My name’s… well, you can call me lojak. This is my blog and I’m planning to use it to document my journey from on career path to another (It’s probably more like a portage than a journey, but whatever). It will also, I hope, give people some insight into the daily life of a trucker so people can see what it takes to put the products on the shelves. And hopefully, what it takes to get started in the industry for people who might be interested in a new career (like all you other network guys out there). There’s an excellent chance I’ll wax political on occasion. I used to be really into politics — I was State Vice Chairman of College Republicans in WV & got invited to the Inauguration in ’84. Political parties for the most part disgust me now and I’ve turned predominantly libertarian (not Libertarian – they’re as bad as any other party, maybe worse). Don’t be surprised if the general demeanor of my politcal posts leans that way.
Here’s my plan…. I’ll drive as a company driver for 12-24 months and then buy my own truck. Within 5 years I’d like to be a small fleet owner. One of the things I discovered during my 9 months of soul searching (unemployment) was that I hadn’t done much in the way of career management during the last 18 years — mostly surviving on being very good at network administration. But sometimes being very good is not enough. This time I’m going to be master of my own ship.

What has gone before (through June 14, 2005)…… You already know I lost my job. I used up 6 months of unemployment looking for computer work. Due to the general incompetence of the employees with which I dealt at the NC Unemployment Security Commission in Cary, NC I didn’t find out about the Workforce Investment Act until well after my unemployment had run out. It would have paid for me to go to truck driving school (if you are unemployed, ask about this program if nobody has told you about it). Then I could have gone to the excellent PTDI certified Driver Training Program at Isothermal Community College in Spindale, NC (5 wks $2900 + lodging). So I relocated to Clarksville, TN based on the word of my sister’s ex-husband that I could come to TN and get my CDL by passing the test and paying somebody to sign off on my road test. Turns out he didn’t know any more about that than he did about being married.

I found out once I started doing research that the 2 years of experience I have from 20 years ago is every bit as good as the experience that I would have acquired by being Ramses II’s chariot driver. This had led to no small amount of wheel spinning since my first 2 choices were PGT and Arrow. Both are flatbed companies, both run my area, both pay pretty well, both take driving school graduates. Both told me to go to take a refresher class and they’d be happy to hire me. This sounds like a great plan — except that I’ve been unable to find anybody that offers a refresher course except Smokey Mountain Trucking Institute and they want $1700. Back to the drawing board.

Before I left NC I talked to a recruiter for Driver Solutions. They’re a placement agency for PAM Transport, Star (out of IL), and USA Truck. He scheduled me to start school @ Arkansas State University’s Driver Program the 13th of June and was pre-hired with USA Truck. I went to TN and took the CDL written test for General Knowledge, Air Brakes and Combo. I didn’t take the Hazmat test because a less than fully functional state employee said I couldn’t but couldn’t really explain why. I gather it has something to do with the TSA background check. I passed all the tests. I also called back the Driver Solutions recruiter and told him I wasn’t coming on the 13th. He told me they’d hold my application for 90 days and so that’s my backup plan.

I got an appointment to take the DOT physical June 10th (for TN readers, DOT physical is required prior to them issuing any license or permit, so if you want to walk out with something get your physical first.) I passed that too. Then I started going around to small companies. I basically got the same story from them — 20 year old experience doesn’t count. One of the people I talked to recommend R.E. West out of Lenanon, TN. So I talked to them and have an appointment for the 15th. I also have an application in with Millis out of Georgia. Millis is looking at my application. The recruiter said they generally don’t take people with employment gaps longer than 6 months but that she’d try to get it approved since I was in my last job for 9 years. They’re my first choice but I’m not confident that it will go my way. RE West pays less than Millis but they only require a 100,000 commitment versus 12 months for Millis. RE West also pays during training ($200/wk during yard portion (2 weeks max) and $300/wk during road training (3 weeks max)) and Millis doesn’t. There also isn’t any up front cost for RE West and Millis wants $500.

Haven’t heard from Millis. Things are looking bleak there. PGT called and left a message and I talked to a different recruiter. The story was still pretty much the same. Take a refresher. She gave me some names but all the courses are 3-5 weeks plus and cost lots of money. I’ve got 2 days to find a better offer

They’re equipment is all fairly new — 2002 or newer Freightliner Centuries. 73″ Condo sleepers. Straight 10 speeds. I keep forgetting to ask about the motor but I’ll bet they’re Detroit 430-450′s. All the trucks have XM radio and Direct TV recievers (driver has to pay for service). I think they have about 100 power units and 42 were new this year. Pay seems to be about middling for a training company – 27 cpm – a little better than some, not quite as good as Werner and Schneider. The recruiter claimed I’d get about 3000 miles a week.

