Excited and nervous as hell

[wanderer03]

This goes for all jobs really but for truckers it's very important:
No superior can penalize you for being safe and thorough with the rules! Even if they lose money because you won't take a load that isn't safe, you stand for what's right, safe and orderly and no one can legally penalize you.

People... innocent people die due to poor truck safety.

And for the rest of you out there: Respect those truck drivers! They can't stop and go like your little Mazda can so don't get in front of them or tailgate them! They need space! Especially liquid loads!!! Liquid loads slosh and can push a truck with locked brakes straight through an intersection with the stored kinetic energy! And if you do something stupid and cause a truck to have even a slight accident... you could cost him his CAREER even though it was your fault! Respect those trucks and give them space!

I might add that truck drivers are responsible for their safety, the safety of their loads, and the safety of the public.

 

[wanderer03]

My poor dad... the champ... since he was so good but also the new guy they gave him *lowers hat to chest in respect* Atlanta GA. He has to take loads through those 16 lane highways with some of the most pushy people in the SE states.

The traffic around Atlanta is legendary! [emoji12]

 

[Rayner]

You carry the hotel with you, LOL. The truck has a condo cab with double bunk and closet space.

I knew that some trucks have sleepers in them. What is it like living out of the truck's sleeper? Details, I need details . You have perked Rayner's interest...LOL

 

[Nitro]

Actually, the last rig I drove was a Freightliner cabover pulling a bulk pneumatic tanker. That was the one that ended my career when I crashed on a desolate road in the middle of a blizzard. It took them an hour to get me out and I spent three weeks in the hospital. It had a 300 Cummins, 7-speed Spicer transmission, and center-point steering. The sleeper was a twin and the interior of the tractor was all tuck-and-roll. The interior was a lot nicer than the exterior, but nothing like today.

Overall the rig was a beast. Prior to that I drove an IH, Isuzu straight truck, a KW, a Ford 9000, and an Autocar. The KW I drove early in my career was a K-100 similar to the one on "BJ and the Bear." It was an Aerodyne with the upper and lower bunks. The most comfortable one was the Ford 9000 cabover. It had a huge (for the day) sleeper and the entire cab rode on air-bags. It took some getting used to, because the cab rolled around a lot. The Autocar had the most horsepower, but then it wasn't stock.

Here's an image of the one I crashed. If you look to the left of the radiator grill, you can see where the owl went through that I hit one night:

View attachment 26323

Cool..you drove a Freightshaker

 

[Nitro]

Direct TV!!! Humph!!! Wuss!!!

Seriously, I felt spoiled the first time I drove a rig with power steering. That Freightliner had a steering wheel that was at least 16" across; that was the power.

The guy that I went over-road-with in the KW-100 started out driving a twin-stick Mack. He said that going through the mountains you'd have to take your hands off the wheel so you could shift both sticks. I can't imagine doing that or the kind of trouble you could get in real fast. One time I was on the 405 Freeway in California in a straight truck with a two-speed axle. I missed a shift and had the axle in the wrong range. I almost came to a complete stop before I figured out what gear I was in and was able to get going. People that think driving a truck for a living is easy should be stuck behind the wheel and told, "Make it go."

yup...badazz for sure

 

[wanderer03]

I knew that some trucks have sleepers in them. What is it like living out of the truck's sleeper? Details, I need details . You have perked Rayner's interest...LOL

This question isn't easily answered because it's different for each person. I am 6'4" so it can be a bit tight. I really don't want to live out of a truck for more than a week at a time. This is why I chose a regional route where I will be home weekends. The newest condo cabs are quite nice with double bunk sleepers. I never carried a plastic toilet, I just ran for the truck stop when nature called.

I think sleeping in the truck is something you just have to do. It is one of the downsides of the career. I'd be in hog heaven if I had a motel every night but then the trucking co would go bankrupt. The life of an over the road truck driver is sleep whenever you can. If you're waiting to get loaded or unloaded, quick hop in the bunk and get some zzzzs. The trucks have pretty thick black out curtains so you can make them fairly dark.

 

[Nitro]

I mostly drove split rear trucks back in my day

 

[ChurchTheArtist]

Your diet is based around anything that you can manage in one hand and won't fall apart on you. You have to compromise on this as you can't easily heat up food on the road either. My mom prepares special stuff for my dad each weekend often baking him casseroles in muffin cups.

Random thing you wouldn't think about but it is true: You really get into the talk radio world. Talk shows become your life and you will be calling in and you will have a nickname. I remember being there at a convention when my dad met the different talk show casts one by one introducing himself as "Hot Rod" and seeing these strangers go berserk like a dog reunited with his long lost owner.

