Diary of a New Tanker Driver - Comcar CTL

#### Golfpro, you have had a rough start but think it great you are hanging in there! I am sure everything will get better with what you have already been through. Being somewhat new myself, with about six months experience to date, agree things will get easier very quickly if you can hang in there. I feel much more comfortable backing now and think that you will be ok with that very quickly. I agree with others who have stated just to take your time and think about even simple tasks like getting in and out of the truck.
I could not agree more about getting a truck GPS and using google maps. I have been very happy with the
Garmin 770 and it has not let me down yet. I agree you should not totally rely on it but it is a great tool and would not consider working without it. Best of luck....

 

How's it going GolfPro? Back on the job yet? I've got a small CTL site a couple miles from my house in Sterlington, been thinking about applying there. Following this thread with interest.

 

I've been back on the job for 2 weeks. Still experiencing a number of problems, such as loaders forgetting about me, getting only 8 psi from my truck air, and taking an 8-hour HOS violation for a stationary train blocking the road for 28 minutes and no way for me to turn around or go anywhere else.

Well, tomorrow (Monday) is the big day. I'm taking a load from Savannah to Rhode Island. I have to say I have a mixture of excitement, stress and anxiety, with stress and anxiety being the overriding emotions.

- Will I be able to find a place to park at night?
- And if I do, will I be able to competently back in? (So far my backing skills are not getting any better.)
- What about the Northeast traffic?
- Will I have enough cash to pay the tolls? (CTL doesn't give us a card to pay these - they do reimbursement.)
- Will I be able to handle being away from my family this long?
- Will I be able to take showers and not get too grungy? (Not my biggest worry, but a worry.)

I'm supposed to be there at 0800 on Wednesday, but I won't be leaving until about 1400 on Monday. I don't see how, with the HOS, I can possibly get there in time.

 

You have plenty of time. 2pm Monday till 2/3 am Tuesday morning gets you 2/3rds the way there, 1-2 pm on Tuesday gives you 18 hours to get like 6 or 7 hours under your belt.... you will be fine

 

Planing where your gonna sleep is your big thing. Ask around here for ideas. Your gonna be looking for a spot at a bad time

 

You have plenty of time to get there so don't worry about that. 1400 is a bad time to leave though. The fact that CTI sends drivers to the Northeast without an EZ Pass is unforgivable in my opinion. Why on God's green Earth would they do that?!?!

Look you are going through NYC and that traffic can be apocalyptic so please try and get through at night. The roads in NYC are very rough as well so be prepared for that. I don't know where you are loading but it might be best to try and stay there till 2000 or so and then take off, a run up I-95 is always better at night. During the day things get weird. Like just north of Richmond traffic will just slow and then go for seemingly no reason. It will do this all the way through Baltimore sometimes.

There is a TA at the 5b on 95 so stay there after you deliver. You will be okay on parking at 10 or 11 in the morning. Also, remember that 95 turns into the New Jersey Turnpike and that is what the signs will say. But the NJT is 95. There are service plazas on the turnpike so I would suggest parking there after the first day and finishing the run after.

This won't be a fun trip, especially if you drive during the day but it's not that bad either. As far as time away from home, well I run 5 weeks at a time so can't give you too much sympathy on that one.

 

Also, if you don't already have a truckstop guide you really need to buy one. They are like 6 or 7 bucks and I wouldn't drive without one. Also, why are you worried about showers? If you are fueling every day you should have lots on your reward card by now.

 

definitely run this trip overnight.. the truck stops will be empty in the morning and you will avoid the massive amount of traffic you're going to encounter driving through so many major cities.

there is also a Pilot off xit 93 on the border of CT/RI that always has parking if you need it. the lot is really dark though so bring a flash light and you can't idle

 

This is why this site kicks all kinds of ###.