Sorry for the delay in updating....we got back to the yard to test out on Wednesday nite. Did some practicing, showered, ate and then tried to get some sleep (didn't happen). Got up Thursday morning and started the drill. It was exhausting. The nerves were out of control and so was the trainer. He had said all along that he wasn't concerned with his bonus if we passed, he just wanted to put safe drivers out on the road. Man! Was he lying! He was more uptight than we were! Don't get me wrong....I don't begrudge the man wanting the cash, but it just cracked me up watching him pace around the yard and rubbing his face talking about how high his blood pressure was.

But, all his agonizing was in vain....hubby was first to try the alley dock and bumped a barrel. Automatic fail.

I knew something bad was going to happen cause he was really nervous....

There was a kid there testing out with us also and he was next. He bumped the same barrel.

Not looking good at this point.

The tester (happened to be Head of Safety), tells all 3 of us to get in the truck and proceeds to teach us, step-by-step how to do a modified 45. At this point, I'm thinking the trainers standing there watching feeling pretty stupid. It made him look pretty bad. We were finally learning something he had 2 months to teach us!

We all get out then it's my turn. I jumped in, after 2 pull ups, got it in the hole. Jumped out of the truck all proud of myself, looked around and the tester was gone! Didn't even see me do it! Hubby said he must have gotten bored cause he had gone back to his office. That sure let the air out of my balloon.

All of a sudden the guy comes out of the building with keys and tells hubby to get behind the wheel and let's go. He made hubby drive about 5 miles, a couple of lefts and a couple of rights. I was really worried when he tried to downshift from 6th to 5th (he'd been missing it all day the day before), but it went in like butter! His drive was perfection!

Next he tells the kid to get behind the wheel and take us back to the yard. He does really well, also.

When we get back to the yard, the tester turns and looks at me and says, "I'm not gonna mess with you today." I almost fainted. I was so worked up about not hitting any curbs during the drive, I could barely breathe. I couldn't believe my luck.

During the drive, he made it very clear he didn't like our trainer (called him an idiot), and said that he wasn't going to give him his bonus.

I think what happened was before we left, we were handed evaluations. Hubby and I agonized over what we should put down. Do we be honest and bury the guy? Or just let it all go and get on with it. I walked into the tester's office and asked him if the forms were confidential. He looked at me with a very "knowing" look and said yes. The trainers do not see them, to be honest so no one would have to go thru whatever it was we went thru, after us.

So, we started to fill out the forms and next thing we know, here comes the trainer. Sits right down next to us. No privacy there. I know it was some kind of intimidation.

We ended up not filling out the forms until we got into the office. Tester saw the incomplete forms, told us they needed to be complete, we explained that we had no privacy, so he had us sit in his office and finish.

He must have read the forms before we went out.

When we got back, he took us into the office, handed us our paperwork, welcomed us to the company and told us that he remembered us from orientation and we were such a nice couple, that he was going to make sure we had a job with them and felt very sure that we were going to great drivers and employees.

We were done!!

We practically ran out to the truck, THREW our stuff out of there, in the mean time, trainer walks up looking all beaten down, tries to ####-chat as we're moving our stuff outa there, hubby throws our stuff in the back of our car, I jump in the car....trainer HUGS hubby....we leave.

Just like that.

We got home that night, the kids came over the next day, they were so happy to see us, some of them didn't leave, they stayed the night!

Since we've gotten home, we've been running non-stop cause we're moving out of our house so we can save on the rent. We have a million things to do cause we're supposed to be back on Wednesday to get our keys! In fact, I'm typing this a mile-a-minute cause the movers are coming in just a couple hours to finish getting the big stuff.

I'm really looking forward to our next home-time so we can relax and enjoy....woohoo!

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-Kung ## Panda

Hey my friend...we did it!

I thought of you everytime I saw one of those big pretty green trucks while we were out there. I was gonna call, but I didn't want to disturb you cause I wasn't sure when you'd be sleeping...or driving.

