One more noob for the road! The story begins...

Ahhh, back home once again sitting next to Sunnie and Eddie, the dog. Amos, the big blue truck is safe and sound in his secret lair dreaming about whatever Internationals dream about - probably the glory days of rolling through the cornfields instead of by them. I'm happy to once again be using my laptop instead of swipetyping on my ittle bitty phone - the joy of an almost full sized keyboard!

So, I've been giving the past couple months a little bit of thought - okay, a lot. Sunnie and I have been talking about the experience thus far. I'm afraid to say that after today - I think it is time to take @Chinatown up on his advice. I'm scheduled to pick up a load Sunday to deliver Monday in Saint Louis, LATE Morning. As a dispatcher, I always tried to set my drivers up so they were in place before their break in order to get the load delivered,and then get set up for the next load and moving towards the next destination. It didn't always work out, but it's a whole lot easier for customers to accept that if there is a problem that their freight is within a reasonable distance and could usually be rescued by power from another terminal rather than still en route from origin, it also gave my drivers a chance to grab either a preload or to finish their driving day without the pressure of an appointment. It kept my tanker yankers happy, so I adopted it for my driving philosophy

Long story short - the lack of communication has me thinking that I am going to either be missing out on an opportunity to deliver Tuesday; or worse, adding insult to injury, trying to find a place to park at midnight so I can deliver Tuesday afternoon. I let my FM know my intention was to be in STL on Sunday night and if there was the chance to pick up my 2nd load in the morning before going to deliver my 1rst one before noon; dropping and swapping between the two at the terminal. It's not that hard to get an east bound load out of A/B is it? Well, it must be. Because from 3:30 to 6pm (5PM where the planners are) I got zero response via the Qualcom. BUPKIS, CRICKETS, NOTHING. It's not the first time that I have been ignored through the official means of communication - given cell phone usage is prohibited while operating the CMV.

I'm a patient guy, maybe too patient. But, here's my list of issues. I put this before the readers of this thread to vote on what I should do next.

1. Let me sit for a week without a trainer and without pay.
2. Put me with a trainer that has had just two previous students - one whom he kicked out after two trips, the second was an experienced driver. The accounts visited had NOTHING to do with what my current experience is from paperwork to backing set-ups to macro usage. As @Rock 'n Roll Relocater put it - "the deep end of the pool."
3. My "refresher" course as it related to my two bumps? 90 minutes total, 3 backups - all sight-side. Nothing but day one basic strategy. What I got out of it was better mirror adjustment and maybe a little confidence that I wasn't going to be shown the door. It was NOT worth losing half of Monday and half of Tuesday.
4. The second half of Tuesday being stuck for 4-5 hours picking up a load for another driver to take to Texas while I will be lucky to get $48 for the adventure. Oh, and the instruction from Dispatch for me to call the Broker. Um, yeah - I got out of that line of work. I'll probably have to argue with somebody to get that much.
5. The lack of communication, the feeling of being "meat in the seat."
6. The slow start to next week in addition to a short Thanksgiving week and a 1200 mile week last week.

Given the cattle call,of applicants/noobs I walked into Tuesday morning, I don't have a lot of faith that I'm going to get any individual attention. I'm a little clumsy fish in a big pond and that is just the way of megas. What say you brethren of the TTR: Is it time to start applying? or do I sit pat at least until the calendar turns and see if things improve?

 

It has been 12 days since my last confessional, forgive me - I am a truck driver. Based on the experience of the past days as well as the voices of experienced respondents @Kev's Sunshine and I have come up with a course of action. Thanks to both @Chinatown for his suggestions and recommendations as well as @FreightlinerGuy for his take on the other side.

Yes, there was a reason I picked Hogan, they had a Craigslist post for a dedicated bread run in Cincinnati working 4 and off 3 paying 50k. I was gullible and they worked with the CDL mill I was signed up with. As for my bumps and the "refresher," training and all the economics behind the whys and the urgency - yes, that is all on me. However, as a transportation professional long before grabbing the wheel I know what is successful and what is the deep end of the pool. I also can realize when the lifeguard sent to save you is more interested in his tan than my hide. More on that at a later date.

Right now, Sunnie and I are facing difficult choices. Do we want to stay regional in dry vans with a new carrier? Do we want to go longer haul and learn the world of skateboards?

I learned a few things from my pops when it comes to cabinet making and consruction. The small details are the ones that make things unique and wonderful - but they have to be built on strong foundations or they fail spectacularly. I think that is where I am right now.

1. I've not felt so right in something as it relates to driving since the day I first stepped foot on the campus of The Ohio State University.
2. Like my time at Ohio State there have been distractions and issues that were both of my design and out of my control. How I reacted then is not the same as now, but what ever I choose is on me and will reflect and affect my life and family for years to come. I have unfinished business in Columbus, I won't have unfinished business in trucking.
3. I have a support system and a system to support wherever I decide is right for me.

So, like a big clumsy baby, Amos and I soldier on. The difficult backs get easier at times and the easy ones sometimes become difficult. Yet, we persevere. I've realized that I am a driver and there are few things that I am prouder of and want to succeed at more.