Are there companies where I don't have to live with a trainer?

I didnt mean be an expert in 2 weeks. Just that should be enough time to not have to have someone holding your hand. Yea I've only been out here 4 years, but I've been doing multi axle heavy haul for almost a year n the only training I got was 5 min to show me how to split a lowboy, so I'm pretty sure I can handle just about anything.

 

I think over 30 years ive run into many problems. But the capacity, genius and misplaced cunning energy expended by a devious dispatch center combined with a stubborn refusal of shippers and recievers to acknowledge we drivers have them by the shorthairs while the Government passes ever more draconian laws seeking to regulate that which will not be regulated. I have not think that I found every problem possible.

What I did learn from all that time is schooling is nice. But it sets you up for the driving test and no more. Your real education is on the big road under loads in the real world. Should you survive the first 90 days then 6 months then a year... you will truck forever. Provided you did not quit the ########## in your crappy company now that you learned all their horrible motherinlaw habits, warts, bad smoking and drinking problems combined with a stubborn refusal to give you a nice 3000 mile haul to enjoy crossing the USA but make you break your spine working it off in 300 mile load, unload over night deliverys 600 miles away due the next morning.

That #### is for the young. What do you do when you get old like me?" Im 50 and put out. I don't like being put out. Im working on that problem.

That is one thing no one teaches anyone in school or in trucking school. What do you do when you are still prime working and wage earning age when your body breaks? What do you do?

The answer lies not in going back to college. Which I tried. The answer lies in being tough and being smart to figure it out and make things happen after you take some time to learn what it really is you hate and love. Once you got that sorted.... have at it. Im fixing to.

 

I completely agree that it takes brains to drive a truck. It really does. But, I've an aerospace engineering degree from UVa and I gotta say, learning to drive a truck was a lot easier than getting that degree. Granted.. Jobs with that degree are easier than driving truck so... Perhaps. Much less instantaneous decision making required when calculating drag on a nacelle.

 

They actually drove a Freightliner Inspiron across Hoover Dam from south to north using the old road prior to when the new high bridge being opened. There was a human seated at the wheel hands off allowing the computer on the 18 wheeler a complete and full control and mission to get onto the dam.

There were a few turns (I can see them in my own mind';s eye even now what with the rocks and all) that required the human to intervene and guide the computer as it's own sensors grappled with the ever complicating math (Is that even a verb?) required to get around some of the crazier angles with that big trailer. But it made it.

 

Yes. As a matter of fact you don't even have to go over the road. Find a crap local company. Work for them for a year then go somewhere better.

 

^^^ THIS ^^^

Enough said.
(Wooley Rhino drops mike).

 

Bah. I can't participate in this line of reasoning. Don't know which side to defend -_-

But hey! It's Friday! Hahaha

 

Really really really


Chicago traffic?

Have you ever maneuvered a a large vessel in a restricted waterway? With ripping tides hitting you from the side at 4 to 5 knots meanwhile trying to drive you onto a shoal area and sink your boat and at the least run you aground.

Have you dealt with weather that blows up from a small blip on your radar if you are fortunate to have it aboard , and watch it turn into a major problem ?

Have you dealt with major mechanical failures while you are a 100 miles or better out to sea ?
being thankful when they occurred you weren't a thousand miles out and you posses the ingenuity to make the repair to get you home?

This is so far from difficult guys. Granted to do it right it takes attention and agility . Not taking anything away from you guys.

Attention to the details separates the men from the boys here.

Screwup and there is Hell to pay.


You think Chicago is tough.

Have you ever driven in Rome Italy or Milan or Paris France during rush hour?

Talk about traffic and no where to move.

 

I can't lie, I know nothing about boats. But you make a good point about Paris and Rome. I couldn't imagine putting my truck in that kind of crazy

 

Unless they East European.When I started 20 months ago I had zero,null,nada experience.Went on the road with another guy for 3 days,then was given 2014 ,86mph ProStar with 40 k miles on odo and started the training ON MY OWN!Yeah it was sometimes stressful not to have a baby sitter but I made it all right.