Profile For Col

I pickup in the morning in Chicago a load that will get me back to the main Prime terminal in Springfield MO. When I get there I will be turning in my truck and flatbed equipment

Consider taking pictures of everything just to protect yourself. Whenever I would turn in a truck I would take pictures of the entire truck, inside and out, to show there was no damage when it was turned in. I would also take pictures of any equipment I had to return to show that I had turned it in. Finally, I would take pictures of the truck itself from an angle that shows it being parked on company property so they can't say you abandoned it on the road.

And naturally you're going to want signed copies of paperwork verifying everything also.

One company I worked for tried to claim I abandoned their truck. Baloney. I never abandoned a truck in my life. I always turned them in to the company terminal without any damage. Luckily I had those pictures because that company went out of business a few months after I quit. Without those pictures there was no way for companies to verify that what he put on my DAC was false.

Another time there was confusion over where I turned in my truck. I turned it into my home terminal which was a satellite terminal, not a main terminal. Somehow the proper paperwork wasn't done and once again my DAC showed I abandoned a truck. Fortunately I was able to get that straightened out and they took that off my DAC report. But the companies I applied to were also extremely happy to see I had physical proof that what I was saying was true because they had already seen the DAC report before it was cleared up.

In trucking you always have to keep your head on a swivel. When you're driving you're always in danger of someone else doing something stupid to ruin the good thing you have going. When you're not driving you're always in danger of someone else doing something stupid to ruin the good thing you have going.

Good advice, I will remember that.....

Knight Transportation Phoenix, Andrus at St. George.

Col.....short for Colin.

Here is probably a silly question for Daniel B. or anybody really......what is an LW truck in relation to a full size truck that you mentioned?

Thanks

Started private school Monday Feb. 24 at America's Driving Force in Conley, GA. So far I'm lovin it and can't wait to get to orientation and with trainer and on to solo. I started the pre-hire process before actually enrolling in school and have a nice handful already. I'm so far considering US Xpress, Paschaal and maybe Werner. I've read some reviews and 90% are the same ole predictable belly aching. If anyone has any useful insight into one of those 3 companies please feel free to share it. I'm not overly concerned with starting pay or cpm. I am extremely concerned with being trained well and would definitely prefer to do some "way out west" runs. Would also prefer to have an APU but that's definitely not a deal breaker.

I too have read all those reviews and honestly think if I believed them there would be no point in working for anyone. You only need one job, one that you bring your own set of disciplines' and character too. Do what is required of you by the company (legally), roll with the punches, smile a lot, and do not get bitter at people or situations.......life is too short.

So, what do you all think.....it's easier to commit long term to a little Mom and Pop company or a 500+ truck company?

Hi folks, I'm new here,

Many, many years ago on a planet much like this one I drove trucks for a living. Actually it was Europe, every country you delivered to required some coins or a phone card from that region and then off to find a pay phone. Delivery points never let you use their phones unless you had been there a few times and they liked you.

Sometimes it took hours for dispatch to get your reload details in order even though your delivery time was pre-arranged. I would have given anything back then for affordable cell phones that could communicate across continents, and Skype! Wow, talking to my wife for more than once a week, and seeing her face more than once every two months....what a concept.

On the plus side there was a lot more freedom then with drivers expected to deal with any and all problems on the road, but technology has come on in leaps and bounds to help the job, and more importantly, the driver and his family.