Found Great Info for new women & men/wannabees etc. who want to know where to start!

Thanks 883, truely am still on the ropes.

 

I think a couple guys on the last page said it best, go OTR by yourself after training for a month or 2 and imagine how you'd be taking care of that dog. Realizing just how small your cab is, seeing the truck stops you'll be sleeping in (most of the areas the dog will be able to get out of the truck, many aren't that nice), ask the shippers "If I had a dog, would he be able to get out here?", and the ones that say no, think about how long your dog would be in the truck for.

I put in some thought to bringing a pet with me. What I've decided for myself is

1. I'd only bring a dog breed that is noted for being good in a small living space like a truck.
2. A cat is a possibility, but it'd have to be a kitten (my cat would run out immediately, I wouldn't be able to drop everything and wait for him to come back or find him)
3. I'd make sure I was comfortable behind the wheel before bringing a pet in so I don't get distracted when I really need my concentration.
4. I'd only bring a dog that could (and would) be litter trained. I'd get the dog outside when I could, but I wouldn't want to make any creature be stuck in a truck for more than 2 or 3 hours (and that will happend) without being able to relieve itself.

I'm in no rush to do it, but I think a pug would be nice to bring along eventually, lol.

 

Ok, I understand all that goes with this and the more I read and research the more confused I become. Here is a question for all: Outside of fuel, do you have to stop at truck stops? Do the companies make that a have too? First and formost I hear horror stories about truck stops and when I did cross country with 2 dogs in an RV by myself, I avoided them. There are so many creapy and dangerous people that hang out there that as a female traveling alone it is scarry to consider. So I guess I hope to get responses from female truckers because I do not know if I guy can understand to the full extent. We (my dog and I) would be able to travel 4-6 hours straight through, it would be me that would have to stop more than she would. The other concept here is I would have to bring her, there is no way I would or could leave her behind for a long period of time. This is not an option. It comes down to "she comes with or I do not go". So with that in mind I still have a lot of decissions to make and little time to make them. Again, any responses from female drivers would be highly appreciated.

 

You are welcome... And one thing I learned through my experience thus far is to set yourself up for success from the start.. I got my CDL A with all the endorsements back at the end of 2009, then I jumped into what I thought was a dream opportunity for a new green trucker.. only to discover it was not what I had hoped it would be..
It set me back a bit.. but, it also gave me insight on bow to be better prepared this time and to set myself up for success where the majority d not make it.. knowing that only 10% make it I want to go e myself the best odds possible..
So, for the last few years I have been preparing for this.. I wrote a list of all the challenges and stressors I encountered and have done what I could to minimize those this time.. I am far better prepared physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually and financially this go around.. and, I can tell you.. it is stressful out there in the beginning if you are not prepared financially.. I took advice from a friend of mine who is a real estate agent.. and worked two jo s for the last two years so that I was prepared financially to not have to worry about my bills and stuff whole year.. that is a big big stressor cor New driver's.. having money to pay bills at home and eat and live out on the road ..
I have developed a thicker skin and techniques to keep calm under pressure, think straight and rational and keep my emotions in balance even when dealing with rude and difficult people... Not let insults and obnoxious comments effect me... There are some real losers out there.. and they probably dont act at home as they do out on the road... But honestly there some so obnoxiously rude that being called only a dyke means they left you alone..
Now to succeed, you have to be able to accept that the loser idiots are out there.. but don't let them turn you bitter and nasty and think all the men out there are that way...
The thing is, you dont have to be prepared for the beautiful sunsets, the breathtaking scenery, the wonderful people you will meet out there.. you have to be prepared for the worst of this industry so you can experience the yood and wonderfulness of it..

 

Don't know where you are located at , but you are mistaken about community colleges/technical schools. Many of them are able to offer you tuition help , in the form of grants/loans/financial aid programs. Some , if not all will "help" you through the process , if you need it. FYI , some of that money can be made in grants that don't have to be repaid...ever. Before you lock yourself into a contract with a company for your schooling why not check those community colleges close to you....you might get a big surprise.

