What to expect at Orientation with KLLM

Well still drivin', drivin', drivin'. I've lost track of how many times I've been from Illinois to California to Texas and back to Illinois. So back here in Chicago or Monee, getting unloaded with a trailer full of Sour Cream and Cottage Cheese at 10:30 PM. Drove through some serious wind and rain to get here through Missourri and Oklahoma.
They just beat on the door and handed me the bills. We're unloaded and on the way to Wisconsin to pick up and back out to California we go. Later, Newb

 

Well, since the last post, went to California with a load of household cleaning products, went from Bakersfield, California and did a swap going to Texas, then back to California for a load to Atlanta GA. Picked up a load outside Atlanta and headed back to Illinois. Can't deliver early, so here we sit at the Petro in Monee, IL. It'll be a good chance to catch up on email, get a shower and shave, a good long nap and a 34 hour restart. I'm due in Jackson next week to get my upgrade and be assigned my truck. So prayers and chants for a Cascadia for Newb. I guess if I have a choice in the two Freightliners we use it would be the Cascadia, because I'm training in one and like it. I drove an older Columbia and FLD Freightliner in school. The Cascadia in much quieter and seems smoother in the ride.

 

Lynn, We all get out to California at one time or another. While I was with my trainer, we saw California to Illinois or Texas alot. There were a few runs from California to Georgia or Pennsylvania, but I think the teams get the longer ones, due to time if nothing else. There are alot of solos and Lease Operators running some pretty long runs, but I think it's the luck of the draw and how you work yourself.
Training pay starts at Orientation. You're given 300 bucks for 3 days, then a $400 a week training pay for the 6 weeks you'll go out with your trainer. Regular pay starts the day you get your upgrade and are assigned your truck.
Fuels stops are Loves's, Pilot, Petro, TA's, Bossellmans (owned by TA), and a few Mom and Pop stops around the country. No Flying J's. They don't accept Comdata. However, for breaks or meals where you don't need fuel, you can stop just about anywhere. My Trainer liked the Bossellmans Buffet in the Wyoming, Nebraska, Idaho areas, and the Big Iowa 80 Truckstop in Iowa. We would also stop at Cruel Pete's Cafe at a small truck stop in Wyoming (can't remember the exit on I-80), Lamberts Restaurant off I-55 in Sykeston, Missouri and a host of othere meal and break stops.

 

Well everybody, I got my upgrade. My trainer and I took a load to Jackson and got there a day early. So they told me to come in and take my written test. While I was doing that, the Driving Test Guy stuck his head in the room and said, "Let's Go take a ride!" We drove around the downtown area and out and about, did some backing on the yard between trailers, etc. Then went inside to finish my test. After the test and a sit down with the safety guys, I was given my training certificate and my truck assignment......... in Portage, Indiana at the yard. They didn't have any trucks in Jackson. Fortunately, my trainer lives in Illinois and was ready for home time, and was given a Haz-Mat load to take to Chicago. I simply stayed on his truck and we took one last run together. We got to the yard at Portage and got my truck. Now I have to wait until tommorrow and get assigned, something going back toward home, so I can get some home time. I hope!!!