CFI Driver's What's Your 20? (2017 edition)

Lol I guessed Dallas for the CowBoys...

I can only guess that Texas drivers who were high lighted took loads to Laredo and bobtailing home for easter perhaps due to a shortage of empties...

 

Picked up my Maryland load at the Atlanta yard...thank you to the steering wheel holder that dropped the trailer with 70 lbs of pressure in all four tires. Another facepalm moment brought to you by some hack steering wheel holder. Probably the same steering wheel holder that complains on facebook that he can't make any money because he blows a tire once a week and loses 4 hours and a big pre-plan every time.

Best investment I ever made in equipment is a tire gauge and air hose with a glad hand connector! For the baby truckers, get a foot long gauge. I kept losing the pocket ones. I filled the tires before I went on the clock this morning. If I drove to a truck stop, clock is started, gotta find the lane with the air hose, wait your turn, then find out the hose doesn't work. Plus I prefer to check and fill with cold tires.

Last time I blew a tire, was a few years ago, a baby trucker was driving and he ran over something. I said, what are you Blind? He said I hit it didn't I. Ba Dum Bum

Split the trip in half, today. Only did about 370 miles. Do the same tomorrow. No sense in putting on 600 today and 150 tomorrow. Next week, I will need some recap and only be getting 2.5 hours back. Parked at the Pilot, former Wilco in Haw River, NC. Only about a dozen trucks here.

Looking forward to Oysters tomorrow! Forget the stories you hear about oysters...last time I had a dozen, only one worked! Ba Dum Bum

 

Read back at all the different posts over the last few years; not only on this thread but on other Conway Truckload threads as well.
Everybody gone. Really quickly too.
To the tune of nearly 100%.
Reason; Low, low pay along with lousy working conditions.
Don't let anybody fool you; these drivers left strictly because they quickly realized that this job is a sham and they experienced a general feeling of 'rip off' every pay day, for all their many hours of hard work and personal sacrifice.
Repeat; every payday.
Equates to $350.00- $750.00 per week for up to 100 hours of work. Every week.
This is what you are about to experience for yourself.
By all means, do keep us posted.
For some reason, out of the scores of posters that have left (of their own accord, mind you), just one or two remain to tell the farce that this a good company to get your feet wet.
You are being duped.

 

We all have our reasons to be in this career. At this point now though I’ve already realized. If you’re in it strictly for the money then it’s not gonna work for you. You have to be able to enjoy the lifestyle that comes along with it. I’m fully aware of how much I am expecting to make with cfi but then again. I literally have zero experience otr. So I could care less. One thing I see thiugh is cfi is looking out for me and the other drivers I’ve talked to and they have plenty of miles to give out where I don’t have to be concerned about those at all. Cfi although not labeled is very much almost a stereotypical starter company and my hat is off to those who have decided to stay with cfi throughout the years. They found what they enjoy. But the other companies that want to give you fully decked out tractors with apu and fridges and all already installed (the works). they require 1 or 2 years otr just to drive for them and by that point I plan to be o/o by then anyways. Money should be a concern I won’t say your wrong there. But I don’t think it’s everythjng with this job.
To each their own.

Money should not be your biggest concern in the job that you consider to be your lifelong career. You will not enjoy working at all and you will just stress yourself out

 

Milton S693 Dual Head Straight Foot Air Chuck
The chuck on my hose had a little leak so I gave it a little tap on the ground and the little head snapped off. Bought the milton chuck off ebay and picked it up at home. This one has a "threaded" chuck. Doesn't actually thread but you can hang the chuck off the stem so you're not on your knees praying for the tire to fill. Makes an annoying task not so annoying. I fill tires on every trailer every time but I'm hourly so the motivation is a little different.

 

Surfer Joe is not 100% wrong.

There is a limit to the money you can make based on the pay rate and miles you are capable of driving.
The percentage you get of that potential depends on factors in and out of your control.
Most important is you need a good manager. They're not all the same. That's true at every company.
You need to know how to work with or around your dm. DM's are like trucks, they are assigned. You don't get to choose.
I got lucky out the gate. My dm is gold.
All the drivers I hear talking trash have the same problem. They don't know how to connect with the company. This isn't entirely within your control.
It isn't who you know, it's who knows you. You can identify every player in the food chain but if they don't see you, you'll be dust in the wind.
And when they know you make sure they remember you for the right reasons or you'll still be dust in the wind.
Don't expect too much to start. Each dm has dozens of trucks to manage. I didn’t write "dozens of drivers". They manage assets. You happen to be in one of their trucks. When you call in (live call) you identify yourself by the truck number. They respond with "hi Ultratowel, what can I do for you" because that's the name on the screen (you fill out a form at orientation or they ask you what name you go by) and that's the script.
The point is you're a number and you'll always be a number.
If you stick around long enough you'll be less of a number.
Be on time and don't bump into things.

 

RoadRooster, is this what you are referring to?

 

Exactly

 

How much would one of these run you? I might invest. Also I understand your point @dosgatos but your response is besides the point I was making.

 

25 or 30 bucks