Im Giving Trucking Another Chance

Also I have no idea how the hell to slide tandems , almost all the loads I got on my trainers truck were drop and hook with no tandem or 5th wheel sliding, so sliding tandems is a really confusing concept to me

Same idea as the scales in doctors offices, the ones with the sliding weights.

Zach are you aware of kingpin laws? You should also go through the High Road CDL Training Program and focus on logbook and weight and balance. Do you own an atlas? The GPS shouldn't be the only tool used as you found out it can lead you to trouble ESPECIALLY Google maps.

When you're late do you inform your DM as soon as you know? Typically if its something out of your control and you notify dispatch it won't be counted against you. If you tell the higher ups that you were forced into the teaming situation and its a hostile environment (based on what you told us) they'll have no choice but to separate you. Have you reached out to your DM to see what you can do to make their job easier?

Your backing is going to suck for 6 months to a year. Everybodies does, even after 3 years I still have bad days. We all do. Many of us had terrible trainers that viewed it as an easy way to get more money. Even those of us that had excellent trainers were still overwhelmed early in our careers.

You can do this Zach, we are here to help in any possible way. Don't be afraid to ask a question you're unsure of regardless of what time it is. Usually there's somebody poking around that does have the answer you need. Just don't give up. I promise you it gets easier, you'll look back in a couple years and be extremely happy you didn't throw in the towel.

Zach, just wanted to say that I'm glad you decided to stick it out. I think it's a good idea not to make that decision at a low point. You have plenty of time to quit later if you want.

Bro do you read what we post back to you?? I need to know personally so I know if your paying attention we’ve been trying to help you but I personally don’t know if your trying out the advice being given to you !!!1. Sliding tandems pull out lever and make sure it stays locked open if pins don’t go in rock the truck backward and forward till they do.once you get them slid release the handle and lock em in place mile b sent you a diagram on how to fix your qaulcom backing comes with time shoot me your number and you can call me anytime everyone on here helped me make it thru my challenges when I got off my trainers truck I didn’t even know how to use qaulcom much or figure eta phone call from mike b and Georgia mike I nailed my delivery to fife Washington 1dday early backing will come with time goal back figure out your angle goal goal goal my 1st tight spot was a parking garage indoors super tight 31 try’s later I got it lol your dm is not your boss he’s your teammate I know how they get over there all u gotta do is call his and your boss switch dm and get out of teaming if your hungry!!! Pull over and eat !!! As far as home life is things are gonna happen and most people can come out of it just fine you used to roughneck right? Does your gal have family near her? That can look after her ?? These are all life things you’ll be fine but you’ve got to assert yourself

Also I have no idea how the hell to slide tandems, almost all the loads I got on my trainers truck were drop and hook with no tandem or 5th wheel sliding, so sliding tandems is a really confusing concept to me

Trucking isn't emotional, it's logical. Everything is a puzzle and there are levels to it. You stay a game at level 223, you start at level 1. You're wanting to start at level 223. Slow down, calm down and think about everything you're doing and what you could have done differently. The reason you have to do this is because these situations don't change, the way you handle them does and they makes a world of difference

That is great advice Banks! I love it.

Zach, if you've paid much attention to the things we teach here, one of them is how terribly difficult that first few weeks going solo is going to be. Everybody gets blindsided by it. There's just no way for us to be fully prepared for it. Life with a trainer is not realistic because they take so much of the responsibilities for the truck and the loads. When we get out here on our own we realize how much we haven't been exposed to yet. None of us knows how to back so that it looks pretty, in fact we look like drunk monkeys trying to get into a door or a parking spot. We can't focus on how we "feel" about how we appear to the other drivers around us we just focus on getting it done without hitting anything. If we do that we have accomplished something major.

I'd suggest you send in some Qualcomm messages to your managers telling them that you want to be a solo driver. Make it clear. Tell them this just isn't going to work for you. Don't limit your communications to the phone. The Qualcomm is best. Other people see those messages. You establish a record of your communications that way. That keeps your DM from being able to deny that they knew what you requested.

Zach, I've seen hundreds of guys quit in your same circumstances. It always bothers me because I realize they just weren't prepared. I know you've seen us talk about how this is a lifestyle change. It isn't like you just pick up and change to a different job. It is a whole new way of living, and the pressures of it at the beginning just absolutely crush a lot of folks who weren't prepared for what they were getting into. We usually end up blaming the company and attribute our problems to the way they treated us. If we came into this broke - that's not their fault. If we don't know how to slide tandems it's because we hadn't bothered to avail ourselves of tons of great free information online. We have to prepare ourselves. No one goes hunting without ammunition or fishing without the necessary bait. We take the steps ahead of time to make sure we can have success.

