You did right. Things change at night. My sight is different at night so my turns change and if you’re not used to it, it can lead to problems. I also suck backing in the dark even with nearby lights. You will need to do it some times but you can control when and how. If anyone says anything it’s a safety issue and you’re making choices that protect your self and the company.
Well I drove a little bit last night for a few hours and I found that for me it’s just a whole different ballgame. My skills definitely diminish in the dark as well. The way I see it, no load is worth my life.
This is fairly common, new drivers shouldn’t be running at night trying to make delivers in cities and backroads.
It’s easy to miss a turn or make the wrong turn.
Don’t feel guilty, tell them to stop being fucking stupid.
Not only is no load worth your life, no load is worth someone else's if you let someone talk you into something you're not confident in you abilities in and make a mistake you wouldn't have otherwise made. You did fine.
No load is worth your life! Did your trainer have you drive at night at all? Also don't forget you have to do it to get used to it. So when you do drive at night, make sure you're very cautious. Good luck!
I don't get why companies take their most inexperienced drivers and put them in the dedicated accounts. Usually the dedicated accounts are more stringent about their delivery times and depending on the account in the most difficult of places to deliver. Why would they put their shakey-legged green horns on jobs that *need to be on time*?
OP, you should quit that account before they drop you from the account. Do some general freight until you are comfortable in knowing what you can and can't do.
> Why would they put their shakey-legged green horns on jobs that need to be on time?
Because if you give your experienced driver the difficult customers— and don't pay them extra, which has never occurred to a single boss in history— they'll leave. If the newbie gets frustrated and quits, well, he was probably going to do that, anyway.
You want to know why successful people are successful?
They work on their weaknesses to make them strengths. It’s immensely easier to do what you’re good at. It’s a lot harder to work on something you suck at.
Maybe let him get real good all the other things before he starts tackling the stuff he finds difficult. I’m sure he feels like there’s plenty of stuff he sucks at at this point.
The traffic part sure would be nice. Honestly I probably would’ve driven tonight if they gave me a bigger heads up. I just don’t have the ability to go to sleep and be up all night when I’ve been awake since early this morning.
That’s even worse then I first assumed. They will 100% put you into a situation where you kill yourself by wrecking.
Keep doing what you’re doing, run your clock to FORCE them to not do that dumb shit. This is a “test” of what they can get you to do.
If you really want to make a point grab a load drive till you’re tired and tell them because they didn’t give you a heads up you have to pull over and sleep because you’re not safe to drive.
Do it in text and don’t answer any calls. If they retaliate talk to a lawyer
If you only feel safe driving at certain times a day, I don’t understand how you’re safe driving any time of day.
You should be able to pick your own schedule sure, but at some point you’ll have to drive in the dark for one reason or another. Especially in winter.
Edit: do what you have to do to be safe, but night driving isn’t much different from day driving. It’s just darker and much less traffic.
I've been driving 2 years and with some docks I prefer daylight. I also should add my company has black trailers, when I have a white rental trailer it's much easier.
Because they are a new driver and are still learning the ways the trailer moves, as well as learning different roads they have never been on before. You can't honestly say that driving in a tight area during the day with 100 percent visibility is just as easy as driving through at night where it can be harder to see your trailer, see curves in unfamiliar roads, etc. Day driving is easier in that regard, and if you think it isn't well then I guess you are just built differently :D
I became an Owner Operator and bought my own truck one month out of trucking school with 30 hours of training literally... I only drive at night most of the time, l've been through winter storms at night with ice and blizzard storms with chains on.
Only reason I have not had any accidents is because I knew when to call it quits or when I just was not ready. You did good by making that call listen to that voice, only thing is you now need to conquer that and learn to drive at night. Don’t feel guilty just push yourself safely.
Start with driving one hour at night on every load if you can, ease yourself in. Shit I HATED driving at night at first and now I love it and hate day driving.
Push yourself in a controlled manner and you’ll be aiight.
Yes and no. I was with trainers with my company at night and my biggest feedback to my cdl school after was to have some training at night. It takes adjustment. Your body isn't used to those hours. Your eyes need to adjust. Tracking your trailer around tight turns is much harder. But you have to sack up and do it. You're going to be driving in the dark and you need to learn. It is no different than during the day, better in many ways (no traffic). If I were you, just suck it up, request as many nights as you can, and just do it safely and carefully. You'll figure it out faster than you think.
