The ramblings of a rookie

Months ago I had posted about my interest in making a career change, and using the CDL that I've had since high school. Most of the posts were centered around which companies to work for (the megas mostly) and life on the road. I thought now would be a good opportunity for an update.

Following some family concerns back home. My wife, daughter, and I all picked up to move from Vermont back to our hometown in central Northern Maine. When this happened, I was all but 100% certain that my yet to begin truck driving career was already at an end, or at least postponed. However, during the moving process, I stumbled across an ad (on facebook no less) for a flatbed driver "experience preferred". Well, I thought, why not. I'll try.

I got the job. I am working for what had once been a small logging company, which has since expanded to flatbed work regionally throughout New England, with plans to go full lower 48 within the next year. They hired me as the "trial run" of a cdl apprentice program they are forming. In 3 weeks I surpassed the 3 month expectation and have been running on my own for the past 2 weeks now (5 weeks in)

At the moment I couldnt be happier that I managed to land a driving job that allows me to be home every weekend right out of the gate. There have been some interesting events in the past few days however.

From day 1 I had been driving the bosses Western Star (2004, smallest sleeper they offer, 18spd, turned up to 800hp) and loving it, waiting for the truck I am supposed to get to be ready. Fast forward to last Friday. As I am returning to the shop, running about 100k gross (triaxle trailer) I get the message from the boss that I have to clean my stuff out of the truck, because another driver will be taking the Western. Cool! must mean I'm getting my truck!

So, not 10 minutes later here comes bambi. A deer jumps out of the woods within feet of the front of the truck. I nail the deer dead center with the front of the truck. No big deal there, we run the big Herd moose bumpers. However, upon sight of the deer entering the road instinct overrode intelligence, and I laid on the brakes. Now I get to call the boss, and explain that, on my 2nd solo week I hit a deer and had a poor reaction causing MY LOAD TO SHIFT! the front tier of lumber i had on was against the back of the cab. ####ing great!

Boss says no big deal, happened in a good spot (near a friendly business with a forklift) so 2 hours later I'm on my way with a slightly wonky looking but thoroughly OVERsecured load. All is happy again.

Get back to the shop, boss says my truck is in fact ready, and since i didnt hurt his I still get to take it. supposedly that was like the 12th deer that truck had claimed anyways.

My truck, which is a 2001 freightliner classic with a 60" bunk, 18spd, signature 600hp cummins, has been out with another more experienced driver to work out the kinks, because it had been slightly abused and then left parked for a while (was a woods truck). Of course, I'm all excited. I've finally got my own truck. No more sleeping in a bunk full of somebody elses stuff!

Leave on her maiden voyage after being officially assigned. 2 hours north, load, 2 hours back. nice easy end to the week (already been a rough day). About an hour from the shop, the boss calls. Says the other driver has noticed its using about a gallon of coolant every day or so, gonna go back into the shop next week for repairs, make sure to bring coolant before i leave state with it. no big deal. Get loaded, turn around, hit the interstate, 12 miles down the road I'm overheating and have a stop engine light. Pull into the Irving fuel stop, open the hood, NO COOLANT VISIBLE! So I run inside, buy coolant, dump 3 gallons into it, still low but not bad. boss says smoke it home. 60 miles later, (3 miles from the yard) same thing. no coolant, overheat, stop engine light, snowing like crazy. Limp her into the yard and park. And thats where she sits awaiting attention.

Now here I sit in Willington, CT. Staying in a hotel, doing overnight runs in a daycab truck plucked directly from the woods. Just had my first experience at a TA diner, and thoroughly enjoyed listening to all the other drivers tell stories (any of you reading this now? lol). Truck stop shower experience last week as well. that was actually pleasantly surprising. To any wannabes out there, dont be nervous about truck stop showers, at least some of them are nice, but bring your own towel and some flip flops or something. my complimentary towel had what I tell myself WASNT a dingleberry on it, but i had my own.

Long winded, and I missed stuff along the way, but this is about as updated as my story gets for now. if there is anything of interest I will continue to update

So far I am loving it, and have volunteered to run long as soon as we start to do so (currently restricted to New England and upstate NY). Best career decision i think I've ever made.

sorry if this is posted in the wrong forum, wasnt sure where it would belong.

 

Thanks!

And it didnt come "off" the trailer lol. just slid way forward. nothing hit the ground lol

I'm pretty sure, at least for the short term, I'll be the guy with way too many straps on everything. I'd rather be oversecured and work extra for nothing than do the "wait of shame" again on the side of the road while every other driver in the county comes rolling by.

I will definitely make an effort to keep this updated.

 

The rolling through the changes has had some assistance. "Officially" I'm still in training, which means I'm hourly, and when things go wrong I'm paid for it lol. I am looking forward to being cut loose to run percentage though.

I still have lots to work on. At this point, every day that i dont break anything or hurt anyone, and successfully deliver my product is a good day. I still struggle with tight quarters maneuvering and backing, and I feel like there's lots of room for improvement all around to be honest. But I'm out here and I'm doing it!

One very good thing I have going, is I got to learn from an experienced driver. Not the 1 year experienced mega carrier stuff, but a driver with over 2 million miles under his belt and experience running all of the lower 48. I'm on my own now, but any time i need advice its only a phone call away, and thats pretty good.

Thanks for the replies!