Well for the past couple months ive been doing local less than a 100 miles a day , then i found out there was a position open at the company i use to be yard jockey. They are called Aker plastics/MAAX (i am out of martinsburg wv , but they have plants in IN,GA,IA and a few others)
Mostly haul bath tubes , yeah NO weight at all...so i have a little story on my week, i was with another driver monday-wed, thurs and fri was by myself...
Anyways got to do something ive wanted to do for a LONG time,
Started off Sunday night about 9pm headed to Middletown Ct, for 630am delivery, ok everything is going great got there about 330am , took a nap , unloaded till 730am 1 stop whole trailer unloaded, easy right? HA about 5 mins down 91S we got a call from the dispatcher, one of the other trucks had an accident over in Rochester, NY , so until he takes a drug test he cant drive SO....we had to go get him and the truck.well sometime sunday night he had took down some power lines and poles , truck and trailer wasnt hurt to much minus some scrapes, anyways we turn around jump over to rt 8 up to mass then to the turnpike over to rochester so its about 330-4pm still monday still legal (kinda) pick up the truck and head south back to martinsburg , OH by the way i seen what driving is all about , down in PA 15 south was so dang nice right around sunset across the mts i wish i had my camera absoulty perfect sunset.
so any ways make it back to wv around 1015-1030, it was a long screwed up day( i can see how fast a log book can get out of hand! LOL)
BUT i #### it i loved enjoyed all 25ish hr...
so anyways tues went up to west chester pa and willow grove pa for a 7am delivery easy enough , well kinda we had to go to peneske rental in pensuken NJ to pick up the truck im driving , we had a time finding that place about an hr wasted there then i bobtailed back pretty easy day
Wed back to vineland NJ and New Castle De(you dont even have to go to a truck stop to get a lot lizzard in new castle LOL , loaded with hookers)
and back to wv
Thrus , was my first reg. run by myself , it i was only to Richmond VA 3 hrs exactly so that was almost to easy
and fridays are the local runs , i went to fredricksburg va , i was back in Wv about 1030am had a 8 am delivery
But i do gotta say i have so much respect for you guys/gals , its NOT as easy as first suspected , but money is higher than most companys will pay for 3 months experiance.... .37 1/2 mile about 1800-2200 miles a week for me since im still a noob, more experience gets 2500-2800 miles
my truck is a 03 frieghtliner 430hp detroit 10spd , yeah its pleunty of power for less than 10,000lbs on the wagon
ill get some pics up this weekend, so anyways theres my story this week...
Just finished my first week of regional hauling
Discussion in 'Road Stories' started by elharrison, Sep 21, 2007.
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And STILL enjoyed all twenty-something hours of it.
That's a good sign! :smt038
ELH, are you looking to go OTR, or stay awhile where you are?
Reason I ask is, compared to your driving duties and necessary skills required almost(?) daily to deal with that, --- the actual "driving" part of OTR is a breeze.
IMO
Once out of the congested areas, OTR allows a driver to get in the "stroll" mode. The (well) open road is a great place to be in a nice Big truck. And by "nice", I mean a Big truck spec'd right enough to get 'er done. I don't mean a BIG truck with mega lights and polished aluminum, although, I gotta admit, that feels pretty darned good too. But out there on the super-slab, OTR drivers can relax a tad more than when in city atmospheres.
When you're driving, do you have to be on extra alert often, or do you find certain spots where you can trust conditions enough to relax a tad?
Do you run mostly the same places/routes, or does it vary?
Whatever,
my hat's off to you.
Thanx
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id like to stay regional for now , get use to log books , time management , maybe in a couple years ill do OTR cause i do want to see more of the country but for now im pretty happy
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Happy is good.
By the time you go OTR, you oughta be pretty skilled already.
If you can handle the time away from home, I think you'd like the feeling of stretching your legs on longer runs.
There's a LOT to see out there.
I've heard trucking referred to as "Solitary Confinement --- With A View".
I won't argue with that assessment.
But WHAT A VIEW!
Happy Trails, ELH!
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well we run mostly NE including NC,TN , after a while its the same places so that will be real nice...this past first week i was EXTRA alert just because ive never had to drive so long in a truck, but some areas ive been through before i relax a little but i stay on top of things...
i can see more than ever , what everyone talks about , billy big riggers and the super truckers , im still young yes i know , but i take it very professially(sp?)
home time isnt the most important thing , i dont have kids or wife , so runnin aint a problem cept my butt gets sore
thanks yall!
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When companies require a regional driver to ride with a trainer/finisher for a few weeks,................what a golden opportunity to show your stuff. After the trainer is convinced your experience is equivocal enough to be successful upon release, that doubt shouldn't surface again.
My guess is that the former regional driver will be able to give the trainer a few pointers as well.
Personally, I don't have a problem with experienced Big truck drivers being required to spend time with a company trainer/finisher.
And if everything else about a trucking company impressed me, I darned sure wouldn't let having to use training wheels for awhile prevent me from accepting employment.
If it's a part of their process, ............ deal with it.
I knew an experienced Big truck driver, new to the company and a trainee,......again, after years of Big truck driving experience.
Unknown to him at the time, his "trainer" was the trucking company's owner's son, and the company co-owner.
The owner's son was so impressed with the experienced trainee, that he offered the new, experienced trainee a sweet dedicated gig within the first week out OTR. And, the fancier truck that went with it.
Had he copped an attitude right off about being experienced and still HAVING to go with a TRAINER,.... what might have been, just might NOT have (been). At all.
Sometimes, it's better to MAKE things happen WITHIN the "system" by USING the "system" to your benefit.
Y'all never get a second chance to make a first impression.
And y'all know how long first impressions last.
Right?
What's the WORST thing that could happen to an experienced trainee going with a trainer/finisher? :smt017:smt102
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