Returned home after 6 weeks of driving an 18 wheeler around the country
Comments (0) I just returned from 6 weeks of driving an 18 wheeler around the country.
Since I was a teenager, I had this dream of driving a big rig around the USA. I finally made it a reality.
This past fall, I went to a truck driving school and got my class A commercial license. Shortly thereafter, I got a job. I went to orientation for a week followed by 5 weeks of driving all over the country.
I managed to not take down any stop signs or bump anything other than the docks at the delivery/pick-up locations.
It was quite an adventure and gave me a different perspective on commerce in this country. I saw numerous beautiful sunsets and sunrises as well as snow capped mountains and beautiful landscapes. I also had the pleasure of experiencing rush hour in places like NYC, LA and Washington DC. There were a few hairy moments like when an 18 wheeler flipped over on its side in an ice storm in front of me followed by another 18 wheeler running off the road a few minutes later about 200 feet in front of me.
I thought I’d share a few things about truck driving that I learned while on the road.
Backing up an 18 wheeler into docks and in truck stops is quite intimidating until you get used to it. It’s generally not good etiquette to hit another truck while doing those maneuvers. Fortunately I came away unscathed from those experiences.
Driving in a way that maximizes fuel economy is really important as the cost of diesel is the largest single expense. I worked really hard at this. The average truck gets 5 to 6 miles per gallon and the company I work for pays bonuses for drivers that average over 6 mpg. By the fourth week, I managed to get over 8 mpg and was told that it is impossible to get over 10 mpg with a loaded truck. On my last day of driving, I got 11.0 mpg. I’m not sure but I think it may be a company record.
Truck drivers live in their tractor which is about the size of a very small bathroom. The cabin is well appointed so it’s not as challenging as it sounds. One does need to be able to sleep with truck engines running all night from rigs which don’t have an auxiliary power unit – which is most of the trucks. Showers are taken at the truck stops and are often quite nice. There are not enough truck stops around so when arriving late at night, only the most difficult spots to maneuver into are available – if any at all. Lucky me.
A typical work day (they were all work days) started at 6:00 am and went until 11:00 pm – sometimes earlier and sometimes later.
I mostly lived on protein bars and Subway sandwiches. I actually lost a little weight during this time. I’m probably the only truck driver that has managed that. The vast majority of truck drivers are either obese or morbidly obese. That is going to change soon as recent regulations limit the weight of truckers based on their height. It is projected that there will be over 40,000 new openings by the end of 2011. Perhaps the truck stops will add fitness centers soon – or risk going out of business.
Learning to properly shift a 10 speed takes a while. The clutch is only used when starting and stopping the truck. While the truck is moving, shifting is done without using the clutch – which is seamless once you get good at it – and noisy with grinding gears when not done properly. I’m sure I put some wear and tear on the transmission until I finally became reasonably proficient at it.
Turning corners with a 65 foot vehicle on narrow streets can be tricky unless you don’t mind altering the street signs. One needs to be careful to not attempt to go under bridges less than 13’ 6” unless you want a skylight in the tractor-trailer. This can be challenging when the directions you are given are incorrect (which happens frequently) and you find yourself in the middle of an old section of a city with railroad tracks and dead end roads. For the record, I didn’t create a skylight in my truck.
While the driving is a lot of fun, part of the job also entails waiting for hours at the delivery and pick up locations so the truck can be loaded or unloaded. There is a lot of paperwork associated with this as well. The company I worked for paid to have other people load and unload the trucks, so I read books during that time.
The worst roads are in California. They are is disrepair and the mile markers on the signage is often missing. But the weather is quite nice and the views are beautiful. New England is a pain in the butt to drive in as there is always congestion as well as aggressive and impatient drivers.
Lest you think I was sent on the road by myself to be a menace to the public, I did go out with a trainer during this time. We each drove about 10,000 miles during the five weeks. Your first impression of him would have been that he was a Texas redneck, but he turned out to be an excellent trainer and a good friend. We got along fine during the whole time and had no confrontations at all which I’m told is unusual. It must be my sparkling personality.
Being a truck driver and trying to have a balanced family life is virtually impossible unless you are lucky enough to get a dedicated route in the area you live. These are the most desirable jobs so only the most senior of the drivers end up with these plum jobs.
Safety is the most important of all aspects of being a big rig truck driver. When fully loaded, the truck weighs 80,000 pounds. It is slow to get up to speed and slow to come to a stop. There are a number of “tricks of the trade” when driving that minimize the risks. One of the best is to just drive about 5 mph below the flow of traffic and let everyone gradually pass you out. It’s a great way to take the stress off and enjoy the ride – even in heavy traffic. When the roads are slick, the truck might as well be an 80,000 pound bob-sled so it’s best to just stay at a truck stop in these conditions.
Yesterday, my trainer dropped me off in El Paso, TX to take a bus back to Santa Fe. I discovered that Greyhound no longer had a route to Albuquerque or Santa Fe so I went to another bus line by the USA/Mexico border. All the announcements were in Spanish only. Fortunately I heard the Spanish word Albuquerque in the announcement before the boarding and got on the right bus. Otherwise I would have spent the day in Chihuahua drinking cervezas and rubbing elbows with the drug lords.
All in all, I had a great adventure and am grateful that I stayed safe and enjoyed the experience. As for my next adventure, stay tuned.
Themocracy