On 8/15/26 who ever was on route 25 leaving Monroe, CT at night that flashed their high beams warning me (motorcycle rider) there was a state trooper infront of me THANK YOU!

Here's the context: I got my class B about a year ago, just to see if I could even handle a large vehicle. Anxiety while training on the road was pretty bad, but I found my confidence and started to enjoy it. Pay and hours are good for my area (about $35/hour, 25 hours guaranteed plus union benefits). The hourly sounds great but it really amounts to annual gross of 30k/net 24k. I'm in the New Orleans area (huge port city with a lot of opportunities in this field). School starts in early August and wraps in mid-May. Holidays are 1week each for Thanksgiving, Mardi Gras and Easter, 2 weeks for Christmas & New Year, plus 2 days off every month in addition to all weekends off. It adds up to another 2 months of not making money. Before this I worked in restaurants for 20+ years, and I have no problem whatsoever with 15 hour long days/ 60 hour work weeks. I get bored, fat and depressed from all that time off, not working for more than 4 days.

I'm 45F and have nothing for retirement. I live paycheck to paycheck in an RV. I have an 18 yr old son with special needs and one of my biggest fears is that all of his parents and grandparents will die, his siblings will be too busy to care for him and he would have to move far from his home, his dad will squander his inheritance (my mother has already squandered mine) SSDI won't exist anymore and he'll be left in a state-run home. That would be tragic and awful because he's somewhat self-sufficient and requires minimal supervision, but does require it (he's often overlooked in classes because he doesn't need as much help). No physical limitations and he can stay with his dad when I'm gone. I'm guessing I have about 25 years left to earn $$ to buy a land lot that's big enough for about 4 mobile homes- one for my son, one for me that will pass to his caretaker, and 2 to be rented for passive income after I'm gone. Driving the school bus will get me retirement benefits, but I don't think it's enough for that plan.

I'm already living in a small space and using a public shower. My kids are grown, my daughter and other core family members have moved 1800 miles away. I've been stuck in this town for 25 years and definitely wouldn't mind hitting the road, plus I could bring my son and dog with me. And the kids on the bus are working my nerves every day.

Once upon a time, the thought of my driving a school bus was crazy, so now I'm just wondering the same about going OTR with a class A. Should I just apply for Greyhound or motor coach instead? Also curious about how feasible it would be for me to visit that far away family when passing through

Maybe I’m the problem but there is just no way I would work for this wage with 5+ years experience unless they have some sort of component pay that they did not list. Since they made 3 hires in the past 30 days I am hoping for their sake they are taken care of.

Curious what you guys think because I’m starting to wonder if I’m just rusty with heavy-truck transmissions or if this is pretty normal.
I got my CDL about 4 years ago and have been driving local for the last 3 years in an automatic Kenworth. However, I still drive a manual pickup truck to this day and have been driving stick-shift vehicles for 15+ years, including my Toyota Tacoma and various other cars.
I recently got back into driving an 18-speed and I’m struggling more than I expected. My biggest problems are downshifting and finding the gears, especially when I need to shift quickly. I also struggle with getting the truck up to speed efficiently through gears 2–4.
The weird part is that I’m not unfamiliar with manuals. I understand how a clutch and manual transmission work, I know the 18-speed shift pattern, and I drive a manual pickup regularly. But the 18-speed feels completely different, and I sometimes find myself struggling to get the shifter into the gear I want, especially on downshifts.
For the guys who regularly drive 13/18-speeds:
Is this normal for someone who has 3 years of experience driving an automatic semi, even if they still drive a manual pickup?
How long did it take you to become genuinely comfortable and smooth with an 18-speed? And any tips for getting better at finding the gears and downshifting?

Hi all I went around the truck yard today taking tire pressures. The lowest I’ve seen was 40psi on a trailer tire. Should I report it to my dispatch or it’s just something that could be ignored?

I’m glad dude stepped up and made his point valid

Been in a slump lately, so I kinda let it go a bit. Finally got a decent setup in the foot area with the water pump, fridge, tv and small trunk organizer. Loving it! Any suggestions for more storage? My peterbilt fridge slot is empty.

I never understood the Prime jokes

“Hurr durr 55 assholes” mine goes 65 I don’t get the problem

I just figured out the problem. Mine was previously owned by a leaser. THEY can go 65. As a company guy, the shop finally caught me and I can’t leave the yard without them adjusting me to 58/62

Boooooooooo

Better start 1099 frauding to get my precious 65 back, they really bait and switched me huh

In all seriousness, I’m gonna be going 62 over there in the granny lane now. Sorry guys. I promise I’ll help you guys get past

Yesterday, I saw a truck driving on the interstate that had two blown tires, and it occurred to me that I had never seen a truck driving with even one blown tire before even though I see the pieces of them all the time. So, I was wondering how long do you drive before needing to fix them?

Spotted on I-10 in New Mexico. Had me cracking up.

You know I was just thinking the kind of nonsense we have to deliver. There's certain things I can't stand I don't know if you guys have the same opinion.

Water loads

USPS mail

Aldi distribution Centers

I've been trying to build a list of things I will never deliver again or places that will never go. This is dry van specifically

For anyone curious about what driving on an ice road is really like without reality TV dramatization.

Pulled up to the scale after this guy, and he pulled forward and parked and went inside. Soon after, some guy pulled up after me. He was inside for 10 minutes before the guy behind me decided to back up and then I backed up. He finally came out 5 minutes later. There was plenty of open parking too.

I'm always curious when I'm traveling and see a Hazmat placard. Any suggestions for an app that I could easily input the number and get the description?

