Profile For Charles K.

I have been using Coleman 40Qt Iceless Cooler and RoadPro 12V Portable Stove since I drove a truck for Swift.

The Coleman keeps 40deg F cooler than ambient temperature. But keep in mind that when the truck is in hotter locations, like AZ or SoCal, the ambient temperature can be high up to three digits. It would be better if refrigerator is available.

And the RoadPro stove, I always buy 88c/3pcs loaf pans and distilled water for cooking.

Http://nofixedaddress.squarespace.com/journal/2012/9/30/its-the-signs-schumer.html

This might be the issues Brett mentioned about. But no, I didn't go I-278 on this trip.

A tip for if you go back.

New York has an interactive truck route map on their DOT website specifically for NYC. It makes trip planning a breeze when trying to figure out where you can and cannot go. It doesn't make the drive portion any faster though lol.

lol. For sure it is, Robert the Fire Dragon. Thanks for the interactive map! It helped a lot!

To a lot of fresh hands of us, NYC is a nightmare! Almost all senior drivers will give you advice to avoid the City as much as possible. But after 5 months with Swift and then 8 months with the current company, I finally got a shot towards there.

I assume everybody has their MCRA on hand. Before we move, let's preplan our route. I know, some company will have an assigned route to you, but what happens when there're road closures, constructions, even emergencies? On page A37, there are low clearance locations, permanent weigh/inspection stations (although none reported in NY state) and restricted routes of New York. What we need to do is cross check the list with our route, make sure there are no low clearance hazards along the way. Then we need to try remember all the restricted routes in our mind, and do not take them when we have a visual. One well known restriction for motor carriers are that "All Parkway are restricted routes in New York".

And as a professional driver, we need to pay attention to those posted signs on the road. As some of us already know, motor carriers (aka TRUCKS) can ONLY TAKE the UPPER LEVEL of George Washington Bridge. But the funny thing is, you are pretty hard to ignore each and every sign telling you to change to the upper level lanes 5 miles before you across the bridge.

All in all, NY, NY is not a nightmare, if I can do it, you can do it. Peroid!

PS: DANIEL B sir, pls check your email, I sent you a message. Thanks!

Speaking of dinosaurs. The first recorded cargo transfer was accomplished by cavemen who after killing a T-Rex used its spine and rib cage like a trailer and pulled it with a team of Velociraptors. Some believe the methods are what led to the idea of sled dogs being used in the northern territories even today.

I read this on the interwebz so it must be true right?

How did they pay the lumpers?

Don't worry about it, it's on the house! lol

Just like moving from one house to another. More stuff than you imagined. And maybe you haven't gotten many boxes to carry things in - even for the 10 feet between the trucks. (BTW, most places where you move from one truck to another have a scaffold walkway you park the trucks next to, a bridge so you're not climbing up and down those steps all the time.)

I know some Swift terminals got those. But of course, bobtail only.

As a fall-back you can safely park behind many Walmart stores. Check with the manager first because some will not allow it (usually it's posted) due to local ordinances. For a short time there were rumblings that all Walmart's were prohibiting overnight truck parking, but I have yet to see substantial proof of that. Home Depot is also an option since most of the time they have ample space, but again ask for permission.

G-Town, more and more Walmart parking lots are with Height Limit bars. Some are with posted signs of "no tractor-trailer parking", others will have security patroling around with a car telling you that they only allowed x hrs of parking(x <= 2)

Seatbelts are so important that I got written up for not being belted in when I backed a tractor up to a trailer. 5 feet travel distance!

But as moving violations, that's up to each company.

Errol, Was that write-up done by Swift or by a trooper?

Obviously the truck driver doesn't notice the change of railroad crossing warning lights. Thus for sure it's a driver's error.

You have the voltage specs - printed on the fan. Measure between opposite bolt holes, say ... 4". Get the metric size too, just in case.

Look for a fan by specifications. Also check web stores like Newegg and Grainger. You'll have better luck.

Errol, I came from China so I know the metric sizes pretty well. The screw specs are 92mm apart, and the blade is 120mm. But I still couldn't find the same fan in either site you mentioned. Thank you anyway!