 

[quote Chase05] 3. I'd make sure I was comfortable behind the wheel before bringing a pet in so I don't get distracted when I really need my concentration. [un-quote]

I'm gonn throw my .02 worth in...the above needs to be read , and re-read. While I can understand a person wanting their "pet " in the truck with them IMHO , pets have no business in any kind of vehicle , unless they are being transported to the Vet. They are a distraction and could possibly cause a terrible accident resulting in a death. To me , it's a really selfish person that would put their beloved pet in a situation like that....I'm a dog lover...you can check out my pics on my profile and see....love my Dal's....but they stay home where they're safe....

 

I pulled flatbed.. and so we didn't stay at truck stops all the time.. however, there is always pro's and con's to wherever you stay.. is there access to a restroom.. are you really safer tu ked away in this litte secluded area or safer in numbers at a truck stop or rest area...
And, there is several other little factors that go into it.. where you are at with your HOS.. you may not have time to find somewhere else..
That is the ambiguity of being OTR.. you have to be able to plan your route, manage your time and all that and at the very same time be able to go with the flow and handle changes as they arise.. you can be all on track and time andat then boom.. everything changes.. maybe a truck rolled over on the exit ramp to that you were getting off on and the ramp will be closed for two hours while they clean it up..
You have to manage what is in your control to manage and be prepared for what you can't..

Here is what happened to us one day, we had picked up a load and more then enough time to deliver it.. a rediculous amount of time.. so, the guy training me said he had some friends
Who lived near by and we went and visited them, it was lovely, got to do laundry, home cooked meal and a hot candle light bubble bath.. heaven.. we stayed the night.. a real bed, no parking lot to walk to go potty.. got up early to a wonderful breakfast and then hit the road.. we were only 6.5 hours away from our delivery point and had 10 hours to get there.. well, we encountered obstacle after obstacle, accident on highway had to reroute, low bridge, reroute again,
He missed his turn we ended up on the wrong highway, and so on.. then there we were, two hours way with only 45 minutes to get there.. he was stressed out, Yelling, cursing and just being an arse..
We delivered late.. that Is not good.. so, to show their disapproval.. the company didnt get Is a load for 4 days... 4 rainy miserable days.. stuck in a truck.. we had to be ready to go when they gave us a load.. so . So, 4 very long miserable days.. wheels not rolling... Not making money...

 

As a female solo driver...let me offer this advice to you. Give up on this "no truck stop" thing.

First of all...you are FAR safer (and legal) in a truck stop surrounded by other truckers. Believe it or not, if those old guys ( :] ) see something unusual or suspicious...they come out, tire knockers in hand. I have had more than one step in when they thought it necessary. Once was merely a misunderstanding, another was a trucker who pretended to be my co-driver (thus implying significant other) in order to shoo away a particularly aggressive interested party (lol). There are ALWAYS eyes on the parking lot. Always. You will notice how many of us sit in the front seat for a while before heading behind the curtains.

Second, you are no longer the protected (and incredibly irritating) RVer. You are a trucker, you are not allowed in a LOT of the places they are. If you shut down on "the side of the highway", you are risking a wake up in the middle of the night, a ticket, and violation when they make you move (and they will).

Third, you can't start/stop/start/ stop all day long or you will have logs that look like an EKG and are just as difficult to interpret, and a paycheck that looks like minimum wage from the 70's. That is what you will have to do if you intend to walk the dog at place A. shower at place B. fuel at place C. and park at D. Never mind delivery and load/unloading.

Hate to be the bearer of bad news...but if you intend to succeed at this....you need to focus on getting YOU used to this lifestyle first, or possibly look into something else if you can't be separated from the pup.

There are sooooo many nuances that you have/will learn. I'm afraid you may be looking at this as paid tourism...it isn't. Not at all. It is work, hard work..IF you intend to succeed of course. If making a decent paycheck is not necessary (......crickets......), then my advice would be different.

Sorry for the depressing reality check.