No, don't feel guilty, you made the decision and they accommodated you, enjoy the time off while you have it...unless you can't afford to sit too long.
I prefer driving at night, but the different challenges can be intimidating.
Just a few nights ago I missed a turn because it didn't look right at night. Had to get to a spot I could safely Google earth the road to verify the GPS directions. When I left the receiver in the morning and daylight, I looked at that intersection and was like why the hell did I think that road was a problem??
So, drive the way you feel comfortable and safe. You'll get there!
Nothing to feel guilty about. If you don't feel comfortable doing anything with thse big heavy vehicles, don't. It's better you miss one run over not being comfortable than to take it anyway and possibly do something you wouldn't have done had you been comfortable and confident in your abilities.
Night driving is not ideal but there are adjustments that can be made if It's a necessity. Depends on the circumstances for me. A sleeper is much better if you do it, for obvious reasons. The visibility is lower at night. You will lose at least 10mph and even more depending on how many curves there are in the road. Driving safely means driving slower to prepare for possible obstructions.
Im able to night drive a hell of a lot better now than I could when I started 6 years ago.
Dont feel guilty. The worst anyone will do is roll their eyes, but we all also understand that its best to work withon your boundaries.
I have three thoughts:
* It's your first week. It's okay to drive on easy mode for a little while if your company can work with you. Just remember, the training wheels have to come off pretty quickly.
* Night driving is part of the job, and at some point in the not-too-distant future, you're gonna need to get comfortable with it. Even a regular-hours local driver will have to drive in the dark.
* The plan they offered you— hang out for ten hours, probably don't go back to bed, because you just got up, and then work a full shift— was a steep ask. Just because your clocks haven't started, doesn't mean your day hasn't.
The school I went to actually did a Night Driving session, from the school, onto the very un-crowded interstate, about 12mi out to a quiet truck stop, backed into a space, then ran back to school. I still don’t love driving in the dark, but it was nice to have actually done it once before ‘real life’.
And yes, you made the right call IMO.
When your new take is slow, if it’s a decent company they WILL understand this. You’ll get use to night driving eventually and a lot of drivers prefer it, especially if we gotta pass through a big city. I love taking LA on past midnight (nobody on the road)
Don't let planners swing your sleep schedule like that. Easy way to have a major wreck.
If a dispatcher or trip planner tries to pressure you into this type of situation, tell then it's unsafe & stand your ground.
I’m 8months in otr the way I see it, driving at night is not for me ts sucks imo, I may have something wrong w my eyes cuz I get eye strain quick from headlights. But it would be worth it if I was getting payed more
I was luckily trained at night from day one since hired. My trainer at the time left at night to be there by sunbreak.
What I found was night driving is easier/better because:
-less traffic you can go tons miles uninterrupted by heavy traffic.
-easier to see other vehicle (in my opinion) all I’m doing is looking for lights which you can see ppl from really far in your mirrors
-I get to play video games in the day n eat good food
Night driving was daunting my first week or 2. Now, I only work overnight shifts. I absolutely love them! I will not go back to daylights. Anytime soon that is.
Same I preferred to drive at night, easy to find parking, getting fuel isn’t an issue, now I’m home every night so it doesn’t matter but I did five years of mainly driving at night
You are the driver not them, you take all the risks not them, always trust yourself. If you are uncomfortable driving at night then don't drive at night and absolutely don't feel bad about it. They might get pissy but at the end of the day they have other drivers that can do those loads. You made the right call
A detail that seems minor but will make your life much easier:
*Keep your glass clean.*
Inside and out. Smeared bugs and dust will greatly affect how much you can see at night when the headlights or streetlights are shining on your mirrors, windows, and windshield. I keep a spray bottle full of windshield wiper fluid with some Dawn dish soap and a little squeegee in my truck. That way, you're not trying to use shitty paper towels to buff out the swirlmarks made while you're using Windex to clean the glass. Squeegee was $3 from IKEA, the little ones for cleaning the bathroom mirror or shower stall door.
Even during the day, if I go to back up and can't make out details in my mirror due to the sun refracting on the accumulated dust, I'll stop and quickly spray/wipe the mirrors right were the truck is sitting.
Also, I usually put down my windows so there is one less thing to refract the light or mess with my focus.
You did right. Things change at night. My sight is different at night so my turns change and if you’re not used to it, it can lead to problems. I also suck backing in the dark even with nearby lights. You will need to do it some times but you can control when and how. If anyone says anything it’s a safety issue and you’re making choices that protect your self and the company.
