Millis OTR journal

Sometimes this will work. The 2017s are horrible. If your trailer is tracking right, get into a parking lot or somewhere big, lotsa space.
Crank that heifer hard hard right and start turning,,,,, be careful not to hit you cab extender you’re gonna hear the metal pop pop pop as the trolley moves. 2017 trailers are notorious for this. Again, be careful spinning a trailer, it might cost you 5 mph. ;-D

 

Just in case anyone has been "visited" by aliens lately...Texas man admits kidnapping 79 people to anally probe them while disguised as an alien

 

So I had a fun run today. Jackson, MO to Cartersville. Got to travel through the woods a little bit, and being a bit of a bridge geek, it was nice crossing two large steel truss bridges within a minute of each other. Sure glad I didn't meet any oncoming trucks on either of those, though, because those ######## don't leave any room for error.

 

Also.... Thing #28923 they don't teach you in truck driving school: How to make up a fake BOL. Had to do that today, too, since Rubbermaid didn't put one out for the load.

 

Couple quick questions. When sliding tandems do you set the trailer brakes or use the the hand trolley brake? When doing a tug test is your landing gear all the way up, partially up or at same level when you pushed tractor underneath? Oh and do you scale every load if no scale at shipper or just the ones over 40k? Just curious seems everyone does something different.

 

Sliding tandems I use and teach to use the trolley brake. Not exactly sure what you mean on the tug test landing gear.....hook to trailer and then tug it gently, and then hook lines up and raise landing gear, get back in truck and do another tug test before you leave....as for scaling when you are starting out on your own I'd scale every load over upper 30s just so you can get a better idea of where your #s are with each possible weight. The more loads you pull and the better you'll get at being able to tell if its overweight just by feel.

 

Story of my life lately. Seems like 80% of the crap I was taught in school and orientation is NOT how things are in the real world. At least not with my previous *ahem* "trainer."

Figured an industry as heavily regulated and cut and dry as trucking is would be, you know, cut and dry.

 

You’re gettin’ there driver.

 

Thanks. For answers. I’m starting to question all sorts of things. As for scaling only time we have scaled is has been at customer locations so maybe 3-4times. No idea on how to use CAT scales. I’m sure I will figure it out when time comes.

As for tug test. We back in under trailer. Hook up lines raise landing gear fully do tug test using trolley brake watching to make sure trailer doesn’t slide off. Then pull forward and apply trolley brake to see if it trailer is attached once again.
Keep going back and forth on my experience so far. Only backed once last week had a hole 50 ft wide to back into at the truck stop in Richfield so I finally spent the night at a truckstop. Had another opportunity to back but trainer said he would do it because it was going to be a difficult back so I said whatever. Get out to the docks there were 11 docks not a single truck in any of them probably 4 truck lengths of space in front of the dock. Gotta say if that’s a hard back I am totally and completely screwed as a driver.
Going to call Greg once I get through with time being out.

My trainer isn’t a ####, I get along with him great, all in all he is a good guy. Just don’t think I have received proper training in all areas. Driving wise is where my trainer seems to be concentrating it’s all about speed and using jake brakes and not using service brakes. Really big on clock management. We get to shipper, receiver, fueling, he is out the door sprinting to get things done.

So I think I am doing good on the actual driving. Mileage wise driving not having any issues drove Friday 650 miles Saturday 680 miles. I understand the Qualcomm pretty good. I do all the messaging. I fill out cover sheets, I request new fuel solutions when needed. Know the macros.

Millis is like Bizzarro World for me. Everyone I have come into contact with has been a good person. Instructor, trainer, the Dispatacher if he takes care of all of his drivers like he does my trainer well great for me. Even had an issue with medical insurance, Matt in office went above and beyond for me.

Idk rambling once again. Just want to feel confident that I can put a trailer between 2 other trailers in Rochester.

 

Everything you said sounds good actually, except the whole fact of never backing and never scaling. The tug test he has you doing is perfectly acceptable. I just dont understand why hes not having you back, and if its going to be a difficult back you should definitely at least attempt it. Now if after 20-30mins depending on place and situation you cant get it in then have you watch him do it.

As for scaling at a CAT scale. Download the AP it makes things 100x faster and easier. If you don't have it, pull on scale make sure your axles are all properly on scale. Hit the button and they will ask for your truck #. Give that to them and they will say ok you're good come on inside. Find a parking spot go inside tell counter person you need scale ticket. Give them truck #, mileage, trailer #, and drivers lic number and pay for it with comdata card. No PO is needed. Get your slip and scan it in with your bills for that load.

No if you have the AP you're truck # and Comdata info is already saved in it. So pull onto scale grab your phone to the Cat scale AP. Hit accept for location, change trailer #, hit accept for the 11.50 charge, wait for your weights to pop up on your phone screen, and you're done. Never have to go inside truck stop or find a parking spot. Can scale and be gone in bout 3mins.