Trucking Solo Delivery Adventure
I’m using this story to start a series I’m calling Journey’s of a Professional Truck Driver. Coming to this career choice later in life, I found the world of trucking absolutely fascinating. It occurred to me that most people don’t really get a glimpse into the lives of truckers. So, partly for my own edification, I decided to write out some of my adventures. Welcome, and I hope you enjoy.
SLC Deliveries
My first trucking solo delivery adventure after completing my training was to two retail stores in Salt Lake City.
It was February, and for whatever reason this seemed to be the snowiest winter the area had seen in roughly a decade. I set out in my brand-new truck and trailer, flying solo. My husband had become sick the first week of training and started a bit later. So he wasn’t going to complete his upgrade (graduation from training) for a couple more days.
This situation presented the amazing gift of a few days to prove to myself I could do this. It was empowering and scary at the same time, and off I went. There was snow on the ground, but the skies were clear when I set off on my inaugural solo 175-mile trip.
Delivering to the first store, I found my way to the dock. With a bit of maneuvering, I landed my 75 feet of truck and trailer squarely in place. Side note: I’ve never been good at figuring out my left from my right. That’s problematic in a number of situations, this one included. But I did it! Elated with my small victories, I headed inside for what is known as a “live unload.” This essentially meant I had to stand there and watch the store staff unload their items. My trucking solo delivery adventure was progressing well.
The delivery proceeded mostly without incident. A store associate did manage to destroy several cases of milk and orange juice that belonged to the next store, which they re-stacked. The surviving product was placed in milk crates at the rear of the trailer. I received a notification that it had started snowing heavily and I should find a safe place to shut down. The associates informed me they didn’t have room at that store. But there was another store a couple miles down the road with room for me to bed down.
As I left, I noticed several new inches of snow on the ground, and on my truck, that hadn’t been there 45 minutes prior. I headed off to the store that was mentioned, which in fact was my second and final delivery. So I took it slow and decided to drop the remainder of my load before bedding down for the night.
Once again, a bit of maneuvering and I was docked and ready to be unloaded. The store associates there were a little less than happy about their damaged pallet of goods, but otherwise quick and friendly. Roughly 45 minutes later, I was on my way out the door. As I left, I noticed additional snow had fallen and my footprints from the way in were all but gone. Returning to my truck, I decided to remove myself from the dock and find a place to park behind the store.
Even with an empty trailer, or maybe because of it, I couldn’t get enough traction to escape the slight incline of the dock. After several attempts I gave up and decided to sleep there. It wasn’t really kosher sleeping in the dock, but it was the only one available for grocery deliveries at that store, and I didn’t know what else to do.
My husband must have sensed my distress, because as I was pulling the curtains and settling in, he called. He was completing his training with his trainer, Carl. Carl is a veteran driver who comes from a long line of drivers and is immensely knowledgeable. My husband handed him the phone and I explained my situation. Within minutes, Carl had me out and on my way. I was celebrating my new victory as well as some invaluable new knowledge. I tucked myself peacefully into bed, contented from a difficult task completed and eager for what the morning would bring.
A Brand New Day
The next morning when I woke, it was like the classic Christmas dream every Southern California kid has but never experiences. I stepped down from the truck and the snow came to my mid-shin. With a child’s delight, I hopped through the snow and made my way into the store.
I’m sure most people have never had the unique embarrassment of brushing their teeth in a retail bathroom. Honestly, I don’t recommend it. It seemed like it should be normal. But when I noticed people blatantly staring at me as they washed their hands, I realized how strange it must have seemed. I was wearing a three-quarter-length North Face coat and using an electric toothbrush, but I felt homeless.
I was still shut down, so I explored the store and wandered around. I was becoming impatient and itching to get back to my distribution center. Heading back to my truck, I made coffee and cleared the windshield to enjoy the crisp beauty of the snow. That lasted as long as the coffee. Then I decided that surely the roads had been cleared and I should be on my way.
Move ’em Out!
I set out through the parking lot, but I couldn’t remember from the night before if it had those little concrete parking blocks at the front of the spaces. I decided not to risk it. I kept to the driving lanes as best I could, with a couple feet of snow obscuring the lines. Although I was sure the roads were clear, the same wasn’t true of the parking lot. There was a particularly sharp turn, and I got my trailer stuck on one of those little parking islands with foliage.
I knew I was well and truly up the creek when even Carl’s advice wasn’t working. I was speaking with him again when I noticed someone clearing the snow with a bobcat tractor. I thought maybe he could clear the snow around my truck so I could get out. When I spoke with him, he suggested attaching a chain to my trailer and pulling me out of the corner. Hallelujah!
Well, he tugged and I put it in reverse, pushing, and after some choreography, voila! I was free. For the second time in as many days, someone had saved my bacon. I realized that although I thought I was doing this on my own, I really wasn’t, and I appreciated everyone.
I made it back to the DC fairly uneventfully, and my little trucking solo delivery adventure was over. It was to be my only solo adventure, because my husband upgraded shortly after I returned. Overall, I was fairly proud of the way I faced obstacles and the lessons I learned.
Trucking is a hard job, and there’s a lot more to it than steering down the road. I’ve been a truck driver for a couple years now, and I’m grateful I decided to explore truck driver jobs. This is a very high-risk, high-reward position in terms of personal growth and satisfaction. And this is just the first story in my Journey’s of a Professional Truck Driver series. If you enjoyed it, the Pied Piper Trucking Adventure is a good one to read next.
(And after a snowy start like this one, you can probably guess why I put together a guide on winterizing your truck. A little preparation goes a long way.)
If you’re looking for a carrier that values compliance and treats its drivers right, schedule a call with M2GT and let’s talk about what we can offer you. You can also visit our Owner Operator page for more information.
If you enjoyed this article, please check out our other stories from the road and our Trucking 411 articles — Keep the Shiny Side Up!
