One of the most important things to do if you suspect you are going to slide is to PUSH THE CLUTCH IN. This disengages power and will help you tremendously in regaining/keeping control. Of course, the most important thing is to slow down when encountering bad road conditions and if they're too bad, find a place to shut 'er down.

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"Within reason" are the key words here... Yes, it is fair to say that at times you can possibly get out from behind the wheel and actually do and see things, up close and personal BUT... 1.) First you have to find a place to park the truck & trailer, where it will be safe as well as not be towed or ticketed. Finding a place to drop the trailer and go bobtail can be even harder - many truckstops post signs that you may not drop your trailer or they'll tow it. In the summer, if it is loaded heavily, it may sink into blacktop. Worse yet, someone could steal it. Your company may or may not allow you to drop your trailer to go play. If you are going to an amusement park or something like that, you can call ahead and ask about truck parking availability. A lot of those places have it. 2.) Next you have to have the time or make the time. Maybe you will want to drive a few more miles one day to have enough time to do what you want to do the next. 3.) Finally you have to be open to what is around... If you are laid over somewhere all day but you don't know what there is to do, you have to make the phone calls and make a plan. Some of the best things I've done out on the road were on the spur of the moment. It's extremely difficult, unless you run a dedicated type of thing, to plan to be at Point A on such and such date. Also, when trip planning, and when you know you have some extra time, look closely along the route. You'll see there are many, many places you never gave a thought to visiting, but sound interesting. Don't underestimate the view through the windshield, either! I've seen more sunsets than most any dayshift worker ever will and love every beautiful one of them. I like the sunrise almost as much, but only when headed west... :) There's a website out there that lists some of the major attractions that have truck parking, but I'll have to do some searching. If anyone else knows of this list, please email webmaster@newbiedriver.com and I will post it here. Hope that answers your question!

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The doghouse is a huge "bump" between the driver and passenger seats. Climbing over the doghouse requires some skill in gymnastics. (haha just kidding, it's not that bad.)

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I will have to generalize some about what I think you mean... in other words, how many miles will you run once you are solo? (Assuming and hoping you will have a trainer first.) If that's the case, I still have to generalize because things can be so different between carriers. Many company drivers run something around 2500 miles per week but at this time of year, freight is slow. This is normal and happens nearly every year. From mid to late January to around Easter, freight slows and miles drop. This does depend on the carrier, type of freight, the economy, etc, though! I think it is safe to say you can expect around 2300-2600 miles, give or take, when freight is moving fairly well. I want to repeat myself again, though, that this varies widely between carriers. As for maximum number of hours, again, it varies! For this question, though, let's say a driver has full available hours to use. In theory, a driver could log up to 16 hours of driving in a 24 hour period legally. In practice, this isn't done often because the driver must usually fuel, load/unload, etc. It also depends on how much driving the driver had done previous to that day. You're limited by the 10 Hour, 15 Hour and 70 Hour Rules. You can break one and not the others. You could log only 5 hours of driving in a day, but break the 70 Hour Rule if you'd put in a lot of hours in the past 8 days. Did that help or hinder?

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Drivers flash their lights to signal to each other that the lane is clear and that the vehicle doing the passing can move over. Once the passing vehicle moves back into the right lane, if the driver is polite, he/she will flash their lights to say "thank you." Sometimes drivers flash lights to each other to signal that the other truck can go ahead. For example, if there's a driveway and one truck is going in and the other going out, one of the trucks might flash his lights at the other. This is his way of saying, "Okay, you go ahead and I'll hang back so you can make the turn." The other driver proceeds, and by all rights, should flash "thank you." Not all drivers are very good about saying "thank you." Unfortunately this is a tradition that is slowly dying and fading. A decade ago if you didn't flash someone "thank you" they'd likely tell you that you were a jerk! I'm surprised you had that happen if you were driving a car. Drivers don't often bother flashing headlights at a car -- the car usually won't know why they are doing it. Drivers also might flash lights if: 1.) There's a road emergency ahead. 2.) There's a policeman doing radar ahead. 3.) You have your highbeam headlights on.

