New pumpkin driver

I believe it's an '02 Century. The grille and bumper match my trainer's truck.

 

I would dig new steers. They are -ok- but not great. I don't like the outside edge on the ds steer. It looks like the toe has been out for a while.

I am considering asking about Wal Mart dedicated now because of the home time... before I get my first load out as system. Only problem there is you drive at night. Can't have everything! Still get to keep your own truck. And yeah, my pre-trips will always be thorough... home run is a possibility later but hmmmmm I dunno about the slip-seating arrangement

 

Hello all

I am at the Carlisle OC (terminal). I have been out a week and done ~ 2500 mi. and it has gone well. I say well, not perfectly. I am tired and completely out of my element as a trucker. My truck is thankfully getting its a/c fixed while I eat a big meal here and do laundry. Descending mountain grades with 38k in the box on a foggy night without a defroster or lamps for my temp and secondary air gauges got me pretty annoyed. That day, I ran 601 mi. and pulled into a TA, pulled the brakes at the fuel aisle, and my DOT clock showed the following:

00:02

Yeah. Thing was, then, I *had* to get a spot at the TA... one of the only two left was forcibly a blind-side, uphill back in the dark because another driver was prowling behind me and would have surely grabbed it had I not fumbled around for 15 minutes to get it. I went off-duty when I came in, and that gives you one mile to move before it starts again. Shook that off. But the next day... I had just 00:08 left on it. You wanna panic? Do that on your second and third days as a driver. I am still enjoying myself, though. Hmm, what do you do when you're on US-224 through N OH and ... your route is blocked by Amish buggies? I just gave them a lot of room and avoided the horse poop. They don't have brake lights or turn signals, lol... the driver got stopped at a light and stuck his head out the side to see me in my orange behemoth behind him... probably 50 yards behind him, didn't want to spook the horse...

My driving is still just ok but I am being as safe as I can (aside from that back) and GOALing and stuff. I am shifting well, generally. My turns are good, except for one buttonhook I didn't do right and curbed it. Ooopsie...

It's on to AL tomorrow, glad the a/c thing will be resolved. The Carlisle OC is nice! They are friendly. It's clean and very cool to come in here after a week and have people actually be polite to you rather than just seeming to tolerate your presence. Trucking definitely does not stroke the ego. Nor do I believe it to be a place for the excessively proud!!!!

Having fun, proud to be a pumpkin even if I only go 60 mph

Jason

 

Hey all!

Back from my second trip out... 17 days, 6400 mi. I was sick five of those days with a fever, aches, chills. No fun! In two days I did 1100 mi. They were really easy miles, but on cruise, remember that we solo pumpkins only do 61 (according to GPS). What I find odd about this is looking at my pay stubs, seeing the places I went, and barely remembering things about all these places. At first I did, but now, not so much. Unless something grabbed me about a particular place, it's just kind of a blur.

I am still enjoying it. There is something about doing this which strikes a chord with me, turns me on, so to speak; it's the sensation of driving the rig, the independence, the fact I must be completely self-motivated to get through each day... the sense of accomplishment... when I fire the truck up and release the brakes, something in my brain goes, "all right!". Mind you, there are things I do not enjoy. A good number of the trailers I encounter have sticky tandem pins, or release levers that do not stay out once pulled. What a pain. I also get sick of going so slowly. I am probably one of the slowest big trucks on the road. USA Truck goes about 0.5 mph faster (and they still do pass me). Prime goes more slowly. It is more in the back of my mind that it limits potential miles / week... I got 2700 in one check, probably about the same in the next, but jeez... what it does is add more line 4 and more background work to line 1 per day, if it doesn't limit miles. And some days just suck. Some days, I'm stopping with 45k in the box at red light imaginable, everyone jerky cuts me off, there are wicked storms, it pours on me when outside the truck then stops, I miss gears and can't back to save my life, etc. But that's part of trucking, I reckin. Some days are great. I'd just say that my observation is you have to be really good at putting things behind you and staying in the present moment. You must, it's sort of forced upon you to stay in the moment.

I don't know... I'm kind of rambling. I guess I just wanted to check in and say that I am still digging it, but it's not perfect because nothing ever is. I still think of the next corporate job I didn't pursue and go... no.freaking.way. =)

Happy trails!