Is in normal to feel stressed out while in training ?

Naw man, they don't tell these guys any of that stuff nowadays. It's like the military recruiter in high school. Tell 'em whatever you think they need to hear but just get me X bodies in class by X date or YOUR fired.

Nowadays you basically got four major categories of new folks getting into driving:

1. Young folks that want to see America, make a living, want some independence and don't want to join the military for their youthful adventure. First Target Priority and Cannon Fodder for the Mega-recruiters.

2. Young folks that have a family history in trucking and are intrigued and want to pursue it. Second Target Priority and know how to duck just a little because a savvy family member is keeping the recruiter to a more mellow and realistic tone.

3. Older; Middle aged and even beyond, that this is a second career because they either lost their job in the first one and the economy may be moving again on Wall Street, but it's still kinda stagnant on Main Street (where most of us live). They know more and been more, but still susceptible because of need. It's kinda like buying a car from a "buy here - pay here" lot. You know the salesman is full of BS and you gotta be super carful about the car you choose while ignoring his prattle and you know you aren't getting a good deal but you just don't see any other options.

4. Last and probably; to be very honest - the group having the most actual fun at this. The Seniors. The split group of the ones that have done this their whole careers and have it so down pat they could do it blind folded in their sleep AND the retirees that are just supplementing income and don't give a flitter about whether who says what and the consequences to the paycheck - IT'LL BE THERE WHEN IT GET'S THERE! They went into this eyes wide open and you couldn't sell them a box of soap with a bow on it; lest they put it under a microscope of analysis first and drew a line though THIS line and THAT line of the hire agreement before they even thought about signing on for this gig.

I don't know. Maybe I'm at that stage of life, career and professional proficiency that I feel the need to give back. Someone took me under their wing and honestly, in the beginning it was a LOT of someone's. I think we all had that someone and we owe the newcomers of today just a little tad of offset from what the BS'ers of yesterday and today are telling them - which is mostly

Whatever they want to hear.

TO: The OP

You'll s#!+ nickels at least five times a week during training and three when you qualify solo. Then maybe once a week for a couple months then maybe once a month. Then your first solo winter will hit and you'll be right back to five times a week then three as it winds down. You'll get lost as a pup, jacked with no way out (but there is) and staring straight at a bridge you WISHED you hadn't skipped clearing the route for low clearances (it was ONLY one time - Please God let it be 13'6",) and relied on your GPS (I'M NEVER LISTENING TO YOU AGAIN).

First year is a beeyatch and a half. Second is just a beeyatch. My best advise in the beginning is:

GO SLOW. If you had a good trainer (and it appears you do); IF IT DON"T FEEL RIGHT - IT PROBABLY ISN'T. S-T-O-freakin' P. Make the call. If he has a grain of salt in the sea's worth of professionalism, you'll have his phone number. Call him and then call your supervisor. Just never EVER be afraid to STOfreakin'P!

Can't hit anything if you ain't moving. You'll tote some grief over it - but not as much as if you hit something. Remember: in the end that's what we get paid to do.

Make this go there and don't hit anything in the process and don't cause anyone else to hit anything either.

My simple prayer before each trip, each day:

"Heavenly Father; Please don't let me get hurt today. Please don't let me hurt anybody today. Please don't let me damage anyone's property. Please don't let anyone damage my property or my Company's property. Please help me get all your children home safely. Please be with those that need you. Please forgive me my sins, and thank you for your many wonderful blessings. Let's run. Amen."

So, you hit the truckstop and there's nowhere to park. You'll be taking cheater's parking - even though you hate it. You're late. You can't unload til a day later and you'll be more than a dollar shorter for it and probably got a little fussed at. Did you get there without getting hurt or hurting anyone else? Did you do it without anybody's $#!+ getting tore up? Are all the people you shared the road with that day better for having passed YOU. Everybody OK as far as you know?

Then you had a d@mned good day - I don't care what anybody says or how long it took you to do it or if that Qaulcomm was screaming about an HOS violation. You got it there and nobody got hurt or scratched up.

Good Job.

End of diatribe.

 

What that dude said. ^^

 

QFMFT. Best post yet.

 

Yeah I've learned to pretty much ignore my gps. I keep it going to really see my eta. On the other hand, I don't have much confidence in my map book either. This passed Monday I was delivering to a small town. Checked and rechecked my map for low clearances. It said I was golden. Well I get into town and dang it if there wasn't a 12ft bridge. Now maybe I didn't read it correctly, all I saw was 12ft so I took the next right I could, bad choice, I ended up in a neighborhood. Thank God there happened to be a fire station with people outside, but my heart sank when I saw the patrol car and a cop. Luckily she was a very nice woman cop, must have charmed her with my good looks. Well she said not a big deal and gave me a nice escort out of their and to where I needed to be. That wasn't the first time a map or signs lied to me. 2 days ago I followed every truck route sign on us70 in OK to avoid low bridges. Well it brought me to a 13'1" bridge. I stopped popped my brakes, and thought what am I gonna do now. Luckily a few 18 wheelers higher than me went under with what looked like 1/4 in. of clearance. So I got skinny and went under. It's been stressful but I'd be lying if I said I don't enjoy it. Which brings a little guilt enjoying something that's keeping me from the wife. She didn't mind it so much when we saw our first paycheck of OTR