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A condo simply means it has enough headroom that most people are able to stand up inside the tractor. Hence, it is often called a "standup" also. Sometimes a "condo" or "standup" has a second bunk, so they are also occasionally referred to as a "double bunk". All of these styles are opposite of the "flat top", which, unless you are under 5 foot? or so, you cannot stand up in. You gotta lay down to put 'yer britches on! Then there is also a "mid-roof", which is not as high as a condo nor as low as a flattop. Some trucks have a "high-rise" (yet another nickname) sleeper but the cab area is not tall enough to stand up. In the newer condo Century Class Freightliners you can stand up in the driver's seat without bumping your head.

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Pets have been known to demolish truck interiors. Some owners don't care what their pet does. They've been known to let them chew up leather interiors, not to mention toliet problems. Of course, too, most cats & dogs shed. The next driver may not like fluffy's hair all over the place and might demand that the company clean it out -- if they haven't already -- or want another truck altogether, especially if that person is allergic. I love dogs but I hate getting a truck that the previous driver had a dog in. I know many drivers keep dogs and cats (and other) animals in their trucks but it does require dedication on the part of the driver. You see stray dogs running around truck stops and rest areas and many times they've been abandoned when the driver discovered just how much work it really was. I wouldn't think a cat would require as much work as a dog, but yikes, where in the world to put a litter box!?! Good Luck!

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You've stereotyped all of us. For every driver so worried about where the police are, there are 100 who don't care. The CB radio is a disgrace most of the time and what you hear on it is NOT indicative of all drivers, by any means!!

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I laughed as I read your question.... laughed WITH you, not AT you, though... You do bring up a good point. The divorce rate for drivers is sky high and that probably doesn't surprise anyone. As far as meeting someone, talk about difficult. Even if you do meet someone, chances are decent you'll never see each other again. The United States is a pretty big place. If you meet another driver, you might be able to coordinate to meet while you're both under loads. If you meet someone outside of the trucking industry, you might be able to get to that place from time to time. Simply put, relationships in trucking are hard. They must really be worked at. If you do ever meet someone, be honest about what you do. Don't lie or say you are home more often than you really are. If you are willing to get a local job to keep that person, it isn't fair to say you will do that and then be resentful because they "took" you off the road. Make sure you go after what you really want: the person or the road?! Now let's clarify that there are many...uh...women who are more than happy to satisfy your need for occasional companionship. These women (I refuse to call them "ladies") are everywhere; on the CB, at the truckstop. Their companionship comes at a price, mind you, and it may very well not only be financial. Aids spreads somehow.... I wish you luck and can't really answer your question. By the way, this is the female response... If there is a male out there who would like to donate his 2 cents worth, please send your comment to: webmaster@newbiedriver.com Please put in the subject line: Relationships. I'll post it here. Anyway, I wish you luck and no matter how lonely you get, the creatures of the night aren't the answer... Somewhere out there is a woman who likes trucks and may even want to learn to drive and go with you...

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Detention pay usually means pay for the driver for the time he/she is detained at a loading dock. This is sometimes used interchangably with layover pay. Layover pay usually means pay for the driver when he/she cannot get a load.

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Honestly. You will have to be as honest, humble and upfront as possible. If you approach a carrier full of denial, but the evidence shows otherwise, the safety department will likely think you didn't "learn your lesson". You will probably have trouble with the large carriers. You may have to back down and go with a smaller outfit, a construction company, a private carrier hauling their own goods or an Owner Operator. They will likely be a bit more willing to give you a second chance if they feel that your incident was a fluke and that you learned from it. Since I don't have any specifics about the crash, it is hard for me to say, but are you sure about this truck driving thing? Did this occur because of a temporary (and rare) lapse of judgment or is this perhaps not your calling? Think it over hard -- I don't want to overdramatize -- but lives are at stake.

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I can't specifically tell you as far as the loads for a one-ton. In general, though, the loads on the boards have middlemen - (brokers) - that are most likely taking a fair share of the $$$$$. If you know what you have to make in order to make a load profitable and a board load pays it, maybe it is worth it. Be very careful, though, of unknown brokers. Many O/O's have been ripped off and never paid.

