Diane and I have taken numerous loads in and out of NYC and continue to do so. Our two best loads ever ($5,400+, and $4,800+) both came from there. We take routine loads in and out of there too.
Being team has definite advantages. I'd be reluctant to drive in NYC solo for the reasons stated in this thread. When you review the reasons one-by-one, the team advantages will be apparent to you.
We NEVER leave the truck unattended in the city. We go in, do what we have to do, and get out. Though, we've spend a couple nights in the truck inside the city in places we deemed to be safe (shipper or consignee loading docks in OK places). On the other hand, we once had a pickup in a place where it was wise to flee, which we did when loaded.
Note that as you read this, thousands of truck drivers are buzzing into, around, and out of NYC this very moment. They do so successfully every day. NYC driving can be done. As with many other aspects of expediting, attitude can make a huge difference.
We entered expediting with no truck driving experience whatsoever. Our first two runs were short runs in FL. Our third run was from FL to NYC! Yikes! While there were some white-knuckle moments, we made it through OK. If we had that to do over again, we would have prefered to have a few more runs under our belts before venturing into the belly of the beast.
As others have mentioned, there is a whole lot of good NYC freight (and some really poor loads too). For that reason, we have not eliminated NYC from our option list. (Ain't it great to be in a business where you have the power to make such choices? That's one of the joys of expediting!)
Being NYC drivers, we've put time and effort into learning the ins and outs. Many of those are mentioned in this thread. One that is not but is important is GPS navigation. Once we started using a GPS mapping program, our NYC stress level dropped in half. We'd hate to have to enter the city again without this useful tool.
We've done map studies to get more familiar with the area. We've noted routes that worked well and those that didn't for future use. We're patient when we go in, knowing delays may occur. We've learned to signal lane changes well in advance and almost always someone will come along that will let you in. We've learned that people won't care if you park your truck half on the street and half on the sidewalk. We've learned to look as far down a street as we can before committing to a turn onto that street. It may be blocked by double parkers.
We did a lot of Internet research about NYC driving, reading driver comments on EO and in other truck driving sites. That helped us know what to expect. We've learned that the cops will help you, especially if you explain that you're new to NYC driving. Though, the cops' record is not perfect in that regard.
We were once trying to make a turn when we encountered orange cones and a cop that said we could not. He directed us down another road, which took us immediately down a curved ramp with walls on both sides and then to a tunnel entrance which our truck was too high to clear. The tunnle cops raced out to stop us. When we explained how we got there, they stopped traffic and cleared lanes for us to make a U-turn out of there. In the few moments it took us to do that, I bet 5,000 people were stopped to wait for us. At one point in that episode, I saw one tunnel cop in my right mirror directing me to back up and turn one way. In the left mirror, another was directing me in another way. At that same moment, Diane was out of the truck talking to a third cop that was telling her, "Don't listen to the cops up there (the ones that directed us to the tunnel). We're the tunnel cops, we know what goes on here."
At times expediting can be like the Navy, "It's not a job, it's an adventure."
Part of it for us is the fact that we love NYC! We got into expediting partly to see the country. As expediters, we've seen parts of NYC in ways no tourist ever could. We love the people there, the sights, the activities. Did you know there are over 100 museums in NYC? Just walking the streets is fun. The people watching is amazing.
We once sat on Madison Ave and the 70s (a cross street like 71st, 72nd, etc.) for two hours while we waited for freight to be prepared. We were parked on the corner of that intersection which enabled us to sit "at home" (in our truck) and watch people go by. It was delightful seeing the dog walkers, Madison Ave executives, yuppies on their way to and from their Central Park jogs, shop keepers, and countless others go about their business. I could have sat there for two days and not gotten tired of it.
I falut no one for a decision to avoid NYC. It's not your normal truck driving experience, that's for sure. If you decide to stay out, you'll be in the company of many respectable drivers that will back you up. But for Diane and I, NYC driving has become part of the fun of expediting. While the risks are real, we've been careful and wise, and have had no significant problems driving in NYC. It has been both lucrative and exciting to drive in NYC.
Finally, consider this. Learn about the commuter trains that service NYC from NJ, NY state, and CT. If you find yourself close to one of those stations, check it out to see if you can park your truck there. Take a train into town to get a feel of the place. Take a day off and be NYC tourists. Get on one of those double-decker, open-top sightseeing buses and let someone else drive you around town for a day. We're likely to do that ourselves soon. I believe that with the right ticket, you have the ability to get on and off those buses at will as they buzz around town. The more you know the city, the easier it will be to navigate.
One of my trucker-as-paid tourist goals is to take in a Broadway play while being paid to deliver freight in the area. We've learned that the Trenton train station provides truck parking that is lit and guarded. Our plan is to park the truck there and go in for a play. We'll probably stay in a hotel in town then. Plan B would be to clean up at the Petro at Bordentown, NJ, change into nice clothes there, and drive the truck to Trenton and park. Take the train in for dinner and a play and head right back out the same day.
