Heading back out, still have my fear....

Well, I, never! *huffed up false indignity*
:smt019

But seriously, you won't find much to write home about on 80 or 76, but make the mistake of taking some of those PA/WV back roads?
(or have to take them because that's where the load is going)

Rt. 40 is a mistake I made, TWICE! (oh look it goes RIGHT from Washington PA to Cumberland MD,,, on paper!)
Some of the side roads around Scranton-Wilkes Barre.
Last week I "discovered" 250 from Wheeling WV to Cadiz OH. Fun times.

 

Do you have a problem with eastern mountains like in PA, TN, VA, AR or just the western mountains like in CO, Wy, UT, CA, OR, WA??? If you are okay with the eastern ones try a company like JB Hunt. It is a big company but I rarely see them in CO, WY, or UT.


I drove for Crete Carrier from May 2004 to July 2006 and you had to beg to get 200 miles west of I-35.


I trained 8 week weeks with Crete and never made it to MT, WY, CO, or NM or west of there. Was concerned about the western mountains but did okay when I made it there on my own. Crete had jakes in all of there trucks and that gave me confidence. The current company that I drive for does not purchase jakes and it was annoying at first but after 9 years I don’t even thing about it any more since most loads are 38,000 or less.


The longest grade that I go down currently is Parley’s in UT. After determining what RPMs is my max I get into a gear that will let me hit that max and stay under the 40 mph speed limit for trucks. Depending on what truck I am in my max speed may be 36 mph. When I hit my max rpm I brake until my speed declines 5 mph which may take 3 or 4 seconds to drop 5 mph.

 

I forgot about wv back roads.I strongly advise no one in a big trk take any of them just to save on toll.I did and never again.Did'nt think I would ever see any light out of it.Then seen a sign to I 77 and back on the interstate and stayed on it.That was a real long 20 miles.Ya you're right those back roads are very dangerous for big trks.You can bet I won't be making that mistake twice..According to my atlas it didn't look that bad.

 

I'm out in Ca as an O/O and did it right outta trucking school (part time, as I was active duty Marine Corps then) and I always try to check out my route on google maps or whatever first is possible. Every now and then I get myself into a situation where KPRA length over 30' not advised, but I still make it, albeit a little whiter in the knuckles LOL. I run the Cajon Pass, the Grapvine, and assorted stupid twisty turny hilly roads (look up the 17 from San Jose to Santa Cruz) and experience is the only thing that will build confidence. What I used to hate I now just take my time and calmly get where I'm going. WRT being a lease operator, heck driving a truck is driving a truck. I started running cars in a dually and 3 car trailer with loads from uship. THen I got a Intl Cab over for about $6000, and started getting heavier loads. Now I want to get a bigger trailer because I can handle more weight and know how to get my own loads. I got my small business account with stupid BofA, a good mechanic when I need him, and a well organized folder system to track EVERYTHING. The only thing being a company driver gives you some sense of security, in that they get your loads for you and if you break down it's on them to fix it. But after making the money I do, and KEEPING IT, I doubt I'll ever try to go company. Best of luck!

 

We all have that fear so join the club my friend.

 

True that Dinomite- the best thing to do is just GO SLOW. I may curse ya a little under my breath if I pass you grossing only 25k, but that's ok, I don't know what you got in your box and if you are going slow, I figure it's because you're heavy and are being a responsible driver. Take your time and you'll usually fare well

 

At the end of the day, what's going to kill you is the lack of experience. You can take another 8/9 months OTR living with this crap, or another 2 years local.

Really what this amounts to is paying dues.

Wish you the best of luck, and I might mention that sanitation jobs pay GOOD money; you'll work hard, but you'll have the money to play hard too.
I'm 22 and make twice what most of my friends make, and my salary is on par with people that have for instance a BA in business admin.

 

Knight, you don't run as a team during training and the whole fleet(company, lease, O/O) is non forced dispatch. I have known a few drivers that work for them on a casual basis taking winters off. You'll average about 2k miles a week so it's not spectacular but it's pretty consistent. They have a yard in Columbus.