Tankers, flatbeds and doubles. Should new drivers get experience with vans first?

Besides which, who wants to be the trainer on a load of Hydrochloric acid when you're supposed to turn over the wheel to someone whose sole experience is a CDL mill?

Some folks just don't seem to get it. Tanker usually means stuff that is Hazmat and has the potential to hurt alot of people.

 

wsyrob, seriously guy, what world do you live in? I'm not trying to be insulting but "pull the less dangerous freight and dispatched away from the dangerous places"???? Good Lord!!!

Reality check guy, this ain't kindergarten. Nobody in today's economy has either the time or money to baby someone along. That's why we suggest "getting your chops" on dry van. It's a whole lot easier to "get up to speed" on the more specialized stuff if you already have the basic stuff down.

 

We have multiple million milers here (a million miler at Con-way means you've never farted in a truck) that have never pulled anything but a set.

Probably should not share this but I will..

After 8 years behind the wheel and 6 1/2 with a set which definitely counts for something - my first major oh poop with a set just happened the other morning - something that never would have happened when I was new to driving or pulling a set. I was heading home in the morning tired as hell which was my own fault on a stretch of narrow 4 lane road that I know like the back of my hand - got complacent while passing and dropped off the road onto a dirt shoulder about 4" below the road and about a foot wide till the median.. As soon as I dropped off I let off but still thought in that spit second thought I was going over all the way when my kite went.. When the truck caught the road again I caught a glimpse of my kite kicking hard and literally thought that was it - dirt, grass, and dust but it stayed up and I was still on the road..

That would have never happened during my first few years of driving since common sense (which eludes every experienced driver for a spit second here and there) would have never had my tired butt passing there in the first place.. Lesson learned 8 years later..

If all you know is a tanker or a set you'll be fine so long as you have a little common sense when you start out.. I lost mine for a split second and it almost cost me big as an experienced driver - run thousands of miles with a set in snow and ice and never had one like that on a clear warm dry morning..

Keep your head newbies - you'll be fine..

 

Took me 8 to have a massive "oh no" so lets just hope I can make it at least 8 more before another. I can see that though - it's the nature of the beast.

Don't be afraid to pull a set though rookies - if it's what you learn on you'll be fine despite what many of these dudes will tell you.. Smooth and steady and don't get complacent like I did..

 

Nothing good about it man.. Picture pulling a set and your back box kicking so hard you think you're going over in the middle of morning traffic on a busy road.. A lot of things pass in your head real quick..

The good news.. I put my back back box against the dock for the first time about three weeks ago - legendary since that's hard to do..

Perhaps I got a little full of myself?? No way - not me..lol..