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A lumper is someone the driver hires to unload the trailer. (Sometimes lumpers also load trailers, but this is not very common.) The carrier usually pays for at least part, if not all, of lumper fees. It is up to the carrier. Some establish "schedules" as to how much they will pay based upon the piece count or weight of the load. Often times, the driver will NOT be paid as much to unload as a lumper will. If you don't think you will enjoy running 10 hours to get somewhere only to have to spend hours on the dock stacking, restacking, etc, make sure that a prospective carrier pays ALL unloading fees. Be careful to be sure they mean ALL, versus paying only a portion. For more information about lumpers, see: http://www.truckintoday.com/Issues/The_Dock/Lumpers/Lumpers.htm While some lumpers pay taxes on their earnings, many are paid cash and do not. This is a major point of discontent among drivers. Lumpers often make more than drivers do. In a recent poll on truckintoday.com, drivers indicated that on average they hired a lumper 3 times per week and spent an average total of $250.00 plus. Lumping is a thriving industry. Also see: http://www.ooida.com/legal_action/powerhou.htm and http://www.ooida.com/legal_action/michigan.htm These are recent court cases concerning lumping that the OOIDA took on -- and won. (OOIDA = Owner Operator's Independent Driver's Assoc at: http://www.ooida.com )

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The most popular is probably the Uniden or Cobra. Every driver has his/her preference, though. You can expect to pay around $100.00. You'll find these radios at a CB shop or truckstop -- they are not sold at WalMart, K-Mart, etc. Maybe more important than the brand is getting it set up right. Make sure to get it peaked & tuned and most important of all, make sure your SWR's match. You can burn up a CB radio by yakking on it when the SWR's are out of whack. (SWR = Standing Wave Ratio) It is not hard to get the SWR's right, but if you don't know how, you can have a CB shop do it for around $20.00. Your antenna(s) are extremely important in the setup as well. On the other hand, don't worry about buying antennas that claim to put out oodles of power -- this is completely useless if your radio is not capable of putting out the power in the first place.

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OTR, Over the road, usually means 48 states. At the least, it would generally mean you will cover a larger area. Regional drivers tend to stay in one region: south, west, midwest, etc. and cover a smaller territory. Miles may tend to be less for regional because if they are covering a smaller area, they are making more deliveries, which usually takes a great deal of time. I can't say average weekly miles because that is completely dependent on the carrier and the region....

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Slip seating is when someone other than you may or does drive your truck when you are not in it. It may also be if you always drive a different truck, which is more common with local carriers. "Assigned" trucks are designated for only you and when you are at home, the truck is either with you or is sitting and waiting for you at the terminal.

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To make $100,000.00 per year OTR: 1.) Never go home 2.) Never rest 3.) Never eat, drink or buy anything on the road 4.) Break every logbook rule ever written and get a ghost rider while you are at it.... No, no, no... don't take this serious. OTR drivers, company or OwnerOp do not make this kind of money.

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Anything is possible. Part time doesn't likely include any benefits, though, so that is something to consider. If that doesn't make any difference to you, as long as you are willing to slip seat you can probably find a part time job. You may also be able to find an Owner Operator that doesn't want to be on the road full time anymore but needs the truck to run. Some carriers are coming up with part time plans like you mention, but they are few and far in between. Namely, Celadon and Roehl are two that come to mind. You'll just have to get on the phone and ask carriers if this is something that they would consider. You'll have much better luck when freight picks up some.

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Hmmm.... Well, washing your truck is just like washing your car. You feel better driving a clean machine, right? Some drivers claim that clean trucks don't get inspected as often, but I'm not going to even offer an opinion on that. Most carriers allow so many truck washes per week, month, etc. and do compensate the expense.

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I'm not, nor have I ever been a flatbedder so I cannot answer this question. If there is anyone out there who can offer this person some good flatbed info, please email me at webmaster@newbiedriver.com and let me know you are responding to the flatbed question. Sorry I couldn't be more helpful to you....

