Superior Carriers

Right on my dude! With a little bit of luck maybe we'll end up in the same orientation class!

 

Thanks for all these updates @SurfBaker

Sometimes I see threads from people who say they're starting a new job and they disappear.

I wondered what you think of Tanking as far as loading and unloading the product. Does the driver do much of that or the customer?

What do you think of the Surge?

I guess you're able to run a Fridge and either a slow cooker or microwave? I want to minimize how much I eat out of truck stops.

 

Okay I have one of the little Koolatron fridges from Loves. If there is an Inverter it'll probably work.

Sometimes companies seem to tuck the inverter underneath the bunk or in a cabinet so all you see is the outlets.

 

Definitely good info for newbies.

So how long does a typical load or unload take? I know each product is different but what would be a good thumbnail average? Maybe two hours? So what do you do when you're just waiting in the truck if the customer is handling the product? I'm assuming that's still "on duty" time but can you read a book, watch a movie or take nap? Maybe even get in a workout if you're so inclined?

 

Always be mindful of customers rules for the jobsite. A lot of plants do not allow phones inside the gates. You could be barred from the facility. You can be in the sleeper but I myself rather sit at the wheel and keep an eye on things. Have had an explosion once while in a chemical plant. Very scary situation. We were sheltered in place for over six hours.

 

So what are you supposed to do w/ your phone given that pretty much it's a necessity these days for navigation and staying in touch w/ your company at a minimum? Do they make you leave it at the gate when you enter the plant? What about a tablet or laptop?

 

Just had to comment on this since I go over the hill on that stretch fairly often. You did good to take it easy and make it. It's good to respect it.

It isn't a good idea to drive that part of I-70 without carrying chains on your truck. The weather does what it wants. Generally the 10 day forecast around here always says sunny or partly cloudy, with a few days showing a 10% or 20% chance of precipitation. Then when it gets close, all of a sudden one of those days will show Winter Weather Advisory or Winter Storm Warning. The weather people do it that way to keep us from getting depressed from thinking about it for a week.

I would add that you should be willing to chain up if necessary. If you're not willing to chain up, take another route, either I-40 through New Mexico and AZ or I-80 through Wyoming. Wyoming also has a chain law, but no fine if you just park it (safely and legally) because you don't have chains on your truck.

On the other hand, you will be hard pressed to find a section of road that is cleared and sanded and salted as quickly and thoroughly as CDOT does it up on I-70. They run 24/7 and they do a great job. It's probably safer up there while it's snowing than it is in South Dakota three days after a storm passed through.

Also, when I first started driving that stretch, I also thought there was nowhere to pull off, but actually there are quite a few little spots to get off the road. Trucker Path will show most of them, but some of them you find only when you become desperate.

By the way, that 10000' hill west of the tunnel is called Vail Pass. It has its own weather most of the time.

 

I don't see the problem with putting away the phone while picking up or delivering. Keeps you focused on the task at hand, which can be delicate and dangerous at the same time.