New driver

swaggerjacker · Jan 4, 2018

Great movie.

Scvready · Jan 4, 2018

swaggerjacker said: ↑

Okay, so I wasn't exactly like him. He's very condescending, and has a bad attitude. He also changed his song midway through this thread to support his argument. That dead horse is now chunky soup.
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I haven't changed my song. The proof is in the thread. Please don't lie. As far as bad attitude, maybe sometimes.

I'm human and I get insulted too so when someone (toomanybikes) talks #### to me he deserves a nasty attitude. I don't pull numbers from my ### I researched and people are making those numbers. I want to be like them not like those who aren't. It's doable get over it or get with it!

swaggerjacker · Jan 4, 2018

Do that thang, Bruh!

x1Heavy · Jan 4, 2018

LeadFarmer said: ↑

He would have to run what you ran as a team to be making 2k net a week (4290mi x 52 weeks = 223k/yr). That's going 65mph average for every hour of his 11, every 11, every day, with 0 minutes for unload/loading. As for making 2k gross as a trainer were you running teams with your trainee and staying in HOS? He's trying to make his money in the ELD/DPF era not the paper log era.
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Spouse and I was a team. FFE was not the only company we ran that year. We had one other dedicated exclusively to McKesson.

Yes that truck was a 63 mph truck and it never stopped. Fueled 300 plus gallons every 24 to 30 hours. And spouse made for a total team for the other half of me. I was night she was morning.

In the new ELD era, that team truck will run 11 hours per driver instead of 10 hours with us. So, 20 hours per 24 for us, versus 22 hours per 24 for you however, mandatory breaks etc will cut into the earnings and overall miles.

I still strongly believe a team is the ultimate bypass for obsolete HOS rules. Look at the railroad, they work/drive 16 hours exactly then someone comes out to collect the crew wherever they stopped dead at 15 hours and 59 minutes. That train engine set and train will SIT however long necessary to get a legal crew on it ready for another 16 hours. There is one right now in a town not far from me waiting. It will be there a while. Quietly idling with enough handbrakes set for a rested crew to show up.

I don't know what the fuel burn is on a V16 big enough to hold a man in a cylinder with a turbo large as this room I am in. But they carry a ocean of fuel and don't care really.

If you can unleash truckers with individual full 16 hours for driving if necessary to the work day, you will see the economy take off. We only need 8 hours or thereabouts to get rested.

REO6205 · Jan 5, 2018

Scvready said: ↑

I haven't changed my song. The proof is in the thread. Please don't lie. As far as bad attitude, maybe sometimes.

I'm human and I get insulted too so when someone (toomanybikes) talks #### to me he deserves a nasty attitude. I don't pull numbers from my ### I researched and people are making those numbers. I want to be like them not like those who aren't. It's doable get over it or get with it!
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In other words, don't try to convince you with facts and logic?
I think that you just might obtain your goals but if you don't you'll probably blame other people for your failure.
We're not here to be your cheering section. You ask, we answer. You got the the full range of experience from several people. That's worth a lot if you can bring yourself to see it.
Now let's see what you do with it.

Good luck to you kid, you're going to need it.

Scvready · Jan 5, 2018

REO6205 said: ↑

In other words, don't try to convince you with facts and logic?
I think that you just might obtain your goals but if you don't you'll probably blame other people for your failure.
We're not here to be your cheering section. You ask, we answer. You got the the full range of experience from several people. That's worth a lot if you can bring yourself to see it.
Now let's see what you do with it.

Good luck to you kid, you're going to need it.
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Thanks and I'll never blame anyone on here for my failure. I know the possibilities of failure exist. I was confused when people on here were saying success isn't possible. That's what I was arguing. As far as cheering me on, I don't want that from anyone here either. I do that for myself haha. I only wanted some advice that's it

Aamcotrans · Jan 5, 2018

Brotha D said: ↑

Well heck, I guess this is as good of a place for a first post as any. I admire your enthusiasm, and Ive got no intention of crapping on your dreams, but as some others have said already, 2k a week for a newb is darn near impossible.

I left home at 15, just put my thumb out in the wind and hit the road. The first guy to give me a ride was a trucker. He asked me if I could drive a stick. I said I had driven my Grandpa's old four speed pickup. He said to me that his truck was a four speed too, you just had to go through it twice. Ten minutes later he was sleeping in the back and I was headed up I-17 towards Flagtown. I'm past 50 years old now and I've been telling that story for so daggone long I think it might even be true. True or not, I've been doing this a long time neighbor, so I'm gonna tell you what I would have done if I had to do it all over, and I hope it helps.

First off, I would have have probably been a carpenter, at the end of the day you can look back and see you've actually done something. As a professional driver of 25 years, I mostly just look back at all the things I've missed. But if you really want to give it a go, here's my advice.

