Profile For Amber L.

Thank you both for your input!

Bobcat it looks like we would get an 8cent raise from our current pay if we pulled doubles. We get 60cents now and starting pay is 68 for doubles. Think that makes it worth it?

Thanks again!!

Hey everyone! Curious what the experts think is enough experience to start pulling doubles?? Our company offers an increase in pay for it so we are thinking about it but don't want to get ourselves in over our heads either! We have 4months driving now, things have been going really well for us, no major issues just lots of miles!!!

Thank you for your expertise!!

Hi everyone! First I have to say I have a new appreciation for all the moderators out there finding the time to write on here while doing this job! I found even if I have the time I just want to relax not think!

That said I am truly enjoying myself out here on the road. Things are going well communication with FM is pretty good, still working on my husband to do more messaging, he hates texting so it's been a struggle for him to not just talk to a person. We are running between 5000 and 6000miles a week, running our clocks down fast and resetting. We are quite happy with our choice of US Xpress, the pay has been good and the one time we asked for home time they got us home no problem. The weekend dispatch can be frustrating but our regular FM rocks!

We have had frustrating experiences, little things like lights out or check engine light, trailer nowhere to be found, wrong pickup numbers long waits to get loaded but it's all par for the course, when we get a long load all that seems to just melt away as we get in the rhythm of shift changes. I'm just loving watching spring progress!!

One question I've had is we have had our in cab computer say the opposite of what the lighted signs say about whether to bypass a weight station or not and we haven't known which to listen to??

I can't thank Brett and everyone else on here for all the great info this site truly made this transition so much easier!!

Thank you!!!!

Hi I'm with us Xpress too. I run team with my husband so slightly different from you. We run 5000 to 6000miles consistently and that makes a nice pay check of about $1200 to $1500 per week for each of us. We opted to not do the per diem as it seemed like the company was benefiting more than we would. From what we understand about it if you need all you can get in each check it's the way to go but if you can wait till the end of the year you will actually make more just delayed gratification sort of. We are getting school reimbursement, they said they had to be the first company you worked for after school and they didn't put us on any sort of contract. They pay $150 a month up to $7000. We like us Xpress, the weekend dispatch sucks but that's about our only complaint and it seems most people feel that way about their company. We love our normal FM.

Best of luck to you!

So if you're hauling a relief load you don't have to abide by the rules just be safe is what I understand.

Then if you have exhausted your 70hr clock and haul a relief load beyond that then go to haul a non relief load do you need to take a 34first?

I was also told if you're hauling relief loads you must take a 10hr break between loads?

Thanks for you're help understanding!

This is from the WYDOT website https://www.wyoroad.info/Highway/definitions.html

They don't define what weight is a "lightly loaded commercial vehicles "

Closure to Light, High-Profile Vehicles: In locations where wind gusts are 60 mph or more AND where adequate signage to indicate the limited closure is available, WYDOT will initiate a closure to light, high-profile vehicles. This type of closure may also be initiated when conditions are very icy but the wind gust threshold is less than 60 mph. The closure is targeted at vehicles that are prone to being blown over or being blown off the road such as recreational vehicles, moving vans, campers, small trailers and lightly loaded commercial vehicles but smaller vehicles pulling trailers are also included in this restriction. Drivers of vehicles that fail to heed this type of closure will be considered in violation of Wyoming Statute 24-1-109 and 'shall be subject to a fine of not more than seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00) or to imprisonment for a period not to exceed thirty (30) days, or to both such fine and imprisonment.'

Research shows that when wind gusts exceed 60 mph, there is almost certainty that multiple vehicles will be blown over or be involved in a loss of control type of crash. These crashes most often result in debris on the highway that results in a road closure to all vehicles. It is important to note that WYDOT does not have adequate signage to implement a closure to light, high-profile vehicles in all locations. Additional sites may have wind gusts exceeding 60 mph and pose a significant risk of blow over. In these locations, WYDOT will indicate 'Extreme Blow Over Risk' on our information systems and drivers should exercise special caution.

Extreme Blow Over Risk: In locations where wind gusts are 60 mph or more and where adequate signage to indicate a closure to light, high profile vehicles is NOT available, WYDOT will issue an Extreme Blow Over Risk warning. This type of warning may also be initiated when conditions are very icy but the wind gust threshold is less than 60 mph. The warning is targeted at vehicles that are prone to being blown over or being blown off the road such as recreational vehicles, moving vans, campers, small trailers and lightly loaded commercial vehicles but smaller vehicles pulling trailers are also included in this restriction.

So when they close the i80 to lightweight high profile vehicles. Does anyone know what weight is the cutoff?? I read they can hand out tickets for continuing but I couldn't find an exact weight.

Thank you

Us Xpress doesn't have cameras facing in but they do have a microphone that records the same 8seconds when an incident occurs, so they can hear if you were talking on the phone or something else.

I have never been a mechanically inclined either. Purposely really never wanted to work on engines!

It seemed to me passing the pre-trip is really more memorization than mechanical knowledge. You learn the part names and what they look like and what could be wrong with them. Our school broke it down like if it's metal it can be bent, cracked damaged broken. If it's rubber it can be cracked, dry rotted, have an abrasion. Electrical look for frayed wires, bare wires or illegal tape.

I passed my pre-trip with flying colors. For me I retain stuff best when I write it down so I would write lists of the parts and check to see what I forgot then start over.

My husband and I have been out on our own now for almost 2months and I love it!

Good luck Ladies!! You can do it!!

Thanks guys!!

We are taking 40 looks like Flagstaff won't be bad mid-day and hopefully we will be just far enough behind the storm that the roads will be okay in NM. The one and only time we have been on 54 it was thru the night so I can't speak to it's beauty, looks like most of it will be night driving this time too.

Stay safe out there every one!!