Burleson Terminal

I asked this in another forum here and it was suggested that I move my question here so I'm reposting.My questions are...with the Burleson Terminal being essentially brand new does anyone know any trainers there, have an idea where I could get to know any of them, or know of any other forum they might frequent?

 

Went by the terminal on my way to Buffalo for Thanksgiving, talked to Harold, the instructor. The terminal is smaller than I expected, but at least I know where it is now. I also located my hotel. Anyway, start there tomorrow...Monday. I am hoping all goes well, I haven't hidden or withheld any info, but I have a problem past. Nothing trucking or work related, but enough to cross me off the list with most everyone. No one at Millis has ever mentioned it so I am a little concerned that they may change thier mind at the last second. The closer I get to the start day for school, the more nervous I am about them changing thier mind. I'm not worried about driving, If it has wheels I can drive it, if it doesn't have wheels, I can probably drive it also, I have yet to find something I can't learn to drive. I'm not worried about time away from home, my wife and I are adept at adapting, and I'm not afraid of hard work, I have always worked hard. This is important to me, probably more important than anything I have done in a long time and I just don't want anything to go wrong. I am the only student listed for the class.

 

Thats awesome news. Thanx. I will be a second generation trucker. My dad drove for Global Freight when I was young and I have been to a LOT of drop yards and terminals. This is a small building...like a house...with a single maintenance bay...if I'm not mistaken. Maybe 10-15 trucks...half of them daycabs...4 maroon KW and 3-4 white coffin sleepers. The yard was roughly the length of a foot ball field...maybe a third smaller...and about two third as wide as one. Didn't get a great look at it but I know I was wondering how a student could drive in that yard. I was expecting...bigger. Anyway like I said before I can learn to drive anything but that doesn't mean I'm not nervous about screwing up.

 

Okay everyone...I'm sitting at the Texas Smokehouse eating breakfast just down the street ftom the Burleson Terminal. I'll leave here in about ten minutes to start training. I am nervous. I know everyone says they won't change thier mind but I have a serious offense 25 years old. I got my DAC and its clean. The felony doesn't even show up a nd it shows Millis pulled my background before I did...but I'm not hiding it. I'm giving full disclosure and I'm afraid that if they see it on the paperwork I'm turning in that they will shut me out. My wife told me to lie. A recruiter for TDI told me to lie. A driver I know told me to lie...but I'm not going to lie. Instead I'm laying it out openly and trusting God that its not gonna kill me.

 

no, the question on the app was have you ever been convicted of a felony, if yes, please explain. The answer is yes, 25 years ago.

 

It is now 5:48 PM here in Texas, I'm sitting at the Comfort Suites and Inn in Alvarado about 5-6 miles south of the Burleson Terminal, I finished today's class. Seeing as I was the only student, we managed to stay on track even though I ask a lot of questions. The first 4 hours of the day were spent signing paperwork...and man did I sign a lot of it. I turned in my application along with an honest answer concerning my previous felony
conviction 25 years ago...it was a serious conviction...for anyone interested in details see one of my first threads here. Anyway, while watching a film Harold took my paperwork in the office and went through everything, and I saw that he was reading the attatched letter with a full explanation of my felony. He never mentioned it and when he came back out he made a copy of a certificate of completion for MTI with my name on it, so I'm hoping that means nothing is going to stop me.

As I said, he didn't mention anything about it and we talked about a lot of things. After lunch we came back and began working over hours of service rules, and when I finish this post, that will be my homework...reading that boring FMCA Safety regulations book, section 395. We went through logs like forever, and by the time 4 PM got there, I thought my brain was going to explode with all the info.

Apparantly because of residency laws, Texas works a little different, and I have to have my CDL before I complete the class, so the class is scheduled to end on 26 December...breaking for the 24th and 25th, but I have an appointment with TDPS to take my roadtest on the 19th...I haven't even stepped foot in one yet...and I have to take the rest of my written tests by the 18th. Harold is going to take me down to Waxahachie for those tests...he seems more confident than I am.

I did get a good look at the outside of the rigs, this terminal does a lot of Regional work out of D/FW hauling for Miller, so they have a lot of Coffin sleepers for the regional guys and a surprising amount of daycabs. Harold offered me regional, said it was my choice if I took it. Guaranteed $800 gross and if your miles exceed the gross then you get miles instead, if you fall short of the gross then you get the flat $800 I declined, even though hometime is tempting and a guaranteed paycheck of $800 or more is nice...I know there are a lot of people who would rather do regional but I don't want that yet. Maybe in a couple years, but its an open field here in Texas, Regional right in the door.

I was surprised at the size of the yard, as I have said before. I guess I just expected bigger. It is bigger than I at first thought, but its not as big as I expected. Apparantly that is how Millis roles, he said none of their terminals are huge like you might expect. However, everything is spotlessly clean, even the maintenance bay...which I didn't actually get to enter because I am a student and they were servicing the trucks.

Every truck I saw there had those extra wide drive tires instead of dually's. During a break I got to talk to one of the drivers and he said they could get a little squirrely on water and ice but seemed to distribute better on snow. He just came from up north and said several dually trucks were stuck and he was able to just roll right on by. Nice guy...didn't catch his name, but he lives in Azle just a few miinutes from where I live so hopefully I will see him again.

My biggest surprise of the day was taking our first break, I went out to my car and checked my phone...yeah I'm a facebook junkie too, and I had a friend request from a Millis driver from Ohio, not sure how he got my info to friend me but it really made my day. We talked a bit, and he was real encouraging so, I reckon thats my update for Day one. I'm looking forward to the school, I'm REALLY looking forward to driving for Millis, but until the 26th gets here...my official hire date, I will remain worried that they will suddenly decide to change thier mind on me. I'm just that kinda guy, I borrow trouble and worry myself to death about it, but this is important to me. I'll sign out for now, see you guys later. I will keep updating this if you want...when I started looking for a carrier I found a day by day for most companies, but not Millis.