How can a new guy avoid the NE?

My man eazymoney is tripping man, but im not going to turn this into a post bashing him. That being said, you have to do you. If you don't want to do something like NE find companies that don't do it or run it as little as possible. Everybody has a complaint about something and there is nothing wrong with that. It is a product of human evolution to give us the ability to decide what we can or won't handle, not to say that this is a bad thing. And if it were a part of being a "professional' driver to unload 50 lb anvils to albino clown midgets in Green Bay and you didn't want to do that, I wouldn't consider you anyless "professional". Run tell dat!

 

I to agree with him.. I have been doing this 20+ years and I started out when there where no alot of females in this bussiness. It has had its ups and downs. But I love running the N.E. I will take that any day over LA Atlanta just to name a few. Do I like going into NY City no but will I you bet your sweet little ##### I will most companies pay extra for doing it.

I know every one has to start some where but with insurance regulations and lack of experience you don't get good paying local jobs..

I don't consider my self one of the Big Dogs because I still learn something everyday about the industry...

And it's not as easy as everyone tries to make it sound, you have to do alot of things you really don't want to do But being Picky before you even start is no a good thing

 

Yup.Like with the company I drive for,running the NE is like paying your dues.I and a lot of our drivers live in Ohio.The first 6 months they run you almost only from Wisconsin to the NE states then you hit that 6 month mark and if you aren't a s@%* bag they quit sending you up there and run you to eastern Pa and places like Watkins Glen,NY and Baltimore,and SC,NC,WV and things like that.May even get a few Texas,OK and GA loads.And the experience you get running in the tight spots with the traffic and bridges is priceless.Not to mention if you go up to Maine in the summer it is one of the most amazing states east of the river.You can roll down your window and smell the forest and the clean air but you get a lil farther north and smell rotting fish but that's besides the point lol.If you dont want to run NYC don't if it's not a forced dispatch but everyone should run the NE at least for 6 months.You'll be more confident after a few runs up there and making it out without beating up your truck or anything.Just don't get ####y and think you know it all and you'll be fine.OK I'll shut up this is long enough lol

 

If you want to be a good professional driver that is an asset to the companies that you work for you should let them run you anywhere unless they only run you to a few places that aren't your cup of tea. Have run the NE for years and its no big deal. Would suggest that if you are to run to New York City or other big cities, you find out exactly which routes you need to run or directions to them that are legal for truckers. Call ahead to the receivers and don't just take anyone's advice at the truckstop unless they are a person who routinely delivers where you are going.

Have seen guys and heard them on the CB asking for directions into receivers in the Metro NY City area while they are rolling down the road without a clue. Drivers like that are usually the ones who have the worst to say about their NE driving experiences. Some of the drivers who roll into Pennsylvania or States bordering the NE want to drop their loads for someone else to deliver so they can head back to where they feel safe.

Once you are used to driving the NE, you will find out that in some ways its not that different from anywhere else. You just have to be a little more deligent at times out there. Also, if you can drive in the NE, you can drive just about anywhere else. All parts of the country have their advantages and disadvantages. New York has a sort of bad reputation by many drivers who aren't used to driving in that state and they might think the whole state is like the Big Apple. In my opinion, driving above NY City is much like driving West of the Mississippi River. There's not always a lot of heavy traffic unless you get to rush hour in some of their cities up there.

The best advice is to be prepared and know what you are doing. Take your time and do things right.

 

A few things I learned about the Northeast (even though, technically, I live in the Northeast.)

1. No matter what time you try it, there is no "Good Time" to get across the GW Bridge. I have been across it in the truck at least 5 times and each time, I did it after midnight and still sat in traffic.
2. If you can Make it in and out of NYC without scrubbing a curb, hitting a sign, getting cut off or eventually cutting someone else off or giving someone the finger or cussing loudly, than you are lying about driving your truck to NYC!
3. Good thing about most NE States, no Split speeds. It might be 55 in Mass, but everyone is doing 55 (well, theoretically)
4. There are no Truckstops convenient to where you are usually delivering to, so you either sleep at the consignee or find a wal-mart. If you are in Auburn Mass, the mall there says you can't park overnight....but, if you go inside and buy a drink, you are doing business there and the security guard will actually come by and make sure you are ok if you've been sitting there for a while.
5. The Service Plaza's on the MassPike only have spots for about 5 trucks. Take what you can get, sometimes you gotta learn to be a "MassHole" and not care if you are inconveniencing someone else.
6. There are no tolls in Conneticut.
7. The MassPike toll rates aren't as bad as everyone thinks
8. If you can get over the shock of the $40 cost to get over the GW Bridge, the NY thruway extension going into CT. is only $7.50 and they don't weigh you. If you're lucky, when you go to the GW, you'll get the lazy toll attendant who will skip your steer axle and only charge you $35.
9. Boston....never drove thru....only around....no advice to give.
10. Once you get away from the Metro Areas, it's not any worse than driving through Western Maryland.
11. I was thru there on weekdays and never saw a scale open in Mass or Conneticutt. And from what I hear, they really don't give too much of a rip about trucks on the highway....but I am sure I just got lucky

Hope that helps! I seriously don't get the whole Northeastern Fear. I had a worse time driving thru Louisiana.

 

I will agree to disagree, the worst is New Jersey, poorly marked roads or not marked at all, jughandles everywhere but where you may need one and oh yea, crappy attitude in general, other than that, it's just great.

What the bleep!

 

In L.A. CA it can take 4 or 5 hrs. to drive 50 miles from east to west. So a driver would make $4.00 an hr. What the heck, thats below min. wage, whats up? How long does it take to drive thru NYC?

$40 to go across the GW. I hope thats round trip.

 

Yeah, you pay no tolls leaving NYC. You do pay tolls both ways on the Throgs Neck and the other bridges inside the city. Depending on which way you are going it could take hours to get thru NYC, it's all about planning. If you are North on I95 headed to New England, you are really only in NYC for about 12 miles.

 

Ah, but some days, that 12 miles seems alot longer.

 

since day one all ive ran is NE , its not that bad, gets old after a while, the worst thing about NE is NYC, which i hardly go to, sucks in the winter but other than that, not really terriable

its a good way to get some good experenice in traffic and what not...just get in and drive...