The Process?

Depends on the company.

 

We showered every other day. Every other day we stayed at the shipper/receiver, no shower but they had a convenient restroom. Days on the truck thought of it like a camping trip haha. You can always wash up and put on clean clothes.
Time with a trainer depends on the company and your progress. Some students went through many trainers and it takes a lot longer that way.

 

All the major truckstops except Loves hire people to clean them
At Loves, the fuel clerk cleans them when she gets a few minutes and isn't out smoking a cigarette.
The wait can kill you.
You learn the best times to shower, like mid afternoon.
500 gallons a month, I think, at fly j/pilot gets you a free shower a day
If you get platinum at loves-i think 750 or 1000 gal a month, you get free showers, free refills, and .3 cents per gallon reward.
You have to play your fuel stops.

 

Starting trucking really is an adventure. Some members on this board are extremely knowledgeable and helpful (cough cough.... Chinatown) and might suggest companies that would be a good fit. I know Magnum LTD hires new grads, has a good training program, great equipment, pet policy and I think they have customers in GA. They are based out of Fargo ND. Not sure if its still there but there was a very active thread with Magnum drivers on this site. Also they seem to have a lot of female drivers, if that matters.

 

Just mentioned it cause you don't see a whole lot of female drivers out there. But in my short time at Magnum ran into a number of career drivers who were female. The trucks are sweet. New Peterbuilts with options. Built in fridge I had a microwave coffee maker TV and DVD. APU so you can run the AC or heat whenever. Full curtains etc.. Run hard and get to appointments early and youll get long runs with lots of miles.

 

I ran for Magnum a couple years in the late 90's
They must've gotten better
The Fargo co's were notoriously low paying back then
Sugar out of Fargo
French fries out of Jamestown
Turkeys out of pelican rapids
Caterpillar
And fairway foods in Northfield
I hated the grocery runs
And Fargo in the winter

 

Great!

I have him beat....

Boss, how much 5th wheel grease is enough?

Boss takes hand and slaps it onto the 5th wheel. There you know.