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gmh · Joined: 08 Dec 2007 Posts: 391 Location: Southern Maryland

By 'popular' demand, I'll try to chronicle my first year OTR. I'll start with some background:

Got divorced this past December following just over a year of separation. Wife got custody and everything we owned. Plus a little bit more. I had been doing some teaching at a local community college, and took the CDL course on a whim. After a while, I figured that OTR driving would be a good way to get some money, get some time to sort out my life, and provide shelter, since my house is due to be sold (Grumble, grumble, my house, not our house. Damned judges.)

During the PTDI school, I did some research, largely here. I chose Crete for a few reasons. First, two months with a trainer 'felt' right to me. Certainly a bare minimum. Their pay seems top notch, especially for a new driver. Finally, I wanted to bring my kid along some this summer. It's the only way I'd be able to spend some time with him.

So I spent two months with a trainer. Correction: two months with three different trainers. First one for a month, then I got hometime. Dispatch couldn't get my trainer routed to pick me up, and driver development didn't want to let me sit home for too long waiting for him. Second trainer was a Shaffer driver, so I spent 3.5 weeks hauling reefer loads. He had a doctor's appointment, so I spent a half week with another Crete driver. Then orientation and out on the road.

I've been on the road for one week so far (it seems like longer). To recap my first week:

I got to recover a truck, so hitched a ride with another driver to a truck stop. Lincoln screwed up and gave me the wrong key. It took about four hours of calls to breakdown and a local locksmith to get me in the truck. This was not a good sign. I needed to get routed to a terminal to unload previous driver's stuff. And I needed to throw away a half dozen pee bottles, among other things.

Anyway, I got some loads, and got moving around. I left a few messages for my home terminal via Qualcomm. Dispatch tried to route me to orientation again. Thanks for reading my messages guys. I prefer to send via Qualcomm to give me a paper trail. I also hate waiting on hold. Anyway, got my routing straightened out. Called my home terminal to let them know I was in truck (even though I had Qualcommed it. And requested home time that way). Hrm. They didn't know. Again, thanks for reading the messages guys. It's things like this that get drivers pissed.

Everything straightened out, and I'm on my way. So far, I've had four or five loads. Two or three were single offer only. I had two that were three load offers. Miles aren't too high, with about 500 miles per day being typical. Only once have I had to wait (and it was three hours) to get an offering. That was one of the three load offers. Unfortunately, because of the delay, only one of those loads was a viable offer with my HOS. OTOH, I've been pre-dispatched once, so I guess it works out so far.

I found that the best time to 'practice' backing (mine is pretty rough) is when you have to go to the bathroom. Not just a little pressure. I'm talking that pressure where if you hit a railroad track or a speed bump, you'll ruin your shorts.

Not sure what people might be interested in. Evertruckerr has a thread on his weekly loads, dispatches, etc. and I'd hate to spend my time going over that territory again. I'd prefer to focus on the 'new driver' experience. But I'm open to any questions or suggestions about what you'd be interested in reading.

I'm also not as beneficent as some posters, and will gladly give you my driver code and truck number so I can get a referral bonus should you sign on with one of the Crete companies :)

DDCavi · Joined: 12 Apr 2008 Posts: 92 Location: Maine BABY!

So, Crete thumbs up or thumbs down? I just started school and want to find the "best" cdl grad student OTR company with training. So far I dont feel Werner, Swift or JB. Still thinking Crete or the pumpkin. Any advice for a student?

gmh · Joined: 08 Dec 2007 Posts: 391 Location: Southern Maryland

I've been quite pleased at my training experience. None of the training horror stories. It was exactly how it was supposed to be. One month of me driving from 10-90% of the time, truck only getting 'solo' length routes, etc.

My only complaint was a lack of backing practice and I could have used a little (very little) more time driving on non-interstate type roads. I got some. I got enough. But I would have liked just a little more.

I've heard good things about pumpkin, but know nothing first hand. Had a buddy who went werner, then England. Awful at both places. Avoid.

Only 'complaint' about Crete training was the length. But for me, that was a plus. I wanted it.

gmh · Joined: 08 Dec 2007 Posts: 391 Location: Southern Maryland

My first week of getting paid strictly by miles, and not by training pay. Pretty cool, even though it was only $100 more than my training pay. Gross was $600 ish done at 34 cents per mile. I checked against my records, and they paid what they said, and paid for the only two loads I got in prior to the deadline. At least I'll have an extra load on next week's pay.

Getting hometime has proven pretty easy. Unfortunately, I delivered about four hours from home with only three left on the books. Oh well :(

I got to call accidents for the first time last night. I was down at the Love's at I81, exit 84. Somehow, me, the noob with horrible backing skills, was able to park my truck with no damage. But the guy who showed up an hour later to park beside me, who claims to have been driving for several years managed to bung up the passenger side mirror. The housing is cracked and the convex is hanging by a wire. No problems with the west coast mirror. Accident said to get it fixed at my convenience at a terminal. I made sure to get that person's name in case a DOT inspector doesn't like that mirror.

It made the remainder of the run pretty sucky. I hadn't realized how much I had come to use that mirror for lane changes.

