Doubles????

Hey guys,

New here and just wanted to ask some advice from you all.

So I've had my cdl for 7 years now. I started out otr for a few months and got a job offer from a local outfit so i left drove a mixer truck and later on switched to another company hauling big reels of cable and other freight. So long story short most of my experience in driving is class b.

I had no problems with otr life but the local offers paid close to what I was making and I can be home with my wife and kids everyday.

So with that being said I always looked for opportunities to use my class A again but most local companies here want at least a year or more experience under your belt so had no luck.

Well I was offered a position recently that pays similar to where I am now and wants to hire me on pulling doubles. I talked to some drivers and have some saying that I need more experience pulling 53s and some telling me that it's a piece of cake and I should do it. But I don't want to set myself up for failure as my cdl is clean with no accident tickets or violations. And it's my passion and what puts food on my table so I want to be smart about the move.

Now that I got that out of the way what do you all think. Would I be getting in over my head. Is it really as difficult as some drivers make it out to be I'm a pretty quick learner but want some advice from those who are far more experienced than me. Thanks for any advice

For my personal comfort, after two years OTR , and the amount of "near accidents" I witnessed both a FedEx and XPO driver get blown around with today, I personally wouldn't take that risk. I was super light today, the wind wasn't even close to shut it down territory, but these two were wiggling all over, and drifting out of their lanes. I thought for sure one was going to hit the ditch today.

That's a big fat nope, not for me. God bless those that pull doubles and triples.

Hey guys,

New here and just wanted to ask some advice from you all.

So I've had my cdl for 7 years now. I started out otr for a few months and got a job offer from a local outfit so i left drove a mixer truck and later on switched to another company hauling big reels of cable and other freight. So long story short most of my experience in driving is class b.

I had no problems with otr life but the local offers paid close to what I was making and I can be home with my wife and kids everyday.

So with that being said I always looked for opportunities to use my class A again but most local companies here want at least a year or more experience under your belt so had no luck.

Well I was offered a position recently that pays similar to where I am now and wants to hire me on pulling doubles. I talked to some drivers and have some saying that I need more experience pulling 53s and some telling me that it's a piece of cake and I should do it. But I don't want to set myself up for failure as my cdl is clean with no accident tickets or violations. And it's my passion and what puts food on my table so I want to be smart about the move.

Now that I got that out of the way what do you all think. Would I be getting in over my head. Is it really as difficult as some drivers make it out to be I'm a pretty quick learner but want some advice from those who are far more experienced than me. Thanks for any advice

I took a local job pulling doubles after being OVR for a year and couldn’t be happier. Any details on the position? Some parts of the country would definitely be more challenging.

It depends. I enjoy driving doubles over a longbox now that I've been driving doubles on my route every day. It takes turns, in my opinion, a lot easier than a longbox. And call me craxy but I enjoy building my sets. Now for that hard part. Driving in inclement weather would prove challenging until you've gotten some experience under your belt. Having to chain up an extra axle or driving in moderate to high winds can tire you out for sure.

Your location and the type of job it is important. If you're strictly doing linehaul pulling doubles or a 53' terminal to terminal it wouldn't be too bad with little experience. You get into pickup/delivery for an LTL or food service that's much more challenging.

Most LTL companies are struggling right now due to lack of freight. Fed Ex Freight furloughed drivers, other companies are canceling runs and their drivers are sitting at home not making money. Generally I'd agree that LTL is an excellent option but given the current state of the economy and the lack of linehaul drivers I'm seeing on the road its very alarming. If I started my day around midnight it'd be a constant stream of the linehaul guys/gals out on I80 from Des Moines to Davenport IA. Whether I'm passing them or they're heading opposite direction I always make a comment to myself about how rough it must be since it's no where near as frequent. In the last couple weeks I've seen only a handful of Estes or Saia. Dayton Freight (who pull 53's) is even less.

Jared, I have no experience pulling doubles , so I can’t give you any input about how they drive. But you already have some excellent advice in the previous comments.

From what you say about your current situation, I would caution you about jumping into something new at this time when you apparently have a solid situation already. Seems like a very lateral move that you are considering.

About the same pay? Just to get class A experience? Nothing wrong with that goal except the timing. The economic trucking waters are murky. If you dive into unknown waters it can be risky.

You have a pretty sweet gig right now if you can be home with the family every day. Be careful what you wish for, it might come true and be “double” trouble.

Doubles are not that bad. You just have to be a little more careful so you don't get the rear trailer going nuts and ending up its side. Also can't back up, so you need to make sure you can go forward.

And call me craxy but I enjoy building my sets.

I'm so over it now lol.

Doubles are easy in the summer but it's a different world in the snow or ice.