Just wrapping up my 3rd week on my own solo.
Overall, it's been good, but ROUGH. Flat bedding work doesn't **** around. But, getting better and getting acclimated to the physical work (after being an office fatty for the past 14 years). Lost 35lbsin about 8weeks. First week on my own was hard as hell, but already getting better/quicker and more efficient with my securment (which means more time freed up which means more money).

Wife and I are getting used to the "routine" of a trucker. That might be the hardest part, but we knew it going into this. Each week gets a bit easier.


A pic of my truck and a load of steel that was tarped in damn 90 degree humid heat in st.louis a week or so ago. My tarp jobs have gotten a lot better as well since this.

https://scontent-lax1-1.xx.fbcdn.net...df&oe=562A4EE0

Glad it's going well. Flatbed driver. More power to you.

You're a ****ing Man! :)

Nice, rig. Looks like your Peter is Built. LOL

At least they got you a Pete.

Is your wife tandeming with you?

I had 2 Kenworths. 700 and 680. Same as the Pete 587 and 579.

All made by PACCAR.

Glad your doing well... "Bungee cords "and "Boomers" are your best friends...:)

Badass ride Dayze.

No, wife is at home etc. I pretty much leave mout Sunday evening (they want us where we're supposed to deliver Monday morning by 9pm Sunday night), and home Friday. I've been home on Friday as early as 3pm and as late as 9pm. So it varies.

Yeah they really give out top of, the line equipment. Mine is a 2015 Pete 579, that had 75,000 miles on it. Black leather interior, power inverter, 21"flat screen tv, Sirius radio.

And they even take the time to put your name on your truck, as well as a sticker on the side that denotes you're a veteran, and which branch etc. and they want you to take care of the equipment. Truck washes mandatory every two weeks, but authorized every week. And anytime you roll through a terminal, they can inspect the interior. My trainer said the interior inspection/cleaning has to look like it came off the showroom floor. You don't have to keep the interior like that 24/7, but if you ever have to turn over your keys for maintenance etc, the interior had better be immaculate, or they'll keep you there until it is.

Hell, I take my shoes off when I get into the truck and set them On a small carpet mat lol.

Damn, They provide a TV? I had to buy my own. I had Sirius, but I had to pay the subscription.

Seems like a solid company.

Do you have an APU?

No, unfortunately .....

Luckily, the MPG scale they use is based on the average of all drivers driving the same model. And not based on some number office people just came up with. So, when it gets hotter out and people are running their trucks more, the average of all the drivers will fall in line accordingly. (If that makes sense) I'll definitely be running the truck when it gets warmer out. Screw laying there in a warm truck

Yeah, all provided at no cost.


They're an employee owned company. I'm not CPM, I elected to go with percentage pay. Meaning I earn a percentage of what the truck makes. You start at 26%, and can go as high as 32% I think. And the percentage can change monthly based on your performance. It's actually based on a 13week average. A series of things get you points, and so many points gets you into a particular percentage bracket. Being at the customer the night before by 9pmon Sunday's is worth so many points. What you're fuel mileage is is worth so many points. Out of route miles, revenue to the truck, etc. so it's nice because you can be making as much as the guy that's been there 5years very
Quickly.

First week solo I made 3500 to the truck (truck revenue) and this week I put down 3600. Add in tarp pay etc, and you can do ok. They have a new program for new drivers where the first 4 weeks on your own, they guarantee you a gross of no less than $1k per week while you get your feet wet. They're thinking about extending it to 8weeks.
Good company it seems. Only like 1500 drivers I think. Something like that

As long as you can idle, you're good. Trans Am's Kenworths would only idle 5 minutes.

Been driving close to 30 years and this happened to me week before last for the first time @ 65mph in a curve with 13k on the front box and an empty...

I controlled like a champ and got it to the shoulder.

Just a word of warning, this is an easy way to die in a Tractor Trailer and even harder to control with a set of doubles.

http://i.imgur.com/ldX3ci2.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/Vb0zz2r.jpg