Help A Student

1: I only drive as a side gig anymore. I'm a mechanic with Navajo Express.
2: I like the shop and the people I work with, but that's probably irrelevant to your question. Driving OTR for a big box carrier would be a difficult and very bitter pill for me to swallow.
3: Since the Summer of 2002.
4: Most of my experience was on the construction side of things, and I like that I was expected to be more dynamic... I ran heavy loads, operated equipment, etc. I loved it, but hated the seasonal nature of it and how your work week was more or less weather dependent.
As for OTR.. I liked the fact that I traveled, I worked for some good people... but this was a small fleet without the stupid Qualcomm, none of this 62 MPH crap, I had a good amount of autonomy out there, I wasn't micromanaged, I was known by name rather than a driver ID #, etc.
What I didn't like OTR... largely, the industry. There's too much trash amongst the freight haulers, for one. You'll be reminded of this every time you gaze upon a gallon sized trucker bomb left in a Wal Mart or truck stop parking lot, or pretty much anytime you have your CB on and you pass by a truck stop (if you get a CB.. can't really keep that expectation of anyone anymore).
5: Take everything you're told with a grain of salt. You'll learn quickly that a lot of truck drivers are utterly full of ####. Cover yourself out there... just like the Army, you want to keep copies of all paperwork, all bills, all logs, all receipts, etc. I'd suggest a laptop and a scanner.
Remember that not everyone out here is your buddy.
Take what you read on this forum with a grain of salt... the guy whining about how horrible (insert big box company here) is? Keep in mind the likelihood that he won't be so quick to admit that he ###### up... he might be neglecting to mention the multiple accidents/service failures/etc. on his end.
And, above all, common ####### sense. Seriously. You'll find it undervalued so much anymore, yet a little can go a long way.

Best of luck to you.

 

JB Hunt, 7 years

Steady work, good benefits, strong safety environment

19 years

Like: I like working alone, pretty much set my own hours (within reason)

Dislike: being away from home and loved ones. Not much free time; living out of the truck; eating out of gas stations, truckstops, fast food places; being transient.

Take your time when maneuvering the truck, be patient, ask questions, when in doubt get out and look when backing, learn to say, 'no, I can't do that', know your limits, don't drive into a place without knowing whether you can turn around in there or not.

 

Now, THAT'S some of the best experienced advise I have ever read here.

 

1. Roehl Transport and I've been here better then 2 years
2. True family environment. I ask for time off and never giving a question aire about it. Home time I picked when I started out. Now I'm home for 2 to 3 days every weekend. Lots of miles and good equipment. And I get to train guys from my generation how to pilot these bad boys.
3. 6 years with 4 being otr.
4. Money's good. No boss looming over your shoulder. Get to see all the beauty of the country. I take pride in the fact that I deliver stuff that everyone needs. The only bad thing is weather, super truckers who know everything and go a million miles an hour and mostly being away from my little guys and the wife.
5. Take your time and mostly pay attention. Slow down and don't get on someone's bumper. Relax but stay alert. Don't be afraid to get out and look. If someone blows his horn at you for being careful and taking their time don't let it get to you. Let it roll off your shoulder bud. And for heaven sake get out and look. And don't play on the cell phone. Lastly have fun with it.

 

I drive for Navajo Express. What I like most about them is that they have an open door policy and that they know you by name, not your tractor number. I've been driving professionally for a year now. What I like most about trucking is it satisfies my wanderlust. What I dislike the most are car drivers who live with the assumption that a tractor-trailer weighing 80,000lbs can stop as quickly as they can. The best advise I can give any newbie is, spend as much time as you can in the training truck mastering your skills. Especially backing.

 

1. retired now , but the last ( only worked at 2 ) company that I worked for GSF , was for 33 years before retiring.

2. Pay , home time (ran local , home every night delivered McDonald's rest. ) schedule , benefits/ins/retirement , good equipment (well maintained) great dispatchers/bosses.

3. I'm 65 now started as a teen (15) working on a dairy farm with my family. Uncle taught me how to drive. So altogether 50 years + or -

4. dislikes.... Heavy traffic/bad weather conditions/drivers with bad attitudes (car and big truck ) likes....the freedom of sorta being your own boss , the money of course , being able to retire early ( in 2011 at 63 ) and still be healthy enough and have a good enough retirement income to really enjoy my "golden years"

5. listen/AND LEARN....ALWAYS REMEMBER that you're just a blink of an eye away from a terrible accident. Always be proactive in your driving , not reactive....Patience , is always your best friend , Remember that you will always be a rookie , always learning/seeing different situations , with every single turn of the wheel. You'll eventually be an "experienced driver"...but you'll never see/hear or learn it all.