PAM Questions.

Rookie/Trainer checklist...

Things to do before leaving the yard:

1. Agree on backing procedures and hand signals. Practice one or two different types of backs in the yard to work things out. It also will give the trainer an idea of our skill levels in this area

2. Trainer expectations week 1. Trainer should go over with trainee whats going to happen fr the first week in general and for next 24 hrs in particular.

3. Trainer should be up and in front seat with trainee while truck is in motion. Trainees aren't another 70 hrs to burn. Teach them..They NEED the help. If time on load allows pull in to multiple truck stops, rest areas and present student with different backing scenarios. Make sure student can do proper pre trip, knows where the oil dipstick is, can use a tire pressure guage etc. Never assume they have been taught these things in class.

4. Student never sits in truck at consignee or shipper during load/offload. If you, the trainer go in..so should they.

5. Make student scale truck (even if light load) and adjust tandems on first load so california legal...they got to understand the kingpin to center of front trailer rule. They may end up somewhere doing california runs..

6. Granted PAM uses paperless logs, but show themhow to do a paper log..they may not be so lucky down the road...Do one, void it and toss it.

7. Drive first load..at end of load discuss it with student..how things went, what they did good, what needs work and how you will work WITH them on those areas then follow through

Week 2. Slowly begin to spend less time the passenger seat..Eat a snack for 30 min in the sleeper and watch student from the back..after another hour..take a couple hour nap..increase from there until student becomes uncomfortable and voices it or student is driving 8 hrs by themselves..do not force over 8 hrs until towards middle of week 3..They need the adjustment time to the rigors of driving OTR and 11-14 hr work days. Practice backing for two hours at end of his 8 hrs driving...

Week 3..Logbook checks..check logbook yourself..make sure everything is going good. As student how they feel, confident, shaky or completely unsure..discuss why.drive line for student to full 10-11 hrs

Week 4. Trainee does all first seat dties..trainer just double checks..route planning, shipper/consignee contact, answering qualcomm messages..the full nine...trainer just drives and logs his hours and answers questions..full team..

Optional training: Trainer pulls into scale and requests inspection so trainee can see what goes on during a dot inspect during week 4. Its good experience. Just make sure equipment will pass..good tires, no leaks etc so the company don't get ticked off.

Should never happen, if these things happen trainee should immediately cal company and if parked, get off the truck.

1. any sort of physical confrontation between trainer and trainee
2. Verbal abuse
3. Illegal logging
4. Trainer stops at house for more than 2 hours and you, the trainee are left with the truck. you aren't equipment...call and qc the company
5. Its got to be said (sexual assault)..it has happened at other companies where a trainer has sexually assaulted their trainees..In this case, call the PD first, get off the truck and, wen pd is present and you are safe, call company..Even if you can't talk because the person is present.call 911 on your cell..it has a built in gps chip..they will find you and help you...there are no extenuating circumstances to any of these.

Petey
3

 

Just a few of my thoughts.

 

Modern tech..laptop or smartphone..if you have an extra gps unit (like one for each car) and an use one one the road..grab that too..Google earth is an awesome tool as is gps...just check routes through cities to ensure truck routes with an atlas..modify routes in the gps as needed

Those are things that will make your job easier (way easier) but not required.

Petey

 

Go to a truck stop in your area for the atlas...

flashlight,
ruler,
a screw driver of each kind can be handy for changing lights and bulbs
pocket knife (also handy)
Pens
Pad of paper
Atlas
cell phone
shampoo and soap
toothbrush/mouthwash/toothpaste
enough clothes for at least a week..(I'd take two weeks..less time spent doing laundry and i hate laundry)
laundry bag
laundry soap
food
drink
cash
Pillow and bedding

Thats it to get started..literally...there are no specialty things you'll need to purchase or have...

Things you'll acquire as you go are fridge, microwave, cb, inverters and other things that you decide you need for your comfort or use..each person has their own things they take beyond that list that are for their comfort or for saving time..those you figure out as you go.

I will have on my solo truck:

5 lb sledge (sometimes tandem pins stick if the trailer has been tweaked and that sledge comes in handy for knocking them out of their holes to slide tandems..your trainer probably already has one...

Tire gauge (company drivers used to generally be provided these by the company unless they lose them) must go up to a min of 100 lbs

Big screw driver (one of those 2 footones thats a half inch thick) or small pry bar...good for winter for remving excess ice/snow off of truck (excess weight)

Pliers

roll of electrical or duct tape for those temporary repairs to light pigtails to get you to the shop for permanent fix. In winter this is good to have..granulated salt, ice etc flying off the tires hitting the underside of the trailer will eat through wiring sometimes..cause tail light to quit working so if you can see where its broke at..pliers and pocket knife to strip the insulation..twist the ends together..wrap in electrical or duct tape and get to the nearest T/A and call roadside rescue so they can get it fixed permanently...

crescent (adjustable) wrench..things vibrate loose..between pliers and a crescent wrench you an tighten up a loose mudflap or a loose bolt on a trailer door..saves time goin to a shop to have those little simple things done

Most company drivers don't even go that far...they skip the temp fix if they aren't crossing a state scale..


As a company driver that should cover everything for every situation..anything beyond that...call roadside rescue because it is beyond your responsibility

 

Yeah, everything he stated is pretty much the norm. Just be sure you can keep everything in a confined space. Your trainer lives on the truck, you are just a visitor. Don't expect to have 2 cubby holes and drawers for your crap. More than likely, you'll have to keep the big stuff at the foot of your bunk. I'm 6'2, 275 ish....and I had NO problem at all with a big bag of clothes at the foot of my bed.

As far as a flashlight and some tools...Yes, they are going to be needed on your truck, but remember that your trainer should have most of that stuff already on the truck, and you bringing all yours may just cause clutter. PAM does their best to get you by your house as soon as they can after upgrading for you to get all the things you didn't bring with you on your trainer truck. Same goes for the atlas. Your trainer will have one, so you having one isn't a necessity. You can always buy one towards the end of your training, before he drops you off for upgrade. (you will have to park at truck stops to sleep, am I right? lol)

All I brought with me was my clothes, a sleeping bag (you should bring that or a blanket..trainers don't provide ), a couple books to read, and a laptop. If I saw that my trainer had something that I thought I might need or want, or something that would be useful on my truck, I wrote it down. When I got my own, I went and bought the things I didn't already have.

 

The upgrade test at PAM is not something that should concern you. The test is just basic things you already know. They just want to have a feel of what was taught to you. Everyone passes the tests ! The road test is what you where doing with your trainer. There are really only three ways to fail a road test :
1. Get a ticket from the police (for any reason).
2. Crush a curb on a turn and not see it happen.
3. Have an accident (at the yard or road).
Those are what I used to fail anybody. Practice your pretrip because the will test you on that too.
If you get your CDL in Texas and do just a paper pretrip, try and do a physical pretrip as well.