Into the Great Wide Open

Well I've got my trainers name and I'm counting down the hours till I meet up with him. I feel as anxious now as when I took the CDL...boy I wish I had read the company manual and qualcomm manual a dozen times more.

I've got to pack up the family and take them to Grandmas house (wife doesn't like to be alone).

So I've read the good, the bad, and the ugly on here and I want to thank everyone that posts here. I read these forums before going to CDL school and since getting out of it. There are a lot of good stories and info.

I guess I'll get to log on in 4 weeks and see how everyone is doing.

Until then look out for ILMChris...he maybe on a highway near you

 

I detailed things another thread a little. Things went good and I am now in a 2005 Freightliner in good condition. A little elbow grease and I'll have the interior squared away this week and then hopefully I'll find a truck wash to make to the outside temporarily shiny

Only bad thing is that its right before Thanksgiving but I hope to get some good runs in before Christmas...boy my kids Christmas list is long.

My wife was REALLY happy to see me too

I keep catching myself thinking I should have done this years ago.

 

Well I was on the road...delivered down to Florida, got a run to Pennsylvania. Then the thing hit on I-78 on Wednesday and I didn't think I'd ever make it home. But luckily my next run was not headed to New Jersey. But when I got there they said the load wasn't supposed to be ready until 8pm (my hours run out at 7:45). I asked what their policy was on camping in the yard because I was running low on hours. They were then real helpful, Holidays and all, and got me out of there with several hours to spare. So I run down to Exit 10 on I78, that big quiet truck stop and slept in until my 10 off was up.

I then do my pre trip, make sure my tandems are good, and then at 4:30 or so (I won't say that is official since I don't have my log book with me...it was just earlier than early) I began headed home. The trip was going to take originally something like 9-10 hours, but traffic was really light for Thanksgiving, only one bad spot, and I made good time.

So I am pulling into the truck stop in my hometown, figure I'll pull in, get my stuff together, sweep up some of the PA mud in my foot well (dust really I exaggerate). But before I can get all the way into the lot a state trooper pulled in behind me...

Thought to self: My wife is going to kill me!!!!

The officer pulls up besides me gets out and says he wants to check me out (I didn't hear that though I was scared boneless). He wants my log book, registration, short form medical card, license...he was rattling off a little fast for me. I just tried to be cooperative. I couldn't find my medical card (it was in my folder with important stuff...where was that!!!). Finally I find it and he asks me for the Fuel whatchamacallit...I said it had to be in the document book with the registration I gave him. Then he wants the trailer permits so I climb down to get them out of the document box. I bring them over to the cruiser and he's on his lap top computer.

He says he it looks like I owe the state $50 and then (I again about blacked out here) says something about out of service violation. I get one of those "oh is that right looks...hmmm" while I am thinking:

I'm screwed

So now I'm just trying to make the best of what I think is a bad situation...he asks why if I am driving for Decker Transport that I have a PDS truck and I explain that PAM is a big company with a lot of divisions in it and I was lucky to get the PDS out of orientation. He asked about my family and I said that can't cook (they made me out a liar this year everything was awesome). He printed me out a record of inspection and said I was good to go...dumb me asks "but what was the deal about the $50 ticket".

He pulls it up and says that someone in the company (you know like out of 1000 or so trucks) got a OOS citation and the company hadn't sent in the money yet. Then he asked if I wanted to pay it...I smiled really big and said no sir. He wished me a Happy Thanksgiving and drove away.

I parked the freaking truck and went home!

My ride came and picked me up we through some stuff in the car and I started calling people to tell them about my Thanksgiving.

 

Yeah really

I just now understand that the inspection sticker is on my truck and trailer are stamped for the date that the inspection was done at that the inspection is good for one year...now how my permits can be good from being from 2004 (lifetime permits?) is something else I need to find out.