First time CDL holder looking for tips and tricks.

The southeast region? Watch for tornadoes!!! Lmao!!! Iv'e seen quite a few of those too.

 

Almost every time I called ahead, things went smoothly. Only time it really didn't make a difference was at a few really big operations, like Anheuser Busch, where they are handling hundreds of trucks a day. "Just get in line when you arrive. We'll tell you where to go from there once you get to the shack."

Always call the shipper/receiver at least an hour or two ahead. If you are arriving in the morning, call the day before. Ask the best way to get there in a semi-truck. Have your shipping numbers, BOL, pick-up order number, etc, in hand when you do. They'll probably ask for it.

 

Dont pour your piss bottle out on the asphault , pour it in the grass or wrap it up and put it in the trash can. Dont throw tp on the floor of the bathroom stalls. It sucks when u got to go and the only stall available looks like it got wrecked by a tornado. Tp everywhere . I dont get why guys is such slobs...dont tailgate trucks or cars . keep ur distance, dont speed thru truck stops, dont park sideways in a dirt lot.. Crete had 4 parking spots taken up at the flying j in beaver ut the other night.. Freymiller had atleast 2 just down the isle from crete..Leave it to reefer drivers to do stupid ####...dont have a conversation next to my truck at 3am in the morning , dont play ur ####in music so loud like ol buddy kaiser this morning next to me with his shiny pete and his ####ty taste in electronic music at 4 am... Never park facing a curb or a scale or u will find urself blocked in by mega company mouth breathers , usually reefers, when u go to leave in the morning.. Really just dont add to the stupidity that is running rampant out here

 

Back up slowly. That way if you do hit something it won’t cause as much damage

 

1. Get a routine to do your Pre-trip. Do it the same way every time. If someone tries to interrupt your PTI, just tell them you're almost done, and finish your PTI. If you stop to jabber, chances are you're gonna miss or skip something.
2. First 6 months, no cruise control. Drive with your foot only. You need to build up muscles you've rarely used before. For the first few months, you're going to ache in places you've never ached before. You too can develop an iron butt.
3. First year, no radio/music/talk show BS while you're driving. You don't need the distractions from what you're getting paid to do, which is safely driving a truck.
4. Stay hydrated by drinking enough. Take a leak when you get a chance (that doesn't mean a parking lot or the shoulder of the interstate).
5. Always, ALWAYS listen to your guts when in the vicinity of a toilet. Don't be that driver taking a dump on an exit ramp.
6. Shut up if someone like a dock worker is having a bad day. Be the nice guy that doesn't pile more on their current problem, or rag about waiting another 10 minutes to get loaded. That might cost you 4 hours. Just smile and say "No problem. Thank you. I'll be outside waiting until you're ready for me, ok?" and then go to your truck.
7. When you're backing, keep the back of your trailer in your mirrors. 95% of the time, theres no reason to be jacknifing back into anything. If you lose sight in your mirrors, stop and pull forward enough to straighten it up. 95% of the time, theres plenty of room to pull forward. The other 5% will give you a story about your tough day.
8. Keep your fuel in the top 1/2 of the gauge. Never know what's going to happen 10 miles down the road.

 

Welcome to the club, keep them straps and chains tight, make sure to check ur load immediatly about 10 miles down the highway when u get a chance.. Especially if its somethin gonna move easy, freight will settle down some more than others and ur securement will get loose, if U dont tighten it and have to get on ur breaks , that frieght is gonna move forward on u.. I like to check 10 miles , then again at 50 miles.. Then once every couple hours..u will get an idea after hauling the same loads a couple times...flatbedders we like to stick together, all the box boys wanna be like us . if ya ever got any questions about securement or if ya dont know how to do something, the flatbed forum on here there is alot of good guys over there, u can send me a pm anytime , im on here everyday for the most part, id be glad to help ya out if ya need it