Profile For JoJack

Excellent point, Old School. Safety is always on my mind. I'm still not over how huge these trucks are. I had a real easy back into my dock... Thank the good Lord. I'm still at the dock waiting to be loaded. Hope you have a great day and until next time, safe travels. Jojack

I had a two day break that wraps up tonight but they gave me my first 2 runs to make it home for the break. I hauled a load of beer from Payette, ID to Portland, OR then a home depot run from Salem, OR to Lewiston, ID. I live about a half hour from Lewiston in Washington State and I'm out in the middle of a bunch of rolling wheat fields so they let me take the truck and trailer home. Convenient and awesome. I already made some mistakes. Same mistakes that I've already read from others but I went ahead and made them anyway. I accidentally went off route in the Kennewick, WA area and into a residential area around midnight. I made it out without incident but I was sweating and praying. I passed my truck route in Lewiston but found a turnaround. I've been getting lucky and I'll take luck any day. Now the exciting part... I've been dispatched from Quincy, WA to Coxsackie, NY. Over 2,700 miles. WhoaTalk about a rookie run. It's right on the Hudson River and by satellite the area looks gorgeous so I'm excited to see upstate New York for the first time. I've planned it out and it's doable for me because it starts early tomorrow and ends late on the 28th at 23:30. Working for May means you are governed way lower than most, I'm at 61mph and so it just takes longer to get to places. Everybody passes May Trucking. On my break I was able to pick up a fridge and microwave and my dog, Bettie. She's a black German Shepherd and I love her so I hope this goes well for her. She travels well but she's never made it past the big D. I plan to buy some collapsible steps for her but haven't yet. I'm not sure when I'll actually be able to get my fridge and microwave set up. I'm gonna leave it to the pros in the shop. I'm rambling like a fool I know but I'm excited and nervous. Rookie nerves ya know. I'll probably stop in Post Falls, Idaho tomorrow or maybe Haugan, Montana. Next night, probably Billings, Montana followed by Bismarck, ND or just passed. Gee, this is my first time where I've really had to do some planning on my own. I better work on getting some sleep. I'll let you know how it goes. God bless y'all. Jojack

PakRat... Thanks man I made it. Now I gotta get to trucking. I was talking to friend that has been solo for the last two weeks. He talked about the stress he has endured in such a short time. I can only imagine that I'll experience the same thing but that things will get better with experience. Persevere, baby.

Thank you Old School

Thanks MomCat... They actually tested me today and I passed. I PASSED Crazy ! Wow I'm going nuts with the idea that I can't think of another job with such serious responsibility. To be safe. Don't crash and very important... Don't hurt anybody I'll try my best to never let those ideas escape me. I'm off my mentors truck and in my own. They've misplaced my permit book so perhaps I'll get ahold of it tomorrow. I haven't talked with my driver manager yet but tomorrow I will. I was given a choice between 11 western and all 48 and I took all 48. My head, honestly, is kinda spinning with excitement and a definite overwhelmed feeling. I believe PakRat told me to expect that emotion and he's spot on. I need to chill, like that scene in "Say Anything." ??? "You Must Chill." I'll probably get my first run tomorrow to get me close to home to get my things, but I'm only guessing. Thanks for y'all's support and I'll keep you updated on my first run for sure. Jojack

I made it to Gary, IN then down to Joliet, ILL, Kansas City and now Denver. Probably make it to Layton, Utah tomorrow before getting kicked out of my mentor's truck in Payette, ID. I will solo test there this Friday. My mentor and I have had our share of issues but we've both worked through them and I've learned from him. Mostly I learned trip planning from him and I appreciate it, it will help immensely. I wanted to learn backing from him but he's not that good at it himself, admittedly, and he's been trucking for a good decade. So from that I learned you don't have to be a great backer, you just need to get out and look, and not crash the truck. Don't hit anything and don't be intimidated. If it takes 10, 15, 20 minutes longer to get to that dock, so be it. Get loaded and on to the delivery. Then do it again. For new students, as you get to the point of hopping in your trainers truck, it won't be perfect but make it work. There may very well be some tense times for you both... Maybe you won't get along but find a way to respect each other and learn. Don't waste that time. Get something out of it and be grateful for it. I'll let you know how the solo test goes. Have a great day. Jojack

Always remember to be grateful, no doubt. Great advice and it's strange how I'll forget but it works every time. I hope it's going well for you, Andy. It's 05:20 mountain time and we're on the road to Cheyenne from American Falls, ID. So far so good and thank God for that overnight reset button.

