Running With Watkins & Shepard

Well, according to a few students who have already been here a week, it works smooth as a baby's....ummm...you know. I have to admit that in school, I too wasn't watching the tach and speedo as I also drive by feel and sound. Hey, I never looked at the tach on my HOG but I always know right where it is by hearing. But when you're looking to grab a gear or two from where you are on a very steep hill, knowing exactly what RPM you need to get there lets it slip right in (so I'm told) and I really trust these folks. They are NO NONSENSE and very serious about SMOOTH so you're not rocking the load and beating up the equipment and freight.

I also worry about taking my eyes off the road buddy but that's why we have to commit all this info to memory so it can be a quick smooth shift. If you have to "think" about where you need to be, it's already too late.

Sammycat!!!!! Grinding?? Mwwwa?? LOL...The RPM for my typing to get this in here between study is......RED LINE baby!!!

A CAPITOL idea sir and exactly what I thought of last night (right AFTER loosing all that work!!) LOL Thank you and thanks for stoping by my humble little corner here.

 

Thank you so much difference-maker.

Those words really help reinforce my comittment doing all this the right way. I take this occupation very seriously and even if most out there think this industry is degrading (with good reason in many cases), I believe that folks with a serious attitute, an HONEST desire to be safe, be considerate of others out there and represent the company with pride and professionalism, can and WILL make a difference. It might not even be in my lifetime but hey, we gotta start somewhere....right?

 

So, today I had to go do the company's pre-hire drug screen. That went quickly and we got back to the terminal by about 9:30.

We went out to the yard to go over the equipment. Some of the other students came from some very cheap schools and never really got a lot of the basics needed. So it was a great chance to help them get caught up a bit on things. Then they had us start inspecting the trailers in the yard. There are a bunch so we each had a few of them to do. We had many other things to do so we only spent about an hour or so at it before heading back to class.

I did like 5 or 6 of them and for the most part, all of them are in very good shape and well maintained. I only had to write up a few minor things on 3 of them but that's only because I'm pretty picky about inspections. With the exception of one needing new tires as the retreads weren't far from shredding in my opinion, it was little things like a glad hand seal on one. Still good but going. The dock bumpers on another again, still OK but getting chewed up a bit. And one getting close to it's inspection date. Again, still good but I thought a heads up that it was due soon was appropriate. With the exception of the tire one, I'd have hooked any of them up and run without worry.

So today we covered the Qualcomm macros they use. I'll tell ya, it's a good system and it seems they really use it the way it was meant to be. I'm a computer geek so it's pretty obvious to me as to "how" the system should be used. Once they explained the importance of it to them, AND the difference between getting a message from a dispatcher or the "computer", it suddenly became clear how a lot of truckers out there may get the wrong impression of the dispatchers.

As a small example, when you get a #1 (Load Assignment) macro from the actual "person", if you're not around because you're eating or taking a shower or something, the "computer" waits for a #1 (Load Confirmation) from you and will send a "Hey....we're waiting" message like every 5 minutes. So you get back to the truck and see 20 messages and think..."Geeezzzz....give me a break" THINKING it's the "person"....LOL This actually happened just the other day and the driver calls dispatch and starts right in with an attitude. Obviously, the dispatcher has NO CLUE as to why he/she is getting this abuse...LOL.

So we also briefly covered Air breaks, Substance abuse, Hazmat, Qualcomm and took tests on all of them. Now here's the thing, they are actually open book tests and we did them tonight in the hotel. Of course they just happened to NOT mention the open book part so none of us brought the books from the classroom....LOL Oh well, I feel I did well on them and I'll find out tomorrow.

Tomorrow I have to do the company physical strength and agility test. Oh SURE.....I get to bend, squat and lift weights while everyone else will probably get out in the yard!!!......

So, as of the end of day two, I'm even more convinced I made the right choice with these folks. Obviously being a newbie I have no other company to compare them with but if I'm any judge of "people" (and I AM), I feel I'm going to be very happy here even if more money can be made with other carriers. Sometimes in life, the money isn't everything. From everyone I've met, and they way I've been treated with kindness and respect, this is DEFINITELY one of those times.