New Members - Introduce Yourself

[Doctor Who]

But the trucks, how safe are they in an accident?

Just as, if not safer, than the top of the line luxuary vehicles... The trucks may not be bullet proof like a tank or a Hum-Vee but they are built quite well...

Don't sweat the small stuff, the biggest concern you should have is, are you going to be able to support your family!

yes this is a decision my wife and I have discussed

But have you really discussed the emotional side of becoming a long hauler????
Is your spouse prepared to handle you being gone two/three weeks at a time?

Yes there is a lot more to discuss than, "I'm becoming a trucker do you think it'll be OK?!"
Ask your spouse if she fully understands the life of a long haul driver, if she says yes, you may want to discuss the life style change again and often!!!

[pointgraphix]

Thanks Doc,
Lots to think about, I think it will be a short term thing, the OTR anyway. Swift and Werner seem to be the main ones that hire from this area. Your opinion please.

[thegloveman01]

Hello all, my name is Tom. I am the owner of Gloveman Safety Supply. I am the webmaster/designer/operator. I have been in business for a couple of years now, with a great customer base. To include the trucking industry. Stop by, even just to say hello. (http://www.glovemansafety.com)

I am married (9 years, October), I have a daughter Jessica (4yrs)

I have been driving since 1983. I am a Hazardous Waste Hauler for the largest environmental companies in North America. I started my company 6 weeks after I got married.

I was in the Marine Corps for just shy of 8 years, as a jet fuel transporter (go figure). The last 18 months of my career, I transported the serviceman's household effects. My first taste of long haul driving. I was stationed in California (Camp Pendleton) and drove the discharged guys back all over the country.

If I can help any driver with saving money (safety supplies from hard hats to work gloves), please don't hesitate to contact me through my contact page. Good Luck!!

[Doctor Who]

Swift and Werner seem to be the main ones that hire from this area. Your opinion please.

Well after talking to three EX-Werner drivers I would lean toward Swift. It seems that Werner has a bad habit of not getting drivers home, at least according to the three I've talked with and for point of reference I work with all three.

Suggestion to you is go find as many Swift drivers you can and ask them about the job and then you can be secure in your decision....

[ChucknAZ]

Just to introduce myself, I guess you could guess my name from my screenname. I drove OTR for about 9 1\2 years, Ive been out of trucking for a little over three years now and the bug is finally getting me< Im thinking of going back to driving again. By the way DR Who, I started driving in your neck of the woods, used to live in Elm City. I graduated from North Carolina Truckdriver Training School in Smithfield. I drove for Forbes Transfer and Coastal Transport before I moved to Ariz. I have enjoyed this forum greatly. Maybe Ill see you all on the road soon.

[jezebelle1458]

Just thought i'd sneak a peak in here and see what's going on.I go by Jezebelle.Been divorced since '91(my ex and I and his girlfriend couldn't all get along).Know where the best food in Nebraska is.Lived in Cali for 40yrs,and used to have a dog once...bit I bit it.Well,that about covers it.Don't think I left anything out.

[weasel]

Hello All,
just a few things about my self i've been driving since 92 mostly california to detroit hauling general freight and garbage (produce) my last mission was for the bayer corp. i hauled plasma and drugs (meds) to their various plants Berkeley,ca and Clayton, NC were the main 2 now im heading back to school to be a building inspector

[Rambler]

:? Hello Im a Southern Missouri native. I have had CDL since 1991 have driven a truck for about 10 of those years. I quit last year to go back to college....finish degree. and now Im getting bac in truck. I have to say that trucking is something that I said I could walk away from but I guess I was lying to myself....

My handle has always been Rambler and freinds call me taht or Rex if they know me real well. I have Secondary Education degree in Mathematics and minor in Social Sciences. But still want to continue driving....Go figure.

[285_HEAT]

Well, I guess I should post an introduction. I am a traffic cop in the metro-atlanta area. I've been lurking on the board for a while, and finally decided register and post some.

Now don't everyone flame me for what I do...yet. I am actually on here because I'd prefer to be very fair to my trucks. I'm not an inspector, and generally try to leave the trucks alone and keep the cars from committing suicide with bridge posts, each other and trucks. However, occasionally I do get a truck doing something excessive (excessive even for a car). I'm sorry guys/gals, but when I'm looking for cars in the 80mph range and am sitting on the left shoulder and I have a truck at 83mph come past me 4-5 feet away, in the left lane (which the are prohibited in) and especially when it is daytime traffic, that is pretty much a big neon sign.

I have also leared that the guys that are doing that are almost always the ones that are giving the trucking profession a bad rep with the general population. Before we start the left lane discussion, let me say that I see the vast, vast majority of the trucks where I am obeying, which makes me think that those guys to the right are looking at the guy in the far left lane and wondering WHY he is way over there. I tend to judge my enforcement of trucks by what the majority are doing, as I feel most of you are "reasonable and prudent." Which leads me full circle to being on this forum. I can't learn what is considered acceptable, and why, and what I should really be looking for (ok, ok...I know I'll get suggestions on that...and yes, I can already find my a** ), without some form of dialog with members of the community.