ICS · Joined: 02 Jan 2008 Posts: 155 Location: New York

good start on the thread. So how are you handling eating on the road. You set yourself you with a cooler or fridge? making meals in the truck or just eating out? How is it being alone on the road now that you have your own truck?

gmh · Joined: 08 Dec 2007 Posts: 391 Location: Southern Maryland

So far, just eating at the truck stops, which really stinks. Especially since I mostly go to Pilots (Crete likes them for fuel) so a lot of Subway. Ugh. I can save about $20 or so by picking up a cooler during my home time from Wal-Mart. Couple of other things I need to grab as well.

Being solo is nice. I've made more than a few mistakes in the past 10 days or so, but I can also rise and sleep when/where I want. There's a bit more room to spread out. It's a tiny bit lonely and boring at times, but so far, the benefits outweigh the negatives. I've generally been a loner anyway, so this isn't a huge switch.

Longsnowsm · Joined: 29 Dec 2005 Posts: 532

Cool thread. Keep the posts coming. You picked a good company and I look forward to hearing your experiences with them and the things your learning.

Longsnowsm

pd · Joined: 20 Jan 2008 Posts: 65 Location: Marietta, GA

gmh wrote: So far, just eating at the truck stops, which really stinks. Especially since I mostly go to Pilots (Crete likes them for fuel) so a lot of Subway. Ugh. I can save about $20 or so by picking up a cooler during my home time from Wal-Mart. Couple of other things I need to grab as well.

Do they put an inverter in the truck for you, or is that on your dime? I'm also wondering if a small microwave unit is feasible.

Thanks for sharing your experiences.

kc0iv · Joined: 03 Feb 2005 Posts: 1093 Location: Kansas City, MO

pd wrote: gmh wrote: So far, just eating at the truck stops, which really stinks. Especially since I mostly go to Pilots (Crete likes them for fuel) so a lot of Subway. Ugh. I can save about $20 or so by picking up a cooler during my home time from Wal-Mart. Couple of other things I need to grab as well.

Do they put an inverter in the truck for you, or is that on your dime? I'm also wondering if a small microwave unit is feasible.

Thanks for sharing your experiences.

While there are 12 volt microwaves available they all have to be wired directly to the battery. They can't be plugged in to the standard 12 volt lighter socket.

The main problem with using a microwave is the amount of power required to get an acceptable short heating time. Most microwaves needs around 700 watts which requires a directly wired power source.

kc0iv

pd · Joined: 20 Jan 2008 Posts: 65 Location: Marietta, GA

kc0iv wrote: While there are 12 volt microwaves available they all have to be wired directly to the battery. They can't be plugged in to the standard 12 volt lighter socket.

The main problem with using a microwave is the amount of power required to get an acceptable short heating time. Most microwaves needs around 700 watts which requires a directly wired power source.
So does that mean that most of the inverters aren't going to be able to handle a microwave? Sorry for the newbie questions, don't have much experience on the typical driver convenience items available on the trucks.

kc0iv · Joined: 03 Feb 2005 Posts: 1093 Location: Kansas City, MO

pd wrote: kc0iv wrote: While there are 12 volt microwaves available they all have to be wired directly to the battery. They can't be plugged in to the standard 12 volt lighter socket.

The main problem with using a microwave is the amount of power required to get an acceptable short heating time. Most microwaves needs around 700 watts which requires a directly wired power source.
So does that mean that most of the inverters aren't going to be able to handle a microwave? Sorry for the newbie questions, don't have much experience on the typical driver convenience items available on the trucks.

You ask: "So does that mean that most of the inverters aren't going to be able to handle a microwave?" NO. Like I said most microwaves require around 700 watts. The larger inverters (1000 - 2000 Watt) can handle this requirement. But they have to be installed correctly. i.e. proper wire size and fuses.

Past posting have discussed how to properly connect an inverter. I would recommend a search on "inverter." We have had several discussions on this subject.

kc0iv

gmh · Joined: 08 Dec 2007 Posts: 391 Location: Southern Maryland

And at Crete, we aren't allowed to have inverters directly wired to the batteries, IIRC, only plugin types. Fortunately, most truck stops seem to have microwaves.

headborg · Joined: 06 Nov 2007 Posts: 1098

great start George!

see I knew You'd be an instant success with a thread...

suggestion:

get yourself a cheap convex mirror( send the recipt in to AMS) if your passenger one is cracked--- duct tape a temp there in place-- mirrors are very important to keep that CDL/ MVR shinny and clean.

question:

The Crete pay scale might be important to newbies reading your thread-- it may start at .34 but doesn't it very quickly(within 1 year) bounce up to .41 or so? That's much better than Pumpkin--- and Pumpkin's Medical qualifications are much stricter than Crete's

Happy Trails...

gmh · Joined: 08 Dec 2007 Posts: 391 Location: Southern Maryland

Smart thinking about the convex. I'll try to remember to grab one at Wally World when I go there tomorrow.

Yes, I start at 34. After twelve months (with no more than a certain number of safety points) I'm up to 41. It's staggered. I think there is a raise at 3, 6, and 12 months.

headborg · Joined: 06 Nov 2007 Posts: 1098

gmh wrote: Smart thinking about the convex. I'll try to remember to grab one at Wally World when I go there tomorrow.

Yes, I start at 34. After twelve months (with no more than a certain number of safety points) I'm up to 41. It's staggered. I think there is a raise at 3, 6, and 12 months.

they sell 'em at truck stops too you know.... and keep track of your Driver Payback Points( Pilot's add up quick- since we fuel there most) you can really reduce your meal expenses & get little tools with 'em.

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