First Day Solo

So today I get my truck, inspect it, get everything I need to prepare myself like lock kits etc. you know the essentials. I head out to get my first load which they gave me at 11 am & it was to be picked up by 12:30pm. I am a hour away from the shipper. But first I had to drive around the yard to find an empty trailer. I found one, had to call dispatch to get attached to it. Finally get that done it's now 11:30am. So I have an hour to get to the shipper & im an hour away. So I finally head out & guess what? Traffic. Anywho I end up making it to the shipper at 1:05pm. Get checked in & get told since you are late we will have to work you in, which is understandable. Lucky me as soon as I get docked the light turns red within 15 & I feel shaking in the trailer. Yay me ! lol. It took about an hour to get loaded. Then I get ready to head to my fuel stop so I can get rolling with this trip. Pulled into Weight station today & then get notified to pull around back. I do so. The guy does a level 2 inspection. Just my luck right? Just got my truck today, just picked up my first load, headed to get fuel & this. But anyway he checks everything, everything comes back good. What does he find you ask? Well just so happens my back trailer tire which was a super single was 4 psi under inflated. The DOT guys says well by law that tire is flat.. I'm thinking REALLY DUDE!? I guess here in Oregon they don't play about flat tires 😂😂 but he ends up saying he could put me out of service & in my head I'm thinking REALLY??? Donald Trump running for president & you want to put me outta service for damn 4 Psi. But I wasn't a **** & explained to him that I was new or whatever. He ends up giving me a "pass" to go 4 miles up to the service station air the tire up. I had some paper I had to sign & have to Turn into dispatch. It says warning so hopefully that's all it is. But anyway guys that's how my First day as a solo driver went! Looking forward to many more! PS if your going through Oregon better air them tires up! They ain't bull****tin! 😂😂😂

After all that I'm on my way to the Loves for fuel. I get there & try to get fuel...doesn work. Have me a number to call. I call the number it's Comm data. They have me go in the store so they can exchange words with the clerk, I come back out try the card again...nothing. Call them back they say call swift so they can unlock the card. I do call they said they unlocked it I try again...nothing. So I call back again & they said they don't know why it didn't go though..hmm I'm thinking your guess is as good as mine. They try again & tell me wait 10 minutes then try again. I do so & nothing. I go inside to ask the cashier. Come to find out Oregon you need some special permit to get fuel. Luck me I had it in my permit book. I enter it in we try again. Finally! I can get fuel. I get all the fuel I needed. What should have been a 20 minute stop? End up taking an hour. I drive for a few then it's 8pm MT. So I'm pulled into a rest area for the night. I would have drove more but my night vision isn't the best yet & i definitely don't want to take on all these mountains & hills at night when my vision is not so great, i get spooked enough as it is when it's daytime & im on them. I know it all comes with time.! But anyway what a Day! I enjoyed it looking forward to many more! Thanks for listening guys!

Hopefully after all you had to go through today, tomorrow will be smooth sailing! Stay safe out there and keep the tires turnin'.

So today I get my truck, inspect it, get everything I need to prepare myself like lock kits etc. you know the essentials. I head out to get my first load which they gave me at 11 am & it was to be picked up by 12:30pm. I am a hour away from the shipper. But first I had to drive around the yard to find an empty trailer. I found one, had to call dispatch to get attached to it. Finally get that done it's now 11:30am. So I have an hour to get to the shipper & im an hour away. So I finally head out & guess what? Traffic. Anywho I end up making it to the shipper at 1:05pm. Get checked in & get told since you are late we will have to work you in, which is understandable. Lucky me as soon as I get docked the light turns red within 15 & I feel shaking in the trailer. Yay me ! lol. It took about an hour to get loaded. Then I get ready to head to my fuel stop so I can get rolling with this trip. Pulled into Weight station today & then get notified to pull around back. I do so. The guy does a level 2 inspection. Just my luck right? Just got my truck today, just picked up my first load, headed to get fuel & this. But anyway he checks everything, everything comes back good. What does he find you ask? Well just so happens my back trailer tire which was a super single was 4 psi under inflated. The DOT guys says well by law that tire is flat.. I'm thinking REALLY DUDE!? I guess here in Oregon they don't play about flat tires 😂😂 but he ends up saying he could put me out of service & in my head I'm thinking REALLY??? Donald Trump running for president & you want to put me outta service for damn 4 Psi. But I wasn't a **** & explained to him that I was new or whatever. He ends up giving me a "pass" to go 4 miles up to the service station air the tire up. I had some paper I had to sign & have to Turn into dispatch. It says warning so hopefully that's all it is. But anyway guys that's how my First day as a solo driver went! Looking forward to many more! PS if your going through Oregon better air them tires up! They ain't bull****tin! 😂😂😂

Tire is 4 lbs under... DOT law states "tire is flat"

Is that true? Can someone put the law here or tell me where to look?

