Dreamed Of Trucking For Years

Hi, Justin. While waiting for a response you can enter "dollar accounts" in the search bar and take a look at past discussions concerning dollar accounts. There should be plenty there to explain why those accounts are not recommended.

I'm sorry for bringing the thread back to life. I couldn't see how to send a direct message to you Packrat.

Can you elaborate on why you say to avoid any dedicated accounts with the name dollar in them? I've seen some videos on YouTube of a Swift driver running the Dollar Tree dedicated account and it seemed great! He seemed happy but left to get a job that got him home more than 2 days a week. I'd be ok with this though. I also don't think I'd mind driving I5. I'm pretty excited actually.

Thanks again and sorry for bringing this thread back up.

You can always bring back to life any posts that you have started at any time. It's a learning experience whenever there are comments made. However, you cannot direct message any person on the forum unless they give you their info personally.

PackRat stepped away from TT a couple weeks ago and whether he comes back or not, I'm not sure. However, anyone can tell you about the "Dollar" stores and why we don't recommend them for beginners.

Did that person with the YouTube video tell how long he has been driving? First year people struggle greatly with driving, backing, going into large cities, etc. Have you ever looked at any of the Dollar stores? Nearly all of them have tight areas to park and you also have to deal with 4-wheelers that don't pay attention to you and what you are doing. While unloading your trailer is good exercise, it can be rough and then drive to the next drop and meet the time frames that you are given.

The reason companies make it sound like it's wonderful is cuz drivers with experience, like me, won't do it especially for the pittance they pay for that particular job. Most new drivers that take that on, end up quitting because they've had a number of preventables or it's just harder work then they really expected.

What you need to do, is just get into a company that has dry van or a reefer and run that for a year or more, don't have any incidents or accidents because if you do you will need to do another year from the date those things happen. With the economy the way it is, you have a slight mishap and another company won't look at you until you have at least one year from the incident of clean driving.

Good luck

Laura

Thank you for the reply a and the tip to search for dollar account here on the website. I see how what you all are saying. That would definitely be an overwhelming challenge for me as a rookie. The videos I was watching were of a swift driver in a dedicated account doing all drop and hook from distribution centers... That what I understood anyways. I'll make it clear and ask how much of a certain dedicated account is drop and hook. That feels like the best way for me to gain experience and keep the wheels rolling.

Ok I’m going to chime in here. I started my career with zero experience pulling tankers for a very reputable tanker company in the country. Yes it was a big big big learning curve. I had maybe 15 hours of drive experience under my belt when I got my CDL. You not only have the learning curve of dealing with the surge and slosh but also learning how to handle the equipment in the elements. It can be done, I’ve been pulling tankers for 7 years and won’t pull anything else. Yes it’s a risk and I’ll admit it’s not really for new drivers and I know that sounds extremely hypocritical. But I would be willing to wager, if you put 10 new drivers on hazmat tankers, I’m saying 1 would succeed long term.

Ok we’ll play this game…according to the NTSB on statistics released for 2020 there were 4725 fatal accidents involving a semi that were not carrying hazardous materials and 117 accidents that did have hazardous material. That’s 97.6% that were not carrying hazmat and only 2.4% that were. Plus within that 2.4% it’s not specific on whether it was a tanker or van. So, just for a little education here. Rollovers typically happen in tankers due to speed and lateral movement of liquid…are you following?? Two very important factors that can be easily controlled by the driver. Granted there are some factors that can’t be controlled such as environmental factors ie the weather per se. But coming on here and trying to scare someone out of pulling tankers is complete bull****. I see more vans and refers on the side than I do tankers. Look up DOT MC331 trailers…how many of those have you heard of exploding? It’s fairly uncommon as the 331 trailers are for LPG products such as butane, propane, anhydrous, etc. The shell of those trailers are 3/8-1/2 thick. The few instances of rollovers I’ve seen with those trailers, the shell was never broken and the driver walked away. Yes, the gas trailers have and thinner shell and yes there are risks that you can’t control sometimes and yes you hear about the fuel haulers on TV because when it happens it’s massive. I’m pretty certain when ANY of us start our day, we start it knowing that something could happen and we may not make it home alive due to unforeseen circumstances, and god forbid that doesn’t happen to anyone but it can happen regardless of the cargo your hauling. Case in point, the pileup that happened in Dallas a few years back. Had a friend of mine pulling a load of ethanol, had a lady run right into the side of him on a suicide trip…rolled the truck over and split the tank, guess what no explosion. Walked away and talk to him everyday. Was on the phone with him when it happened. Tankers are as dangerous as you make them out to be. Respect them with the respect they deserve and you’ll be fine.

Justin, did you hear about that terrible tanker roll over and explosion under I95 in Philadelphia recently? That driver very likely burned to death. Had he been driving a dry van or reefer , he would probably have survived a roll over.

Still want to start your career pulling a tanker????????

Really uncalled for to say my comment was dumb. I was only talking about one particular roll over on one particular ramp that there was video footage of. It was a cautionary comment made to a new driver in the same vein as the comment G-Town made.

There is a reason that tanker drivers are sometimes called suicide jockeys. I respect tanker drivers greatly but I know it’s a dangerous occupation.

I don't think it was uncalled for at all due to this line

Had he been driving a dry van or reefer , he would probably have survived a roll over.

You don't know that, and I feel you're minimizing the seriousness of a rollover in any truck with this statement.

I couldn’t agree with you more andhe78.

Tanker Man,

I'm so excited to get a year of experience truck driving no matter what I do. I just want more experience. I want to live the lifestyle. I want to be there to help out my fellow truckers. I want to take pride in my safety record. I'll bet all my savings that the tanker trucking company that my friend has is going to be there in a year. I'm glad I came to this forum and got the advice I got because in one year of hauling dry van for swift I'll have a deep reflection on what I've experienced and if I feel ready to hual tankers.

Thanks all for the insight, advice, and answers. I'll keep updating anyone who's interested in my progress.