In over my head...

Point taken, lets becarefull i fear i may have started a hijack on accedent. So yeah call for a spotter like he said.

 

Sorry, I like to help people, I do, it's why I came to this site, to give new people the wisdom of my 35 years, so they don't have to find out the hard way, like I did. I guess maybe it sounded like I was ripping on them because they couldn't use their GPS. Things have gotten easier, and it's good. I'll admit, a GPS is pretty cool, it's just that I never used one, so the whole thing is foreign to me. Fact is, I don't even know how to use one.

 

Gps is great, but it is only a tool and it can get you in trouble if you aren't careful, just make sure it is a truck gps, not a car gps, even though years ago we used the car Garmin, but I made sure of the roads and route 1st. I check out the route on google maps, the road atlas, etc. On google maps you can zoom in and see the area, see the docks. Of course there are those areas that the address is in the wrong place, Carthage Tyson is one place I believe. Then there are days it won't pickup the area, or the area looks like a farmfield with nothin on it. If Rand McNally gps won't pickup the address, then I find a street in the area if I can, it sometimes has the street number on the road which can be put in for the number address part. There have been areas that I have had to hunt out the address using the customer supplied directions. And if you are going out to construction sites, you will have to be extra careful to make sure of where you are going, but I am sure with the customer giving you some info, that will narrow that down safely.

Don't know if you will be over the road or not, but I use www.findfuelstops.com to help locate fuelstops, just remember not all of them are for parking or in my opinion even good for a fuel stop. Also all the major truckstops have a website with the locations listed.

Make a plan for the day, night, no ahead where you might stop for a break, etc. This is half the battle, then plan for where you will go for the 10 hr break. Know what your options are, sometimes plan A do not plan out for stopping and Plan B will need to be used.

Good luck. Husband is reefer div no and drove dry van before that, so flatbed is out on the limb for me.

Oh and don't forget to stop and check your load and make sure it is strapped down good, etc.

 

What exactly are you having problems with? I'm in my first year myself. Is it just the navigation thing? Or driving the truck in the city in general? You just gotta manage your stress better. New jobs are stressful no matter what. It's not an excuse for a company to be a douche to you but they are going to expect you to be able to drive the truck. You need to rethink the jobs you apply to, and what that job entails. If you've barely been driving a couple months and now going on your 3rd job, that really looks bad for you. You'll be good man, don't sweat the small stuff.

Good Luck

 

Get a good city map or a book type map for your city. I used to have 4 for the city of Detroit alone. I have s GPS too but I find it better if I can look at a map and see the big picture. Everyone's different though. Good luck

 

Hi special-k, when I was trucking, I had a briefcase full of maps. I know it's a lot harder now, as maps aren't as available as they were years ago. On a trip to L.A. last year, I just couldn't get my bearings, even with my daughter's GPS, I needed a bigger picture. I went to 3 gas stations and finally found a street map,( 1 at one station, 1 at another, L.A. is that big) and they had dust on them. Even when I asked for one, the attendant didn't even know they had any.

 

[QUOTE="semi" retired;4182881]Hi special-k, when I was trucking, I had a briefcase full of maps. I know it's a lot harder now, as maps aren't as available as they were years ago. On a trip to L.A. last year, I just couldn't get my bearings, even with my daughter's GPS, I needed a bigger picture. I went to 3 gas stations and finally found a street map,( 1 at one station, 1 at another, L.A. is that big) and they had dust on them. Even when I asked for one, the attendant didn't even know they had any.[/QUOTE]

for local directions i use my iphone's maps. Google maps on a computer to. they dont tell you truck safe routes, but you can get an idea where the streets go...and the bigger ones are in another color.

 

Man up. You're in charge of your movie, you're the star and without you there's no movie.
Take a day at the time, be vigilant and cautious always.
If you don't think you fit, don't get in it.
Show confidence and breath.
Good luck driver

 

Two months otr ? That's it? Why don't you do a year at least?

 

you have nothing to fear unless you get to the job site late, then you better be ready for a chewing