So how did everyone 1st week go driving solo?

I remember 13 years ago picking up my 1st load from the Evergreen OC at the time going to CT. When I got to receiver I had a hard time getting lined up to the dock, so a few truckers and a few employees helped me line up to the dock. I got unloaded, then picked up at Frito Lay in CT with 2 stops in FL, and picked up in FL and back to Family Dollar DC in Morehead KY. 3800 miles first week

 

No worries, and enjoy sleeping.

 

Meh, my first load was a PU in Newark, NJ. I believe that is the last time this Texas boy went to NJ. The cities up in Northeast are so old and deminsionally speaking, small for trucks, that it can be quite a white knuckle experience. This particular place was engulfed in a neighborhood with one way streets all around it. For a while, I was certain I was screwed, because i was thinking that there is no way this place is in the middle of a neighborhood, I've made a wrong turn. There were people staring at me on their front porches and the cars parked on the side of the road offered 6"-1' on either side. I finally found it though.

 

I never went out with a mentor. My boss called me into our corporate office. We have a meeting. They said they were going to have me take truck number so and so south of Fresno. They took me to the yard, said "hook up to that empty and go to Visalia ". I was scared. Boss says "have some faith in yourself. ". Top speed was 54 mph of white-knuckle gripping the steering wheel and having mini heart attacks. Got a ticket my 2nd day on the truck. Haha oh man but it gets easier.

 

Ice Storm around Odessa Texas ... nuff said.

 

I jackknifed a bobtail my first week..



How I made it this far I have no idea..







j\k

Be patient guys/gals, take your time, and don't let anyone push beyond what you are comfortable with....

 

2nd solo load was from Seattle to Miami, then two loads back to Seattle, I thought it was going to be like that all the time. Sadly, no. haha

 

I went from Indiana to Chicago, to Kentucky, no problems. But went from KY, to Detroit (a real eye opener), and then to West Patterson, New Jersey. Got lost, went across a 10 ton bridge, with 34,000 pounds of automotive glass in the box. Finally found the receiver, and spent the night in their parking lot. Unloaded on a Friday, and the company wanted me to spend the weekend in the Jersey Truck center, in Jersey City. Started heading that way, and was asking for directions on the CB.
Everyone was saying "that's the worst truckstop in America" "you don't want to stay there", etc. Found another place farther south to stay, company wasn't happy.

 

Long and funny story. I didn't have a clue. Self taught and only a beginners permit and a BS piece of paper from my boss saying I was authorized to drive solo on my permit, no log book, backing skills or anything but two rolls of quarters for payphones and a fold up Rand McNally map of the US from a GAS station, a fuel card and BOL's with a P.O. box in Houston (900 miles away) for a delivery address. Total mess other than the fact I actually could drive the truck. It came naturally. It was all the rest of it that was a total mess. Liked to have went to jail in LA (Louisiana - not Los Angeles or Lower Alabama) crossing their scale on I-10 with only a beginners permit and no logbook, after some real tricky maneuvers in a barrio in Houston - lost and no sleep for about 30 hours. I'm looking back at it now and laughing but Good Lord it was hairy then. I got back and I told my wife at the time: "I hate this job but I love it. I found what I'm gonna do with my life. Truck." She left me not long after I got my regular license and hit the OTR with Werner as a trainee on starvation pay that could already drive (and back by then) really well. Just needed "finishing school" with someone that really knew the OTR life and the ins and outs of choosing a truck for a home instead of an actual house. Got real lucky and got a fine trainer. Later I got real lucky and landed a fine wife. All in all it's been a good run but, as my tag line says: "what a long strange trip it's been" and it started out as a comedy of errors. Thankfully the Good Lord looks after fools, cause I sure fit that bill when I started. LOL.

You'll be just fine. Just don't forget the final step in your pre-trip. Now matter how short you make your pre-trip or even if you decide to skip it that day; you must NEVER, EVER, EVER forget the last step. Your pre-trip prayer according to your beliefs. If you don't have a belief; no worry. You'll find one before long living on the road like we do. You'll find IT or IT'll find YOU. But you will meet before long. Call it God, Buddha, Allah, The Great Spirit - whatever; what you miss and mess up (and we all do - no matter how many miles we log) it catches it for us and you need to acknowledge that in your own personal way to your spiritual entity before you even think about pushing in those red and yellow buttons. Every single time - without fail. Even after all these years and not needing a reminder; westbound and passing by the carnage on the eastbound side of I-10 at the CA/AZ line yesterday was a good solid reminder. Our spiritual entities may forgive - but this road doesn't.

But for the Grace of the Almighty - there am I. Never forget to say please don't let me hurt anyone or get hurt today and thank you I didn't hurt anyone or get hurt yesterday. If you wind up each day with that in the rear view . . . it was a great day on the road. No matter what else happened.

Peace and Blessings to All and may the comfort of The Great Spirit be with the family in the minivan that ALL (7) lost their lives in the desert on I-10 Sunday and the driver and his wife in the truck that will forever have that horror burned in them.