How did you learn to drive?

this was a nice idea. Thanks Mike-Z

 

When I was prolly 10? Maybe dad got me in an ole 1990s fld and started to teach me the basics of it. After driving around the yard he said go hook 9704(dryvan trailer) so I set my self up to hook it back to it gently and note didn't tug on it, put the gear up put the lines on, got back in put it in 1st started to roll then I here a BANG. Look in the mirror trailer on the ground sob haha right then and there hated trucking. Couple years later dirt hauler never showed up to haul for dad, so he asked me to do it and I said I would, truck was a 94 peterbilt 377. Ever since then I've been hooked.

 

I went through Schneider National back in the 90's. It was a decent program and I learned the basics there.

When I hired on at my current company in 1998 , the "old timers" took me (a 21 year old know it all punk) under their wing and showed me how to really drive a truck with purpose. Best training someone could ever ask for. After 15 years, I'm still learning something new every day.

To answer the poll... #2 and #4

Cool topic!

 

Back then many drivers could not read very well. At times I would help an older driver find a route to his destination, because he could not really read signs, and the Interstate system was still being built.. Might recognize some town names, but they could not follow written directions. Maps were used by most,some atlases, no CBs, no cell phones, no GPS devices, no AC, no power steering.42 foot trailer was a big one.All we had was AM radio to listen to, still remember the first 8 track player I got. Truck stops were friendly , down home places.Not many showers,but they were usually free.As a kid, I can remember blacks and whites using separate rest-rooms, going into stores using separate entrances to make a purchase. Fuel could be had for a quarter a gallon during price wars,RPM oil was about 60 cents a quart in a paper can. Buck a mile was real good freight, but just seemed like I made more profit. Log books meant little to a produce hauler. You loaded, drove until you could not drive anymore, slept a few, did it again until you delivered your load.
But we had a lot more pride in what we did.Might be driving a raggedy old home-made truck that would run 65 mph on a good night,heater not work very well, doors not close tight, and burn a gallon of oil every tank of fuel,but we were proud to be a trucker.

 

Behind the wheel before i was born.(mother drove when pregnant)
Allways went with father(somedays i saw my classmates go to school while i was in the truck,kindergarden age)
Then at around age 6,my father would in the evening put his seat all the way back,put me between his legs and let me steer.(offcourse his hands were there to correct me)
Around 8 i could get at the pedals and was moving our trucks on the yard (only in first gear and father standing on the step,ready to shut down the engine if needed)
At 11............ran into our policechief while driving one off our trucks from my grandfather's place to ours.
It was only 1/2 mile on a deserted small neighbourhoodroad but he didn't like it.
Promisses were made that i wouldn't drive again on public roads till i got my licence.(he didn't write any report or citation)

At age 12 i lost my teacher when my father died.

Did drive our trucks on our yard to fill diesel and do small maintenance on them.

At 16,dropped out off school to go trucking with my mother.
She did the public roads........i drove in the factories and loaded/unloaded everywhere.
6 months later she sold all our trucks as there was no money to be made in trucking at that time.
Back to school i went.
At 20 ,got my licence...........been driving ever since.

 

early '80's was laid off as a factory quality control manager,gov contracts.

a buddy knew I had driven straight trucks and a snow plow in WYO back in the '70's and needed a part time driver.

it was moving textile machines. tearing down, transporting and setting up elsewhere.

ended up driving a straight truck from NC to Canada, hauling new sock machines and bringing back the used ones.

was paid by the hour and slept in a motel.. hard work, but good conditions.

a few yrs later they needed a bigger truck and told me to go down to Penske and practice to get my A license. on sat.! but with pay

the mechanics taught me the basics of a 10 speed and hooking up and left me alone.

the rest of the 20 some odd yrs is history. lol