Landed A New Truck Driving Gig

I've been kind of MIA here lately. It's not that I haven't wanted to be here, but I have been pursuing a new opportunity that my good friend Sand Man contacted me about some time ago. Well, everything has come together and I've switched to a new job. With this move I was able to get my second pay increase within the last four months which made my total increase so far this year a total of fourteen cents per mile! I figured that would never happen again so I'd better jump on the opportunity. My new truck number is 522645. Here's a look at my new office with a view.

Thanks Sand Man! If I ever get this qualcomm system figured out you guys are using I'll be good to go.

This is a dedicated flat bed job for SAPA aluminum. My actual employer is Knight Transportation. This is a unique piece of business they are pursuing, and if it develops like they are hoping it will only get better as time goes on. I'm really excited about this new adventure and want to do my share to help them develop this into a long term profitable relationship with SAPA. I had already been hauling some SAPA loads at Western Express so I was somewhat familiar with the locations and customers.

Mountain Girl, I started my career at Western Express almost eighteen months ago. I had a great dispatcher there until a few months ago when he quit for a better opportunity. My next dispatcher wasn't bad at all, but this job was presented to me by Sandman, who kind of lucked into it himself, and it was just too good to pass on without at least giving it a try.

Sandman and I had lunch together yesterday and he's been trying to teach this old dog some new tricks. He has already been a huge help to me.

The relationship between driver and dispatcher is critical to your success in this career. When it starts to "click" your life can be so much better. It's not even so much a relationship, but more of a confidential trust between the two that knows they can depend on each other to never drop the ball. That's what I'm referring to when I speak of proving myself again. It takes a little time to establish that important reputation with a new dispatcher.

Congrats on the new ride and the new job. Nice looking truck.

Congratulations, Old School! Been wondering when you were going to share the good news!

-mountain girl

Hey that's awesome! Great looking rig too. So will you be home more often? Will you be tarping and chaining all the loads? Where you gonna be running?

Brett, the things you've mentioned are part of what made this deal so appealing. Not only do they have a customer in my hometown, but my hometown also lies in several of their other routes. So home time will be much more convenient. They have all new top of the line aluminum trailers with a good many of them being Conestoga wagons. So, there will be less tarping. Most of the time the trailers will be preloaded for drop and hook style work. The driver still secures the load, but it will almost always be loaded and waiting on them when they arrive. They have about twenty something plants across the nation so it is still for the most part a lower 48 style job with mostly running in the Midwest. For now it seems like a flat-bedder's dream with a lot of potential. They were thrilled to find that I lived right in one of their lanes.

That's awesome! I knew you wouldn't make a move like this unless it was a huge win and clearly it is. Working on a dedicated fleet with those perks should be fantastic.

Finally you let everyone know! It's been a challenge keeping my mouth shut. Glad you got the job and will be home more often and won't have to tarp as much. Like I said on the phone, no more Connecticut for you and you've had a hard life, take it easier on your body. This was the answer.

Very happy for you sir!

Awesome news sir!!! Very glad your doing so well. You'll miss that George Washington Bridge. Lol. Congrsts

Congrats Old School!

Great news! Is your wife OK with you being around more???? Congrats and many more safe miles to you Sir