After getting back out on the road after a ten year local gig I have a tip for new and old alike. Help each other out. I am in Cartersville, Ga. and I had to back into a tight spot here at the TA. After getting out and looking a couple of times a guy got out of his truck and said "I'll help you. " I am 12' wide so you can see where my problem was. One pull up and I was in. I made sure to thank him and you can bet if I see another driver trying to get in a space I will offer to help.

 

I do that on a daily basis on my local gig.

 

I was having lunch today in my beat-up LTL local rig when a nice shiny 387 Pete and reefer trailer backed into a spot not far away. After a while the driver walked over and asked me if I knew directions for a local fresh/frozen meat company. I was happy to provide him with exact directions so that he could get there ASAP.

It's a great feeling to be able to help another driver out.

 

Sunday morning around 4am at the Petro (I-69)(MM-45) (Gaston,IN) I had just paid for my fuel. A panicked Werner student informs us that his trainer left while he was in the restroom. He said that they were deliver to the Wally DC at Gas City (MM-59). The Petro gal got right on the horn to Werner dispatch to send a Qcomm to the trainer. I put him in my daycab tanker and we arrived right behind the trainer checking in at the Wally guard shack. They were very relieved and I felt like I had done a good thing for a couple of fella drivers. Definitely somebody's lucky day. They really appreciated the help.

 

Hmmmm.... if I were that student, I probably would've raised hell and not have wanted to get back onto that truck. How does a trainer forget a student?!?!?! Obviously there had to be some kind of conflict between them.

 

Actually, it happened to a guy I know. He was delivering at a Home Depot, and while he was inside, his student woke up, left the bunk curtains closed and went inside to use the restroom. Perfectly understandable, except that he didn't leave a note or call his cell or leave any sign that he was not still asleep in the bunk.

 

Well, I can see your point Carlos. During my CRST "coolie" days. Driver and co-driver(student) always had some sort of routine in place to avoid this happening. This student was not too upset, I think he felt (as I do) that it was partially his own fault for not leaving some sort of indication that he was not in the truck. That aside, he is indeed a student, and the trainer definitely should be more attentive to detail. (Yeah, that small detail..........wheres the missing human?) Ah, coolie OTR trucking.

 

I try to help out anytime I can. Whether it's helping to guide someone into a spot, telling them the locations of truckstops or parking areas, etc. I just do what I can do when I can do it.

 

Regarding, leaving the co-driver or student behind.
This is more common than you may realize. A procedure is supposed to be set up between the 2 drivers to avoid this from happening. Generally if the sleeping driver departs the truck while the driver is out of it you would leave your pillow in the drivers seat. This alert the driver when he returns that the co-driver/student is not in the truck. This procedure either wasnt "briefed" to the student or the student neglected it.

Whether, Solo or Team/Trainer truck, never leave the truck without your wallet and Cellphone (assuming you have one).

 

This is such a great topic. It's sometimes hard to remember how great it feels to be either the helper OR the helped!
In one situation, I was seesawing back and forth, trying to get into this sliver of a parking space, when a driver appeared out of nowhere and offered to help. He was really loud and great at giving directions---which was good by this time, since I was about to morph into a chihuaha on speed!! I was truly, deeply grateful. I told him so, too!
The other time, I was trying to do a jack-knife, swing-around turn into a dock (and, of course, there were cars parked in the place where my truck's face needed to go!), when a silver-haired gentleman appeared. He smiled kindly (like he knew I was about to have a hot flash), then simply directed me into the spot.
It's amazing when someone sees a need and simply meets it. I look forward to when I get the chance to help someone out...just because I've been helped so very often!!
Jewels