What areas city or states should a new truck driver avoid and why?

None. You have to go where your company tells you to go. Personally, I think companies should keep new drivers out of the northeast but a lot of them don't.

 

I don't have an exact answer for you. Eventually, you'll have to go into cities or facilities that are challenging. It's part of the job.

Some advice I would give is do your research. When you have your load assignment, find the address and use Google Street view. Take a look around. Find where the entrance to the facility is. Is it a narrow street? Is it a one-way street?

Most cities have some website that gives truck drivers tips on how to get around. Find the truck routes, look for low bridges along your route as you are trip planning. Look for dead ends or places you can turn around him. All this is done BEFORE you get to the city you are headed to. Have a plan.

If you get into the city and you get lost or you're in a tight spot where you can't turn anywhere. Stop. Just stop. Put on your flashers and call the local police. They might be a little miffed that you're in a predicament, but they should be able to help you get out of your predicament. Stay humble, and stay calm.

 

Ah yes, wouldn't that be nice, go only to the nice places. Maybe in heaven, pal, but nowhere, except the moon, should be off limits. While you may find, some areas are less desirable than others, unless you have a regional or local job, you really should go where the boss tells you. All major cities are a clusterfxxx, a traffic jam is a traffic jam. Some say never NYC, but IDK, how bad could it be? Some hate Chicago, Atlanta is nuts, anywhere in Texas is busy, and the less said about California, the better. Today with social media, it can't possibly be any scarier than before we had those things.

 

Anywhere east of I-35 and west of I-15

 

Indiana ohio tenn wv to start but MO is good, try to go there

 

Trip plan, trip plan and trip plan some more and it won’t matter as much. Figure out how many hours you’re gonna have, where are you gonna park, look up the facility on Google Earth, on Google maps, read the reviews from other drivers find out if they have overnight parking, how early they will let you arrive or if they will turn you away, And always have a back up plan if something falls through

 

If your are a new driver -- note that some cities, such as Chicago & in/around the New York City area -- there are structures built with clearances that aren't high enough for modern big rigs.

Your trip planning will thus have to check for low clearance issues, especially when delivering in urban areas. Then plan your routing around them.

One great way to search for such is in the front part of the Rand McNally truckers version road atlas -- available in bookstores, on-line...& in most any truck stop. This truckers reference guide lists low clearance locations in all states.

For trip planning -- I consider it a "must have" info source for a serious professional truck driver.

I found the biggest problem with driving a big rig in the northeast is the incredible lack of parking.

Make the parking search part of your trip planning, especially up in the northeast -- or if you will be near the end of your DOT clock while in or near major urban areas.

Note also that many truck stops fill up fast &/or early. Some stay full.

There are phone apps that you can download (like "Trucker Path") that will help you greatly with this problem.

For parking -- plan ahead. Have more than one option in your plan before hitting the road.

Also -- some shippers & receivers will let you park on their facility overnite.

You can find out by calling ahead, & asking -- or reading their online reviews (or both).

-- L

 

What he said. Trip plan, trip plan, trip plan. Don't be one of those drivers who goes into a busy city at 2200 and thinks they are going to find a place to park. Not gonna happen unless you are hip to a secret cubby hole or can park at the customer. Staying outside of the city is usually safer anyway.