DALLAS OC ...Turning into a Pumpkin!

How much do they pay once you go out with a trainer?

 

Bigcove, Good luck in Dallas. When I went to orientation in Charlotte, we got to the OC on Sunday and finished up the following Thursday and were paid $150 for the orientation but all the drivers in that class were experienced drivers (myself being the least experienced with 7 months). I'm impressed with the fact that you only have to go out with a trainer for 8 to 10 days before getting your own truck. With my first company I had to go out with a trainer for 6 weeks at $400 per week. That's a long time to be with another driver in a close environment and my trainer was not all that easy to get along with at times. A couple of times I considered getting out of the truck and telling him to shove the job up his rectal canal but I wanted to be a truck driver so I stuck it out. We were driven as a team operation which made the trainer and the company a fair chunk of change, I'm sure. I hope your trainer at least knows his right from his left. In Charlotte, I was given the road test right off the bat. If you get through that, all you have to do is pay close attention in class. When you do go out with the trainer I would strongly suggest taking a loose leaf notebook with you so you can write you own book in the language only you need to understand, paying close attention to every single part of the procedures used during a trip from the time you get the dispatch to the time you leave the gate at your place of delivery. That way, after you go solo you will have that to refer to so you don't forget the little simple things like opening the trailer doors and removing the load locks or straps BEFORE YOU BACK THE TRAILER IN! LOL. I did that at least 3 times anyway but it's funny to me now. Not so funny when it happened but I know I'm not the only one who's done it and that comforts me. I just talked to my DBL and I'm going into Charlotte next Tuesday to take the class on the new computer system that I'm going to have with Schneider in my truck and I'll be on the road the next day and for the next two weeks. It took a while for my DBL to set me up with other drivers doing the Home Run which worked out well for me anyway. Hope all goes smoothly for you (and it probably will) and let us others know how you're doing when you can. I am curious as to why you're going to Dallas for your orientation when you live so much closer to Charlotte. Later on.
Twisted

 

I don't believe they're hiring new grads in Charlotte so that's probably why they sent you to Dallas but they do have simulators in Charlotte just for your info.

 

When I get throught school they told me I would be going to Green Bay for 6 days and then to Gary for another 3. Do they have simulators in Green Bay and Gary?

 

Yeppers on both. Green Bay had them when I was there, and Gary got them more recently. I haven't actually seen the one at Gary. But it's in the old smokers lounge.