Will I Learn Everything About Every Control Inside A Truck?

I think you're being unrealistic on the miles and speed.

By my estimates, 2500 miles per week would be the most to expect for an average as a rookie driver. Taking it slow, learning the ropes and being a safe driver seems to be the key to the first year.

Most company trucks will be governed at 62 miles per hour max. I think some are governed at 60 mph.

Rainy wrote to Oscar Graham:

But had you asked the right questions we could have steered you to company sponsored training where you pay nothing unless you quit before the end of your first year.

Had you discussed this heat stroke thing...we could have told you right away trucking is probably not for you and you will waste the state money. You can go to school and get a CDL , but companies probably would not hire you due to your past heat stroke issues. I just spent three days in CA/AZ in 120 degrees and just walking from the parked truck to the truck stop to use the shower was horrible. So for someone with issues, I'm sure it would be ungodly. cold sensitive? I spent two days in MT this winter in -39 degrees. My bunk heater could barely keep up with the drafts on the truck. With the curtains closed and an electric blanket I was fine in the sleeper, but the front of the truck was so cold my cat's water froze solid! Of course someone will respond "I'd have the company pay for a hotel" but when there is three feet of snow, and the roads are closed...are you walking to that already booked hotel?

And there is no "may have to get a physical to get hired" you WILL get a physical from any company willing to hire you on. But that will only happen if you can get through school or sign on for company sponsored training.

Do you understand the physical requirements for the job? Even with reefer or drive van you have to climb into the truck to secure the load. You need to climb under the trailer for inspection and onto the cat walk. Did you consider any of that?

So all in all, music IS trivial when you just admitted you probably won't be able to handle the lifestyle.

I wish you luck.

Oscar, Rainy is totally correct, no BS...I actually had a similar response queued-up but she was quicker than I (there is an "Old Guy" joke in there somewhere...LOL).

Anyway, although the truck is doing most of the work, at times I will drop n' hook a total of four times throughout the course of my day. 15-20 minutes each time, outside in 90+ degrees and high humidity soaks my shirt (and it's made from Coolmax). If I was not in good health I would have a very difficult time performing this work.

Play this out in your head Oscar...you have a load going to Phoenix Arizona with a delivery time of 1400 in mid-summer heat. There is a 100 yard walk to the receiving office from the parking area, there is a line in the office and the AC is barely holding the temp at 82'F. It takes 15 minutes for you to get to the window. Oh nuts, you forgot your paperwork (it happens), repeat same walk going back to your truck to fetch your paperwork, then retracing your steps back to the office only to stand in line another 5 minutes enduring the heat. Once you get your door number, your work is just beginning. Receiver requires the tandems slid all the way to the rear before docking (most do), so for most trailers this requires you to unlock the tandems by pulling a long bar on the tandems (outside in the heat after a 60' walk), walk back to the tractor to move/re-position the tandems to the rear and get out again to release the bar, setting the pin-locks. Walk back to the tractor to slightly move the trailer, snapping the pins into their holes on the sub frame. Get out again to make sure all four pins are properly in place in their respective holes and positively engaged. Also keep in mind pin-locks can be sticky, the bar might require additional muscle to release properly. Once that is complete, pop your lock, open the trailer doors and retrieve your load locks. Then "back" to the dock; get out in the heat, stow your service lines, raise your landing gear (oh, really old gear, difficult to turn) and release the kingpin lock on your fifth wheel. You are not done yet...climb back into the tractor to get out from under the load. You now bobtail to the receiver's drop yard and find an empty to drive away with. Unless they assigned you an empty number, you might need to check more than one trailer because at times loads and empties are mixed within the same drop area. Hooking to the empty requires the reverse process of dropping a trailer but includes an inspection (walking around and checking under the trailer), potential for adjusting the landing gear up or down if not aligned with fifth-wheel height, and likely moving the tandems back to a road setting legal in the state you are in. And one last thing, crawling under the trailer to ensure you have a positive 'hook" of your trailer by checking the lock is across your king-pin and the puller is flush with the side of the fifth wheel.

How do you think you will feel after all that...knowing you have 7-8 hours of driving ahead of you? In the summer time I go through towels and water like there is no tomorrow, at times dousing my head with water, then drying off before driving. I am fairly quick dropping and hooking trailers, "done and gone" in less than 20 minutes including a trailer inspection. As a rookie driver, it will take you longer, so you'll be in the elements, longer. And what goes around, comes around, things are equally harsh in the winter. Not trying to dissuade you, although hypothetical, this is a reality you will likely be dealing with several times per week, perhaps more often if on a Dedicated Account.

Don't be naive enough to assume the "biggie" company trucks are failproof. I'm in a 2018 Prime Freightliner, and I've had the truck in the shop several times with apu issues.

That means no a/c, no heat, no refrigerator.

Anything can happen, and you must be prepared for it.

APU:

Auxiliary Power Unit

On tractor trailers, and APU is a small diesel engine that powers a heat and air conditioning unit while charging the truck's main batteries at the same time. This allows the driver to remain comfortable in the cab and have access to electric power without running the main truck engine.