Lots of Subway too. You learn lots of things about living off of gas stations/convenience stations. You get memberships with gas stations and collect points for free showers. You learn that 95% of the world becomes inaccessible simply because you can't park your rig and go in. Qualcomm (or whatever GPS system your company uses) will drive you crazy. You will learn FAST that trucks can't use any normal GPS out of your car because you will end up on narrow curvy roads that will trap you and force you to brave a tiny bridge that can't hold your weight. Whatever the name of your GPS voice is will become a real person to you and you will talk to her in ways that will scare normal people.

After a few months of deliveries you become a self appointed expert on how everyone should have designed their parking lots and loading bays. All the people in the world and no one would be better than you to tell everyone how they should have designed those parking lots.

You live out of Igloo coolers and keep 12-20 water bottles at all times, freezing them over the weekend so they stay cold as long as possible through the week. You will make the mistake of using a tinted plastic bottle (like the Arizona brand) and totally forget that that bottle was NOT for drinking but for relieving. You make that mistake at least once.

You always have a clunky headset on for your phone. Whenever you talk on the phone with family, you will always end up talking to traffic and forget the person over the line. While doing this, you will also narrate everything around you.

Weekends with family become an educational experience on truck safety and political news and you can't help but repeat all your call-in radio jokes to your family at dinner so they can see how funny you are and how popular you are with strangers.

You tell amazing tales of gripping suspense from your epic back-up jobs and squeeze-bys you start to sound like a 22 year old trying to tell his parents about his awesome D&D campaign. You kinda' become weird.

 

[ChurchTheArtist]

*mic drop*
"boom"

 

[Nitro]

This question isn't easily answered because it's different for each person. I am 6'4" so it can be a bit tight. I really don't want to live out of a truck for more than a week at a time. This is why I chose a regional route where I will be home weekends. The newest condo cabs are quite nice with double bunk sleepers. I never carried a plastic toilet, I just ran for the truck stop when nature called.

I think sleeping in the truck is something you just have to do. It is one of the downsides of the career. I'd be in hog heaven if I had a motel every night but then the trucking co would go bankrupt. The life of an over the road truck driver is sleep whenever you can. If you're waiting to get loaded or unloaded, quick hop in the bunk and get some zzzzs. The trucks have pretty thick black out curtains so you can make them fairly dark.

There are a lot of idle off truckstops now that supply you with most anything you need for an overnight by hooking up to your cab.

 

[wanderer03]

Your diet is based around anything that you can manage in one hand and won't fall apart on you. You have to compromise on this as you can't easily heat up food on the road either. My mom prepares special stuff for my dad each weekend often baking him casseroles in muffin cups.

Random thing you wouldn't think about but it is true: You really get into the talk radio world. Talk shows become your life and you will be calling in and you will have a nickname. I remember being there at a convention when my dad met the different talk show casts one by one introducing himself as "Hot Rod" and seeing these strangers go berserk like a dog reunited with his long lost owner.

Lots of Subway too. You learn lots of things about living off of gas stations/convenience stations. You get memberships with gas stations and collect points for free showers. You learn that 95% of the world becomes inaccessible simply because you can't park your rig and go in. Qualcomm (or whatever GPS system your company uses) will drive you crazy. You will learn FAST that trucks can't use any normal GPS out of your car because you will end up on narrow curvy roads that will trap you and force you to brave a tiny bridge that can't hold your weight. Whatever the name of your GPS voice is will become a real person to you and you will talk to her in ways that will scare normal people.

After a few months of deliveries you become a self appointed expert on how everyone should have designed their parking lots and loading bays. All the people in the world and no one would be better than you to tell everyone how they should have designed those parking lots.

You live out of Igloo coolers and keep 12-20 water bottles at all times, freezing them over the weekend so they stay cold as long as possible through the week. You will make the mistake of using a tinted plastic bottle (like the Arizona brand) and totally forget that that bottle was NOT for drinking but for relieving. You make that mistake at least once.

You always have a clunky headset on for your phone. Whenever you talk on the phone with family, you will always end up talking to traffic and forget the person over the line. While doing this, you will also narrate everything around you.

Weekends with family become an educational experience on truck safety and political news and you can't help but repeat all your call-in radio jokes to your family at dinner so they can see how funny you are and how popular you are with strangers.

You tell amazing tales of gripping suspense from your epic back-up jobs and squeeze-bys you start to sound like a 22 year old trying to tell his parents about his awesome D&D campaign. You kinda' become weird.

