Dan Burkhart 

Well, drivers are hard to find, even for the premium level carriers, so the forward looking ones are offering programs that will get drivers in the door. The truck share program at my present employer is the reason I went to work for them, and there are many more drivers there like me.

Bianchigirll 

Hi Everyone Thank you so much for your kind words and encouragement. Well one days of orientation down and 3 to go OY!

Today was the hardest but easiest day. Physical ACED it, drug test not worried and driving test ACED IT plus lots of sitting around reading a new John Sanford enovel Bad Blood. The next two days become boring and are filed with safety training videos, policy lectures and log book and dispatch procedures. Thursday will likely be a lot of Insurance and benefit stuff aka really boring!

I am bushed and unfortunately it is off to bed for me! Thanks again

BTW one week on and two off doesn't sound too bad. A friend of mine was offered a job running team (two drivers one truck) but the catch is they use three drivers from the same area. So the truck goes out for a week or so with driver A and B. The it comes 'home' and A gets out and C get in and off it goes. Once back home B gets out and A gets back in. the next cycle is back to the beginning with A and B together. wicked crazy!

Bianchigirll 

The last company I was with most of their 'National Account', running the lower 48, were three weeks out and 3 or so days at home. You can stay out longer if you want though. I stayed out for 8 weeks once and it stunk! It would not have been two bad but I sat for 3-4days one weekend and two days another so I may as well have been home. I know some guys seem to or claim to get stuck running for weeks on end but I think that is the exception ( and likely either because they want to, feel they can't afford off time, or let their fleet manager push them around).

Bianchigirll 

Hello Everyone! OMG am I tired. After lots of orientation and training I finally got on the road Wed, Thur and Fri with a trainer. I had to ride Wed and drove most of Thur and Fri. There is almost as much in and out of the truck dropping and hooking trailers as there is driving. We hooked or dropped or both 5 times yesterday and two places were less than 2 miles apart. Then there is the in and out processing everywhere, as everyone has a gate guard of some type.

The key to this job seems to be to keep moving. We unfortunately had a live load and unload yesterday so we lost 3 or so hours from that. But we still managed to pickup or deliver 4 loads. We only count a pickup or delivery when it happens at a business, and the corresponding drops/pickups at the rail yard, and drove about 180 miles in right around 9 hours.

The rail yards are something else. Trucks coming and going, yard jockeys (specialized tractors for moving trailers all day) the container cranes, service trucks and security vehicles it is really a busy place. OH right there are actually trains there too!!

Yard Jockey



Intermodal cranes. The ones at the rail yards we use are smaller but the idea is the same. These are somewhat easy to spot.



These things can come out of nowhere!



This is like the truck I was driving this week but I am not sure if I'll be getting one of these International (aka Intercrapinol) or a Freightliner (aka Freightshaker) of some type.



Most trucking companies do a good job of preaching safety and some actually practice what they preach and some don't. I have been called in for a "sit down" or two in the past and learned a lot from it. I saw something this week that really made a believer out of me in regard to J.B's safety commitment. Twice leaving the rail yards this week while driving the 15mph limit we got past by our own trucks. My Instructor got their number and called their boss! I felt kind of bad about the first one but apparently he is a repeat offender of breaking the rules so may be on thin ice.

OK OK yeah I know another marathon post but at least I have some cool pics! I think I landed a good shift, I work Thursday through Monday with Tue/Wed off. I start at 0600 (6:00 AM) so I likely won't be going towards Baltimore or DC often as the earlier drivers get those runs. That means once it gets warm out {if it ever does** I can get a short ride in after work and will have two week days off to get may hair done, go to the bike shop, the shooting range and host of other things without the weekend crowds.

Bikedued

Looks like you landed a job that keeps you busy at least, hehe. Makes the days go fast no doubt! I remember my trainer preaching about safety, and then once he sat down in the drivers seat, he was speeding, tailgating etc. He would miss as many shifts in traffic as I would, but it was a tragedy if I did it,,,,BD

Gravity Aided

Weekend traffic to and from the shore- will that get in your way?

Bianchigirll 

Where is the shore? No I am a "Local" (that's Local not Loco) Driver and we seldom go further than 150 miles or so from the Terminal here in Harrisburg. Hershey Park traffic might be an issue, so I will have to learn when and where to avoid it.

Gravity Aided

Oh, Okay. Thought you might have hauls going east, like to Bal'mer and Jersey City or something.

Bianchigirll 

There is a Regional Fleet for that plus a host of Owner Operators (actually Owners as I believe they use J.B.s operating authority) for the longer runs. Plus I am pretty sure there is a intermodal hub in Jersey somewhere too.

Dan Burkhart 

Thanks for the update. I don't often get down Harrisburg way, but it does happen now and then, so I'll be watching for JB daycabs.
I've done my share of waiting around intermodal yards, waiting for a machine operator to decide to come and lift a can off or on. Not hard to take if you work by the hour, but I never have.
Anyway, congratulations. Good to see you hooked up with a solid company.