Use your head to react to things, not your feelings. Trucking requires a level head, and a cool temperament. Emotions are not dependable under stress. Knowledge and training are. I had a terrible trainer, so I can empathize with anyone who has gone through their training and come out not learning much. I used my head to teach myself how to make it out here and not only to make it, but to make it go very well for me. You can do the same. Hang in there brother and keep pressing toward being the best driver you can be. You're just getting started now. You have scraped your knees a few times. It is going to get better as long as you consider each disaster as a means of learning something new and valuable. That's what all these problems are. They are chances for you to learn something new that will help you in the future.

After having a horrible week of getting lost, breakdowns, qualcomm issues, being stuck in a Lowe's parking lot in a horrible neighborhood for almost 4 days while my trainer was on home time, not being able to back in to tight spots, my girlfriend ending up in the hospital, qualcomm macro instructions for loads that make absolutely no sense what so ever, getting sent to the wrong shipper 3 times in a day, not being able to eat for 2 days not having time to shower or do laundry and all the other BS that comes with team driving and a million other issues I had had it with trucking but I've decided to try and stick with it if they will let me. Most of these problems were caused by my own stupidity and lack of understanding this business, my trainer didn't teach me as much as he should have, we pretty much just team drove so I've pretty much been thrown to the wolves. Hopefully they don't fire me I know I have royally ****ed off my DM , and if I don't improve my backing skills soon then I will probably start looking for something else but only time will tell what's going to happen

Hey Zach, first, I'm glad your cooler mind has chosen to give it a full shot. I mean this with respect and am not trying to run you down or belittle you but you might need to check out some ways to control your temper. It seems like you are a bit of a hothead and a hothead without the ability to control the anger and aggression can be dangerous, even deadly in this profession. There are many things that can pees us off out here but clearer heads and calmer thoughts are needed. Trust me when I say that I understand being easy to anger however I've also had to learn to control that anger. Good luck, if I can help let me know.

They make plugs to put in the tandem hole to stop them . Simply move tandems to the rear, put the plug before the hole that need to be in and adjust from there.

As old school said, send messages as well as calling. If they don’t answer call your human rescources department. Personally I wouldn’t have left the terminal the first time they mentioned teaming. Sounds like you a really not in a mental condition to drive until you get this issue resolved

Backing will come with time or it won’t Just don’t hit anything, get out and look and you will be ok.

I've seen alot of posts being accusing me of letting advice go in 1 ear and out the other, and that's not true at all not one bit. I've begged to get 1 of this off this truck, I've told them over and over this situation isn't good and my co driver has tried too. We've been able to find some common ground but we just are not a good fit to be crammed in a truck together. I've tried talking to my DM all he does is try and resell me on teaming and how much more money it is, and says to just "give it time" and "give team driving a chance" and everyone above his head that I have talked to tells me thats not there responsibility and I have to settle this situation with my DM and that he's not obligated to let me go solo if I chose to team even though I didn't. They are purposely making appointments so tight the only time you can get out of the truck is fuel, and I have to use my 30 during that time and no I don't block the fuel islands like a jackass I put the truck in creep mode and find somewhere to park when I'm done. It seems I am expected to know everything, communication sucks and half the time the qualcomm instructions on the load assignment make no sense what so ever and they get mad if I call asking for more directions and ignore every free-form macro I send out asking for help.

I'm also not used to having to make so many decisions myself, from the Military to the oilfields to construction I've always had somebody telling me what to do and how to get it done so I feel like I'm lacking a very valuable skill needed out here

That’s a big point to right there you’ve gotta learn to work thing out for yourself as much as possible and taking advice and putting it to work bro I was a mess too I just refuse to get beat !! Those appointment times are so able especially teaming but at the end of the day your the pilot of that ship no matter what if your hungry eat!!! If the weather is bad park!!! When you send your eta make sure it’s right and include your 30 min breaks there gonna get all they can outta you I’ll find the number to someone you can get ahold of but find the macro and send it in stating your not gonna team drive myself I went to the terminal and had a heart to heart with my dm and didn’t give him a choice but to listen and everything went pretty good from that point on you got this get some confidence in yourself and it will get better !! I had to do the same

I'm also not used to having to make so many decisions myself, from the Military to the oilfields to construction I've always had somebody telling me what to do and how to get it done so I feel like I'm lacking a very valuable skill needed out here