The Adventure Begins Monday.

Got to talk to several of the drivers and I’m encouraged by what I heard. The miles are good (avg 3000/wk), the company backs the drivers up when necessary, there isn’t an idling policy, and the equipment is good. One of the guys I talked to started with no experience in NOvember and was assigned to a 2005 Century class Freightliner. They have Eaton 10 speeds & 500hp Detroit 60 Series, walk-in double bunk condo sleepers… pretty choice rides. More later…

Finished my first week of training. We spent most of Thursday and Friday on the road around town and then a little of the afternoon on the yard. Unless I have a complete brain hemorrhage, I’ll ace the skills test. Shifting is coming back to me. I still don’t feel like it’s that smooth but at least it’s livable now. Mostly, I need to remember to turn off my blinker. I feel pretty good about the way things are going. We take our skills test, pre-trip and road test next Thursday morning and then they’ll send us down to DMV to get our real live CDL. I’ll probably take my HM and Tank test then.

I feel pretty good about West. We’ve gotten a chance to talk to several drivers and none of them have had anything bad to say about the company. There seem to be as many miles available as you’re capable of/willing to run. The trucks all have 2 stage Jakes, Sirius radio already installed, and they have Dish Network receivers that they’ll put on your truck if you want one. I don’t remember if I mentioned it before or not but they got 42 new Century Class Freightliner’s this year with 70″ condo sleepers, 10 speeds and 500hp 60 Series Detroits.

Monday

Sam, the yard trainer who is also a city driver, was covered up all day making deliveries. So we took turned in the yard truck practicing for the skills test. By the end of the day I figured I could run the course with my eyes closed (See Skills Test below)

Tuesday

To make up for Monday we spent most of the day running around town in Sam’s truck and going through the driving test portion of the test.

Wednesday

We spent the first half of the day driving around town and then ran the yard truck through the course. Sam said there wasn’t any need for us to drive around for the rest of the day and waste fuel (there was also an ozone alert for Nashville so we were doing our part) and let us go about 3.

Thursday (Otherwise known as The Big Day)

Skills test…. Coming up to the stop line I hit the brake too hard and stopped about 10′ short. I screwed up the parallel park worse than the first day we were there. I did manage to get it in but cut way too late and ran than bumper out the back of the box. I still passed and could have run over 6 cones if I wanted to.

Pre-trip… This went surprisingly well considering that 3 days ago I was sure I was going to fail it. I passed.

Driving test…. This was fun. Sam had taken us on the course twice and told us what to expect and exactly how to deal with each corner. So we’re (me and the tester) running up the road to the first right turn and they’ve got the road blocked off working on the sidewalk. She looks at me and says “Have you ever been through the town square?” and I say “Yep, but only bobtail”. So we drive up to the town square which is perfectly adequate for the wagons that were rolling through town when it was built but a little on the tight side with a 200+”wheelbase tractor and a 45′ trailer. Particularly, since none of the people going around the square when I was through there had any idea what that little lever on the left side of the streering wheel is for. I managed to make it through without crushing anything or anybody and we ran back down and picked up the last of the test circuit. I passed.

After I got back to the yard and got my paperwork and test scores I was released for the rest of the day to go to DMV and convert my permit to a CDL-A. While I was there I took the Haz-mat test and passed it. I do have to admit to a moment of concern when I missed there very first question. I answered the next 24 right, so it all worked out in the end.

Tomorrow is orientation and then we’re assigned to a road trainer and hit the road.

Tuesday 07/05 Arrive Miami about 0400 for a 0700 unload appointment. They unloaded us and then reloaded us for the return trip to Lebanon.

Wednesday 07/06 Arrived Lebanon TN at abt 0500. Dropped trailer at yard and picked up a trailer loaded for San Antonio TX.

Thursday 07/07 Dropped the trailer at SA at abt 1700 and deadheaded empty trailer to El Paso TX.

Friday 07/08 Arrive El Paso abt 0900. Drop trailer and bobtail to Austin to pick up trailer at repair facility. Of course, trailer that has been at repair all week with nobody noticing the brake chamber hanging down from the axle. Takes a couple of hours to repair. Leave for Brownwood Tx load trailer bound for El Paso yard about 2300.

Saturday 07/09 Pick up other trainee’s tractor and trailer in El Paso about1200 and leave for Lebanon TN. Snuffy’s A/C goes out on the truck in the middle of the west TX desert. We had to leave him in Arkansas because the clutch on his AC compressor seized and we had to get back.

Sunday 07/10 Arrived Lebanon TN abt 1200. We leave tomorrow at 0800 for Elizabeth City KY and Harrisburg PA.

Total mileage for first week a little over 6000.