Having an APU helps save money in fuel costs and saves wear and tear on the main engine, though they tend to be expensive to install and maintain. Therefore only a very small percentage of the trucks on the road today come equipped with an APU.

Oscar imagines:

I can't imagine a big firm like Swift will require their drivers to drive "off the beaten path" across the nation away from the relative safety and security of the interstate freeway system where there is always emergency help nearby.

They don't...their customers do.

More than half of the stores I deliver to are in the "sticks', dozens of miles from a major highway, let alone an interstate. Many times I never get near an interstate when going from stop to stop, all challenging country, mountain roads...a hundred miles for any urban center. If you would spend more time injesting the information available on this website (like Becoming A Truck Driver: The Raw Truth About Truck Driving, and less time posting trivial ramblings, you'd understand this job is full of ups and downs, things we all must expect, be prepared for and overcome.

Like Rainy said and I reinforced, you might have a difficult decision ahead of you. This may not be for you...

Oscar, Rainy is totally correct, no BS...I actually had a similar response queued-up but she was quicker than I (there is an "Old Guy" joke in there somewhere...LOL).

Anyway, although the truck is doing most of the work, at times I will drop n' hook a total of four times throughout the course of my day. 15-20 minutes each time, outside in 90+ degrees and high humidity soaks my shirt (and it's made from Coolmax). If I was not in good health I would have a very difficult time performing this work.

Play this out in your head Oscar...you have a load going to Phoenix Arizona with a delivery time of 1400 in mid-summer heat. There is a 100 yard walk to the receiving office from the parking area, there is a line in the office and the AC is barely holding the temp at 82'F. It takes 15 minutes for you to get to the window. Oh nuts, you forgot your paperwork (it happens), repeat same walk going back to your truck to fetch your paperwork, then retracing your steps back to the office only to stand in line another 5 minutes enduring the heat. Once you get your door number, your work is just beginning. Receiver requires the tandems slid all the way to the rear before docking (most do), so for most trailers this requires you to unlock the tandems by pulling a long bar on the tandems (outside in the heat after a 60' walk), walk back to the tractor to move/re-position the tandems to the rear and get out again to release the bar, setting the pin-locks. Walk back to the tractor to slightly move the trailer, snapping the pins into their holes on the sub frame. Get out again to make sure all four pins are properly in place in their respective holes and positively engaged. Also keep in mind pin-locks can be sticky, the bar might require additional muscle to release properly. Once that is complete, pop your lock, open the trailer doors and retrieve your load locks. Then "back" to the dock; get out in the heat, stow your service lines, raise your landing gear (oh, really old gear, difficult to turn) and release the kingpin lock on your fifth wheel. You are not done yet...climb back into the tractor to get out from under the load. You now bobtail to the receiver's drop yard and find an empty to drive away with. Unless they assigned you an empty number, you might need to check more than one trailer because at times loads and empties are mixed within the same drop area. Hooking to the empty requires the reverse process of dropping a trailer but includes an inspection (walking around and checking under the trailer), potential for adjusting the landing gear up or down if not aligned with fifth-wheel height, and likely moving the tandems back to a road setting legal in the state you are in. And one last thing, crawling under the trailer to ensure you have a positive 'hook" of your trailer by checking the lock is across your king-pin and the puller is flush with the side of the fifth wheel.

How do you think you will feel after all that...knowing you have 7-8 hours of driving ahead of you? In the summer time I go through towels and water like there is no tomorrow, at times dousing my head with water, then drying off before driving. I am fairly quick dropping and hooking trailers, "done and gone" in less than 20 minutes including a trailer inspection. As a rookie driver, it will take you longer, so you'll be in the elements, longer. And what goes around, comes around, things are equally harsh in the winter. Not trying to dissuade you, although hypothetical, this is a reality you will likely be dealing with several times per week, perhaps more often if on a Dedicated Account.

This is why I love this site! Thanks for the realistic view! I'm in my mid 50's but in great shape (cardio workouts every day), with low body fat, no health problems, and use to the southern CA sun. That drop and hook sounds like a real challenge to me...

Oscar imagines:

I can't imagine a big firm like Swift will require their drivers to drive "off the beaten path" across the nation away from the relative safety and security of the interstate freeway system where there is always emergency help nearby.

They don't...their customers do.

More than half of the stores I deliver to are in the "sticks', dozens of miles from a major highway, let alone an interstate. Many times I never get near an interstate when going from stop to stop, all challenging country, mountain roads...a hundred miles for any urban center. If you would spend more time injesting the information available on this website (like Becoming A Truck Driver: The Raw Truth About Truck Driving, and less time posting trivial ramblings, you'd understand this job is full of ups and downs, things we all must expect, be prepared for and overcome.

Like Rainy said and I reinforced, you might have a difficult decision ahead of you. This may not be for you...