And to answer a couple of thoughts that immediately come to mind, the agency I work for doesn't really like traffic, and the parent organization doesn't need, or really notice the money, and if I make 3 stops or 30 stops in a day, it doesn't matter to my supervisor as long as I'm improving safety, so I prefer dangerous speeds and DUI's, and am not just turning revenue for the goverment.

Everyone be careful and be safe!

[jezebelle1458]

Hey 285, nobody should put you down for what you do...after all,your doing something most of us wouldn't do.And I don't mean driving the 285 all day.

[thegloveman01]

Well thought out message. Remember to take a majority of responses and discard. Kind of like the stories on the radio, "you ain't gonna believe this but..."

I wish more drivers (not just trucks), would live in the now. Rush, rush, rush, blame everything on someone else. To many lives at stake, and the road is a very unforgiving area. Once a choice is made, one has to face the facts. Sometimes people wish they had it back, but we all have choices to make. Jobs, speeds, directions, and so on.

I have met some crappy cops in my 22yr career, but 99.9% are nice, professional, and human. Keep up the good work.

http://www.glovemansafety.com

[Diamond_T]

Well...think I'll introduce myself. My name is Kyle...& I live in the Portland Oregon Metro area....I'm married...no tricycle motors/curtain climbers...one lazy dog. I've been employed in Corrections for the last 6 years and am leaving that to drive OTR. So...that's my scoop....be safe.

[jims34]

My name is Jim I live in Ontatio Canada. I just started school at a private truck driving school. I have enjoyed reading all the posts from everyone, I have learned alot. You guys have it lucky in the US. You can do long haul without leaving your country. Here if we want to long haul even from one side of Canada to the other you are required to go through the States. This cut a large amount of distance off the runs due to the fact it is a long way around the great lakes. All I can say is keep the info coming I think it great to have a source info from people that are or have done the job.

Well Iam not new. But I thought I would let everyone know that I am back.

[McCaffrey]

I am not a driver, but, I wanted to ask for the drivers out there to please pray for one. Her name is Cindy Pace and she drives for Swift. She hasn't been with them long. She is very ill and at this writing they don't know why. She couldn't stay awake and when she would fall asleep she would stop breathing. The doctors performed a tracheotomy on her last night and today they put in a feeding tube. She is heavily sedated, but, they are supposed to wake her tomorrow and see if she can breath on her own. If any of you drivers are from the Mississippi area she is at the University Medical Hospital(Jackson for those that aren't). Please pray for her and her family.
My prayers are with each and every one of you drivers. I come from a family of truckers. My father was a driving instructor in Texas. His name is Larry McCaffrey just in case any of you were trained by him. My brother and several relatives were truckers. They have all retired now.

God Bless You All!!!
Tracy

[Lady18wheels]

please pray for one. Her name is Cindy Pace and she drives for Swift.

Done

[Lady18wheels]

McCaffrey - got your email. Thank you, and glad she's ok.

[GeorgiaDawgLover]

Hello everyone, my husband stumbled on this site while researching the trucking industry. He has since gotten a school date for Newport, Ar and been accepted by Star Transport out of Ill. I work in the Jewelry business and will stay home raising my stepson who is 12 yrs. old, while he is out. We know that this will be a big lifestyle change, but also know that this is the best opportunity that he can have as far as career choices go. We have three dogs and and some fishies....the big molly is a ho and keeps having babies.....hahahaha.

I hope that everyone stays safe and keeps the wind beneath their wings.

[ronnieman49]

Hello everyone... My name is Ronnie and I am divorced for almost 20 years Male, 55 years young and just starting this career in Truck Driving. I start school the 25th of this month and hope to drive for Star Transport . I have lived in the Memphis ,TN area all my life was a Commercial Artist for 11 years and worked in Mgmt. for one of the Casinos in the Tunica, MS area for 6 1/2 years. I have 2- Children Boy 24 years old and a Girl 26 years old. Very proud of both. I also like to Play Music (Blues is my favorite) I have been playing Drums since I was 16 years old and have paied my dues in the Honky Tonks :x I Played on Beale St. a couple of weeks ago and enjoyed it a lot. I really enjoy all the People here, you all are a lot of help. Thank You

[SoapinTrucker]

Hi folks! I'm Mike Tayon, or "SoapinTrucker".

I am 41, live in WA State, am married, drive LTL, but drove OTR for 3 years first, and have been driving for a total of 11 1/2 years

I make soap as a hobby, and have a website (see my sig!).

I did a search on Yahoo for truck driver message forums, found CAD, saw PLENTY of activity, and decided this might be "home" for my trucking rants (kidding) LOL

Hope to meet some cool truckers and other folk!

Regards,
Mike (SoapinTrucker) Tayon
Kennewick WA
http://tayon.com