Profile For J Johns

In ... Myakka? No, I've never parked anywhere near there. Why do you ask?

Hey J Johns, are you the Prime driver that parks over by Annie's Bait & Tackle behind the gate?

Someone here once recommended keeping wasp spray -- shoots 20 feet or more. Someone else said to put ammonia in a squirt gun.

My trainer bought me a little pink tazer which is both hilarious & comforting to a cute little feller like me. I would have thought that it counts as a concealed weapon but he insists it doesn't.

Paul, it seems that this thread predates the linehaul job.

Melody, less frequent illness does not mean she's healthier than ever. A regularly taxed immune system tends to lead to better overall & longterm health. Keeping her from childhood illnesses now could lead to a weak or more frequently compromised immune system in adulthood. Forgive me the lecture, I'll go back to lurking now.

Helloween works well

I knew we were meant to be buddies.

My trainer is telling me that the second person shot was his trainee, in critical condition last I heard. Prayers all around, what a nightmare for all 3 families.

Read Brett's book linked above to learn what life on the road is like & then go to the Diaries section of the forums to learn more about what you can expect as new drivers.

If your health & driving & criminal records are all basically clean then it's easy to be hired as a team. These companies will want you because you're likelier to be happy little workers together.

I would expect to be broken up for over-the-road training, yes. There are options to train together but they don't seem like a great idea to me. That's where I am now, halfway through my separation for training & it really stinks but will all be worth it when my partner & I reunite.

Whoever you go with, you need unlimited mobile data. That's the consensus.

My company has a 3-heartbeat rule. There can only be three people or creatures on the truck for non-owner-operators like us, & we have to pay a non-refundable deposit for an animal.

During this training I've been eating mostly the things I find in a truck stop & am sickening. This weekend I bought a 12v cooler available at some truck stops to keep at the foot of my bed for a few essential geoceries. I was lucky to get a day of home time to drop off all of my non-vital luggage. Otherwise I'd have been incredibly cramped on my bunk.

There is a high incidence of divorce among truck drivers but if it makes you feel better, I think that number is much higher among couples living separately -- like one driving & one alone at home. Just know that team driver Starcar once wrote that she & her Other had a knock-down drag-out fight at 55mph through a construction zone so *I'm* worried, haha. But seriously, if you're careful every day to be considerate of each other & not neglect your love then I think you should be fine.

I think it's a great career move for a couple without dependant children. God bless.

This is Oklahoma City USA we are talking about right? Unless you are talking about some middle eastern terrorist country then you got nothing to worry about. Yes it is a big city but I cannot remember a single time ever feeling unsafe at any truckstop there. I stop in okc over night at least a couple times a month.

Don't worry about it, Rainy. This guy never had a problem, I'm sure it's all in yer pretty little head.

Seriously Justin, the fact that you never had to fear for your safety doesn't mean no one else has, or does. I'm wondering why I have to explain this.

I like the information shared -- thank you, Charles C -- but I'm curious to know your opinion on this article which seems to say that lack of sleep is the single greatest contributor to trucker obesity.

For reference, I'm 12k miles into my 30k team training with Prime & putting on a bit ... mostly due to a lack of refrigerator space, partially due to highly-sugared & highly-salted foods. I'm buying a 12v cooler at my first opportunity.

Aw man. I hate to hear that things have gone that way. Would it be possible to call & explain yourself to someone in the Prime PSD program? I know they've accepted back into the program people who had to leave for family reasons. If Prime is the problem, then it's true that there are many great companies out there & being determined to persevere will get you into one sooner or later.

Oh, also, bring a supply of ear plugs & a pillow case or eye mask. The curtains don't block all the sunlight, the hallways are uncarpeted and full of noisy students, there's a 1 to 1.5" gap between the bottom of your door & the floor, you might have a roommate with sleep apnea, & your rest must be kept sacred, haha