Strangest sight: A new looking upholstered piano bench sitting upright off the shoulder of the road in the desert at milemarker 199 on I-10E in Texas.

Week 3 – Lebanon, TN to Elizabethtown, KY. We were supposed to unload there and run back down to Red Boiling Spring TN to pick up a load to Harrisburg PA but weren’t going to make the appointment so they sent another driver. We deadheaded back to Ashland City and picked up a trailer on the yard that was bound for Berlin NJ. Unloaded in Berlin and deadheaded to Curwensville, PA for a load of leather headed for Hartmann Luggage in Lebanon. Picked up a loaded trailer in Lebanon headed for North Haven CT. Deadheaded North Haven CT to Middleville MI for a drop and hook coming back to Lebanon yard. Dropped trailer and hooked to loaded trailer headed for Burlington, Ont. , Canada. Leave tomorrow morning a 0800 for Tueday delivery. This is my last week in training — I should get my truck a week from tomorrow.

Observations There are a lot of really gorgeous historical farmhouses along I80 in PA.

Political Commentary I see that most states have started to collect on the ‘Work Zone’ Scam. This is where they line a row of orange barrells along the shoulder of the road (typically in the grass) for 12 miles, drop the speed limit by 10mph and call it a construction zone in which the fines are doubled or worse. The fact that there are never any people in these work zone and that no actual work ever gets done doesn’t seem to bother anybody. My grandfather worked for the highway department so I’m familiar with the dangers posed to workers along the roadside and support strong laws to protect them. I’d also like to see the laws address the fact that they must be actually PRESENT along the roadside to be in any significant danger.

End of Week 3

Week 3 looked like this: Lebanon TN to Burlington Ont Canada, deadhead to Middleville MI, loaded from Middleville to a multi-stop in Merced & Visalia CA. Deadhead to Sacramento. Loaded Sacramento to Chagrin Falls (I shit you not) OH. Deadhead to Middleville MI. Pick up trailer bound for Charlotte & Concord NC & Greenville SC but swap for an empty in the Flying J on I81 in Wytheville VA. Deadhead to Johnson City TN pick up trailer for Lebanon yard. Return Lebanon Tuesday afternoon. Total for Week 3= just short of 7600 miles.

I was released from training and got my truck. It’s not a Century like all the others in the fleet. It’s one of the overflow Columbia’s. Powertrain is spec’d the same but Columbia’s are not as nice. When I get the chance I’m going to ask if I can trade for a Century when somebody quits.

1st Week on my own.

Ran home and had about 15 hrs before leaving on my first run. Eat, sleep, do laundry. 1st 10 days looked like this: Ashland City to some suburb of Dayton that I can’t remember the name of. Deadhead to Middleville MI (I can almost run this in my sleep now) bound for Riverside CA. Deliver in Riverside and pick up 31000 # of shoes in Ontario CA bound for Lebanon. Total for 10 days = about 6000 miles.

Observations

Earlier I mentioned that there were a lot of nice historical farmhouses in PA. Driving along I81 in Virginia, there are a lot there too. And the Climate’s nicer. And it’s not flat. Or full of Pennsylvanians. So all things considered I think I’d prefer that if any of you are looking for something to get me for Christmas.

As near as I can tell the person who designed the showers in Flying J Truck stops has never actually taken one on the road. Except for the one in Ontario Canada and SLC UT. Those are both really nice.

More in a little while.

Not sure about the miles but it’s a short week and I was really tired. I could just never get really rested. Now that I’ll have had a couple of days off I’m sure I’ll feel much better. I have an outbound load from AShland City to Franklin OH to start the week again.

The load to Franklin last week was one of the least pleasant driver assist unloads I’ve had so far. They loaded these “fatboy” water heaters on the front deck of the trailer 3 high. I’m sure they put them up there with a clamp and then pushed them to the front of the trailer. Anyway there wasn’t any way for the guy to get them back off with a clamp in Franklin and they were too heavy to get down by hand. WE ended up kind of rotating the stacks really carefully until he could get them with the clamp.

Nothing much new this week except that I’ve noticed that probably 50% of the cars have a person in them screwing around with a cell phone. Not necessarily the driver–I think some of them are playing games on their phones. I don’t think I mentioned it before so I’ll make it the most interesting sight for this week (even though it was when I was out west).

I was driving along and saw this Harley coming up next to me. The rider was in full leather and all alone. The bike got up next to me and the rider looked up and started to wave a beauty pageant/parade queen kind of wave. It was then I realized that the rider was this 75 year old grandmother type. Lose the leathers and she could have posed for a Norman Rockwell Mrs. Santa painting. Then she grabbed the throttle and took off. It was surreal.