My mentor flew off the handle at me again today. I backed into a dock, it's probably the easiest place to dock that I'll ever see. I wasn't completely square but it was good enough for the dock workers as one of them gave me a thumbs up, I applied both brakes. My trainer didn't see the dock workers behind him and he just came unglued that I parked like I did. It was an unbelievable display and quite embarrassing. Are you thinking about becoming a trucker? I think it's important to understand that if you are about to become a trucker you are going to, without a doubt, be dealing with some insecure, ego tripping, condescending jerks that aren't so much interested in teaching you what's right as much as just feeling like they are right all the time. I'm almost convinced that my trainer doesn't want me to learn, it would take away from his need to always be right. I've been dealing with it from day one with this guy and I've put up with it because my father always taught me to learn despite my teacher. To not use my teacher as an excuse for not knowing. Somebody might come down on you so hard you'll feel like quitting and I've seen it happen more than once in the past month. Students dropping like flies and, maybe this is done on purpose??? Besides, my instructor told me he's not much of a people person and that he's doing this for a bigger paycheck, so, there you have it. If I can't make it as a trucker I want to personally own it, maybe I don't have the skill set, maybe I do, but I'm not quitting because somebody else beat me down. I want to become better than that guy. With that said I overheard a phone call today and I'll be off his truck in the next couple days for my solo test. I'll be dropped off in Nebraska or Indiana. I'll know better tomorrow. Things are getting real. I'm about to find out what I'm made of and I want to be a trucker. God bless. JoJack

If things start to go sideways with your mentor you have to find a way to share your frustration. Don't let it sit there. The truck is too small for all that tension. With that said things are cool and we are now in Twin Falls, Idaho and we deliver tomorrow so we've some time to kill. I'll practice sliding my fifth wheel. Plus we've already been dispatched for our next pick up which will be in American Falls, Idaho to Pennsylvania, about 2,300 miles. This will more than likely be my last run with my mentor. I got blasted by a nice 45 mph wind in Wyoming the other day and that was a new adventure in driving 😁 I tell ya. I still can't back but I learned something very important. My mentor can't back very well either and he's been at this for a few years and still gets the job done. Can't back? Okay... Don't hit anything. Still working out some kinks in trip planning but it's getting better. Side note... If you're trucking through Wyoming they're a spot called Little America, a truck stop etc. Awesome showers there. God bless y'all. Jojack

Me and my mentor have been in our Denver terminal since last night about 19:00 after dropping our trailer for a repower. The next driver was here waiting for us so he hooked up and took it to Alabama. That driver wanted some home time and he lives in Pensacola so they gave it to him to finish off the trip to the receiver in Alabama. It's close to Pensacola for home time. We watched some great fireworks last night from the yard but we are still here and it's 1:25 pm on Sunday. Figured they would've already dispatched us to pick up some beer in Golden Colorado but?? Holiday weekend might leave us here until Monday without a dispatch but they won't let us know. We don't see any traffic in or out. It's slow. We sent a message inquiring a couple hours ago but nothing. It's hot in this top bunk. I practiced chaining because you go in the snow when you work for May. Actually, super singles use cables instead of chains so that's what I did. I can cable up... Not sure about chains. I went over the life of the load in more detail with my mentor as I see that being an issue for me. I'll go over it some more. I understand, now, the loneliness involved even with a mentor. I'm used to living alone but lonely still just grabbed ahold of me just a bit ago. I think becoming better at my job will actually help me cure that spell along with some prayers, confidence and keeping my eye on the prize. The prize being saving up for a house down payment 2 or 3 years down the road. Then getting a local gig for a little more home time 😁 My mentor is napping so I'm dreaming. Have a great Sunday. JoJack