My journey with Jim Palmer Trucking

Jim Palmer is advertising on Craiglist across Montana every week for Regional drivers. JP and Prime are a bit choosey compared to other starter companies, so hopefully you have a clean record and good work history.

 

I'm backing a lot better in this Pete. I'm at Albertsons DC in Phoenix and 90'd with 1 pullup.

Btw let's make this official. I hate Albertsons, Phoenix. Over 6.5 hrs here to unload. Burned up my clock and I have a preplan to load in Redlands in the morning and make Tacoma by 0200 Monday. Not possible to deliver on time now.

 

I've already applied w Prime, they wanted permit first before orientation, and Palmer doesn't because the school isn't in UT. So I gotta choose one, or do tech school in St George and then apply again. Still thinking about it. I already have DOT card and studying for permit.

 

The dot card will still get redone in Missoula. No biggie.

Good job on pre study for the permit. You'll test out at dmv on day 2 and driving bobtail that afternoon.

Email me and I'll give you my number and you can ask away. Bigfishead2001@yahoo.com

 

Still have the Pete, What happened to the truck upgrade?

 

Still in the 2014 Pete. 586k miles on it. Going to Redlands and Pacific, Wa. Tomorrow. She'll be at 588k after that. So maybe next week they'll push me towards Denver and Springfield? Don't know yet.

 

Push me they did. Dropped load in Boise and got load to take to Missouri. That means it's truck replacement time!

Picked up the load on Wednesday, 43k lbs of sugar. It's not due in Mo. Until Tuesday. Giving me time to get to Springfield, swap out trucks and get in a reset while I get her set up the way I want. It took two days, Thanksgiving being one of them, to find out only the truck # and that it's a Freightliner.

I arrived in Springfield yard Saturday afternoon. Dropped the trailer and as I was going into the bobtail parking area I see my truck number right out in front, inside a area marked by cones. I backed in right next to her, got out and did a short walk around of my 2019 Freightliner Cascadia. Skeleton crew inside office, I go in, and they point out the permits book and hand me the keys.

Folks, she's got 22 miles on her! Totally surprised, being a rookie, and being handed the keys to a brand new truck. I'm humbled and grateful. Glad to be in a automatic transmission too.

I've made 2 trips in the Pete to get supplies and things I want to setup the truck. Including a microwave, I've burned through $350. But I also have probably 2 to 3 weeks of microwave food.

I'm not logging out of the Pete and into the Freight until I see my Omnitracs show the 34 hr reset. Monday they'll swap my tv and satellite into the Freight since my FM forgot to ask me if I wanted it. After that I'll move my beddings in and whatever else there is leftover like tire chains, etc.

My load delivers Tuesday 180 miles from here. As soon as I log in to the new truck I'll get my load assignment. They let me end the trip on the Pete here and transflo my paperwork Saturday so I can add that 1500 miles to this week's payroll. Nice add on for the week.

But there's more to add on! Fri morning I did my pre trip and all lights were working. But right at dusk the right low beam was out and I got pulled over in Nebraska. The trooper gave me a level 3 inspection and I passed. Passing ANY inspection gets a $100 bonus on the next check! So he gave me a fix it ticket and I replaced the bulb 30 miles later. The company will have it signed off and send in the sign off for me. I'll follow up of course to make sure it happens. But I still get the hundo!

It's been a good week.

 

Are they upgrading their Omnitracs to be 2019 compliant, or will they be going to something else?

 

I'd assume their upgrading or have already. They've pretty much gotten rid of peoplenet completely.

What's different for 2019?

 

Congrats on the new Truck. Be Safe.