Millis OTR journal

Oh, F that dude. Sounds like hes scared to back and wont admit it. Accepting that you might not be the best and be willing to learn is what its all about. Everything you said resonates with me because i didnt have a trainer and had to figure it out. Having met you, I wish i had you as a trainer. Might still be with Millis! Incidentally i sent you a couple texts and tried calling...... Hit me up if you wanna work the hours you do and easily clearly 100k home daily.

First thing you figure out is to never choose a blind side unless you absolutely have to. I have one farm with 3 concrete barriers protecting a well head/poor dock design. I have to do a blind side "kink" at the very end or risk removing more decorative lug covers. It really sucks.

 

I don't know how you guys do it. Not too long before I left Millis, I got a voicemail from one of their recruiters pitching becoming a trainer to me. I am definitely not cut out to be any sort of ride along trainer. Especially not if my student has to sleep in the same truck as me. I would be alright as a follow along trainer for a driver who already knows how to drive but just needs some supervision and guidance for whatever type of trailer and freight we are pulling, but definitely not for what you do. I'm glad guys like you are sticking around and doing the deed, though. I mean how often do you see Millis trucks doing stupid #### in TikTok videos? Not very.

On that note, however... I have done to realize that I really, really miss the periodic "Accident Types and Costs" messages. Those could be entertaining, and we don't do anything like that at the current gig.

 

I couldn't be a trainer either. I picked up another driver to bring him to a terminal last year and I was glad to see him get out after a day. We had to share driving time as I ran out before we got back and he was annoying me then. He may have had more experience but he had some really bad habits.
I've tried watching the bonehead Truckers on YouTube for fun, but usually don't make it to the end. They're too much for me, it makes me worry even more about some of the people holding steering wheels out here. I usually wonder about how some of the accident types and costs happened too, especially the one where they hit 2 cars in the same mishap. Or the damaged trailer I picked up one day, it was like they doubled down on what wasn't working when they started having problems.

 

That sounds exactly like something a truck thief would say. You probably posted yours was 1823 earlier but really was 1832 that you took with a copy of a key you made earlier and it's stashed on your place in the hills.

 

If you see a maroon T680 running around with a wet kit and a dump bucket.... No you didn't.

 

Accident types and costs are a thing of the past. Has been 3 months since they sent one out. Part of the changes I guess. They used to be a useful teaching tool with the trainees. At times they would make me laugh.

 

I always thought they were a good

I always thought they were a good reminder for all of us even though some would make me cringe.

 

I've had a couple of things happen that made me feel more like an old school driver. First I used a cat scale without the ap (it didn't work) and then I got to back out of the fuel island after getting fuel while the truck ahead of me blocked my way (maybe he was getting sodee water as Ike says). And then no one saw me do a 270 degree turn that set up just right to back up Monday morning.....

 

One thing Millis preached which was way overblown imo was not using the jake in inclement weather. There is certainly a "feel" for it.

I would certainly agree that there are times when you just shut it down clocks/hos/pay be darned. Inclement weather and in hill country. No Go.

I got squirrely in our last snow squall and ended up in the oncoming lane on a lonely country road at about 15/20 degrees. I was empty and the jake got bumped to low, old worn old volvo stalk. Now i'm paranoid, rain/hail today and I kept checking that sucker every minute like its magically going to turn itself back on through my sheer stupidity.

Only thing it could have been since i've been driving the same all winter and what saved my butt was my prudent speed control. Over 45mph and i would have been in the ditch.

 

You should get an international, they got a light that lights up when the Jake is on but it doesn't do much to slow you down.