Truck Drivers, POST UP!!!

[Tony]

If you are a truck driver, and you do anything with RC, post up and let us know what you drive.

In 2001, I went to driving school down in Weatherford Tx and gained my Class A. Why did I go to Tx? I'm still asking myself that question. But, I got it, and I was on the lookout for a job. Because of my age (21) it was quite hard for me to find a job. Either they wanted 3+ years of experience, or you had to be 23 or 25 years old. So, it wasn't until February of 2002 that I got my first job.

Every since I started thinking about driving trucks, I always said that I would never haul fuel. I mean come on, it's a friggin bomb behind you, right? Well, after searching and searching, I ended up driving, you guessed it, a fuel tanker for my first job. The company was pure crap, and I did get my share of inspections cause they would never make the truck look like it belonged on the road. But, it gave me what I needed.

After a bit, I got tired of pulling a tanker to crappy drops, so I tried flatbed. Yeah, that lasted about 4 months lol. they I tried dedicated with a 53' box. again, another 4 months. I had to face it, I was a tanker yanker and always would be. So, I started hauling fuel again. This lasted quite a while.

Then, right before I turned 30, I had to do something different. Something that had meaning to it. Let's face it, I don't care what you are hauling, you are still just a "driver". So, I looked into law enforcement. I was a cop for a short time, enjoyed it, but there is just too much that can go wrong without notice. So, I decided to do Private Investigating instead. Along with that, I have been with the same army base working as an officer there for the last two years. But the pay sucks.

So now, I'm looking at getting back in a truck. You guessed it, pulling a fuel tanker. You just can't beat the money, and the company that I'm trying to get back on with, is the same one I was working for before.

So what are you pulling? I know of at least two of you on here that drive truck. Post up unless it's classified material, what you are hauling.

 

[breeze400]

Well, you see I have been driving trucks for close to 30 years now! I was formerly a steelworker. Worked in a foundry for 10 years before I started driving. There was a masive layoff in the spring of 82. I went to truck driving school in Nov of 81 just before my son was born. I was a machinist in the plant. I got layed off and bought my first truck. In 85 I was called back for the summer before they closed the plant.

I ran mostly reefer and vans has both owner operator and company driver. About 6 1/2 years ago I was talked into heavy hauling steel! What a trip! I drive both, michagan trains and 9 axle sleds. All flatbeds. A train is a set of doubles with a 5 th wheel on the back of the leeds trailer. Commonly called a B Train. Your freight hauler doubles are A Trains.

I can load anywhere from 90,000 to 105,000 lbs on my deck! A 5 axle truck is 80,000 lbs. It's interesting to say the least! Lol. Anyways that's what I do.

 

[Keith]

I was a truck driver for 43 years... My first test was in a truck at 17, never took a test for a car licence... Driven most things... Biggest was Antar tank transporters, three gear sticks and 56 ton on the back... Also driven armoured personnel carriers (APCs), Germany.... Tanker, Cyprus.... Pantecs, UK and Ireland, Used to take loads of furniture and office equipment to Belfast after the bombings... Minivan, London, Taking high security packages and mail to MOD buildings, also buck palace with queens mail... And many other vehicles... Ran my own transport company the last 30 years driving tippers, flats and vans with hydraulic tailgates... Last job was running out of Melbourne docks with imports/exports until 2009 when I had to retire with kidney failure... Had transplant since but do not think I will recover enough to get back to it... 62 now so I guess it's all over...sigh...

 

[gravybird]

Kool! I'm 29, been trucking literally since my 18th bday, minus a few short stents of trying to do something close to home. Nobody in my family has ever been a trucker, it's just something I was destined for since I was a little kid. I was lucky, and didn't have to go to a cdl school. I was working for a city municipality, and they paid me to get my permit, and three months later let me use their equip to take the road test. I drive intrastate doing local tanker work in Florida until I was 20. I than had enough fudgeable miles to get on with an outlaw company who in no time had me running out of state (illegally) pulling cattle, refer, and stepdeck. I hated the cattle, grew up a miami city boy, and I'm scared sh.less of those animals in close quarters, and they knew it!!!!!!! the old timers had a hell of a good time watching me chase them on the trailer, and than them chasing me right back out )) didn't care too much for the reefer business sitting at docks for endless amounts of time either. Than I had a daughter, well I guess my ole lady actually had her, and I needed to get away from there for all kinds of reasons so we packed up our stuff, and moved to Mn. I was off the road for about a year getting my stuff straightened out, and now I've been with the same outfit for over 6 years. Great family company, fair pay, and great benefits. I haul food grade tanker, mostly sweeteners, sucrose, dextrose, fructose, corn syrup, and occasionally juice, dairy, and oils like canola or soy. I am happy as a clam being a company driver, I like living beyond my means on a regular basis and owning a business= financial disaster for me! And I know it! I currently drive a 2010 Kenworth T660 with the 63" sleeper. I'd love to post a pic but it's horribly filthy from the snow, and slush we recently acquired despite all wishes against it. I should have a million miles with this company before the lakes thaw out if all goes well. I'm glad to meet you guys on here, and I don't believe I'll be leaving this hobby behind any time soon trucking is also where I acquired the name gravybird, incase anyone was wondering

 

[Tony]

Damn Keith, you have been all over the place driving. And never knew about why you got out. Glad everything turned out well for you bro.

