Werner: My experience (in progress)

Discussion in 'Werner' started by DriveItUSA, Feb 13, 2014.

  1. Brine52

    Brine52 Bobtail Member

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    Just sayin'. Bad things can happen anytime. The trainer has the patience of Sol. When D-USA gets her own truck and not driving someone elses she can accept the loads that will challenge her. Cute dog by the way. Personally, couldn't do the dog thing.

    D, Didn't mean to go all Simon Cowell on you, but you aint whats-her-name and this aint IRT. You will find you make more money inside the truck doing 670+ miles a day instead of 300 with the satisfaction of slappin chains on or white-knuckling it as a truck passes you in a snow storm. I see you have the desire and motivation to make it as a driver. So, let your co-driver lead and keep the updates coming. Nights suck and so does team.

    If you happen to run into Chief Beverly, tell her hey for me.
     
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  3. cdat12

    cdat12 Bobtail Member

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    subscribed
     
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  4. DriveItUSA

    DriveItUSA Light Load Member

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    Jan 3, 2014
    Denver, Colorado
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    the night driving seems to be my biggest challenge. I have had 2 days of night driving and have yet to successfully complete an 11 hour driving shift at night. first time I got about 6 hours in, stopped for an hour to sleep, then drove 3 more and then I couldnt go any further. Second time i got 7 hours in took a 90 minute nap and then made it another hour and couldnt keep my eyes open any longer. A part of the problem is I am going to bed too early after I stop driving. 10 hours is too much sleep for me. I do better on 8-8.5 hours.

    I finally got some more backing practice at Con-way. Setup and did a nice 45° back last night at sunset. A few of those in dark and I will feel pretty good.

    Still need more 90° practice. straight backing I have down.

    and I had my first run in with a lot lizard 2 days ago. Holy Jesus and not in a good way either. We stopped at a little hole in the wall truck stop in Louisiana off I-20, I went in to use the bathroom, trainer was getting some food. After I was done i went back out to the truck and thats when i seen it. Tried to avoid it like the plague but it saw me looking (not deliberately) and headed my way. It got close and asked me if I wanted my hoo hah licked for $10.

    It was short, black, fat, had a face that surely looked worse than one belonging to a Pug (dog), and it had half its teeth missing. I said no thanks. She cackled about how I must be a rookie driver and in time I would "come o'roun to mah senses" when I gets lonely. No, no I wont. I almost puked up whatever I had in my stomach for dinner from the night before. why the hell would anyone sleep with THAT? Finally it left me alone and I climbed in the truck and locked the door and just shuddered as I watched that hideous creature go truck to truck. YIKES!!!!

    The drive through Dallas got interesting the other evening. About 9 pm central time, in light traffic , wb on I-20 some idiot in a van came blasting up my left side, decided he missed his exit at the last second and proceeded to cut me off and slam on his brakes at the same time. I hit my brakes and grabbed the airhorn the idiot jerked to the right and about hit another semi who luckily saw him cut me off and backed off just in time. Trainer came barreling out of the rack looking all sleepy eyed and disheveled and mumbling wtf is going on? that could have gotten real ugly. I am starting to understand why so many truckers leave the profession and go on to be cops and state patrol. Because idiots in 4 wheelers are dangerous!!! Needless to say my adrenaline was pumping hard. I didnt relax till I hit Abilene.

    not much else to report. I have mastered moving my tandems forwards and backwards, coupling and uncoupling.

    About the only things I can think of that I really need practice in are some more snowy situations, a snowy situation in the mountains and some tight inner city driving along with a few alley docks. however my trainer seems to be pussey footing it because we keep getting this atlanta to blythe run and back. grrrrrr! i am about sick of I-20!!! tomorrow will start our 4th leg on this same route.

    I am pretty close to the halfway point of my 275 hours.
     
  5. to truck or not to truck

    to truck or not to truck Bobtail Member

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    just wanted to say that im enjoying this thread and will be going to orientation in 2 weeks. i hope that i can keep the same high spirits that you have shown! best wishes and stay safe out there!
     
  6. marnav1

    marnav1 Bobtail Member

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    Driving at night is difficult for some. I did it for a year and almost always got sleepy. Took naps when needed.
     
  7. pattyj

    pattyj Road Train Member

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    Sounds like you're doing good.So you didn't like that lot lizard hitting on u huh,lol.I had to laugh at you call her an IT,lol.
     
