Rookie Driver starting out, scared of OTR, what should i do? thanks

The first few weeks/months in trucking ARE the hardest for the reasons you mentioned. Even with YouTube you don't really know what this job is until you start doing it.

You can try a Driver Leasing Service or a company that provides drivers for a temporary time. This allows you to experience different types of trucking without looking like a "job hopper".

You will probably be expected to complete a refresher course since you virtually no experience. Did you get your CDL or not?

 

What the #$%& does youtube have to do with driving a truck? lmao.
I do belive that is the first I have ever heard that one. lol

 

I remember the first load. 80000 on my ###.

She was heavy. Went for a roll. Not too pretty but a little grit of teeth and a tease... or three.

whew.

Today it's not even a memory. But I keep it.

First thing she did was do that airride lurch on the tractor and stall.

The whole plant laughed. I wanted to go home to mama. But no... we have work to do.

 

Well I started driving old gas (6 cylinder) grain and hay trucks several years before I was old enough to get a license, so the first load on a real truck was a breeze. lol

 

i feel like a few others here, he is not trucker material. local job? he'll be crying that he has to work long hours, or on any "eve" of a holiday. (this job i retired from, i/we had to work all "eve" of all holiday's, but that was cool with me, our work hours were much shorter than the average local jobs)

or that he has to share a truck with another shift driver

and the list goes on and on.

let's face it, some are just not cut out to be a trucker, no shame in that, he found that out pretty darned quick.

best thing he can do is get a 9 to 5 job.

 

Well, Today's in coming drivers are attached to the internet.
Google and youtube is a quick easy way to get info on anything.

 

Have you ever had a opposed cylinder farmall. A half size? They gave me that one to help the big full size one now and then.

A friend of mine was part of a family farm, he drove combine and harvested like two thousand acre in corn at 7 years old. I could never imagine that. He had to stand on two thick text books in front of the seat back then.

 

I tend to think, and this does not go for just drivers new or old, that folks depend too much on the internet and games, computers and such, younger folks not learning to interact with others or what real life is about, and or how to cope with it when it slaps them in the face.
I am not talking about everybody, and it is just a theory, myself I tend to think it has some to do with mass shootings and such happening more often and other things too. People are people and no amount of internet can substitute for interaction with real people.

 

Take it easy on the guy. Most people don’t bunk in small spaces with strangers. Living in that small of a space is a challenge even if you are used to it and know the other person. OP, if you are still reading this thread look for a local company like sand and gravel, food, fuel, etc that is willing to train. You will have to drive with someone all day and take criticism but you won’t have to bunk up for weeks. Like one of the other guys said you can also get a P endorsement and see what kind of local/regional bus jobs are open.

 

It is always a very important moment when you go to sleep and realize that will you be alive come the sun with that stranger driving through the night.

It makes for a certain amount of what I call really fast get to know yous the first day or two. That will sort in a HURRY.

I had trainers. Two in particular were very good. And I think a little of them rubbed off on me. Im not the happy go lucky dancing down street with a lollipop at 5 anymore. Those days are gone.

One trainer. He had a problem with me. Heh... I listened to Unshackeled in the night and big pipe associated with it. It was hard on him, in that cab and sleeper speakers back then.

He said you some kind of thumper? No I am a christian, he said that he is a hellion how do we fix this. Ok. Back speakers off in sleeper for him and he can blast the metal all night for all I care, I don't hear it.

So thats sorted. You would think there was not any problem or conflict whatsoever or any tension after that.

A small example.

Now.. if you had someone who displays or exhibits tendancies or actions beyond what you find acceptable then GTFO out of there.