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

1. Never go home without calling ahead.
2. Don't try to be cool and act like you know what your'e doing if you don't. I pass and get passed by these types everyday and it provides me some entertainment.
3. Don't try to be faster, better or smarter than anyone else even if you are. Turtle and the hare. You will be plugging along while they are hurt, disqualified and burned out. Goes for dispatchers starting out. Set your pace and stick with it. Within three days you will hear "but they do this run everyday..blah blah blah..." Even if you have been driving 10 years say" Well I'm new and don't think I can". That truck and dispatcher can outlast you everytime.

I don't reccomend doing it if you have to make a normal check for the next 10 years.

 

I've got "Streets and Trips" on my laptop. NO, I DON'T use it for any routing. But when I get some bad directions, or dubious ones, I'll look it up. It's saved me some heartburn from time to time.
If you do use that method, pay attention to any landmarks like gas stations, cemeteries, restaurants, railroad tracks, and the like.

 

learn to do it right, and then be consistent! do your hooking the same over and over again until it's ingrained. the same with your pretrip/postrip. don't deviate from that order, even if you're rushed or interupted.

don't do the minutiae like flashing another truck over because chances are he's coming over and leaving you with NO braking space and no vision to see what's up ahead. it should scare you witless. and a witless obiwonewbie is not a pretty sight.

get out and look no matter what.

learn how to read a map, whether paper or digital so you don't have to depend on anyone else to get you from point a to point b. there's no better feeling than being able to get yourself there on your own skills without getting "lost".

always carry a hammer, a bungee cord, some pieces of wood, and 2 lengths of home depot chain with 2 shackle bolts. when you get stuck, ask.... "what would V do"?

use the wood when the trailer's dropped too low, the chain when the drives spin, and the bungee cord to hold the door back.

 

Me too! That program saved me from being lost quite a few times! There is a truckers upgrade version that you can use for routing. Looks really good, but I came off the road before I got around to buying it. Also Google Earth can be helpful at scouting a site before you get there.

On GOAL (get out and look), Darned fine advice!!!! I once had a car pull in behind my trailer while I was setting up for the back into the dock at Costco. She hid right where I wouldn't see her. If I hadn't GOALed, I would have made some beercan origami, with a very messy center

 

Just did a quick search for this and didn't find anything for trucks. Likely just me, but what is the name of the program? Streets and Trips for Trucks?

 

Thats the one. Sorry, my main computer blew a hard drive and am back on my antique (read Pentium 1) laptop.

 

Basic survival is what got me through. First time I did truck driving, I quit after 4 months and went back to taxi-driving and cell phone customer service. But I didn't have health insurance and ended up $10,000 in debt from an unexpected hospitalization. I needed the health insurance to get some more tests and medicine. Albeit, I had to drive for four months before insurance took effect, but got everything taken care of after that.

Since then I haven't wanted to take the chance of taking a lower-paying job or without decent health benefits. Most local truck driving jobs in my area don't pay nearly as well as OTR.

But it's different for everybody. If your survival instincts set in, you'll get through just about anything. But that's no reason to be taken advantage of. After your first year or two, you should look to get better treatment, equipment, etc.

Oh yeah, and not all "Travel Plazas" have truck parking. Specifically, if you see the word "Family Travel Plaza" that's a good clue. Be careful where you exit, and if you're not sure try to look beyond the exit, to see if there is a re-entry sign so you can get back on easily if it doesn't look good. If it is a circular exit, though, you may have trouble getting back on right away.

 

Ummm, can i ask where you would use the wood if the trailer has been dropped to low? If it is too low, then muscle up and start cranking...only one option to bring the trailer up and that is the landing gear, if dumping the air won't get you down low enough. Unless you can get the fork driver to lift so you can slip the wood under the gear...is this what you are saying?