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Yes, you can certainly get a CDL... The hard part will be finding a carrier to hire you. If you have a felony you cannot enter Canada without a Minister's Permit, which, I'm told, is not an easy or cheap thing to acquire. Many carriers require that a driver be able to go into Canada, whether they run much of it or not. This is a question people ask all of the time - but unfortunately I have no information on what it takes to get a Minister's Permit. My best advice would be to ask the carrier right away if the felony will be a problem and stick to looking for carriers who do not run into Canada. Best of luck to you.

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You must request a copy of your report from DAC Services. See them on the web at: http://www.dacservices.com or call them at: 800-331-9175. The report will cost you something in the neighborhood of $15.00 unless you have been turned down for employment on the basis of something on the report. It is a good idea to check your DAC within a few months of leaving the employment of a carrier. If there is something on the DAC that you disagree with, you are allowed a short statement to refute the information. Unfortunately, a carrier can place just about anything they want to on your DAC and if you don't keep track and keep on top of things, (and sometimes even if you do) what is on your statement can cause trouble down the road.

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If you are not hanging out in the blind spot, I'd guess that maybe you had your high beam headlights on or your headlights are out of adjustment and shining into the driver's mirrors. Either way, drivers won't do that unless they're aggravated by something.

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Check the ground. I'd bet it does not have a good ground.

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If it is really cold, you let the truck run. You have no choice... you'd freeze to death! Besides that, your truck may not start if turned off for long enough during very cold weather. As more and more anti-idling legislation is enacted, other methods are being used to keep the truck warm. There are add on generators, idling regulators and other gadgets that connect to your truck and warm the bunk and engine.

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For the most part, yes, you do spend most nights in the sleeper. Sure, you can get an occasional motel room, but the cost adds up quickly. (However, it is tax deductible.) How often a driver stays in a motel varies wildly, but once every other week or so wouldn't be unusual. Of course, it also depends on how long the driver typically stays out. If a driver is only out for a week at a time, it is doubtful that he or she goes to a motel very often. Companies pay motel bills in different situations; most commonly, if your truck breaks down and will be in the shop for an extended period. Some carriers will also pay the motel cost if there is a problem with the load. Carriers used to more often pay motel costs if a driver was stuck without a load, but this is becoming less common. Drivers with daycabs typically have motel rooms paid any night they spend on the road.

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No, you do not have 15 minutes. This is an old truckdriver rumor spread around for many years and has no basis in reality. What you do have is adequate time to bring it up to date to where you are, PROVIDED THAT you are current to your last change of duty status. In other words, if you were pulled into the scale, you must be on the driving line. You then must be allowed to log yourself as on duty for purposes of the inspection. Yes, an officer may take your logbook anywhere he pleases.

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Only if you wish to drive for a union carrier, such as ABF, Yellow, etc.

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First of all, I'd forget about using Mapquest. It will just screw him up worse most of the time. Mapquest and related sites are not truck specific and are often not accurate. You can't afford this risk when manuevering a big truck in an unfamiliar area. My best suggestions to avoid getting lost are: -Before starting the trip, sit down and plan it. Write out the interstate/highway directions and put them on the dash. (Suction cup, velcro, etc) Once one turn has been made, he should look to see what the next interstate/highway is and approximately where it will be picked up. -If he is getting lost in cities, he should call the shipper/receiver directly for directions. It is a good idea to carry a city map for large cities, also. It is usually best to make this call during business hours as sometimes you will only get voice mail or a recording after business hours. -Make sure, when calling shippers/receivers, that you are getting the directions in a way that you can understand. In other words, if the shipper says, "Turn left at the third light," you should then ask, "Okay, what is the name of that street?" Sometimes locals forget that a traffic light has been added and they'll say the third light when it is really the fourth or they won't count a flashing light as a light, etc. There's a lot of room for miscommunication, so make sure to force the person giving directions to be very specific.

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This varies by state, but I believe that yes, some states do have time limits.

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