there is a lot i don't know, but Rick G. Has brought out some more important factors.

Because the state gave you a licence is no reassurance to me that you know what you're doing. I think you should not be able to go out and drive anything longer than 10 feet without special training.

Many many people go out and buy RV's and get a truck with a 5th wheel and haul around long trailers and they shoulnd't be allowed to do that either.

I'm not knocing your ability to drive, or your ability to learn. But I am saying that NO ONE should be allowed to just GO buy a truck with out special training and go out there and drive. It just don't make safe sense.

Since when did the government doing anything make something right or a smart move.

I know you did things legally, and my complaint is not with you it's with the Government for allowing it to happen.





Jacks

jacks

 

I think it can be done..

I had no training... I took my B test when i was 18, and after freshman year of college, I took a job driving oil truck, fueling houses, and construction equipment.. My training lasted 5 minutes "here's how you print a ticket for the customer, and here's how you switch compartments on the tank"

This summer, the company i was working for,(as a mechanic on evenings and weekends, to help pay for college), saw an increase in bussiness, and needed another driver.. i had my A permit still, but had only actualy driven a combo rig once. I took my A road test, passed, and the next day jumped in a semi, and was making runs from Mi down to Green bay..

Was the first trip a bit tense? sure..
Did I G.O.A.L the first time I backed in at a truck stop? sure I did..
Was I nervous the first time I got on the expressway? A little..

But by ####, i did it, and enjoyed every trip..


Another example, a good friend of mine started trucking right out of highschool. He went out bought a log truck when he was 18, and did OK, till logging slowed down. So when he turned 21(about 18 months ago), sold it, and bought a OTR truck. He leased to a local company, and rented a flat, running the lower 48. Last winter when steel was booming, heturned in the flat, got his own authority, and bought a set of B-trains, and ran them till steel died this fall. then parked the B-trains, and leased onto fedex CC, only to leave very shortly(no freight), and buy a 48' flat.. and is now doing ok running the lower 48 again..

The point is, you can do it on yor own, but you have to be able to adapt to whats moving, and what isn't... IMHO
You also need to be ambitious, and chase down freight that actualy pays..

Obviously this is just my personal expirance, and observations though..

 

My friend just bought a 53ft Great Dane with a thermo king reefer and that scales in at 15K.

KH

 

53' sucks, and the only reason I say that is for the harassment of the ignorant moronic law known as the "Bridge Law". See, what happened is some Swift and Werner drivers were scooting their tandems all the way to the back on the 53's, and taking out everything in their paths while making turns. I think all of them forgot they even had a trailer, lol. Therefore, they came up with the bridge law, kingpin law, whatever most folks call it.

Back in my reefer days, 48' was the only way to go. Scoot those tandems all the way back, and go on.


Just joking around on the Swift and Werner jabs