NYC is a magnificient arena of human activity, with humanity's best and worst in full view. We love it there and have structured our attitudes and business practices accordingly.
Being team has definite advantages. I'd be reluctant to drive in NYC solo for the reasons stated in this thread. When you review the reasons one-by-one, the team advantages will be apparent to you.
We NEVER leave the truck unattended in the city. We go in, do what we have to do, and get out. Though, we've spend a couple nights in the truck inside the city in places we deemed to be safe (shipper or consignee loading docks in OK places). On the other hand, we once had a pickup in a place where it was wise to flee, which we did when loaded.
Note that as you read this, thousands of truck drivers are buzzing into, around, and out of NYC this very moment. They do so successfully every day. NYC driving can be done. As with many other aspects of expediting, attitude can make a huge difference.
We entered expediting with no truck driving experience whatsoever. Our first two runs were short runs in FL. Our third run was from FL to NYC! Yikes! While there were some white-knuckle moments, we made it through OK. If we had that to do over again, we would have prefered to have a few more runs under our belts before venturing into the belly of the beast.
As others have mentioned, there is a whole lot of good NYC freight (and some really poor loads too). For that reason, we have not eliminated NYC from our option list. (Ain't it great to be in a business where you have the power to make such choices? That's one of the joys of expediting!)
Being NYC drivers, we've put time and effort into learning the ins and outs. Many of those are mentioned in this thread. One that is not but is important is GPS navigation. Once we started using a GPS mapping program, our NYC stress level dropped in half. We'd hate to have to enter the city again without this useful tool.
We've done map studies to get more familiar with the area. We've noted routes that worked well and those that didn't for future use. We're patient when we go in, knowing delays may occur. We've learned to signal lane changes well in advance and almost always someone will come along that will let you in. We've learned that people won't care if you park your truck half on the street and half on the sidewalk. We've learned to look as far down a street as we can before committing to a turn onto that street. It may be blocked by double parkers.
We did a lot of Internet research about NYC driving, reading driver comments on EO and in other truck driving sites. That helped us know what to expect. We've learned that the cops will help you, especially if you explain that you're new to NYC driving. Though, the cops' record is not perfect in that regard.
We were once trying to make a turn when we encountered orange cones and a cop that said we could not. He directed us down another road, which took us immediately down a curved ramp with walls on both sides and then to a tunnel entrance which our truck was too high to clear. The tunnle cops raced out to stop us. When we explained how we got there, they stopped traffic and cleared lanes for us to make a U-turn out of there. In the few moments it took us to do that, I bet 5,000 people were stopped to wait for us. At one point in that episode, I saw one tunnel cop in my right mirror directing me to back up and turn one way. In the left mirror, another was directing me in another way. At that same moment, Diane was out of the truck talking to a third cop that was telling her, "Don't listen to the cops up there (the ones that directed us to the tunnel). We're the tunnel cops, we know what goes on here."
At times expediting can be like the Navy, "It's not a job, it's an adventure."
Part of it for us is the fact that we love NYC! We got into expediting partly to see the country. As expediters, we've seen parts of NYC in ways no tourist ever could. We love the people there, the sights, the activities. Did you know there are over 100 museums in NYC? Just walking the streets is fun. The people watching is amazing.
We once sat on Madison Ave and the 70s (a cross street like 71st, 72nd, etc.) for two hours while we waited for freight to be prepared. We were parked on the corner of that intersection which enabled us to sit "at home" (in our truck) and watch people go by. It was delightful seeing the dog walkers, Madison Ave executives, yuppies on their way to and from their Central Park jogs, shop keepers, and countless others go about their business. I could have sat there for two days and not gotten tired of it.
I falut no one for a decision to avoid NYC. It's not your normal truck driving experience, that's for sure. If you decide to stay out, you'll be in the company of many respectable drivers that will back you up. But for Diane and I, NYC driving has become part of the fun of expediting. While the risks are real, we've been careful and wise, and have had no significant problems driving in NYC. It has been both lucrative and exciting to drive in NYC.
Finally, consider this. Learn about the commuter trains that service NYC from NJ, NY state, and CT. If you find yourself close to one of those stations, check it out to see if you can park your truck there. Take a train into town to get a feel of the place. Take a day off and be NYC tourists. Get on one of those double-decker, open-top sightseeing buses and let someone else drive you around town for a day. We're likely to do that ourselves soon. I believe that with the right ticket, you have the ability to get on and off those buses at will as they buzz around town. The more you know the city, the easier it will be to navigate.
One of my trucker-as-paid tourist goals is to take in a Broadway play while being paid to deliver freight in the area. We've learned that the Trenton train station provides truck parking that is lit and guarded. Our plan is to park the truck there and go in for a play. We'll probably stay in a hotel in town then. Plan B would be to clean up at the Petro at Bordentown, NJ, change into nice clothes there, and drive the truck to Trenton and park. Take the train in for dinner and a play and head right back out the same day.
NYC is a magnificient arena of human activity, with humanity's best and worst in full view. We love it there and have structured our attitudes and business practices accordingly.