101 after training...
 

Dealing with dispatch.
1.) Your never nothing special...
2.) No matter how ticked off you get never blew a fuse over the ph. Go back to terminal and do so.
3.) Dont pest your DM...
4.) Take the load assigned to you, eat atleast 1 crap sandwich a week.
5.) You will get ripped off on detention and lay over.. best to remember cust and when that ld comes again refuse it and state why!
Be pro active.
1.) Without being a pain in the butt, call cust to c if u can receive early and deliver early.
2.) If dealing with lumpers get cost b4 unload and get com data #
3.) If your going back to and area that you have been to and sat, ask DM if they got a load backing you up to get out.
4.) If you need weekends home, you wont fair out to well, lot of lost time...
Log Book.. Best to run loose leaf.
1.) If your going into this business you will see running legal is next to impossiable adjustments will have to be made, im not saying drive tired... drive smart and safe.
2.) If your with a comapany hounding you about moving the truck, you need to be salary or dedicatied.. or you will end up broke.
This is some basic tips, if you like more just ask... Good Luck! Besafe!

Backing up and parking.
1.) Never be ashamed to ask for help.
2.) Dont try to do what you c others do..
3.) Be creative in parking if need be dont block in others.
4.) If its late and you know where a truck stop is, park and exit b4 it.. And do it on the get on side of the ramp for safety reasons. Parking on a ramp is not legal or a good ideal. But once you realize what works and what dont.. Will make the difference in your world.
5.) Now the CB can be ignoaying, you may get heckled while backing up or you may get help. Dont focus on the heckle, shut it off if you got jokers.. and focus.

Hygeine.. Very Important..
1.) Dont go longer then 2 days without shower.
2.) Wear flip flops in shower.
3.) Always seperate your personal items from all contact inside bathroom with papertowel and yourself.
4.) Brush your teeth atleast once a day and have mouthwash in your truck.
5.) Avoid getting sick, have hand germ cleaner in the side compartment of your door.
6.) Take viatims.
7.) when leaving rest room use a paper towel to grab door handle.
If your using a credit card to pay for items best to use hand germ cleaner on it, i do forget this myself alot. But I havent been sick for a few yrs... doing something right, i guess.

when using a toilet inside of a stall, don't touch the flusher with your hands. instead, step on it.

Mirrors:
USE THEM!!!!! Don't ASSUME that no one is next to you or passing you.

Overall, good posts, Rat...I have a few things, though.....

Double-negative...meaning you're ALWAYS special? Boy, i'd love to work for your company!;)

Not too sure what "ignoaying" is...annoying?:lol:

Seriously, i like to leave mine on, just in case. If anyone tells you to STOP(!), GOAL. If someone tells you to "Keep coming"...GOAL!!! Whenever someone directs a comment your direction while backing, GET OUT and LOOK...they may be helping you, or may be trying to guide you into another truck for cheap entertainment...:cry:

Double R's comment Good call, and I'd like to add USE YOUR FREAKING TURN SIGNALS!:pissedoff::pissedoff::pissedoff: At best, it's a courtesy. At worst, it gives any poor soul you DON'T see time to either make their presence known or get OUT OF YOUR WAY!

Furthermore, in the event the worst happens and you are in a situation, don't EVER swerve out of your lane unless you are SURE it's clear. If you don't KNOW, and don't have time to look, hold your lane! Don't make a bad situation worse by ignoring what you can't see to avoid what you can...

Great stuff, guys!:D

another good #1)...never be ashamed to get out and look.
2) leave that dammed CB off when you enter a truck stop period. Even if you did get 'help', you cant trust it anyways. You might get a Richard on there offering you help, and all he wants to do, is to steer you into the trailer/truck next to you. Who's the one thats going to get knocked for an accident.
3) log it legal. regardless what you read on here, this day and age with teh Qual-comm....you WILL get caught one of these days trying to cheat your log book. all it will take from the company is to be caught ONE time. Then they will always want to audit you.
4) pay attention to detail. you're on line 3....and you go thru a toll/scale, FLAG IT. You never know when you might need to go back and recall that information
5) make a copy of EVERYTHING you turn into the company. EVERYTHING. I have minilla envelopes for each week. i jot down the trip number on the front for every load i ran that week, and everything that goes into a trip pack to turn in to get paid.....i got a copy of. regardless how insignificant it might be.

Another one:
PRE/POST TRIP INSPECTIONS

There is a reason why drivers are required to do them. You should do one to:D.

And asking for a RADIO CHECK DOES NOT COUNT AS DOING ONE:rofl:

Kevin,
That is VERY GOOD advice:clap:

Excellent. i forgot all about that one. my roommate during orientation was religious about me taking vitimins with him. He had a huge bottle of Centrium, and then another bottle of B-complex. take one of each a day, and you should not feel tired until you are. and drink plenty of OJ, water and stay off the soda. (i'm weening myself off the 1-1.5L i usually drink...now i'm down to one 20 oz....and that is it)....oh...and the choclate. get yourself a tin of popcorn or some Cheez-Its. better for you than candybar after candybar.