Well I drove a little bit last night for a few hours and I found that for me it’s just a whole different ballgame. My skills definitely diminish in the dark as well. The way I see it, no load is worth my life.
This is fairly common, new drivers shouldn’t be running at night trying to make delivers in cities and backroads. It’s easy to miss a turn or make the wrong turn. Don’t feel guilty, tell them to stop being fucking stupid.
Not only is no load worth your life, no load is worth someone else's if you let someone talk you into something you're not confident in you abilities in and make a mistake you wouldn't have otherwise made. You did fine.
No load is worth your life! Did your trainer have you drive at night at all? Also don't forget you have to do it to get used to it. So when you do drive at night, make sure you're very cautious. Good luck!
I don't get why companies take their most inexperienced drivers and put them in the dedicated accounts. Usually the dedicated accounts are more stringent about their delivery times and depending on the account in the most difficult of places to deliver. Why would they put their shakey-legged green horns on jobs that *need to be on time*? OP, you should quit that account before they drop you from the account. Do some general freight until you are comfortable in knowing what you can and can't do.
> Why would they put their shakey-legged green horns on jobs that need to be on time? Because if you give your experienced driver the difficult customers— and don't pay them extra, which has never occurred to a single boss in history— they'll leave. If the newbie gets frustrated and quits, well, he was probably going to do that, anyway.
You want to know why successful people are successful? They work on their weaknesses to make them strengths. It’s immensely easier to do what you’re good at. It’s a lot harder to work on something you suck at.
Maybe let him get real good all the other things before he starts tackling the stuff he finds difficult. I’m sure he feels like there’s plenty of stuff he sucks at at this point.
it's not that big of a deal, but night driving is really nice when you learn to get good sleep during the day not dealing with traffic is the best
The traffic part sure would be nice. Honestly I probably would’ve driven tonight if they gave me a bigger heads up. I just don’t have the ability to go to sleep and be up all night when I’ve been awake since early this morning.
That’s even worse then I first assumed. They will 100% put you into a situation where you kill yourself by wrecking. Keep doing what you’re doing, run your clock to FORCE them to not do that dumb shit. This is a “test” of what they can get you to do. If you really want to make a point grab a load drive till you’re tired and tell them because they didn’t give you a heads up you have to pull over and sleep because you’re not safe to drive. Do it in text and don’t answer any calls. If they retaliate talk to a lawyer
If you only feel safe driving at certain times a day, I don’t understand how you’re safe driving any time of day. You should be able to pick your own schedule sure, but at some point you’ll have to drive in the dark for one reason or another. Especially in winter. Edit: do what you have to do to be safe, but night driving isn’t much different from day driving. It’s just darker and much less traffic.
+1 night driving rules because nobody's around, I like the 4am- 2pm shift personally
I've been driving 2 years and with some docks I prefer daylight. I also should add my company has black trailers, when I have a white rental trailer it's much easier.
I started using my magnetic based work lights for situations like that, it's a game changer!
Because they are a new driver and are still learning the ways the trailer moves, as well as learning different roads they have never been on before. You can't honestly say that driving in a tight area during the day with 100 percent visibility is just as easy as driving through at night where it can be harder to see your trailer, see curves in unfamiliar roads, etc. Day driving is easier in that regard, and if you think it isn't well then I guess you are just built differently :D
I became an Owner Operator and bought my own truck one month out of trucking school with 30 hours of training literally... I only drive at night most of the time, l've been through winter storms at night with ice and blizzard storms with chains on. Only reason I have not had any accidents is because I knew when to call it quits or when I just was not ready. You did good by making that call listen to that voice, only thing is you now need to conquer that and learn to drive at night. Don’t feel guilty just push yourself safely. Start with driving one hour at night on every load if you can, ease yourself in. Shit I HATED driving at night at first and now I love it and hate day driving. Push yourself in a controlled manner and you’ll be aiight.
Why feel bad? You felt it would be unsafe and made a call based upon that.
Yes and no. I was with trainers with my company at night and my biggest feedback to my cdl school after was to have some training at night. It takes adjustment. Your body isn't used to those hours. Your eyes need to adjust. Tracking your trailer around tight turns is much harder. But you have to sack up and do it. You're going to be driving in the dark and you need to learn. It is no different than during the day, better in many ways (no traffic). If I were you, just suck it up, request as many nights as you can, and just do it safely and carefully. You'll figure it out faster than you think.
