First run tomorrow

I carry 5 things.

1. Duffel bag with clothes long enough to last

2. Smaller bag with pills, hygiene, flip flops for showering, also car and house chargers

3. Food bag. Consists mostly of protein cold food or microwaveable beef soup type stuff

4. Pack of like 24-30 water bottles. I can drink 5 on a difficult securing/tarping load in the heat

5. Tool bag. Saved me countless times

 

What company are you going with out of Duncan? Good luck on your first trip.

 

Have fun driver. Getting out on the road in a rig with freight in it and doing the job for the first time is pretty exciting. I remember the first few times....barely. It's not going to sink in until you're alone. Enjoy it......but don't call a friend.

 

Chattanooga has a particular ridge to the east of it on the interstate. It's a relatively steep hill. The reason why that one matters is that routinely fog thick enough to kill bury that whole mountain some mornings and afternoons. They have systems in place for warning for ice fog (This is fun... your rig is going to dance in this one.) and a number of other problems.

There was or should still be a little diner downtown with room for maybe 6 trucks. If you stop there, do not let anyone pester you. (Street Bums, panhandlers and bullies etc) that's why they hang out there waiting for you to pull in then pester you for everything and disrespect your need to do work in the cab. Call the law and have them scraped off.

You will have a glorious spring and a hot summer to get used to everything before winter sets in. Bring chain. Even though they don't do chain in the east, you will want to have them to do battle there.

 

You are going to be with a "trainer" for a week, just travel very light, don't bother getting much in the way of food. Bring some clothes for a daily change and one extra set just in case, and go light on food. Once you are done and settled in, then get your routines in place to do the right things and start stocking up a couple days at a time.

Oh and don't eat crap. Get good food that won't drag you down.

 

Uh oh. You didn't mention that first. You'll never make it in trucking.

 

Biggest thing I think is to set up your truck to where it fits you. What I mean is adjust the seat, mirrors, and steering wheel how you like it. Also don't get in a hurry. I know its easy to try to act confident to impress a trainer, but thats when you mess up. Just chill out and enjoy yourself.