Driving in big cities, is it mandatory?

Never trust 1 or 3 GPS units. Pull up satellite view on Google Maps and know where you are going before you get there. Write it down and follow it. It has never let me down.

 

oh yeah, to get to the Southie location warehouse, i had to take an extreme wide right turn, taking up the entire left of the intersection at the red light. then God beholding, if there was ever a snow storm, and every winter there was, the streets which allow over night parking, became even narrower. then of course, the Irish pub at the corner. there were patrons parked at the corners, making it even more difficult.

the guys actually would pile out, cuz they can see me coming down the street, as the headlights blared into the pub, would watch me negotiate that snow packed right turn.

i'd laugh each time, cuz they'd hold up thier beer bottles as i made the turn... i rolled down my window, wave at them, and they'd cheer........lol...lol

but, it was a very nervous laugh, at that.....lol.....

then after i made my drop off/pick up, i'd exit out by the end of that street, never having to go back the way i went in.

i actually really miss the fanfare....lol

where else, but Southie....???

 

I the good old days when people weren't gender neutral, you went through a lot of the nastier places during off hours, late at night, early in the AM, and didn't have to worry much about a bazillion tards around you. And no one was the wiser.

But that was unsafe.

 

When I started I was very uncomfortable driving those big things through large cities. And my job requires a lot of it.

But I just did it anyway and dealt with the discomfort... over and over again.

Now I'm totally comfortable driving through any city really. Except for NYC I have driven through it on I95, but haven't had to get off.

Honestly, it's not that big of a deal. You just need to grab your manhood and do it. Atlanta, Chicago, Philadelphia, Baltimore, New Jersey... you just gotta drive them a bunch of times and then it gets easier and you will be more relaxed.

Before you know it you will be whipping those trailers around like it's a part of your own body.

 

Yes it’s mandatory. It’s no harder than driving a car through a city. Don’t be a sissy. Suck it up, that’s part of being a truck driver. Don’t be a a steering wheel holder like most of these lowlifes

 

AND.......There is your Tough Love for the day

 

I understand and share your desire to avoid finding customers in big cities. Even after 25 years finding new addresses in big cities makes me very anxious. The only way to avoid that situation is to avoid OTR & regional driving. You might focus on dedicated, local, LTL

 

I found in the past when driving flatbed I didn't have to drive through to much major cities but rather the outside suburban areas more. But Dry Van & Refer locations usually consist of downtown city deliver or warehouse pickups located in major cities. My advice would be whenever possible try to schedule yourself earlier before rush hour vegans in the bigger cities like NYC. Most times good dispatchers already do this.