Swamp Quarantine Movie Night - Over The Top (1987), Thursday, 4/10 9 PM ET

[Giff]

Always assumed that putting chains on during the middle of a blizzard would be the worst part but I'm sure there's gotta be other stuff.

Backing a 45’ trailer into a loading dock can’t be easy. Or any backing up while hooked to two 25 footers.

Honestly most of the training you get in these schools is different backing maneuvers and they are hard as fuck. Even backing in a straight line with a 53-foot trailer is not as easy as you’d think.

Actually, I'd think was really difficult. I'm shocked at how easy truckers make it look.

Yeah for as much as they can be annoying during road trips to a normal car driver such as myself, I am not anti-trucker in the slightest. I'm constantly surprised at how easy they make seemingly impossible maneuvers look. I remember recently waiting at a red light on a standard four-lane road in the middle of town, and the oncoming traffic's left-turn light turned green. Thinking the 18-wheeler was turning left, I couldn't believe he started to attempt a U-turn. I had already mapped out alternative routes to my destination in my head because I was 100% positive if he didn't jackknife, we'd be stuck there for a few-point turn. Of course, he pulled it off in one try.

Next time I meet up with brian, I fully expect to have explanations to my annoyances that will help me be an even calmer driver than I've already become over the years.

[brian]

I just did a parallel park for the first time and it wasn’t too bad so I’ve gone from being despondent to hopeful. It was good to get humbled right away.

[DSafetyGuy]

Honestly most of the training you get in these schools is different backing maneuvers and they are hard as fuck. Even backing in a straight line with a 53-foot trailer is not as easy as you’d think.

And I don't think it'd be easy at all.

But you can do this, Brian. We're all living this vicariously through you.

This is true on all accounts. I saw a Tweet about Ohio U transporting their gear to San Diego for a game this weekend and thought "wonder if CMU employees these truck drivers or if they hire outside companies?"

My dad spent the majority of the last 20-plus years of his working life driving a long-haul truck, so I'm not living vicariously through you.

I would expect the college football equipment driving is contract work through an outside company. Athletic department buys the trailer and has it wrapped, then post the contract for each trip (driver picks up trailer from wherever it is parked nearby when arriving in town, then brings to the football facility for loading). With the length of this trip, Ohio U probably got tandem drivers for the trip so the truck can stay on the road more than 12 hours a day.

My dad occasionally visited us in Los Angeles by driving for work, picking up a contract for each way. One trip out, he delivered an ATM (the kind built into a strip mall that faces outside) someplace in Arizona, then drove to Ontario CA to park his truck, then found another contract for the drive back after the weekend. I believe that trip, he waited in his truck for over a day until the job for the return trip was found.

[Giff]

Interesting...thanks for the info.

[sancarlos]

Sounds like your dad was an independent owner-operator with his own tractor and trailer? My guess is that Becky, er I mean Brian, might choose to be an employee driver. Maybe an employee of a company that contracts with the athletic department of a university!

[DSafetyGuy]

Interesting...thanks for the info.

He worked for a company that booked him on contract work every year basically from after the holidays through Memorial Day doing long haul stuff where he gone for essentially six days a week, if not longer. The other seven months, he did more single day or overnight trips for the company he worked for.

I turned 21 over spring break my junior year and one of my friends who lived near Syracuse came with me to celebrate (he wanted to go anywhere and my birthday at Bowling Green on Wednesday and St. Patrick's at tOSU on Friday was better than nothing). We spent the first weekend at my dad's house and my friend spent the two-hour ride to my mom's house (as close as the truck could be driven to it, anyway) sleeping in the bunk of my dad's truck.

[brian]

This is probably unsurprising but after driving a truck all day getting in even my shitty Ford to drive home feels like an F1 cat.

[P.D.X.]

[sancarlos]

Brian, apropos of nothing, here's a trucking music playlist.

[wlu_lax6]

Brian, apropos of nothing, here's a trucking music playlist.

No Convoy by C.W. McCall?

[Steve of phpBB]

Brian, apropos of nothing, here's a trucking music playlist.

No Convoy by C.W. McCall?

This.

[brian]

I watched the movie last weekend. I’m good. (Kris Kristofferson (sp?) is a national treasure. But the movie is meh

[brian]

So my DMV test was today. I passed the first two of three components (pre-trip and backing skills) but the truck broke down during the backing so could do the road test. So in limbo right now. Road test scheduled for Friday.

[wlu_lax6]

So my DMV test was today. I passed the first two of three components (pre-trip and backing skills) but the truck broke down during the backing so could do the road test. So in limbo right now. Road test scheduled for Friday.

So you broke the truck during the test and they passed you

[brian]

So my DMV test was today. I passed the first two of three components (pre-trip and backing skills) but the truck broke down during the backing so could do the road test. So in limbo right now. Road test scheduled for Friday.

So you broke the truck during the test and they passed you

It was kind of ridiculous. I was doing a maneuver while steam was coming from the engine. I was lucky they let me finish.