Bitch of the Week

I’m not sure if it’s something that’s been going on all along and I just now noticed it and have become hypersensitive but the last week or so I’ve noticed an increasing number of really expensive motorhomes pulling cars parked in truck stop parking lots and sleeping or eating. The first one I remember noticing was a Prevost motorcoach pulling a Hummer. I thought ‘This guy can afford a $300,000 motorhome and a $50,000 car but can’t pay $30 to park it for the night?’ In my younger days he would have come out and found his Prevost and Hummer keyed to hell and back. I just think it’s kind of sad that people that this are taking parking places away from people who work for a living.

I have several rants saved up that I promise I’ll post but for right now I’ll go with I’m becoming increasingly convinced that motorhomes should require a special license to operate. I’ve lost count of the number of dangerous things I’ve seen them do. The biggest part of the problem as near as I can tell is that people get in them (pulling their huge driving around car) and treat them like they’re driving the Lexus.

I’ll be getting a laptop RSN and I promise I’ll post more often then. Got to get to bed. Out early tomorrow for a pickup in Red Boiling Springs TN for a 0700 delivery Monday in Columbia SC.

A couple of weeks ago I went to Richmond. It reminded me why I always liked Richmond but would never live there. The roads were apparently designed by crazy people. I do want to say thanks to the guys at Automotive Headliners Unlimited (710 Research Rd, 897-4000). I was backing into the place across the street from them and was busy not hitting Automotive Headliners mail box and didn’t see the ditch that suddenly appeared next to the mail box. If it hadn’t been for those guys coming out and helping me stacking lumber up underneath the tires there probably would have been a tow truck bill in my future. Thanks again guys — you are the kind of people that periodically renew my faith in mankind. If they do headliners half as well as they help people out of ditches you should stop by if you need one. I may drive my Camaro from Tennessee just b/c they helped me out.

Lexington, GA may be the prettiest town on earth. It’s east of Athens on US78. In fact the whole drive across 78 when you’re going from Atlanta to Athens is pretty nice. Lots of old house and small towns.

I worked over Labor Day and took a load from Lebanon to Tacoma WA. Once I was unload there I picked up in Portland & Wilsonville OR and Rancho Cucamunga CA (that’s a lot longer run than I had previously realized) bound for Lebanon. My truck was due for a PM when I got back and I had started making my list of things that I wanted them to check. One of them was that it was hard to start after it had been sitting for a few hours and it seemed to be idling rougher than it used to. While I was in Barstow at the Flying J (I ALWAYS stop at the Flying J in Barstow, it’s the only place I know of for sure that there’s an In-n-Out Burger in walking distance to a truck stop…. CA drivers feel free to let me know of others) I was talking to my wife on the phone and told her it wasn’t running right.

Coming across the Mojave desert that night I started getting passed by Swift trucks and Schnieder trucks and knew I was in trouble. I was willing to let the first one go since he might be empty and I had on 31,000 but after a while it was obvious that unless they were nigrating all the emptied east there was something seriously wrong. I called Penske SOS before I got to the top of the mountain coming into Needles because I had to drop down on the low sidemore than once. They said they had to find the tech (it was about midnight on Friday by this point) I said I was going to keep running down the road to try and find a milemarker to give him as a reference. About the time they called me back to find out where I was I crested the pass and told them I’d roll down into Needles to the shop.

He looked it over and said that it was an injector and that it would probably be Sunday or Monday before anybody could look at it. The called Bob West and got him out of bed at 3 in the morning to ask him what he wanted them to do. He asked me if I could make it over to Kingman AZ and I said that I didn’t think so but if he wanted me to try I’d go. I took me quite a while to get over there — coming up the hill into Kingman I was down to 15 mph and wouldn’t run on the flat in 10th gear. I parked at the address they gave me for the Frieghtliner dealer. Next morning I realized that service had moved down the street and that I was at the tire place. But my truck wouldn’t start. So they had to fire up a tow truck to drag it 2 blocks down the street. They looked at it and said that it was a recall item on the fuel injection system and that I had an O ring on one of the cylinders that had gone bad so it needed a complete rebuild.

That night Penske woke my up in the hotel room that I had gotten and told me that my sub truck was about an hour out and that he’d stop by and pick me up and there would be somebody to let me in to the service bay so I could get my stuff from my truck. They never showed up to let me in the service bay which was fine with me since I wasn’t going anywhere that night anyway.

The next morning I went down and started transfering stuff from one truck to another. They had the injector problem fixed before I got everything moved but it still needed the rebuild. The sub truck was a 2000 FL Century with 400k+ miles on it. It was pretty obvious that it had spent it’s life as a rental b/c it’s pretty well abused. Anyway I got back to TN and took a few days off. I’m leaving this evening headed back west to Canoga Park CA and I’ll pick my newly rebuilt truck on the way.