New Stevens.. trainee....

good luck and be careful with those overweight loads. you dont wanna get the heat for it

 

Hey Comic

I am "graduating" from Roadmaster on Thursday and if all goes according to plan will be in Dallas on Sunday to start orientation.

I am not quite clear on how long it takes to get a truck and start making more than training pay.

Understand the 35 days or so with a trainer. Then you get switched to a finishing trainer. Then what?

 

Here's the way it works (most of the time)
Sunday thru thursday is O-1 training. Then you are assigned a trainer and go out ont the road. A few get out on thursday, but most go out friday or saturday.
then you have a MINIMUM of 35 days where you must accomplish several things: Two mountain passes with a load. One without and one with a Jake. You must drive in all five sections of the country. You must 'bump' a dock in the NE and you must drive at least 8,000 miles.
Then you have the option of going home for a week (on your dime) or if you decide to go directly into O-2, you will be given 7 days after you complete o-2.
O-2 is three days in the classroom...monday thru wednesday. it's more procedureal work, paperwork and route planning. Heavy on route planning.
Then you are sent out with your O-2 'finishing' trainer. If this part is done right, you are suppose to run the truck as if you're solo with the trainer there to watch over you and give you guidance.
21 days. No minimum miles. You must submit a route plan for every load assignment and go over it with your DM. Procedures and route planning are the most stressed issues in O-2.
Then back to Dallas where you will go to Grad class (one day), then wander the sacred halls of Stevens, getting each department to sign off on you. Not hard, just time consuming and an insight to what you go thru each time you are routed back to the yard. You will be assigned a truck after the one day class. Depending on what service needs to be done on the truck, it may be ready in one day, but usually three to five. In the meantime, wander the halls and wait.
Finally, you will be dispatched with your first load and that is when you begin working for mileage. Previous to that, you are on training pay.
Now the promise is you will be dispatched with a load that will take you home for your 7 days hometime. Sometimes you will not be dispatched in this first load, it may take several before getting home. Just depends on freight.
In my case it took a month, but I didn't push or care too much. If I had reminded my DM more, I would have been home sooner.
Also, I live in a more remote area that is harder to get loads to.
But I like it.
Grad class is a minimum of 90 days and 30,000 miles. Plan on it lasting more than 3 months. But the only difference between grad class and solo driving is having to submit the route plans before driving.
Hopefully, by the time you've finished grad class, you will be doing these plans whether required or not. Planning is EXTREMELY important and that's why it's stressed so much.

Hope that helps.

 

Thank you both for responding. I am leaving for orientation tomorrow (Saturday). In my case I am going to not come home until I am driving solo. I will be done in time for the holidays so that is a good thing. I am in the San Antonio/Laredo corridor so Stevens should not have much trouble getting me home or keeping me busy in general. Take care.

 

Just a FYI, but you cannot get overweight permits for a load if it is more than 1 piece.. If it is more than 1 piece then it must be broken down into 2 loads / taken off the truck!!!

Overweight permits don't apply to reefers (Unless your a FEMA truck operating in a national emergency or disaster zone... & have a letter to operate like they did hauling ice into New Orleans).

 

Back again gonzo...

News for you, I have been given permits to run a load from Eastern Ohio Dow Chemical, to Commerce City CO...83,500 gross, 18 liquid totes.

 

i always thought you coouldnt get a permit if you have a divisible load
not sure how that worked that you could get one

 

Good luck, and be safe