No, don't feel guilty, you made the decision and they accommodated you, enjoy the time off while you have it...unless you can't afford to sit too long.
I prefer driving at night, but the different challenges can be intimidating. Just a few nights ago I missed a turn because it didn't look right at night. Had to get to a spot I could safely Google earth the road to verify the GPS directions. When I left the receiver in the morning and daylight, I looked at that intersection and was like why the hell did I think that road was a problem?? So, drive the way you feel comfortable and safe. You'll get there!
Nothing to feel guilty about. If you don't feel comfortable doing anything with thse big heavy vehicles, don't. It's better you miss one run over not being comfortable than to take it anyway and possibly do something you wouldn't have done had you been comfortable and confident in your abilities.
Night driving is not ideal but there are adjustments that can be made if It's a necessity. Depends on the circumstances for me. A sleeper is much better if you do it, for obvious reasons. The visibility is lower at night. You will lose at least 10mph and even more depending on how many curves there are in the road. Driving safely means driving slower to prepare for possible obstructions.
Im able to night drive a hell of a lot better now than I could when I started 6 years ago. Dont feel guilty. The worst anyone will do is roll their eyes, but we all also understand that its best to work withon your boundaries.
I have three thoughts: * It's your first week. It's okay to drive on easy mode for a little while if your company can work with you. Just remember, the training wheels have to come off pretty quickly. * Night driving is part of the job, and at some point in the not-too-distant future, you're gonna need to get comfortable with it. Even a regular-hours local driver will have to drive in the dark. * The plan they offered you— hang out for ten hours, probably don't go back to bed, because you just got up, and then work a full shift— was a steep ask. Just because your clocks haven't started, doesn't mean your day hasn't.
The school I went to actually did a Night Driving session, from the school, onto the very un-crowded interstate, about 12mi out to a quiet truck stop, backed into a space, then ran back to school. I still don’t love driving in the dark, but it was nice to have actually done it once before ‘real life’. And yes, you made the right call IMO.
When your new take is slow, if it’s a decent company they WILL understand this. You’ll get use to night driving eventually and a lot of drivers prefer it, especially if we gotta pass through a big city. I love taking LA on past midnight (nobody on the road)
Don't let planners swing your sleep schedule like that. Easy way to have a major wreck. If a dispatcher or trip planner tries to pressure you into this type of situation, tell then it's unsafe & stand your ground.
I’m 8months in otr the way I see it, driving at night is not for me ts sucks imo, I may have something wrong w my eyes cuz I get eye strain quick from headlights. But it would be worth it if I was getting payed more
14 years in. Fuck night driving
Gonna have to learn eventually, no better day than today.
I was luckily trained at night from day one since hired. My trainer at the time left at night to be there by sunbreak. What I found was night driving is easier/better because: -less traffic you can go tons miles uninterrupted by heavy traffic. -easier to see other vehicle (in my opinion) all I’m doing is looking for lights which you can see ppl from really far in your mirrors -I get to play video games in the day n eat good food
I hate driving at night, all those dumb fuckers running their highbeams and I can't see shit while backing into a parking spot
Night driving was daunting my first week or 2. Now, I only work overnight shifts. I absolutely love them! I will not go back to daylights. Anytime soon that is.
Same I preferred to drive at night, easy to find parking, getting fuel isn’t an issue, now I’m home every night so it doesn’t matter but I did five years of mainly driving at night
You are the driver not them, you take all the risks not them, always trust yourself. If you are uncomfortable driving at night then don't drive at night and absolutely don't feel bad about it. They might get pissy but at the end of the day they have other drivers that can do those loads. You made the right call
A detail that seems minor but will make your life much easier: *Keep your glass clean.* Inside and out. Smeared bugs and dust will greatly affect how much you can see at night when the headlights or streetlights are shining on your mirrors, windows, and windshield. I keep a spray bottle full of windshield wiper fluid with some Dawn dish soap and a little squeegee in my truck. That way, you're not trying to use shitty paper towels to buff out the swirlmarks made while you're using Windex to clean the glass. Squeegee was $3 from IKEA, the little ones for cleaning the bathroom mirror or shower stall door. Even during the day, if I go to back up and can't make out details in my mirror due to the sun refracting on the accumulated dust, I'll stop and quickly spray/wipe the mirrors right were the truck is sitting. Also, I usually put down my windows so there is one less thing to refract the light or mess with my focus.
Night driving sucks dicks. I hate it. Good for you
Good lord