Hey Big Dogs! Could you jump back up on the porch for a second?

Whelp (pun)..... I'll give it a shot here.

1st year: Resign yourself to the fact that everything is gonna start out being alien to you. The "trick" is to learn to relax with that. Don't try to memorise everything that comes at you, you'll drive yourself crazy. Get you a good spiral notebook and write info down that you think you need to remember then review it every once in awhile, like when you're sitting. Heck, even jot things down like your impressions of the past day... you can re-read those in a few months and smile at yourself.

Don't beat yourself up over mistakes. Everybody makes em and you will too. Just try to learn from them and not repeat em. This is your main learning time. If you find yourself getting tensed up over something just take a deep breath and repeat to yourself " Hey, it's Ok. Even Kittyfoot farks up once in awhile".

Seek out the drivers who've been with the company for several years. Hanging with short-timers who complain about everything is a fool's game. Realize that every outfit has it's plus and minus and it's up to you to adapt to them not them to you.

Driving skills like when to park it, etc will come along with experience. As a general rule; stop if you think you're getting in over your head. It's alot easier to explain a "stop for storm" than it is to explain why you put the truck in the willywags. Driving in ice, snow or heavy rain? Slow down and drive easy and steady. Do not do anything sudden. Get on your CB and check on conditions ahead. Sudden storms are often quite localized and you can drive right out of them within a few miles. Do not ever, ever, ever drive through water running over the road.

Now the following is from my wife too.

Above all, look after yourself.... and your family. Don't forget to share with your wife what's going on. She's a very important part of this equation. Make sure that she understands that money is gonna be tight and listen to her input on how you can get through it. Sending along some little things from home like some home baked cookies or food that you don't have to buy on the road can be a big help and it lets her be your partner in this.

If you've got a cell phone plan, call her at least every day/night to let her know you're parked and safe. If you want to really score points before you leave make up a bunch of little notes telling her you love her and miss her and scatter em all over the house where she'll find one or two every day.

Shoot, before you know it the year will be gone and you can be the one giving advice here. Have confidence in yourself, you're gonna be fine.

 

From a relatively new driver, please explain this for me !! Thanx

 

You can't tell how deep, or how swift the water is or is flowing...also you don't know if the road has been washed out and the drop off to the bottom could be many feet...just some common sense is required...but that is sometimes absent or just ignored!

 

I mean no offense to you at all. This is common sense why would anyone drive into a flooded road. Google some videos of driving through running water in Arizona.

Here in Arizona there is a dumb motorist law and they charge you all the costs and then give you a ticket for being stupid attempting to drive through a flooded road.

 

Plus the fact that wet brakes do not work real well.

Therev will be times when you have to do things like drive through standing water in a shipper/reciever's yard or backing into a flooded dock or picking up a trailer in such. A little tip; gently apply your brakes for a few seconds while moving slowly ahead a few truck lengths. The resulting friction heat will dry them out and you're good to go.

 

EXELANT POST MY FRIEND, and very good advice. southernpride

 

It is very important you keep good notes and make photo copies of your signed Bills (POD's).

Each company I have worked for has made errors in my paycheck at one time or another. Many times the "mistake" is a missing Bill of Lading or a missing receipt you sent in for reimbursement. The key to fixing these "mistakes" is to have a back up copy kept on the truck in an accordion type file folder.

Always be sure to compare your pay sheets/pay stubs with your notes.

Keep a notebook on hand and record your load info. For EVERY load you pull you should have the following info;

Trip/load number.
Broker name and phone number.
Shipper name, address, phone number, directions to shipper, pickup or shipper ID #, scheduled pick up time.
Verify what type of equipment is required (flat, van, reefer, 48' or 53', load locks/straps, roll up door or swing door) and be sure you have the correct configuration "before" heading to the shipper.
Rcvr name, address, phone number, and directions.
Scheduled delivery time.
Write down the loaded and empty miles the load pays.
Be sure to record the odometer reading at each stop you make AND the time that stop occured in your notes as well.

With the above records you can keep track of what you did and when you did it each day. This will enable you to compare those pay stubs with the work you performed.