The Swamp

Manager (friend, our kids boss) just asked me to help a dude back his cab (no trailer) out of the bar's parking lot. Right near a main road leading to/from Newark, so it happens, trucks stop sometimes. But come on man.

Passed all my final tests this morning and just waiting on the paperwork from the corporate safety department in Phoenix to pick out my own truck. Should be hitting the road tomorrow morning.

brian wrote: ↑Mon Dec 11, 2023 2:13 pm Passed all my final tests this morning and just waiting on the paperwork from the corporate safety department in Phoenix to pick out my own truck. Should be hitting the road tomorrow morning.

Picture of your beauty?

Lots of questions
Also what is your dress? Flannel shirt and jeans? Overalls? Suspenders? Belt buckle? Trucker hat?
Do you have to wear neon?
What is the trusted footwear of a truck driver? Boots? Running Shoes? Steel tip?
What are you hauling on your first load?
What is the first route?
Is there a tradition for finishing your first job?

yeah, what he aksed.

brian wrote: ↑Mon Dec 11, 2023 2:13 pm Passed all my final tests this morning and just waiting on the paperwork from the corporate safety department in Phoenix to pick out my own truck. Should be hitting the road tomorrow morning.

This is great, Brian.

Got delayed by paperwork but supposed to be dispatched on first load tomorrow morning. They gave me a choice of three trucks and I went with a Volvo with 130,000 miles (on the newer side for a first truck.)

Dress is T-shirt and jeans/shorts in the summer. I bought a heavier pair of hiking style work shoes but might have been overkill since most guys wear Sketchers style sneakers which would probably be more comfortable but the work shoes will be nice in snow. They do slip on and off quickly at least.

Not really supposed to discuss our loads but most of my runs in my two week training was between P&G facilities hauling diapers and paper towels and the like.

Great now misterd can stalk you, too.

Congrats man

Truck's a beaut.

Honestly, this whole thing is wild. Good luck with your first big load, Brian!

All of our trucks are Indiana licensed for tax reasons.

Good luck, Brian.

Are you responsible for taking care of any maintenance at all besides filling the diesel and DEF tanks?

Steve of phpBB wrote: ↑Tue Dec 12, 2023 5:52 pm Good luck, Brian.

Are you responsible for taking care of any maintenance at all besides filling the diesel and DEF tanks?

Not really. If it’s something I can manage all the better if it can keep the truck rolling but I’m not expected to know anything. We have scheduled maintenance in our terminal locations at 35,000 and 75,000 miles (about every three months or so) where they’re supposed to fix niggling things, change oil, check brakes, tires etc

Watch out for tricked out Hondas, you gotta get McQueen to the big race!

We probably also need a poll to see what % of us here are pretty jealous of this new job.

Also, what's the music situation? Do you bring a cooler? What's the avg distance?

brian wrote: ↑Tue Dec 12, 2023 5:39 pmNot really supposed to discuss our loads ...

Heh.

Totally jealous except for the truck part. How far do couriers get to go?

Next time you come through Colorado I'll airbrush some boobs on there.

mister d wrote: ↑Tue Dec 12, 2023 6:14 pm We probably also need a poll to see what % of us here are pretty jealous of this new job.

Also, what's the music situation? Do you bring a cooler? What's the avg distance?

brian wrote: ↑Tue Dec 12, 2023 5:39 pmNot really supposed to discuss our loads ...

Heh.

Truck has a fridge. Just got my first trip and I have to take a load of jeans from Las Vegas to City of Industry. I bought an Apple HomePod so I can listen to music and podcasts from my phone.

Average distance is unknown. I can technically be sent to all lower 48 but most of my trips will be in the “Western 11” states.

Hope someone wants to lay on top of you out of respect for how you handle your rig.

brian wrote: ↑Tue Dec 12, 2023 6:51 pm Average distance is unknown. I can technically be sent to all lower 48 but most of my trips will be in the “Western 11” states.

Back when I worked in transportation, I did spreadsheets comparing different trucking companies’ statistics, including average length-of-haul. Knight was pretty focused on regional markets. But, then they bought Swift, who was focused on long-haul, so who knows what the primary market is, nowadays?

