Noob Trucker Starting With Dollar General.

How did this week go Larry? Any better?

Really dreaded heading in for my second week. I took your great advice and I had Improved unload times. Was a pretty good week. It was a dead week at the DC so I only did 2 long loads. My second was 500 miles from the DC, got to the store around 1 am. First 8 RT's had no toppers so it was fast. Problem was it was a super tight back room. I left 9 RT's outside and jammed the Uboats in the remaining space and asked employees to move them to the isles. In restrospect I should have done that myself since the manager came out the back announcing I'm closing this door, bring everything to the front door.

I jammed the front isle of the store and blocked the managers office. I came in and saw an employee smirking and taking pictures. 4 totally useless employees that didnt do crap.

My last stop was a super nice manager. Unloading uboats and gave me a large gatorade. I guess it s a crapshoot of who you deal with.

I start my week tomorrow dropping off my empty and picking up a relay at a Flying J.

I'm loving rest stops and staying at DG's. However it s doing nothing to help my backing in the traditional backing to docks and truck stops. Probably screw around at the DC with backing if I have time this week.

It is definitely a crapshoot on managers and employees.

I tend to leave uboats outside until I’m done as long as I have space and they dont tip over. We are not technically supposed to put them on the floor but if I see there is no other way I will Ask the manager if that’s where they want them (depending on if they treat me nice) I will not roll a d*mn thing through the front door unless it’s a front door delivery. It is there responsibility to make us room. You will learn how to read the stores. You will have a chance to park at docks when your trailer is overweight or you get a market. Honestly that is no big deal. And dropping a trailer at the dc kind of satisfies the truck stop type backing when you think about it. What i did at first (time permitting) was not choose the easy drop areas and challenge myself with the harder spots. My trainer told me that he wasn’t going to teach me how to back he was just giving me real time practice and that one day it would just “click” and a lightbulb would go off about how the trailer will react and I think he was right on the money. You will always have your brain fart moments.(any driver here will tell you that who has taken 10 pull-ups for an easy back in a truck stop) but mostly it gets easier.

Raymuncy22@gmail.com if you ever need to reach out about anything specific.

It is definitely a crapshoot on managers and employees.

I tend to leave uboats outside until I’m done as long as I have space and they dont tip over. We are not technically supposed to put them on the floor but if I see there is no other way I will Ask the manager if that’s where they want them (depending on if they treat me nice) I will not roll a d*mn thing through the front door unless it’s a front door delivery. It is there responsibility to make us room. You will learn how to read the stores. You will have a chance to park at docks when your trailer is overweight or you get a market. Honestly that is no big deal. And dropping a trailer at the dc kind of satisfies the truck stop type backing when you think about it. What i did at first (time permitting) was not choose the easy drop areas and challenge myself with the harder spots. My trainer told me that he wasn’t going to teach me how to back he was just giving me real time practice and that one day it would just “click” and a lightbulb would go off about how the trailer will react and I think he was right on the money. You will always have your brain fart moments.(any driver here will tell you that who has taken 10 pull-ups for an easy back in a truck stop) but mostly it gets easier.

Raymuncy22@gmail.com if you ever need to reach out about anything specific.

Need to change this to "experienced" trucker with dollar general. LOL. Crazy its been almost 5 months on the account.

Saw your reply on the DG fresh post. How many loads and miles did you average a week? Man, I wish I was making 61 cents a mile. I'm at 41 cents, $85 trailer, $25 stops offs. I just got back from being out for 19 day's.

Did $1,600,$2400,$1850. Had a family function today, Could have grabbed another load last night and came close to $2400 this week. The only thing I don't like is I can only get those number s if I recap. If I did the usual 5.5 day schedule I'd probably be around $1500 a week if that.

Stuck on 3 loads a week with getting my 4th on day 6.

I'm manipulating my 14 and on duty time greatly. With the snow/Ice not willing to go crazily fast with unload. I hover around 800 pieces an hour. I guess at this point that's the only area I can look into improving to get more time.

What are your average miles per load? Unless they are crazy long I think 4 at least. Luckily I never had to do recap

Completed my 1 week with TE and 1 week with Mentor. And now just completed my first week solo.

Overwhelming to say the least. Had customer issues that ****ed my 14 hour clock twice my first week. I missed the Pilot J truck entrance and went on a 10 mile backroad adventure that miraculously came to an interstate. At least I didn't make the mistake of trying to turn around. My gas nozzle fell out, I can't seem to master having the gas nozzle stay in. I tried to back in the drop yard where i park up my car. Failed 3 times, to tight for the 45. and luckily someone left. that left 2 spots open.

With having to actually learn to drive and back, I decided why not do 100% unload and kill yourself. I'm totally drained.

It's been OVER a week... and you've not stopped in. ARE YOU OKAY ?!?!?! Are you under a dock plate? (STILL?!?) j/k..

I kinda bet the driving and backing were easier to overcome than the dollies & carts & rolltainers, eh?

Hope you're good!!! Stop in, please!

~ Anne ~

Completed my 1 week with TE and 1 week with Mentor. And now just completed my first week solo.

Overwhelming to say the least. Had customer issues that ****ed my 14 hour clock twice my first week. I missed the Pilot J truck entrance and went on a 10 mile backroad adventure that miraculously came to an interstate. At least I didn't make the mistake of trying to turn around. My gas nozzle fell out, I can't seem to master having the gas nozzle stay in. I tried to back in the drop yard where i park up my car. Failed 3 times, to tight for the 45. and luckily someone left. that left 2 spots open.

With having to actually learn to drive and back, I decided why not do 100% unload and kill yourself. I'm totally drained.

It's been OVER a week... and you've not stopped in. ARE YOU OKAY ?!?!?! Are you under a dock plate? (STILL?!?) j/k..

I kinda bet the driving and backing were easier to overcome than the dollies & carts & rolltainers, eh?

Hope you're good!!! Stop in, please!

~ Anne ~

Just hit 50,000 miles. More confident in bad weather.

Just got back being out for 13 days. On friday I started to lose it a little with those rt's and nets getting tangled. Had a uboat blow over and knock over a rt on the liftgate which was fun.

What are your average miles per load? Unless they are crazy long I think 4 at least. Luckily I never had to do recap

Average load is 600-700 miles. Managed to get 8 loads in 13 days including 2 400 mile runs.

I love the 4 store 600-700 mile runs. Problem is they don't hand out loads until 10-11am. I need to be leaving by 6am to be able to get 4 of those done in 5-5.5 days. Starting to drive my dbl crazy with my constant wanting of early loads. Probably should take a step back.

Currently to many drivers for loads so there is nothing available on the weekends. The account manager is great, he managed to snag a load from CR England last Sunday for me. I didn't read his text fully so I headed back to DC friday night to get a home load and didn't realize only sweeps and wal-mart runs in Illinois is all he had, so I bobtailed 300 miles home which sucked.