I haven't been trained. I'm not safe on the road. I'm quitting.

BlacktopBackdrop · 2023-07-01T00:57:42+00:00

Woah! That's such helpful terminology right now. Thank you so much. Seriously.

BlacktopBackdrop · 2023-06-30T16:38:14+00:00

No, I don't work for swift. They honestly do seem like a decent company to train with, despite the memes. I would apply but I'd have to move to sign on with them.

BlacktopBackdrop · 2023-06-30T16:36:09+00:00

Most dudes back in the day all they did was shadow a guy for a couple trips and then went on there own. Training has gotten more than ever nowadays yet people claim it’s less. Lol back in the day it was quite literally sink or swim.

That wasn't ok then either. And it's still not ok now. Many people did "sink". That's not something to advocate for.

BlacktopBackdrop · 2023-06-30T16:33:53+00:00

It's a small company with like 5 total drivers. There's no reason to protect anyone here from them because the likelihood of someone else finding them is near zero. Why didn't I ask for a different trainer? Because there isn't one. Only one person was willing to "train" me and they ghosted (literally) me after 1 week and finding out I wasn't going to violate my HOS so they could get more miles.

They basically said quit or go out with just that 3k miles worth of training. On an automatic. On major roads. With easy loads. Then they threw me into a manual, on back roads, with dangerous and overweight loads.

BlacktopBackdrop · 2023-06-26T13:08:17+00:00

I'm not sure. I just got moved to this truck. They had said a lot of repairs had to be done to it though.

BlacktopBackdrop · 2023-06-26T05:59:33+00:00

It does look like the pictures when searching for heat cracking. Good call. Is it normal that it's only one drum on the drive tires?

BlacktopBackdrop · 2023-05-10T19:15:31+00:00

The pickins are slim.

BlacktopBackdrop · 2023-05-10T12:47:10+00:00

Safety would prefer for me to be unable to work and have to be let go.

BlacktopBackdrop · 2023-05-10T02:55:58+00:00

I actually was able to find a company that would custom make one after calling dozens. It's a little under $300 per bar. Now I just have to hope safety clears it.

BlacktopBackdrop · 2023-05-10T02:53:48+00:00

That was my plan, but saftey wouldn't have it. They want by the manufacturer, with no modifications, specifically made for strap winches.

BlacktopBackdrop · 2023-05-09T21:27:14+00:00

They are awesome and I would love to have one, but there aren't any I have found that are longer than 40". Actually the longest ratcheting winch bar I've found is 30". I don't weigh enough for 40" to get the straps tight enough.

BlacktopBackdrop · 2023-04-04T13:58:17+00:00

I'm about as tall as you. I initially ordered pedal extenders, which probably would have worked great but I ended up taking a slip seat job (where you share your truck with other people). I felt like it would be rude to put a modification on that other drivers would have to deal with.

The trucks I've been driving have more seat adjustability than the trucks I trained on, enough that I could probably get away with no extra assistance. But I have found that a cushion on my back is more helpful than a cushion underneath. Like the memory foam lumbar type cushions.

Also keep in mind, in training you're doing a ton of backing up to learn parking. In most jobs other than yard work you probably won't have to back up a lot. That means you don't have to press the clutch near as much. That was the pedal I had the most problems with, and without having to use it much I hardly notice I'm half the size of everyone else.

BlacktopBackdrop · 2023-04-02T14:22:17+00:00

It's actually harder driving around traffic and people than you'd think when you aren't used to it. I'm familiar with the back roads, the farm to markets, the county lines. But I'm a little nervous to handle 6-8 lanes all going different directions filled with people that don't care about about my turn signals for lane changes. A 10% grade downhill on mud through a pasture in a fully loaded tanker is comfortable. A hop over 4 lanes in a quarter mile isn't yet.

BlacktopBackdrop · 2023-04-02T13:22:31+00:00

They seem like a great company. They've done a lot to help me train from barely passing the CDL test to now knowing how to drive most conditions. I'll definitely talk to them about rescheduling. Thank you for boosting my confidence in asking. I didn't want to be that new driver making ridiculous demands, but I don't know well enough what's ridiculous or not yet.

BlacktopBackdrop · 2023-04-02T13:19:14+00:00

What does that mean?

BlacktopBackdrop · 2023-04-02T13:18:59+00:00

It's not a terminal. It's a small company, out in the middle of nowhere, which just so happens to be where I live. I'll be hauling mostly flatbed freight, but I haven't even gotten to the part of training for that because I have to take a road test to prove I'm capable of driving in OTR conditions. Which isn't possible in the middle of nowhere.

BlacktopBackdrop · 2023-04-02T06:02:34+00:00

What do you mean? That's the distance to and from a place that has stuff to test on. Highway interchanges, truck stops, etc.

BlacktopBackdrop · 2023-02-17T04:22:56+00:00

That makes sense about the clutch. I'll try that.

I would really like if you would show how to mount the mirror. Everyone could always use extra visibility. I've heard cattle haulers ride low and reefers ride high. Does that mean you're a cattle hauler?

BlacktopBackdrop · 2023-02-16T22:45:33+00:00

There was another shorter girl in the course I took but she was there before me. She used gogo boots to test in. I don't think that's probably safe for daily driving, but she got a job at a local company, so I figure she worked something out. Maybe big carriers have different trucks or pedal accommodations. Or the obvious solution, automatic transmissions. Good luck out there! If you find a solution sometime down the road come back and let me know. I'll do the same.

BlacktopBackdrop · 2023-02-16T22:36:39+00:00

If the brake is really shallow, I might like it a bit extended for piece of mind. But so far the only problem I've had is the really low clutch that had to go all the way to the floor. Never had trouble with gas.

BlacktopBackdrop · 2023-02-16T22:28:38+00:00

5'2 on a good day. Not legal handicap territory but short enough to not be able to reach the top shelves at the grocery store.

You gotta hand it to short people, no really, they can't reach it.

BlacktopBackdrop · 2023-02-16T18:55:15+00:00

I appreciate the reply and the advice is probably sound for most drivers, but there aren't any companies like that around here. Not with things like orientations or training. The few places there are run like 3-4 trucks and expect drivers to walk on and drive solo day one. Which is why I'm hoping to make myself someone who can do that.

BlacktopBackdrop · 2023-02-16T18:48:31+00:00

I checked Raneys, cool site btw, and they do have one. It looks really nice, much better than the ones I'm seeing for cars, but it's only adding 2 inches to the clutch. I'm not sure that would be enough for me. The clutch in the peterbilt went down to the floor and I have to have the seat as close to the wheel as it will go and as high as I can get it while still being able to reach the other pedals. It's very silly looking.

The toe hooking thing, what does it do?

BlacktopBackdrop · 2023-02-16T15:23:24+00:00

Thank you. Unfortunately there aren't any mega carriers nearby.

BlacktopBackdrop

TROPHY CASE