Life on the road

I am just curious why ramps are undesirable? I see a truck offline on a ramp now and then, but not very often at all.

 

Illegal in many states to park on ramps and it's also very dangerous. My company forbids it also. Probably something to do with one of our drivers getting hit at highway speeds while parked on a ramp. I saw pictures of the aftermath. It was difficult to tell what make truck it was from the wreckage.

 

It aint the Law...

BAM BAM BAM YOUSE NEED LUMPER!?

WOT?! *&^%$

 

The law likes to roll up on clear em and roll off.

If Im a parking on one it's REALLY bad. Usually a particular ramp where it's a downgrade, in the woods and not visible from the approach side.

 

I have only been driving for around a year and a half now. If there is one thing I could stress to you in this job is to be a good navigator. Most of the issues I faced during my first year where related to navigation. Do not rely on a GPS alone! I'm not saying do not use one just do not rely on it as your sole source for getting from point A to point B. If you just plug in an address to the GPS and go you will be in trouble. Big trouble real fast! I use several tools now to navigate. Of course my Rand McNally laminate map book, Trucker Path app on my smart phone, Google maps, weather channel app, and my GPS. I always look at the shipper and consignee before I get there. I like to see where I enter and how the backing looks. Is it tight or an easy set up. I look for any danger areas. Low bridges or train tracks. If train tracks are on my route there is a good chance a low bridge is in the area or a turn crossing a track. If you can become a good navigator you can reduce your chances of making a mistake. And in a tractor trailer a little mistake can become a big mistake real fast. Once you get good at trip planning and navigation the job becomes pretty enjoyable. A good trip plan eliminates a lot of stress. Once you know where you are going and can get there safely you will enjoy the job.

It can be a little lonely or boring sometimes. If you do not have a headset you can buy one to talk to your family and friends. I have xm radio which I like. I also watch movies and read books on my down time. Running reefer you can get away with a shower every other day. I take one on my thirty when its not crowded. Your company will give you a fuel card and when you fuel your shower points will build up. I have never had to clear snow off my trailer. Although I read some states are passing laws now that say snow has to be removed. Don't know how this will be done. Maybe a snow scraper at the CAT scale. Who knows.

The big thing now is the ELD. I am pretty new and never used paper logs. ELD is all I have used. I have learned to trip plan around it. It can be a PIA but its the law and we have to deal with it. It can be a double edged sword. Your dispatchers will look at the same screen your looking at. Learn to use it to your advantage. The screen don't lie.

Again I cannot stress enough to be a good navigator and trip plan. These trucks are unforgiving. Its a steep learning curve but once you get through it its not so bad. Good luck and stay safe.

 

100% agree with your post, but the grain of salt to put with this is while we care what we see, you can bet most dispatchers won't, and will push regardless. Captain of the Ship and all that jazz.

 

We had one dispatcher that was unique to our experience. Here we are, a big reefer husband wife team champing at the bit raring to go. And we are getting disorganized information on the satellite. So we called in direct to the dispatcher.

It turned into a getting to know each other. Boy (To me he was, but a young one..) was only 23 and fresh out of the Army and it was his first dispatch. We understood what he wanted to be good and told him we would like to know pretty much everything he knows, particulary physical addresses and appointment etc. and so forth. And we explained to him that we are a reefer team expecting to get into loads that solos cannot do in terms of time availible and distance. He would go to bed and by morning we are 1500 miles away things of that thinking.

Ultimately he did real good. Im pretty sure he is still dispatching to this day. It's one of the few times we get to break in a dispatcher. Most of the time its the other way around. We get 90 days to show them what we are made of. And that is where many fail. They burn out and are eliminated in a variety of ways within that 90 days. Basically they get tired.

One poster talked about bridges. That's all well and good. I also want to remind that you need to examine what you intend to put a wheel on. If it's off road and the ground has green grass, chances are it's got water below. If you can find brown patches then you will less the chance of getting stuck. Going off road with a 18 wheeler is a unnatural act but it sometimes has to be done. Anyone can get into a mudhole. Getting out without crying for a tow and so on is what seperates the people. I remember one field that cost me 8 pallets to get out of. At 4 dollars a pallet it's a small price to pay. They are probably still there to this day aggravating anyone trying to mow it. (Sorry lol...)

 

Drive sleep eat repeat, never get home when you want to get home when they allow. Sit behind some fat head in the. Fuel line that's eating inside taking his 30 at the pump.

 

The loneliness is what got me out of OTR after 5 years,but a CDL A has provided me a good living since 1998. The warehouses and cold storage facilities are what will piss you off the most(they did me and I only ever visited ONE!!!)...........Standing behind a chatty fella @ the fuel desk who hasn't showered in a week or 3 while he tries to pick-up the cashier is always a fun time......... Getting an early start and therefore an early shutdown usually alleviated any parking stress,but I have slept on my fair share of ON ramps(never an off-ramp)........I was able to stop and see stuff every once in awhile,and being a veteran I had quite a few friends spread out across the country that I could pop in on........Pay by mile is a scam.................I used to run Maine fairly regular hauling implements(I was the only one they could get to run up there) I would usually bounce over to Montreal and pickup lumber headed back to Iowa. Good luck,check back often.

 

Not sure where you are in Maine but I just started with superior carriers in Auburn a month ago. It’s been great so far, everyone I’ve met seems happy and relaxed. Maybe worth looking into them if you are still undecided, good pay and good company.