I have a question

That truck will feel awful lonely. Its true, its just a closet on wheels. Granted the scenery changes. But no one knows your name, cashiers will have little life in them when you meet them. Some truckstops have TV's and comfy chairs, good if your a Nascar Fan, yet get there early as seating will fill up. Some yards are nice, others are pot hole city. If you can find a trainer that knows good places to pull over and get a bite to eat, your the better off to know where to go. Most of the time its all gogogo.

This job is not romantic. Very few kids out there that want you to toot your horn. Alot of people would rather single finger salute you, rather than wave with all 5 fingers. Plan on feeling lost on quite a few deliveries. I was grateful when my DM got me the occasional load to the same destination. 4 wheelers dont have the courtesy of correct driving around you. Some will pass you only to realise they are going to fast to make the exit.

You will learn the joys of getting sick of subway or any/all fast food restaurant. That 34 hour reset will be great for getting that extra sleep you didnt get during the week.

Listen to the words of Eddie Rabbit about driving my life away. Its very true.

 

There are rare exceptions , I agree . But what percentage of newbies get an opportunity like that ?
Heard from oldnewbiegonnabe lately ?

 

Hey , get a job that requires uniforms then everybody will know your name . . Just humor the blondes that call you Mr. Transport

 

RickG, I'll sort of disagree, also. Yeah, there are lots of newbies who don't make it, but I don't think they have a clue when they start (the schools don't give them the down sides) and just don't hack it. But there are hundreds who do, and have been, even before the internet, andpeople like you, were around to advise them.

As for oldnewbiegonnabe, that's pretty funny coming from you, with your post count for only a tear and a half.

 

Hundreds that do out of tens of thousands trying . That doesn't seem very impressive .
I don't get the point on my post count but a large amount of it was made when I was out of work for a month and a half last year due to surgery . But I also run regional dedicated and make a lot more money being home 3 days week than the bottom feeder drivers do being home 3 days a month if they are lucky . In the next 10 days I'm scheduled for 3 runs paying a minimum of $700 each . Those runs require just over 30 on duty hours . Delivering the first one on the 12th , home for a restart on the 13th then delivering the same product to the same consignee the 16th and 19th . So yeah , I have quite bit of time to post while still making money .

 

Just some quick, rough math shows more than 300 posts a month. And if your gone for a few days a month, that would put your daily post count up even higher. Must be nice to have such a top notch job AND all that time to sit at a computer.

That amount of contribution would be great, except that most of your posts seem to just bash the starter companies, newbies trying to get started, and all the wannabies. Since you have your nice, cushy, high paying regional job (which also sort of negates any input you may make about OTR work), what difference is the whole newbie thing to you? It really doesn't affect you, does it?

 

Winger,

Florida sux for jobs, as you must already know.

Check around, find a job first, then go to school !!!!

GOOD LUCK !!!!!

 

Starter companies and CDL mils deserved to be bashed . They are exploiting desperate people . The newbie thing doesn't affect me ? I have to deal with them every day I'm on the road . You can tell a newbie easily , driving for USX running up trying to pass you on the right , weaving in and out of lanes trying to make his DM happy or get the most miles to try not to have a negative settlement with "his" lease truck . Then you have the newbies with a death grip on the steering wheel going 45 m.p.h. in the middle lane because it's snowing . It doesn't matter the roads are just wet with plenty of spray coming up .
Doesn't being an ex-trucker kind of negate your posts ?

 

winger, i am a otr driver. I stay out 2 to 3 months and go home 1 week. reason is bills. life on the road. well, depends on what kind of life your looking for. I mostly stay in my truck. every truckstop you go to and sit and wait t.v. you always end up talking shop or polictic. or, the t.v. has sports, news or weather on it. then on sunday church turns the t.v. off. my computer keeps me in touch with my 8 year old son. we play world of warcraft. sometimes i get pictures on email.
there is only 1 common thing between all us drivers that stay driving. We love the job. I love seeing the country side, and all the animals. Things you probably wouldn't see if you had a local job at a factory.