[The Sybian]

So my DMV test was today. I passed the first two of three components (pre-trip and backing skills) but the truck broke down during the backing so could do the road test. So in limbo right now. Road test scheduled for Friday.

But did you take the drug test yet?

[brian]

So my DMV test was today. I passed the first two of three components (pre-trip and backing skills) but the truck broke down during the backing so could do the road test. So in limbo right now. Road test scheduled for Friday.

But did you take the drug test yet?

Oh you have to pass a piss test before you can get in a truck. I’ll have to pass a hair follicle test to get a job and that’ll be more hairy (haha)

[The Sybian]

So my DMV test was today. I passed the first two of three components (pre-trip and backing skills) but the truck broke down during the backing so could do the road test. So in limbo right now. Road test scheduled for Friday.

But did you take the drug test yet?

Oh you have to pass a piss test before you can get in a truck. I’ll have to pass a hair follicle test to get a job and that’ll be more hairy (haha)

Crazy how you'll have the sudden onset temporary case of alopecia.

[wlu_lax6]

It was kind of ridiculous. I was doing a maneuver while steam was coming from the engine. I was lucky they let me finish.

I am not very good at that removing words and letters to get something funny, but maybe a few more beers will do the trick.

[brian]

Passed my road test this morning while I was losing at SwampCrash. A fair trade I suppose. So once I get thru this ridiculous line at the DMV I’ll be a Class A CDL holder.

[The Sybian]

Passed my road test this morning while I was losing at SwampCrash. A fair trade I suppose. So once I get thru this ridiculous line at the DMV I’ll be a Class A CDL holder.

Awesome, congrats! Nothing personal to you, but I'm shocked and a little concerned at how little training it takes to get license.

[sancarlos]

Congrats!

[brian]

Right? It took more time for Billy Madison to finish all 12 grades and graduate high school.

[Steve of phpBB]

Passed my road test this morning while I was losing at SwampCrash. A fair trade I suppose. So once I get thru this ridiculous line at the DMV I’ll be a Class A CDL holder.

That's great to hear, Brian.

[rass]

Congrats!

[mister d]

Who has 18 wheels and hearty congrats from Mister D?

[wlu_lax6]

So what is the next step in the journey? Do you have a job lined up or target for employers (did the training company you use place you too)? Have you bought your overalls, over the head mic, selected the correct trucker hat, found your pet chimpanzee?


unrelated question
Did mirrored images on mud flaps get banned? Felt like growing up the seductive woman mirror mud flap was a regular on 18 wheelers. Guess with corporations owning the back of the truck it changes it.

[tennbengal]

Time to acquire an organutan, dtw, name him Clyde, and get on with it.

[mister d]

I guess this is kinda related ... do freight trains have horns like 18 wheelers do? We had an 8U game at a field that backed up to train tracks on Saturday AM my favorite non-family kid on the team and I did the honk arm thing but got nothing in return.

[A_B]

I guess this is kinda related ... do freight trains have horns like 18 wheelers do? We had an 8U game at a field that backed up to train tracks on Saturday AM my favorite non-family kid on the team and I did the honk arm thing but got nothing in return.

Wait...so freight trains are not a part of your daily sound catalog? Because they are mine. And they have horns that, at least in KY, you have to blow before every crossing. which is a lot. Also had a train just across the river in my house growing up.

[mister d]

#metoo, about 2 miles away, but I only remember hearing them at night.

[The Sybian]

#metoo, about 2 miles away, but I only remember hearing them at night.

There is one freight train I hear around 4:00. I quickly learned that I live to close to a NJ Transit (commuter train) crossing and hear that fucker all the damned time. A couple streets over, the train is right up to the property line in their backyards. Has to be tough to sell on, just gotta hope they aren't there when the train comes through.

[mister d]

See, I'm the opposite. We're (lets check google maps) ... 1,600 feet from the commuter rail and I love the noise. Nothing is more upsetting to me than taking the dog out after midnight and hearing absolute dead silence.

[rass]

Doesn't matter if he's on a field with a bunch of 8 year olds or out on a dark street with his dog, mister d is gonna crank it and he won't be satisfied until the train blows.

[mister d]

#locumotive

[brian]

If I’m ever back in Farmington, NM there’s a truck stop next to a Blake’s Lotaburger.

[Steve of phpBB]

If you’re driving 550 from Farmington to Albuquerque, there’s a great Mexican restaurant in Cuba.

[sancarlos]

If you’re driving 550 from Farmington to Albuquerque, there’s a great Mexican restaurant in Cuba.

My parents swear that the best breakfast place around is in Las Vegas, New Mexico.

[brian]

If you’re driving 550 from Farmington to Albuquerque, there’s a great Mexican restaurant in Cuba.

I passed it yesterday (I think). There wasn’t much in Cuba

[Steve of phpBB]

If you’re driving 550 from Farmington to Albuquerque, there’s a great Mexican restaurant in Cuba.

I passed it yesterday (I think). There wasn’t much in Cuba

There isn’t. Just that restaurant. With a parking lot big enough to easily park a motor home. And possibly an 18-wheeler.