That really sums it up nicely! Except I listen to audio books. Talk radio drives me bananas. I also generally eat a lower fat, lower carb, and higher protein diet. I don't get as drowsy and experience less digestive issues. I actually lose weight while on the road because sometimes I was plum too tired to eat. I'd wake up ravenous though.

 

[Nitro]

You will make the mistake of using a tinted plastic bottle (like the Arizona brand) and totally forget that that bottle was NOT for drinking but for relieving. You make that mistake at least once.

[/QUOTE

You will make the mistake of using a tinted plastic bottle (like the Arizona brand) and totally forget that that bottle was NOT for drinking but for relieving. You make that mistake at least once.

I used to mow the strip of grass beside the highway and often would hit one of those "bombs" with my mower

 

[ChurchTheArtist]

*Roaring maniacal laughter*

That sucks!

 

[Rayner]

That really sums it up nicely! Except I listen to audio books. Talk radio drives me bananas. I also generally eat a lower fat, lower carb, and higher protein diet. I don't get as drowsy and experience less digestive issues. I actually lose weight while on the road because sometimes I was plum too tired to eat. I'd wake up ravenous though.

I'm starting to look the transport industry as an industry I may place a career. Wanderer do you have any experience working in construction, agriculture, or ranching? What little experience I have as far as employment goes as been in those three industries/trades.

 

[wanderer03]

I'm starting to look the transport industry as an industry I may place a career. Wanderer do you have any experience working in construction, agriculture, or ranching? What little experience I have as far as employment goes as been in those three industries/trades.

None. I'm ex-IT.

 

[Rayner]

None. I'm ex-IT.

I'm starting to get irritated with the company I'm contracted with, for lack of better words the management is corrupt. Although that's for another thread, I'm pretty much walking around with an target on my back so to speak.

 

[wanderer03]

I'm starting to get irritated with the company I'm contracted with, for lack of better words the management is corrupt. Although that's for another thread, I'm pretty much walking around with an target on my back so to speak.

You're a young man. When you turn 18, take the written test to get your Class A CDL if you think you might be interested. You would take three tests: General Knowledge, Combination Vehicles, and Air Brakes.

If you can, go ahead and put yourself through truck driving school. You might be able to find something local with a mom and pop outfit. The big boys make you wait until you're over 21.

In my class, we had a 19 year old kid with the work ethic and attitude of someone easily 3x his age. He impressed the lead instructor so much that the lead called in favors to get that kid employed. The lead instructor got the kid a job driving a tri-axle dump truck. From your posts, you could just as easily be like my classmate. Impress your instructors and they can help you.

 

[Rayner]

You're a young man. When you turn 18, take the written test to get your Class A CDL if you think you might be interested. You would take three tests: General Knowledge, Combination Vehicles, and Air Brakes.

If you can, go ahead and put yourself through truck driving school. You might be able to find something local with a mom and pop outfit. The big boys make you wait until you're over 21.

In my class, we had a 19 year old kid with the work ethic and attitude of someone easily 3x his age. He impressed the lead instructor so much that the lead called in favors to get that kid employed. The lead instructor got the kid a job driving a tri-axle dump truck. From your posts, you could just as easily be like my classmate. Impress your instructors and they can help you.

You're a young man. When you turn 18, take the written test to get your Class A CDL if you think you might be interested. You would take three tests: General Knowledge, Combination Vehicles, and Air Brakes.

If you can, go ahead and put yourself through truck driving school. You might be able to find something local with a mom and pop outfit. The big boys make you wait until you're over 21.

In my class, we had a 19 year old kid with the work ethic and attitude of someone easily 3x his age. He impressed the lead instructor so much that the lead called in favors to get that kid employed. The lead instructor got the kid a job driving a tri-axle dump truck. From your posts, you could just as easily be like my classmate. Impress your instructors and they can help you.

When I can put my self through truck driving school, I might just do that. Heck if nothing else at least It's something I could add to my puny resume. When I was enrolled in community college for my GED I took automotive repair classes. I completed my GED but, I wasn't able to finish the automotive repair classes.

The automotive repair classes took at least 3 years from start to finish. I was only there for a little less than a year and a half.

 

[Nitro]

It shook, it rattled, it roared. It was just short of being old school twin-stick. In the winter it never got shut off, because I would have froze to death in the sleeper; and in the summer I would have been better off sleeping on the fifth wheel since it didn't have A/C.

I have a joke about the difference between a Freightliner and another party,but it WILL ruffle some feathers

 

[Nitro]

Professional driving: hours upon hours of boredom broken up by seconds of sheer terror