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  8. DriveItUSA

    DriveItUSA Light Load Member

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    Jan 3, 2014
    Denver, Colorado
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    just have a good outlook, a positive attitude and communicate with your trainer. before you get on that truck talk with him/her about your expectations and what you want/hope to accomplish.

    if he seems like a slob or his truck is a stinky, filthy pig sty then ask for a different trainer. i couldnt have gotten a better trainer to be honest. i lucked out big time.

    yeah, im due to drive in a few hours and cant get back to sleep.

    so far so good. and good grief that was awful!!! that LL was an IT! lmao.
     
  9. Little Eddy

    Little Eddy Medium Load Member

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    I have read that these macros can be done with a smart phone app...do you use a particular phone for work? Can you speak a little about the modern technology that is employed and any suggestions you might have regarding what brands of phones, tablets or laptops you can recommend. I hope to start my orientation by the end of the month and would like to be ahead of the curve by obtaining the equipment that will give me every advantage.

    Now I understand this is your thread, and you are more than entitled to speak your mind as it pertains to your personal experience, but after having read the entire thread and all of your post I am a little surprised with your comments directed at the CR England driver and the woman in the lot. Not being in the cab it is hard to judge the decision that driver made regardless of how it appeared...pointing and laughing and making derisive comments is beneath you. And as to the woman who you are insultingly disdainful of...oh but for the grace of God...no woman, or man for that matter, desires to become a prostitute, until we walk a mile in another's shoes...who is going to step forward and cast the first stone?
    Mention them as part of your story, but I think adjectival aggressiveness and judgmental pejoratives alter your narrative and not in a good way.


    Little Eddy

    I am enjoying your travels and look forward to your next installment. I hope my critique is not seen as an attack I only wish to illuminate the possibility of being kinder to those we encounter as we travel the roads of life.
     
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  10. BrenYoda883

    BrenYoda883 Road Train Member

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    lol.. was catching up on yojr tnread.. some of it is comical..
    Janet sne is not management... I met her at the Henderson Terminal when sne was voing througn orientation and I had just finished my training and being assigned my truck...

    DriveUSA.. keep it up.. I am still very pleased with werner.. I like the account I am on.. and my fleet manager is good..I was very pleased with myself last week had a few challenges... first time delivering to the caves in KC... quite the experience.. had to back down one of the passage ways abojt 150 feet, then back I to tne dock.. I did it .. and got two more loads theres.. the first time took the longest.. by the 3rd load I had it down..

    As I get better my pay check gets better.. it is constantly over a $1000 each week .. this week I netted just over $1300.. That is netted.. after all deductions I took home over $1300..

    I had a hiccup this week.. my windshield washer stopped working.. so they got me a load to Omaha and I stopped in at the shop, they put a new motor in.. took about 30 minutes total and I was on my way with working washer and new wiper blades, also picked up a case of fuel additive and a gallon of washer fluid.. oh, and my fleet manager gave me a coupon for a free lunch at the cafeteria there.. was yummy..

    I stayed away from werner at first because of the negative stuff I heard.. but after having some horrible experiences with workkng for an O/O and a small company.. I came to werner and I am very glad I did.. I finally got training, didnt have to fignt for my pay checks, have not been stranded ever.. like with the small company when the starter was out and the truck stalled, couldn't get it started.. they had me walk 3 mkles to the truck stop, buy fuel filters and a filter wrench, walk ba k to the truck and change the filters.. it was 6 below and windy.. then after I finaly got the filters changed they called for a tow truck to pull start me.. only to call me back and said to just wait and another driver wkll be there in the morning to pull start me if I wanted a tow truck to pull start me I wojld have to pay for it.. even thougn theh were two weeks behind on my pay check.. so, I slept on the side of the road in sub zero weather witn no neat in the truck.. it was after that that I got the truck to their terminal, got home and went to werner.. where I am treated better and my pay check is always there on time, even early sometimes, every week.. where theh keep me running and have gotten roadside to me whenever I needed..

    There are a lot of drivers that like to bash werner.. but, keep up not letting it get to you.. if werner is good for you right now then that is what matters... you and I are not the only drivers happy with werner.. and there are drivers witn all companies that are not happy..

    Thanks for this thread and for being straightforward...
     
  11. DriveItUSA

    DriveItUSA Light Load Member

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    Jan 3, 2014
    Denver, Colorado
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    on the macros, not that I am aware of. at least not at werner anyways. maybe some other company does.

    as for CR England...they have a reputation built and its well deserved. the idiots they hire earn that rep for them.

    as for the lot lizard, it all comes down to choices. she made hers, she deserves the criticism. I was homeless and with a broken down car and no one to turn to and no one to help me. I could have resorted to prostitution, instead I chose to get a ####### job and do something productive, not ##### around and spread diseases...illegally I might add.
     
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