Whenever I see Knight I think they must have some Rutgers relationship based on the Red..but nope just 4 brothers from Phoenix who grew up in Utah.

sancarlos wrote: ↑Wed Dec 13, 2023 12:40 am

brian wrote: ↑Tue Dec 12, 2023 6:51 pm Average distance is unknown. I can technically be sent to all lower 48 but most of my trips will be in the “Western 11” states.

Back when I worked in transportation, I did spreadsheets comparing different trucking companies’ statistics, including average length-of-haul. Knight was pretty focused on regional markets. But, then they bought Swift, who was focused on long-haul, so who knows what the primary market is, nowadays?

I think they’ve mostly left Swift as their own brand so whatever they do is probably the same. Don’t think there’s any plans to integrate operations as they’ve bought other companies and mostly left them to do their own thing.

After a zillion nerves and dumb shit like my dispatch tablet not working I made it to pickup on time and waiting for my truck to be loaded with jeans which I’m taking to a Macy’s DC in City of Industry. Then picking up cabinets in suburban LA to take to a Lowe’s DC outside of Eugene. I’ll be glad to get out of LA later if they ever finish loading me. As it is I’ll be shutting down later than I would like. Later you stop harder it is to find a parking space and I need to get out of LA before a truck stop is even a possibility.

What are the limits on hour per day/week?

Do they have a proprietary navigation system for you to use, or do you just use Google Maps like everyone else?

Steve of phpBB wrote: ↑Wed Dec 13, 2023 12:49 pm What are the limits on hour per day/week?

Do they have a proprietary navigation system for you to use, or do you just use Google Maps like everyone else?

11 hours driving, 14 hours total on duty from when my day starts and no more than 70 hours driving over a rolling 8 day period.

They have a proprietary GPS but it sucks so bad most drivers purchase their own and the company is replacing the vendor soon. I signed up for an app called TruckerPath that seems to work pretty well. Costs 99 bucks a year but kicks the can down the road for awhile on having to purchase a standalone GPS.

brian wrote: ↑Wed Dec 13, 2023 12:42 pm After a zillion nerves and dumb shit like my dispatch tablet not working I made it to pickup on time and waiting for my truck to be loaded with jeans which I’m taking to a Macy’s DC in City of Industry. Then picking up cabinets in suburban LA to take to a Lowe’s DC outside of Eugene. I’ll be glad to get out of LA later if they ever finish loading me. As it is I’ll be shutting down later than I would like. Later you stop harder it is to find a parking space and I need to get out of LA before a truck stop is even a possibility.

Brian's got a jeans load on his first day.

And he's finishing in Eugene.

mister d wrote: ↑Wed Dec 13, 2023 2:55 pm And he's finishing in Eugene.

Would be funnier if we had a swamper named Eugene.

That’s just true in general

Stuck in LA tonight because we have no empty trailers anywhere in this entire fucking city. Not the best first day but alas tomorrow is another day.

So do you sleep in the truck in an LA parking lot?

And pee in a gatorade bottle?!

Don't forget to leave us your review of The Titty Twister.

brian wrote: ↑Wed Dec 13, 2023 11:30 pm Stuck in LA tonight because we have no empty trailers anywhere in this entire fucking city. Not the best first day but alas tomorrow is another day.

How is your pay structured? If it’s per mile, do you get any makeup compensation when you’re stuck waiting for a load?

The makeup probably comes off with the towel once the load finally arrives.

Steve of phpBB wrote: ↑Thu Dec 14, 2023 11:09 am

brian wrote: ↑Wed Dec 13, 2023 11:30 pm Stuck in LA tonight because we have no empty trailers anywhere in this entire fucking city. Not the best first day but alas tomorrow is another day.

How is your pay structured? If it’s per mile, do you get any makeup compensation when you’re stuck waiting for a load?

There’s detention pay of like $25/hr if you have to wait 2+ hours. I don’t know if this would qualify but I’m going to talk to my boss about it.

What is your policy on using the airhorn for little kids on school buses and in the back of station wagons?

wlu_lax6 wrote: ↑Wed Dec 20, 2023 3:15 pm What is your policy on using the airhorn for little kids on school buses and in the back of station wagons?

Haven’t gotten one yet (that I’ve seen - I’ve been hyper focused on the road) but I’m all for it.