My Trucking Experience

Speedy, my trainer for driving, backing the rig, PeopleNet communication, and time management for learning everything I need to know to drive for Maverick Transportation.   He's been around the world many times as a soldier and I was honored to listen to his stories this Memorial Day weekend.  He willingly shared little parts of his life that seemed exciting and amazing.  He shared a bit of the history that laid around us as we drove through the South East of America. Pilot Mount or as I know it as Mt.Pilot the fictitious home town of Andy and Aunt Bea from the Andy Griffith show and the West Virginia town of  Point Pleasant , home of the Moth Man.

Two of my days of driving behind the wheel were over 550 miles.  After driving over 1000 miles in two days I put in my first 630 or more miles in for one day.  It was this Friday and I could have fallen into poor self-talk of victimhood because I didn't get paid for the miles.  I got training pay. And I was tired and hungry at the end of the trip, But you know what?  I did know how hard it was in the first place and I didn't I could come out on the other side of so many miles feeling fine.  I now know I can drive the miles I want without falling over.  In all truth, I zoned out for just a little bit while driving.  I was somewhere else in my stupid little head and not paying attention to the road.  But I was thinking about how things could be for me on the road.  I was thinking about how things could be better for me with more money in my pocket.  I was thinking about what I could get my little girl so she would forgive me for being go...

After spending many days in nice room I prayed for the truck bunk bed because I spent most of the nights behind the wheel. 3 all nighters this week. WELL least now I know I can do it. I didn't know I had that much driving in me quite honestly.

If you want to join in on the voice of America watch "Mr. Smith goes to Washington".  Listen to every line and own your part in being American again.  If you are lead by the bullshit that any or all media is feeding us, you are being told what to believe and think and feel.  This is a new time in America.  We have to move away from everything being black and white in politics.  I am not going to give my opinion here.  I am only going to ask that you believe that everyone in America is innocent and you are also innocent and you can love your neighbor as thy self.  Own the spirit of the brave because only the brave can own the honor of love without conditions.  It takes a lot of bravery to love unconditionally.  This is not a manifesto.  It's what we claim to be in America.  We claim to be the home of the brave.  So it's fucking patriotic.  So learn to see between the line before you begin to read between the line.  S...

I am thankful for Maverick's resolve to learn from every mistake and become better.  There is something about Maverick that is obvious.  It intends to do business the right way.  It keeps its truck in tiptop shape and it allows me to trust every move is to keep me rolling to both of our benefits.   I never talk about religion or politics with those I wish to remain friends with, unless I know I'm in a safe place to do so.  So here I only invite my friends to read my deepest beliefs.  I'm afraid it is not as profound or wild as some may have imagined.  I only have one prayer and that is "Thank you God"  I have more than once prayed for patience and God was more than generous in giving me reasons to be patient.  As God planed the unbearable life situations pushed me to temperament as steel is tempered to become stronger. I no longer seek patience.  I embrace a new surrender and acceptance to what comes my way and I pray "Tha...

 (No one tell Lori that I need my writing edited.)  To date, I have spent as many nights in a room as I have in the truck bunk. This will change all too soon I'm sure.  Honestly, I have gotten some good sleep in the bunk.  This may be due to the CPAP machine but my trainer likes it cool in the truck so I'm sure that helps.   I was not on the clock for as many hours but voluntarily helped work on a wrecked pull back (glass trailer with a pullback canvas) that a driver lost three packs or stoces of glass (no one calls them stoces here in Laurinburg).  I came close to working 24 hours. We had just talked to a Maverick driver before he left Pilot while we pulled in for fuel.  We had just got caught in traffic after fueling only to find that it was his accident causing the backup.  He had lost glass out the side of his tarp all over the looping exit.  I heard talk of the "what ifs" he had lost the glass on the highway.  It could hav...

The first day in the truck I had to just ride as a passenger.  On the way to Canada, we passed through the mountains of West Virginia.  The very first trailer I work with is a no-touch pullover tarp unit.   The ride was great and my trainer and I (a Maverick training developer).  I was given pages of rules to follow but every one of them was to either keep my safe or for my benefit. May 5th My first night sleeping in a truck.  It was much easier than I thought it could be to sleep.  With Canada calling I woke to drive my first 100 miles OTR.  I spent almost $300 to speed up my passport processing but still have to wait at the very least 10 days before I can check on the state of the vetting.   BUT driving to Canada was so much more fun than I expected.   My trainer let me drive our second day out.  Before starting out he asked if I wanted him to drive because there would be lots of road constructio...