Do your research and pick a quality school. Do some more research and pick the type of trucking that best suits your goals, tanker can get you home every night and pays well, oversize can get you home often and also pays well, I've seen more than a few entry level openings for both. Flatbedders are a family, and just about everywhere you go, folks are happy to see ya. Avoid outfits like Swift and J.B. Hunt, England and Prime like the frickin' plagues that they are.

Be prepared to stay with your first choice for at least a year if not two. Two years of clean driving opens up a world of opportunity in this industry. Once you've got the experience, don't be afraid to re-evaluate your situation. Union jobs are great, line haul can be a good choice, there's specialized freight that pays well and puts you in some unique positions. But be sure once you get your experience, to ask yourself this question. Do I really want to live this life, and 20 years from now will I look back at all I've done with regret, or a sense of accomplishment?

As for the actual driving part of it. Take it seriously, be professional. Truck driving is a matter of life and death, every minute, every mile, everyday. Learn how to maintain your equipment and do minor repairs, carry the proper and necessary tools. Never leave anything to chance, if somethings broke, fix it.

As you drive, run over scenarios in your mind, if so and so does such and such, how will I respond? Have a plan for every imaginable situation, you will encounter them all eventually. Take nothing that happens on the highway personal, think of every other vehicle on the road as a potential hazard to be avoided. Be courteous even when it's not convenient. Don't get in a hurry. Avoid automatic trucks, learn how to float gears, learn how to properly and safely descend a grade with and without a jake brake. And if you should ever flash your bright lights in my face at 3am as I'm trying to pass you, prepare to get a booger flicked on your windshield.

On the personal side. Never let anyone force you into doing anything you are uncomfortable doing, for any reason, ever. Eat right, exercise, shower often, buy a comfortable mattress, rotate a few pairs of shoes, save your receipts. And remember if a dispatchers lips are moving, he's probably lying to you.

Once you're finally making the big bucks you're after, save every dime. Don't pay for an apartment if you live in your truck, don't finance a new car that you'll never drive but once or twice a month. Because the chances are that after about five years you'll be sick to death of this racket and looking to do anything else with your life. And If you saved all that money you worked so hard for, you'll be able to do just that. Much success to you, I hope it all goes just as you planned it.

One final thing. I've heard it said, there's a special place in the heart of God for drunks and fools... and truck drivers. If you don't know Jesus yet, you want to. If you've never prayed before, you just ain't trucked long enough. Go get em' tiger.
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Possibly the best advice I’ve read on here.

Scvready · Feb 12, 2018

Just a quick update. I have about 3 more weeks before I obtain my CDL. I'm still going to give myself till end of March to leave my current job. I'm not going to miss it!

I'm going the OO route from the get go. I Know most of you don't agree with me but I'm giving a shot anyway. If it doesn't work then wasn't meant to be! I will always have the option to drive for a company in the future ...... God forbid!

I will probably just start another thread when I'm on the road just to let guys know it's working out for me if you are interested. I'm sure the haters would love to see me fail but I'm not afraid of trying. Anyway I know a few people on here were saying it can't be done and I will let everyone know whether I am successful or a complete failure.
Peace!

diesel drinker · Feb 13, 2018

Scvready said: ↑

Just a quick update. I have about 3 more weeks before I obtain my CDL. I'm still going to give myself till end of March to leave my current job. I'm not going to miss it!

I'm going the OO route from the get go. I Know most of you don't agree with me but I'm giving a shot anyway. If it doesn't work then wasn't meant to be! I will always have the option to drive for a company in the future ...... God forbid!

I will probably just start another thread when I'm on the road just to let guys know it's working out for me if you are interested. I'm sure the haters would love to see me fail but I'm not afraid of trying. Anyway I know a few people on here were saying it can't be done and I will let everyone know whether I am successful or a complete failure.
Peace!
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Bold move but I am sure it can be done though I agree with those saying it's better to get some experience as a company first.Good luck!

spindrift · Feb 13, 2018

Scvready said: ↑

Just a quick update. I have about 3 more weeks before I obtain my CDL. I'm still going to give myself till end of March to leave my current job. I'm not going to miss it!

I'm going the OO route from the get go. I Know most of you don't agree with me but I'm giving a shot anyway. If it doesn't work then wasn't meant to be! I will always have the option to drive for a company in the future ...... God forbid!

I will probably just start another thread when I'm on the road just to let guys know it's working out for me if you are interested. I'm sure the haters would love to see me fail but I'm not afraid of trying. Anyway I know a few people on here were saying it can't be done and I will let everyone know whether I am successful or a complete failure.
Peace!
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Very bold move indeed. The worst that can happen is you go broke, pick yourself back up and try it again. Hopefully, you learned something the first time and increase your chances of getting it done the second time around.

Ohhh to be young again with no responsibilities. It's going to be one of the best times of your life so try to make the best of it. Above all else, learn from your mistakes.

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