[nightbright1]

I hope my question is appropriate
For a new driver starting out - solo -
what circumstances (refeer or dry van, regional or national,
or what ever else you could think of) -
would be the least amount of stress to deal with while on the road
for a first timer.
I have benefited from most of the expert advise on this message board
Thank for helping out it reflects well on your profession as drivers.

[Karnajj]

Stay away from reefers, you'll have one less thing to have to think about.
Also, in general, regional positions are more stressful than national. Regional drivers here at Crete do alot more night driving than the national drivers and usually the deliveries and pick ups are scheduled much more tightly.

[Lewis friend]

I would say van. Regional---try to stay within a few states of your home state.

But it really depends on the individual.

Just take your time. No need to rush.

[Useless]

I agree with Karnaj's advice about staying away from reefers. At the same time, there is no one best route to take; some people are born flatbedders; they wouldn't be caught dead pulling a dry van. Other people (like me!!) are just too old (and, I confess, too out of shape!!) to want to get out in sub-zero weather and tarp down a flatbed load in a heavy wind.

Beyond that, the issue isn't so much what type of driving you do as it is who you drive for. What are your priorities?? In selecting a company to drive for, my top two priorities were the quality of the Trainer, (also referred to as "mentor"), and the company's committment to safety.

My next concern was transitioning from a trainee, to becomming a steering wheel holder, and growing into becoming a truly professional driver. I team drove through my first winter, learned a whole lot, and when I did decide to go solo, I was already well into "The Groove".

As far as building a reputation as a driver, and getting the miles, this is where working to develop and build a strong working relationship with your dispatcher, freight manager, and Safety people come into play. If you are running ahead of your appointed time, get on the phone and let them know; if you are running behind, get on the phone and let them know.

Your first months will be stressful, no matter what you do; that stress can be difficult, but it can also be your best friend; it will constantly nag at you to check, check twice, then check again. Always...Always....Always, G.O.A.L....Get Out And Look!!

As you learn more about trip planning, and more about transitioning from a steeringwheel holder into a drver, you'll gain more confidence. Just don't allow yourself to become overconfident or complacent.

Remember what I said about building a solid rapport with you dispatcher. Focus carefully upon proper trip planning, and carefully consider your appointed arrival times at a shipper or a consignee. Keep in touch with your dispatcher, let him/her know how you are progressing. If there is a problen, get on the Qual-Com and make it known; follow it up with a phone call. Use your cell phone to re-enforce your Qual-Com communications, and use your Qual Com to re-enforce your cell phone conversations.

Sorry if this reply seems a bit disjointed.....my fever's going back up, and I'm gonna crash for a while.

Just take it one day at a time. Some days will be better than others, but each day you hang tough and stick with it, is one day closer to the time when that "Beginner's stress" will grow, and evolve into that voice in your head that nags at you when you are tempted to do something foolish.

BOL2U!!

[Useless]

BTW, Nightbrite 1,

Welcome to CAD!! :rock:

[dle]

What causes you to get stressed out?
Making deadlines?
Putting up with red tape?
Dealing with 'idiots" (whatever your definition of an idiot is)?
Dealing with issues at home remotely?

Take it from a new person 6 months into it. It took about 5 months before I was able to calm down. It comes in small steps one at a time. Worrying about backing in, traffic, parking at night, heavy traffic. You are forced to deal with it as it comes until you realize you did it, over and over and your fine then that's something you just don't worry about any more.

Nothing you can do but deal with it. Little things will go away then all of a sudden you realize, hey, I just backed into a parking spot and I didn't even think about it.

Just be slow, keep your distance. The steering wheel is smooth when you first get your truck. Your finger grip will create the little bumps on the under side!!!!!

[nightbright1]

Thanks for the good advise. Its nice to see that there are good people out the in the trucking profession who are willing to take their time help out others get off on the right track.

I graduated from driving school in 1985 - but enlisted in the military the following week and off to bootcamp I went.
I never drove as a civilian -drove 5 tons in the army

I guess I have to go through the driving school thing again??

[Useless]

Originally Posted by nightbright1

I guess I have to go through the driving school thing again??

Most likely, you will; not to worry, you'll do fine. In this Post 9-11 World, certainally over the past 20 yrs., there have been some new developments in the industry, so enrolling in a local Freight Relocation University should bring you up to date!!

BOL2U

[mowman]

Most of the stress comes from going to new places - not knowing what you'll be up against, not knowing how to handle it.

I started out national OTR and I'd do it again. A new place every day. I'd get bored running the same roads day in and day out, and the daily challenges were good for me.

I learned to do recon as I got off the xway and headed to a destination. Watching signs, watching traffic, watching for escape routes. If I was at the end of my day, watching for potential parking places.

As I got to the site, it took a while that a good setup started when I first entered the gate. Finding the office (if there wasn't a guard shack) and putting myself in a place where I wasn't obstructing others - but I was in position to hit the docks.

It takes a while to know how the trailer is going to move, and that's another place that stress comes from. It's physically impossible to see everything around you as you're backing. As you climb back in the cab after you've (G)otten (O)ut (A)nd (L)ooked, conditions may have changed.

As you're backing, there's stress because you think that someone is going to walk or drive right into your blind spot.

At the end of a long day, there's stress because it usually ends with some of the most difficult backs you're going to do - getting into a skinny hole in a truck stop.

You'll hear jerks on the CB giving you grief, but you'll also find that there are just as many other drivers that are willing to give you a hand if you need it.