We did it....supposed to be back to the yard on Wednesday to pick up our keys! Yeah!!!

Yup, it was an experience, but it's over....or just beginning, I suppose, however you want to look at it.

You guys doing okay?

Be safe, girlfriend!

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Yesterday is History
Tomorrow is a Mystery
Today is a Gift - that's why they call it the Present

-Kung ## Panda

Oh jeez, I'll bet it made both of you want to barf. What a dork!

I glad you were able to make it through. And you certainly did the right thing with an honest evaluation. No reason to put some other poor couple through the same crap you guys had to go through!

My hat is off to you.

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[quote=Big Don;596000]Oh jeez, I'll bet it made both of you want to barf. What a dork!


Boy is that an understatement. Hubby just about fell thru the concrete....I'm not sure, but I swear I saw his right hand twitch like he was gonna deck him!

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Yesterday is History
Tomorrow is a Mystery
Today is a Gift - that's why they call it the Present

-Kung ## Panda

Congrats Willo!!!! I hope the moving goes smooth. Jonny

Willo, I've been reading your thread and thank you for all your posts. My husband and I will be doing the same thing next month so it's been really helpful. I'm so happy for y'all passing the test!

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Thanks Jonny! Nope, the moving SUCKS! I forgot how much I hate it....it doesn't help that I love my house and I'm really gonna miss it. But, I spent the last 2 weeks on the road daydreaming about how it's going to be when we finally get everything finished and settled into our new lives.

I have been dreaming, non-stop, of when we're home, we'll rent a cabin in the mountains for our hometime. It's only about an hour from here, the kids can come up and see us, and I can finally have some peace. I dream of drinking my coffee sitting out on a porch, looking at the mountains.

That daydream has literally kept me going for the past few weeks.

Right now, it's last minute packing, etc. We're not going to make it back tomorrow, so we'll get there Thursday, instead.

Man, I can't WAIT until life has some normalcy (if that's a real word).

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Tomorrow is a Mystery
Today is a Gift - that's why they call it the Present

-Kung ## Panda

Thank you so much Nana. I hope my posts (rantings) can help. If nothing else, please just take with you the knowledge that it's going to be tough. Probably the toughest endeavor you'll ever take on. But....the self-satisfaction you will have with each success is absolutely worth it.

I never knew what a strong person I was until I started this journey almost a year ago. I used to think I was a tough broad.....I had no idea. I have found inner strength like I've never known. That alone, especially at my age, was a great lesson.

Take one day at a time, be ready to laugh at yourself, a lot! And, don't ever beat yourself up.....you'll be just fine!

__________________
Yesterday is History
Tomorrow is a Mystery
Today is a Gift - that's why they call it the Present

-Kung ## Panda

congratulations for making it through.

i have alot of patience, but i don't think i could have endured all the b.s. you had to deal with to make it there. when you're in your own truck, that's when the real learning will begin, without some jerk breathing down your neck and berating you for what are probably non-issues when you really look at them.

good luck and be safe out there.

This is truth. I was fortunate to not have a miserable SOB for a trainer - we got on pretty well, really. Looking back, there's a bunch of stuff I wish he'd trained me in, but none of it was driving-related.

After I hit the road on my own, though, I picked it all up. Do I know all I need to know? Ah! I say. Ha! again! But I am far, far more comfortable driving now than I was when I started, 4 months ago.

Being on your own, making mistakes and learning from them, is a whole lot less strain than trying to learn the same stuff while somebody in authority is watching over you

(I was making a delivery the other day - simply sight-side back, plenty of room. My Terminal Manager was there. Naturally, I stressed out and couldn't do a darn thing with it. Took forever. He split and I headed back to the yard. Only spot available was blind side. Hit it with one pull up, and that was just because I wanted the trailer a little bit more straight. Man, I wish Dan had been watching from the window. Oh well)

Congrats on surviving the torture without breaking. Have fun and be safe on the road.

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Keep the big doors at the back!