US Xpress in Dallas

linadin, that would be so cool to meet you. I will be easy to find.....blue t-shirt, blue jeans, blue hoodie (if cool), short reddish hair which you can barely see under my Crowder College Professional Driver Training School cap....LOL

 

It has been a long, but fun day.

Started at 5:00, downstairs at 6:00 for breakfast, shuttle came about 6:40, and class started at 7:00. There are 19 of us...5 are students, everyone else ranges in experience from about 1 to 30 years. First part was just doing some paperwork, then it was off for road tests, physical capabilities test, and DOT physical.

For the road test there are 2 new hires with one driver. I was with "Sam" who had to hook up, then we did a Pre-Trip Inspection. The trailer was parked between others, with just about a shoulder's width between. Sam pulled out and did the first leg which consisted of pulling out of the yard, going a little way on the frontage road which made almost a U-turn under the freeway, then along the freeway for a few miles, then he came off and had a tight right-hand turn into a street where he parked and I took over. I had to drive down this rutted, pot-hole filled street, then make my way back to the freeway for my few miles. I had to cross two lanes of traffic to get into my left turn exit from one freeway to another. Then I had to exit right on a very sharp curve, but I watched my tires really close and didn't hit the curb. I drove back to the yard and had to park it back between those two trailers. And this is where all my "wiggling" experience came in very handy...LOL...but I parked that just as pretty as you please. Sam and the driver said I did very good for being a newbie!!!!

The Physical Capabilities Test was 5 parts. The first one was lifting a milk crate with about 75lbs of weights (she said it was the weight of a snow chain) from the bottom shelf to the second shelf, then to the top shelf, back to the second shelf, then carrying it about 20' down the hall and back and setting it on the bottom shelf. Then we had to step up two feet on a ladder (this was to simulate climbing in the cab). Then she hooked this thing that measures strength to the wall and we had to tug on it as hard as we could (this was to simulate pulling the lever that unlocks the jaws around the kingpin in the fifth wheel). Then we had to hold it against the wall, above our heads, and push (this was to simulate shutting the back doors). Then we had to crunch down and do a duck walk to show that we could walk under the trailer with no problems.

After that was the DOT physical. I passed with flying colors and my blood pressure was a wonderful 108/84 (for those of you who don't know, I'm on BP medication because of stress the past few months and without it my pressure will often be 160's/110's).

Lunch was supposed to be at noon, but by the time we got back it was almost 2:00. There were two more that had to do their drive test, so when they got back about 3:15 we just talked some and then watched a few videos so it was about 4:45 when we got done. Then we had to wait about 25 minutes for the shuttles to come get us and take us back to the Ramada.

Tomorrow won't be as exciting since we'll be watching videos and learning about different things with the company. According to the schedule we should finish up around 1:30 on Wednesday.....then we'll get assigned to our trucks. I'll try to let everyone know my status sometime Wednesday.

 

linadin, I got your phone number but it was about 6:00.....figured you were out of town and I was too beat to call.

It was a long day spent watching videos. We have to turn our phones off during class and on an afternoon break I turned mine on to call someone and there was a message from my recruiter. He had finally made contact with someone from where I worked last and they woudn't fax him a copy of my W2. Fortunately I had a copy so I was able to get it faxed from here. Then he says he needs a copy of a W2 from a job that I worked for 1 day back in 2008. Had to call my tax person so that he could fax it in.

We have to check out of the Ramada in the morning, take all our stuff, and be ready to get on the trucks in the afternoon so I'll try to touch base when I can.

 

Well, I guess I'm hired. Got sent back to the motel instead of home...LOL

Going back over today to finish my paperwork and then see if a trainer is available. If I can't get out today or tomorrow, then I'll probably go home and wait for the gal who did my road test. She had been asked to train but needed to recertify and she had already agreed to team, but that fell through. As of yesterday, she is supposed to haul a load to the GA terminal, get recertified, and then pick me up at home.

 

Got all my paperwork finished up this morning and then spent the afternoon waiting on a trainer. My Training Coordinator (out of Nebraska) was working on it but with nothing happening by 4:00 we came back to the motel. Tomorrow we'll take all our gear AGAIN and go back over and wait. Out of a class of 20, there are only two of us still waiting on trainers. 4 came back to the motel, but 2 are leaving tomorrow with their trainers.

I will be out for 150 hours with a trainer, then 6 months as a team before I go solo. My first choice for a trainer is a woman smoker, but I said I would take anyone just so I can get going.

The class of 20 consisted of 5 or 6 students, the rest were already "drivers" so were going out by themselves and a few were lease/operators. We only lost 1 guy because his previous company said he abandoned a load...his story was he called in to quit, dropped his trailer at the terminal for another driver to take, other driver took it. Original terminal stood up for him at first, second terminal started their story, first terminal then refused to stand up for him.

Rob, you should have no problems. USX is hiring and they have 30 coming in on Monday. They do M-W and W-F. Our Orientation Instructor said they usually only have 1-4 for Orientation.