I've been driving for years and it was my first time going through Florida with a semi, I completely forgot it's a closed axle state.
DOT wouldn't even let me just close my tandems, they told me to park and bring all my registration papers to them for the citation paperwork.
This is my first time running into a DOT officer that had a stick up their ass, guess it was bound to happen one day lol.
I have had a Class A CDL since 2022. I've done Local and OTR, driven through all lower 48, all road and weather conditions. No endorsements w/auto restriction. Only 15 months OTR experience, working to get that to 24 months (2 years).
I passed TSA Background Check but never followed through to get Tanker Endorsements. I'm willing to get my endorsements though. My current company offers RGN positions which I'm hoping to get to get more experience.
I've done Box Truck, Dry Van, Curtainside, Flatbed, Step Deck, Low Pro Step Deck, Moffett and I was a CDL Instructor.
I currently am back OTR hauling equipment and building materials and want to make the most money possible. With my current company I'm averaging $4-6k/mo after taxes. I want land and a house for my Wife and kid ASAP while not feeling like I'm scraping by. Not planning to buy land outside of PNW even though it's cheaper, but willing to relocate temporarily for a year or two for work.
It seems like there aren't any local jobs paying over $30/hr besides food service and fuel, but it's hard to find a tanker job in my area that's hiring.
Am I SOL or just not looking hard enough? Am I just preaching to the choir? I saw a lowboy position in my area only paying $27/hr, ridiculous!
Looking at the load boards for flatbed right now make me wanna go owner op, but I'm trying to get off the road in the next couple years and stay local for my family.
I think 2016 would be my cutoff date, but maybe 2014 would be the newest I should go? I'd be fine going newer if there's something that fits my bill.
I hate modern cars with all of their electronics and don't want dealerships or the government having control over what I own, but I also want something I can work on myself and isn't crazy expensive to repair and reliable.
I'm willing to make some compromises of course. Nothing electric, needs to run on gas.
It can be a car or truck or suv. My budget's $20k but cheaper than $10k would be great.
I currently drive a gas pickup truck that gets 10 city and 17 hwy mpg (if I'm going 60 mph). I have a family and don't need it to haul stuff anymore. Double this fuel economy would be great, triple is what I'm shooting for though. I just want a non boring commuter car that saves me money that's somewhat enjoyable to drive.
I've been driving for 4 years and never had this happen all at once to me before and it all happened within a 1-2 week span.
Got rear ended by another semi in a construction zone and had a tire and wheel completely destroyed, then ran through an almost whiteout blizzard, then went through high winds with a tall pipe load just to get home on time.
After coming off home time, my 2nd day back on the road, I have two trailer tires on the same side and axle rip off along with the drum and hub, at a weigh station, 5-6 truck lengths before rolling across the scale. DOT just told me to get a tow truck and clear their lanes and let me go.
After 2 days of waiting on the trailer to get fixed, the mechanic told me that the shipper sent the wrong hub and I have to wait until Monday for the part to come in, so I'll be sitting for 6-7 days total before I can get rolling again.
They also told me that the studs on the hub most likely cracked one by one over time and it could've happened at any time. I driving up and down through some steep mountains before this happened and he said drivers go off the mountains all the time nonchalantly lmao. He also said it would have been impossible to see the cracks in the studs unless I took the lug nuts off and it's just something that happens in trucking.
All that aside, I feel like the universe is telling me to go local and be home with my Wife and kid lol.
Anyone else have this much bad luck or worse? Is this just another week in trucking and I should quit bitching? Lmao.
Definitely see why guys go bankrupt trying out owner op without proper savings.
I'm getting increasingly worried about the future with the temperatures increasing and the effects that has on the wet bulb effect, but more importantly the future of our food and water resources.
Is there a good direction to head in?
Apparently temperatures are rising faster than previously predicted.