Theron- I'm assuming you were courteous and didn't yell. That is how I would handle it.

I would think there is a +/- 5 to 10 lbs or more on tire pressure. Am I correct?

My understanding is your carrier would be the one to argue or appeal this to the DOT- If you were issued a DOT violation. Does Swift issue risk points against the driver for a DOT violation like this- 4 lbs under?

What does he find you ask? Well just so happens my back trailer tire which was a super single was 4 psi under inflated. The DOT guys says well by law that tire is flat..

You were smart to play it cool cuz he was trying to bait you into getting all huffy with him. He knew you were a new driver and he thought he'd throw that at you to see what you'd say. Because otherwise, who would mention something so stupid, ya know? Four pounds? Please.

I guarantee you that if you would have given him an attitude you would have left with a ticket.

Not only that, but he wanted to be able to put down a warning of some sort to document the inspection. There's no such thing as a truck that can pass an inspection. Trust me, even the ones who pass don't really pass. They just don't get any tickets written. Take a brand new truck out of the factory, take it to a weigh station, and tell them, "This truck is brand new. Only has 200 miles on it. Guarantee you can't find anything wrong with it."

An hour later you'll walk out of there with a list of tickets.

So to all new drivers - keep this in mind - there is no such thing as a driver or a truck who is so legal that law enforcement can't come up with something. There's always something they can write you a ticket for. So always be kind and cooperative. In fact, keep a couple of amazing jokes or funny lines in your back pocket for just such an occasion. You might not get them to laugh, but your chances of walking away with only a warning are 1,000 times better if you're a kind, pleasant person to deal with. It won't be long before a loudmouth jerk pulls in there and they'll enjoy the heck out of giving him a couple of tickets you can be sure.

Theron, you have a good example of why your DM gives you lots of extra time on your dispatches. Time for the newbie to screw up. Next month you'll be almost ready to run with the big dogs. You may have read my first week diary - at least 10 "problems" came up and ate all my time. But that never happened again.

No matter what stupid things happen, stick with this. You'll get to your final destination: Experienced Driver.

Wow... u had some experiences already. I always drove at night and rhe scales are closed. Had to run days this week and got pulled in even when empty. The other day I came from a customer and needed a scale cause the trailer gauge was broke. As soon as u got on Highway I got pulled into weigh station... two miles from car scale :( I was scared not knowing if I was really legal on the back or not. Then I got the green light while sitting on that scale. Yay me. But I know that fearful feeling.

Next time ur card doesn't work see if you can write a comdata check for cash to yourself and pay cash for fuel then scan receipt with trip sheets

Get the app FleetAdvance. That shows you your ComData balance and can authorize a CD check. (You still need to get the check funds from Swift first.)

What does he find you ask? Well just so happens my back trailer tire which was a super single was 4 psi under inflated. The DOT guys says well by law that tire is flat..

You were smart to play it cool cuz he was trying to bait you into getting all huffy with him. He knew you were a new driver and he thought he'd throw that at you to see what you'd say. Because otherwise, who would mention something so stupid, ya know? Four pounds? Please.

I guarantee you that if you would have given him an attitude you would have left with a ticket.

Not only that, but he wanted to be able to put down a warning of some sort to document the inspection. There's no such thing as a truck that can pass an inspection. Trust me, even the ones who pass don't really pass. They just don't get any tickets written. Take a brand new truck out of the factory, take it to a weigh station, and tell them, "This truck is brand new. Only has 200 miles on it. Guarantee you can't find anything wrong with it."

An hour later you'll walk out of there with a list of tickets.

So to all new drivers - keep this in mind - there is no such thing as a driver or a truck who is so legal that law enforcement can't come up with something. There's always something they can write you a ticket for. So always be kind and cooperative. In fact, keep a couple of amazing jokes or funny lines in your back pocket for just such an occasion. You might not get them to laugh, but your chances of walking away with only a warning are 1,000 times better if you're a kind, pleasant person to deal with. It won't be long before a loudmouth jerk pulls in there and they'll enjoy the heck out of giving him a couple of tickets you can be sure.

Thanks a lot for that Brett! You are right kindness goes a long way! Sometimes it's better to just bite your tongue.

Theron, you have a good example of why your DM gives you lots of extra time on your dispatches. Time for the newbie to screw up. Next month you'll be almost ready to run with the big dogs. You may have read my first week diary - at least 10 "problems" came up and ate all my time. But that never happened again.

No matter what stupid things happen, stick with this. You'll get to your final destination: Experienced Driver.

I never read it before but Ima going to go check it out. & thanks!