May Trucking, My Newbie Adventure begins

Hang in there Y2k, I'm glad you're enjoying solo.

Well the past week has been very busy for me and my trainer. We ended up picking up a reefer load in Indianapolis headed for Denver. All went well. While in Denver, we took our free shower in the dungeon of the Denver yard. (Showers are in the basement) But you can't beat free/

There we picked up a pre-loaded Coors load to Ft. Smith arkansas. Gave me a chance too how we get re-imbursed on tolls through the comdata. (Prepass et all doesn't work on OK and Kansas Turnpikes)

Found a truck stop with a casino just short of our next day delivery in Ft. Smith. that was a mistake, lol.

After getting unloaded inn Ft. Smith it was off to Muskogee OK to Georgia Pacific to get our next load to Denver.

My Trainer called the Layton office to recomend me for my upgrade to solo. Still no Safety supervisor in Denver, so I can't solo out there.

Currently we're sitting at Shamrock Foods in Denver waigting to unload our TP and Paper Towels from Georgia Pacific. There seems to be a dispute on who pays for the lumper (unloader). Shamrock says we pay, May says, Shamrock pays. We got here at 5am for our appt, but now have to wait till the Driver Manager gets in to sort it out.

Gotta love it. All-in-all it's been a great experience so far. Looking forward to getting my own truck soon, though.

BTW: may is governed at 61mph. A little annoying at times, but then again I never have to sweat when I see that stAte trooper!

Happy driving all!

Clutch

 

Well, my solo test was scheduled for today (friday 11-6-10) after two weeks with my trainer on the road. They were grating and repaving the Layton, Utah yard the last two days, so that made things interesting.

Took my solo test about 9am today. A couple backing maneauvers, then a run through their horse-shoe shaped semi-circle, then on to the road test. All went well. Remember, the slower you back, the more chances you have to correct any mistakes. Always a big help.

The road test went fine, and after I was told to take my paperwork inside. I had Passed !!!!!

Now here comes the rub. I'm supposed to be based out of Denver, but they still don't have a safety guy there yet. THat's why I had to do orientation and training out of Layton,Utah. I contact my (Now) manager in Denver to tell him I passed the solo. He said he was trying to find a driver heading back to Denver to get me into a truck. (Or seated, as they call it.)

Get a call back in a couple hours, a driver is in Ogden, 30 miles away ready to take me to denver.

Once I get on his truck, come to find out that because his load has already been paid (according to the computer), He's technically in Denver, and I'm in Utah. Now I can't log into his QualComm to drive his truck, and his hours will run out in Laramie Wyoming.

My wife and kids were going to head from Wyoming to DEnver anyway to see` me. I have her pick me up in Laramie, and am now in Denver.

I'm supposed to head to the Denver yard on Monday to get seated in my own truck.

Hopefully I'll still get a day or two to get it loaded and ready the way I want.

Will post again soon.

The Adventure continues......
Clutch