Those outlaw company's will either get you thrown in jail, or killed depending on what you are hauling. I know quite a few people that were hauling some things that will not be mentioned on here lol. But I love hauling fuel and will probably retire doing it. If everything goes well, I may purchase my own truck to do the same thing. The fuel and oil business are great here in Oklahoma so there are no worries about any of it running out in my lifetime. Afterall, everyone has a car and everyone needs gas lol. And I help support my job by driving two camaros, and I'm putting together an '83 S-10 that will get about 10mpg lol. Getting back in a truck can't happen soon enough.

 

[Tony]

Damn Keith, you have been all over the place driving. And never knew about why you got out. Glad everything turned out well for you bro.

Those outlaw company's will either get you thrown in jail, or killed depending on what you are hauling. I know quite a few people that were hauling some things that will not be mentioned on here lol. But I love hauling fuel and will probably retire doing it. If everything goes well, I may purchase my own truck to do the same thing. The fuel and oil business are great here in Oklahoma so there are no worries about any of it running out in my lifetime. Afterall, everyone has a car and everyone needs gas lol. And I help support my job by driving two camaros, and I'm putting together an '83 S-10 that will get about 10mpg lol. Getting back in a truck can't happen soon enough.

 

[gravybird]

Here is a pic from up in the Canadian Rockies. Banff national park. One of my more memorable trips last year

 

[Rc-Help Member]

Guess I'll throw in my two cents. I joined the Marine Corps in 1972 to keep from getting drafted to Vietnam (went anyways). I was 17 years old at the time. So, my MOS was 3531, yep, I was taught to drive anything that had wheels or tracks from mules, ATVs, M60, M911 60 ton tractor, and everything in between. When I was released from active duty I never drove anything bigger than a 5 ton. Done with that unless of course that is my last resort. I've been a Post Sales Data Support Engineer for the past 19 years and never looked back.

 

[breeze400]

I thought Id post up some pics!

This is my first real truck. 1983 peterbuilt, 400 big cam cummings, 13 speed, 4:11 gears.
PS this is not the first truck I owned! LOL It was A 75 GMC cabover with A 318 Detroit!


You can see my prid and joy behind my son! LOL 1998 Freightliner Classic XL Hi top. 500 Detroit, 13 speed, 358 rears! And my 2000 Utility spread axle reefer. It had A TK reefer unit. 9887 light package. Put over A million miles on this rig!! LOL



Now This is what I'm driveing now. 2006 Kenworth T-800. This Pic is not the truck I'm driveing now. LOL I drive #1185. This is #1195. My truck has fairing and A wind deflictor on the roof. But you get the picture! LOL These traillers are what they call A B-train. 10 axles. this set is an aluminan set. I can haul about 100,000lb give or take depending on what state or country I'm in.

 

[gravybird]

Love that old Pete breeze. Reminds me of my first Otr truck, a mid 80s W-9 flat top with a big ole stailnless chicken wing on top. only it only had one of those 240 or 290 cummins that had trouble getting up to 70 on flat land unless it had a new fuel filter, and the wind at my back

 

[Tony]

'83 Pete. Spring ride and air operated wipers that were always out of sync lol. I drove an '84, and I will never do it again. Roughest ride I have ever had.

 

[gravybird]

Hahaha I remember those wipers, and usually the same amount of water pouring in the cab from various places

 

[breeze400]

'83 Pete. Spring ride and air operated wipers that were always out of sync lol. I drove an '84, and I will never do it again. Roughest ride I have ever had.

No I had air ride! LOL it was A great truck! Fast powerfull I had an unlimited RPM spring in thr pump. I had her cranking 2700RPMS comeing off sherman one day! LOL Chaseing A couple of girls into Chyanne!! Put over A million miles on her too!

 

[RCD]

Why is one cargo you haul more fun than another?

 

[gravybird]

Well speaking for myself, some cargo takes lots of attention, and causes extra puckering around curves and whatnot. Like liquid that moves, or stuff on a flatbed that doesn't tie down easy. Vs the kind of stuff that you don't have to worry about, low center of gravity, no movement, won't bite, or kick you not sure if that's what you were looking for, but it's my two cents. Oh and sometimes one single load of something is worth more money than I have ever heard of its usually insured, and the driver isnt ultimately responsible if something were to happen to it, but still the thought of being in control of that much value certainly has weight.


Tapatalkin from the iphone

 

[Tony]

Yeah, I hauled a load of billet slugs on my flatbed one day. I didn't dare ask what the value of that stuff was lol. And Travis, it's all about the feel of the truck and what you are pulling. I love tankers and always will. have to be careful in the turns, and you never, NEVER yank the wheel. If someone pulls out in front of you, you just hit the brakes, and brace for impact. But like Gravy said, it's all about the load. Go out and get your CDL and give it a go. You will understand after about 5 years of driving lol.

 

[gravybird]

What are billet slugs?


Tapatalkin from the iphone

 

[Tony]

Like billet aluminum. They are used to make aircraft landing gears and other important pieces of the like. And when I say slug, I mean just a solid cylinder of aluminum. Some of the most expensive stuff I have ever hauled. But you can find billet aluminum everywhere, on cars and trucks, in your RC cars, just depends on what the aluminum is made up of.

 

[madrat]

Hey guys, I made it to the Texas line with my solid steel pipe,a little farther and I'll call it a day. Have a reload all lined up going back to PA. Cable on reels. I remember those air wipers, couldn't belive the '95 Freightliner I bought had those on it. Well emptied out and headed to get my cable.

 

[Tony]

I don't know why, but I hauled one load of cable and hated it. I felt like it was going to roll off the trailer lol. I had 6 chains holding that thing down too.