Profile For Tec & Treasure

During my most recent (starting CDL rating upgrade training tomorrow to go from Class "B" to Class "A") bout of OTR driving, I used both a Cobra HD6000 Truck GPS, Rand McNally Atlas & city/regional maps.

The GPS and city/regional maps to get to/from the interstate system to the shipper/consignee. The atlas and memory from doing LTL/Drop-n-hook driving years ago to get from city to city. I can only handle the GPS voice for short periods of time although both co-drivers couldn't get across the street without GPS so most of the time I had to put up with it the whole trip. Sad.

Now you know the second reason I'm upgrading my CDL...so I can run solo and not have to put up with co-drivers that refuse to learn (yes, I actually had the last co-driver flat out say "why learn it? You know how so we're good.")and push off most of the tasks of driving onto whoever their team partner is. The first reason is stated in our profile.

Mark,

Both Starcar and Brett, from what I've seen in my recent OTR experience in a straight truck, that trucks are prewired for CB installment. The only trouble I've run into is the last straight truck I was in. While it was set up to simply hook up the power, ground, antenna and tighten it into the mount, the antenna coax was shot so I didn't get optimum performance from my radio. I had to find the time during a wait for freight to use my own coax. Not a major problem, just something to keep an eye on or look out for.

Clearances can be a tricky subject as there are many variables. While you are correct that repaving of the road or other construction may have shortened the clearance, it is also a good thing to remember that along the right-most edge of the roadway (or extreme left in the case of arch support bridges) is the lowest point of bridge clearance. Sometimes, unfortunately not all, clearance signs are indicating this lowest point but I personally don't trust it.

It is imperative that you know the maximum height of your vehicle then add a "fudge" factor for different things such as repaving of the roadway. Personally, I use 8" as my "fudge factor", I've talked to others that use 10" or even 6". My primary rule regarding clearances of this sort...when in doubt - find a way around. Safety factor over-rules all.

Starcar,

Thanks for responding. It's good to know that the community here is willing to help if the opportunity is there.

Due to finances, it'll have to be company sponsored training. We've discussed the various options and realize that time-in-service with a company is the common trade off for providing training and we have no problem with that requirement. To us, it's a perfectly logical requirement.

Our biggest hurdle that I've noticed so far is pet policies. We do have a dog that will need to come with us so we've been looking into companies that either allow pets (even with deposit/insurance deducted weekly is no worry for us) or lease/purchase options so that she can be with me sooner as she won't be able to go with me until the dog is able to go along as well. While I'm researching companies, she's researching O/O and leasing so that we're well informed and as educated as we can be about the hurdles, trials and tribulations that go along with that option in the trucking industry.

Just wanted to introduce ourselves to the community. We're a couple that's working on getting out on the road together to alleviate the home time issues and out-of-truck overhead of supporting what is essentially two separate lives.

I've been running expedited freight in a straight truck team situation that was hurting more than helping and due to the "need for speed" over what could easily be a long haul, team driving is all that I have been able to find available for straight trucks.

This has forced us to looking into upgrading my CDL to Class "A" from Class "B" so I can run solo and carry her with me. Wanted to say thank you to Brett for this site and the information that's available to those like us who are looking into this industry and needing to look into or contact multiple companies.

Even though she's unable to get a CDL due to physical limitations, she is experienced as a trucking partner in that she is good with paperwork, understands and is proficient with Qualcomm systems if it's needed and experienced in talking with shippers and consignees. While technically not a team in the traditional sense of the term in the trucking industry, we're very much a team in how we work and get tasks accomplished.

We're open to suggestions from anyone who has them & thanks for reading this little introduction.

Tec & Treasure

Jerry,

I understand where you're coming from. While I'm several years older, it is the relationship with my significant other that has force my hand in life as well. The lack of home time running expedited freight in a straight truck was killing the relationship and the out-of-truck overhead was getting ridiculous. After being unable to find work running solo in a straight truck, I've realized I have to upgrade my CDL to Class "A" from Class "B" so I can get to work with a company that will let me run solo and carry her with me.

Also, if you're wanting to start a blog about your experiences with school and the subsequent experiences of driving and seeing the country, you don't need to have a domain. You can look at sites like Blogspot and Tumblr as they're free to join and it's fairly simple to get started with your own blog.

Brett,

I have to say that your site has been very helpful in researching various companies and what they offer to new hires and what it'll take to get to running solo so I can carry my significant other with me. Just got started with it today so haven't had any callbacks or offers as of yet, but we are hopeful it won't take long to get me started.