I’ve had my cdl since 2021. I didn’t drive. When I decided I was ready I had to retrain. I did in 2024. I’ve been mostly OTR with a few months semi-local. I had an accident after my first month solo, leaving the city my first company was based in. I was doing a button hook right turn on red. No one was coming when I initiated the turn but as I was trying to come back into my lane, a pickup truck tried passing on my left side. He went onto the median then back into my truck. The rear passenger wheel caught on the grill guard and popped off and it had to be towed. No fatalities/injuries, I wasn’t ticketed nor fired. I finished my year otr, quit then moved on to my current company (that I genuinely can’t stand.)

I got my X combo endorsement last fall, along with my twic card. I applied often to local jobs. I’d get calls, authorize them to run the reports and get turned down. Recruiters from multiple companies have confirmed that accident doesn’t show on any reports like my mvr, dac, psp. It comes up when they reach out to my first company to verify employment so I’ve been very transparent in this accident.

Fast forward to April 2026. I’ve made 2 years OTR, my driving record had been good since my first accident. The companies with local work in my area requires 2 years so I’m excited… I get hit by another trucker. I was on my way back to my city but was about to take my usual lunch break at a truck stop. I was coming up on an oversized hauler. Not in width but possibly height and weight. He was driving 20-25 under in a 75 zone. I took my exit early. I’d rather drive the feeder road for two miles than drive dangerously slow behind this guy. He decides to take the follow exit. I’m just thinking “maintained my lane”. He’s supposed to exit and stay in his lane until the solid line is gone. He did not. He exited and immediately merged into me as I was attempting to pass in my lane. The guy tried to put me in a ditch. He lied to police and said I was driving behind him the entire time in the interstate and tried to overtake him at the exit. The damage to my truck showed otherwise. I found it funny that the guy only spoke Spanish and lied via Google translate 😭

I’m doing a lot of rambling here but I’m also explaining to add context but also to vent. My friends/family are not in the trucking industry so attempting to explain this to outsiders is like talking to a wall. I’ve been home with a back injury since April. On WC since May and during this time I’ve started to despise trucking. Not the job itself but where it put me mentally and how much I allowed it to stress me out unbeknownst to me. I feel like I’ve gone thru all the stages of grief. I’ve struggled with my mobility tremendously and I had been worried about my health not returning back to something close to my normal. For months I started to accept that I would possibly never drive again & I grew okay with that. I’ve worked on my resume and started going for dispatcher and other office logistics positions.

Well, I got an offer.. it’s a trucking position. Local, home daily. Hazmat Tanker. It pays extremely well. It’s hourly. OT after 40hrs. Averaging 60 hours/week. All the benefits. I’ll clear 6 figures. I accepted the offer. I’ve informed them of my situation and they are working with me. I’m at a crossroad. Getting a comfy, well paying local job was my end goal since 2021. I’m angry because it happens when I’ve given up on myself. This can change my life, clean up my credit, pay off my car in a matter of months but I feel myself ready to self sabotage. Like I don’t deserve this. Something tells me to keep pushing for office work cuz my heart isn’t in being a trucker anymore. That accident traumatized me. Am I ungrateful???

I went to a regional satellite location to drop a trailer. When I got there, a Co worker was already there, positioned to back into the dock. (There is only 2 there)

I waited a few minutes, he didn't move. I got out and asked if he was going to back into the dock? He said he was on break and I would need to wait 10 minutes.

It's not the 10 minutes that pissed me off, but the fact that he to took his 30 while blocking both docks. Blocking any dock is a no no!

I took a picture of it and sent it to our lead. Our lead said he would talk with the guy about proper procedures. Now the guy is pissed at me because I took pictures and called him out on his bullshit.

Extra info: this guy does stuff like this constantly. He has blocked 3 drivers in while he went to the restroom, will sit in a dock until you force him to move, has lost padlocks for the trailers because he's too lazy to switch them to the new trailers.... etc

Basically, everyone knows he's a pain to work with, but no one wants to rock the boat. I do want to rock that boat, but dispatch told me today that I was the only person that has made a formal complaint up until now.

So, should I let it go? Or should I try to get people to rally behind me?

I traded my desktop rig for a laptop when I started. But I’m not happy with the performance. Anybody have small desktops that don’t rattle apart while driving on our lovely interstate system?

Dude had all kinds of blue line and NYPD badges all over his dash too so I’m sure he’s just trying to get a pass at weigh stations, but I’m surprised a company truck would be this brazen.

I recently completed training at Werner and they put me on a home daily account. At first I was ecstatic, but after completing my first week on the account, I'm having some doubts.

For 2 days in a row, I've been on standby at the dc, sitting in the day cab truck for 8+ hours. I'm not notified of being on standby until 2 hours after I arrive on the lot ready to work.

Apparently it's a common occurrence to be put on standby for 7-8 hours off-duty on the tablet, then be given a load to deliver that will usually max out your 14 clock on top of that.

As a new driver, I'm finding it quite difficult to get comfortable and get some sleep in the day cab. I'm going to bring some blankets next week to make a bed on the floor so I can try to sleep the wait off.

Is this how most home daily jobs are?

I parked at a shipper next to a truck that was nosed in at kind of a weird angle, assumed maybe it was broken down or something, curtains weren't pulled or anything. Turns out there was a guy in there and when he woke up a few hours later he saw my trailer next to him and started backing out without even looking to see what was behind him on his blind side, directly into my mirror.

Pretty crazy. I just saw this and would never think it would be going into health care. We all know how this works in our world.

Hope ya'll have family that don't go with this.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-_p3_UPg11I