Reading things on line is not going to really tell my BODY how it is going to react to the actual working conditions. I was a soldier for seven years when I was age 24 to age 31 and had managed to survive that. Even field maneuvers in 100+ heat. I can still try to persuade my VOC/REHAB counselor to support CDL training. Only experience will tell my body what it can or can't handle. Many drivers are older WOMEN. I think as a 53-year-old man I am as fit as any woman driver in her 50's. I am now 282 pounds, 5-10, and have lost 45 pounds since last Christmas. My goal is to get down to a paltry 185 pounds in body weight. I have been becoming progressively fitter as I have been ion my doctor-prescribed diet and weight-loss plan. I don't drink, smoke or do drugs and I walk at least two miles a day virtually every day: mostly in weather between 70 and 80 degrees with plenty of shade trees along the avenue during these summer months. Ideally I want to be in the loading docks early in the morning or late in the evening during summer months when it is cooler outside as much as possible. I can handle wintertime by dressing in layers.

Yes, if I were to have to work in bum-fock Arizona in August or July at two in the afternoon, I definitely would have plenty of bottles of water handy to douse myself. Always my cool, straw farmer hat to boot. Whether on a horse in 1885 or in a 2018 modern rig, always have plenty of emergency provisions in the southwestern desert.

I will not work for a company unless I am convinced their equipment is top-notch anyway. I was an army mechanic for 7 years and know better. I refuse to drive some clunker especially in adverse weather. New trucks are too damn expensive to have major mechanical troubles in my book. Still, I can't imagine Swift's having old beaters in their fleet.

Well, others have tried. Please keep us informed on your journey. It sounds like it'll be quite an adventure for you.

Oscar imagines:

I can't imagine a big firm like Swift will require their drivers to drive "off the beaten path" across the nation away from the relative safety and security of the interstate freeway system where there is always emergency help nearby.

They don't...their customers do.

More than half of the stores I deliver to are in the "sticks', dozens of miles from a major highway, let alone an interstate. Many times I never get near an interstate when going from stop to stop, all challenging country, mountain roads...a hundred miles for any urban center. If you would spend more time injesting the information available on this website (like Becoming A Truck Driver: The Raw Truth About Truck Driving, and less time posting trivial ramblings, you'd understand this job is full of ups and downs, things we all must expect, be prepared for and overcome.

Like Rainy said and I reinforced, you might have a difficult decision ahead of you. This may not be for you...

I did not read Brett's on-line literature in FULL yet but I DID visit the US Dept. of Labor/Bureau of Labor Statistics to get a run-down on this job classification. There is not likely to be much HARD LABOR involved in most OTR (long haul positions). Even Brett said that in his own literature, The Raw Truth. This is known to all. I would MOST likely start out as OTR for a HUGE firm so most of what I need to know has to be concentrated in the OTR sector of this field.

Nobody here really knows what I am actually capable of. Just because I am not the world's most competent Internet poster does not mean I could not be a competent "big-rig jockey".

All I can do is roll the dice and try it out...it will either work for me or it won't.

If one company does not fly for me their are plenty of others as well.

A CDL is very transportable.

I think as a 53-year-old man I am as fit as any woman driver in her 50's. I am now 282 pounds, 5-10

Oscar, you will be glad to know that this is my last response to any of your posts. I'm sure you are thinking "good riddance."

It is bad enough that the good folks in here are beating their heads against the wall with you. They have given you countless links to study and learn from, and I can't see any evidence that you have ever looked at any of it. The places you quote from where you are supposedly learning from are not helping you at all.

Now you have got to throw in a sexist remark about your pathetic physique as if even though it is bad, it is as good or better than any woman driver in her 50's!

You are nuts! There I went ahead and said it, and you make it more clear with each conversation you start in here.

The folks in here have been more than patient with you. I haven't, and that is very unusual for me. I guess I just spotted you a long time ago and had no illusions of your seriousness in this pursuit. I get the feeling that you are all over the internet looking into all kinds of careers. Unwilling to make the sacrifices to actually get started in any of them, and more than happy to let the hard working tax payers support you while you make a pretense of interest in getting to work.

I think as a 53-year-old man I am as fit as any woman driver in her 50's. I am now 282 pounds, 5-10

Oscar, you will be glad to know that this is my last response to any of your posts. I'm sure you are thinking "good riddance."

It is bad enough that the good folks in here are beating their heads against the wall with you. They have given you countless links to study and learn from, and I can't see any evidence that you have ever looked at any of it. The places you quote from where you are supposedly learning from are not helping you at all.

Now you have got to throw in a sexist remark about your pathetic physique as if even though it is bad, it is as good or better than any woman driver in her 50's!

You are nuts! There I went ahead and said it, and you make it more clear with each conversation you start in here.

The folks in here have been more than patient with you. I haven't, and that is very unusual for me. I guess I just spotted you a long time ago and had no illusions of your seriousness in this pursuit. I get the feeling that you are all over the internet looking into all kinds of careers. Unwilling to make the sacrifices to actually get started in any of them, and more than happy to let the hard working tax payers support you while you make a pretense of interest in getting to work.

I best learn by DOING, sir!