Abilene Motor Express....A New Place To Call Home

They hired me straight outta CDL class. Ink wasn't even dry on my license.

 

I had less than twelve months at another carrier and I got in. Pretty sure they will, though I imagine they'll want it to be recent experience. If it isn't, don't be surprised to get a student driver offer.

Wouldn't get too hung up on where you mail things from, it's pretty easy to find a drop box out on the road. Plenty of truck stops have one or will include yours in their outgoing mail if you ask. My attorney has never received a letter or package from me mailed from the same state twice.

 

Ill tackle this one.

To drive any truck in america without getting into trouble is a relationship between the professionalism of the driver, respect for the specific scenario, and the margin for error or forgiveness of the situation, unless one wants to rely on luck.

NYC has little margin for error and demands respect/professionalism.

What i mean by respect/professionalism is thorough trip planning, confidence in your knowledge skills abilities, and knowing what you can physically get the truck to do.

Low bridges arent the big concern, its the signage. In all of NYC ive found only 1 sign that means exactly what it says each and every time in every location it is found, and that is no trucks on parkways. But theres even 1 exception to that!

Bridges are all marked different and some you can fit, some you cant. I278 is great example. Headed from the njtp towards i87, at atlantic ave and astoria blvd signs say over 12'6 must exit. Ignore it at atlantic DONT ignore it at astoria. The section at the rfk triboro bridge the parkway and expressway share the same road.

Theres lots of traffic in nyc 24/7. All drivers possess the same mentality of im going to get to my destination as quick as possible and will not freely give up an inch of space. When you need space, take it. I routinely take up 2 lanes in constructiom zones and 2 or 3 to make some turns on surface streets.

Lanes come in 3 sizes and 2 levels of difficulty. Large aka normal sized elsewhere. Here your mirrors have a couple inches before they are on/over the lines. Small lanes, where your mirrors are on/over the lines. And tiny, where your TIRES are on/over the lines. The easy variety those lines are just lines, the hard variety one of those lines is a concrete barricade with light poles sticking out.

Nyc is challenging but i find it rewarding. The extra pay($50 per trip to nyc) and knowledge that im in the can/will book help make up for the challenges.

 

When it comes to this whole camera/invasion of privacy debate i dont care about the camera. The only places where one can reasonably expect privacy is one that is blocked on all 6 sides from public view.

 

I like the perdiam. It makes it easy.

 

That moment when you're getting ready to take a shower, and then it occurs to you that what you're REALLY going to do is walk into a truck stop and take off all your clothes...

 

So what exactly does per diem do? I heard it lowers your income tax return but what else? does it increase your pay?

 

To put it simply, it lowers the companies tax burden by 7% , they don't (and you don't) pay the SS tax on that money. It sounds good but will bite you in the ### come retirement time.

 

Social Security probably won't be there when you retire anyway.

 

I have spent years in Jersey. Been to Philly a couple times. I drove through upstate New York as well. I use to park at the T/A in Fultonville quite often. There was a Walmart DC not to far from there.

I am already quite familiar with the West Virginia Turnpike. I've taken US35 quite often as well. Ever since they finished the by-passes on US33. I like taking it in addition to US 35. It is a nice road all the way from I-77 to Columbus, Ohio.