Day by day adventures of a new solo OTR driver

When I'd go to French camp I would tell the gatekeeper "I can't hear you but my truck number is *****, my driver number is ***** and I'm keeping load. I'll sit here until the gate opens."

Russ' cooking is the bomb! My only gripe was the change of hours when the china man took over.

 

GUESS WHO IS GETTIN ON CHOICE??!?!?!!!

While sitting around waiting for my empty exception to go through I tried calling Glen in GB a couple more times, and FINALLY got through. He was extremely helpful and a really nice guy. Answered all of my questions, he asked if I would be purchasing a truck through Schneider or purchasing one elsewhere, I told him I was exploring both options and he was great about explaining the process and what information would be needed if I chose to bring in an outside truck. He didn't pressure me at all to go one way or the other.

I asked a few questions that I had regarding bringing in an "outside" truck, he had all the answers right there. The tractor cannot weight more than 20,500lbs, and he did say that it cannot be older than 10 years. I remember reading on Schneider's website that it specifically said there was no maximum age limit for tractors as long as they were DOT compliant, so I may press into this a little more. If I were able to find a well maintained, older tractor for a good price that dyno'd well and had good service records, I would be all over that if the price was right.

I also need to get in touch with Schneider Finance to see what options they might have available, since the inventory on the website still isn't working.

Well, just finished getting loaded with some giant aluminum castings (ingots? I'm not sure what the correct term for them is). Time to head for Kentucky... running on recap hours now, so the days will be shorter thats for sure. But, that'll give me a little more time for truck shopping. I'm gonna try to keep running as long as I can right up until I'm ready to purchase a truck... no sense in sitting around not making money.

 

Congratulations and good luck DFO been following since day one and I am definitely happy for you.

 

Lol, not quite yet.

 

Dfo, sounds like Glen told you what he told me, which makes sense! I'm trying to decide whether to lease a truck or buy an outside one. Leaning toward buying.

 

you may wwant to check onto the tax ramifications of buying vs leasing.

 

Congratulations and good luck diesel. I was hoping to lure you over to the shiny side but you deserve it man.
Might I suggest a new thread once you are fully in Choice. Would love to read it.

 

Thanks ya'll, I really appreciate it. Hopefully everything will work out, but I won't believe it until I am sitting in a truck pulling my first load as an IC, lol.

I can honestly say that if it weren't for all of you that have participated in this thread I would have quit working for Schneider long ago. Ya'll have no idea how helpful you have been to me throughout all of my adventures with Schneider here. I really mean that.

Of course I will be making a new thread to continue sharing my "experiences" in, lol.

Got loaded and headed out of Detroit towards Kentucky. Made it through Dayton, OH and then decided to stop at a Pilot. Man, I can't remember what exit this one is on, but what a friggin cluster****. Its one of those that has no divider between the rows, so everyone that parks first backs the rear of their trailer over into the next spot behind them. So, the drivers behind those drivers are all nosed way out into the next row. I must have pulled up 8 times trying to get into this one spot in the back row, but no matter what the trucks opposite of me were all nosed out too far and as I tried to turn my tractor straight there just wasn't enough room.

So, I reluctantly gave up on that spot and tried the middle row... had a little more luck here. Still had to reset 3 times and got out twice, but got it in there. Of course the guy behind me has his fricking trailer hanging 5 feet over into my spot so I'm nosed way out too. You couldn't fit a piece of paper between my bump stops and his. As spots were filling up I sat around and talked with a couple other drivers who were just out watching and trying to help drivers get into those last couple spots. One of them complimented me on how "fast" I got into the spot, kinda made my day there.

So, assuming I can get out of here tomorrow morning (a driver across from me couldn't get out until the guy next to him uncoupled from his trailer and pulled his tractor out) I'll finish the drive to Kentucky. Don't know where to next.

Time to do a little truck shopping and then get some sleep.

 

you better not jump over there D, gonna miss yer stories

 

but at least you'll get to the Northeast on your own terms