31 Days and Counting...Starting School June 28th!

Thank You and man.... Thats some home time this time ... I hope everyone recovers Wiseguy, man....... I have to take a minute and relax... I purchased the wrong Atlas.... 2008 edition.... I'm not too smooth yet.... Good luck with this outing Wiseguy.... I'm reading everything.......

 

i get smokers all the time and dont smoke...so we just trip plan the breaks... no biggie, relax smoke and thump the tires

 

I hope I get you Ranger as my mentor (I have ear plugs) and everything on the list all packaged into a 3" brown paper bag !! Hahahahaha.. No really I packed light...I don't need much comfort stuff, I'm in this for 1 thing... SUCCESS, not a party..... I'm on my way..... Sept 5th I FLY in and class starts Sept 7th promptly! I'm on Eastern time so I'll be 1 hr early.... It's ok ... I'll need the time to calm down... hahahahaha.... I'm so ready for this.... I've waited 21 years until my children have grown and out of college.... I need this... I'm counting the hours... The wife thinks I'm off my rocker, I'm driving her crazy with my obsession.... This is for me this time... I gave up my class1 for the family back in 86 and now its my birthday again..... Aggressive for knowledge? You becha... Going to be a old timer in the business? You betcha... Going to help other students someday? You betcha but first I need to crawl before I can do anything... I'm all ears and have no preconceived ideas about anything.... I forgot all that I knew when I was a youth at 26.... I am now 48 and ready to rejoin my 1st career choice. I'm quitting my printing job next week and re joining my 1st love... TRUCKING. I need the best advice (Mentoring) money can purchase so thats why I chose Roehl. I even offered to pay cash to my recruiter but she said "Don't bother".. We want you to drive for us and we will pick up the cost... I put in 20 years into my last job... Made top management... Seen that I could not effect anything with the company... Chose to retire at 48.... Now Roehl has a good man.... but he is green as a leave in spring (April 1st like) but you wait... September will come for him (me)... Lots of hard work and diligence.... GOD I hope I can shift...... "OOH Please LORD, Let me be able to shift the tractor".... I am sweating bullets because failure is not in my genetic makeup and when I do (I will I know) it hurts so bad.... "Shake it off kid and THINK ABOUT WHAT YOU ARE DOING"........ "Yes Sir... Mr. Mentor Trainer Sir" Sir... It's not real funny but I am in a state of "I got to do this correctly"..... I hope I get you Ranger... really...

All kidding aside I am mature and take this career seriously. I need to break my tension a tad so I joke a bit but underneath my laugh lines is a fellow who is committed and dead serious about Safety. I have a clean slate and intend to keep it that way... Just need a good mentor who wants me to succeed... I have choose this out of intellect not necessity... It is my wish to become a career driver, not the need for a job. I am a proud fellow who chooses wisley. I wish to represent Roehl in the finest way.... A Professional... but I must learn from the beginning... It's the only way it works..... Trust me... I have tested it... You have to start from the beginning and build... so Here I come.... approaching 1......... (Lift foot, Take step)... Thanks all for letting me rant.... I got to get out of this house!!!!!!!!!!! Come on Sept 5th!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Great... another driver running out of the St. Paul Park yard. One more truck to the 50 that are already there. Haha just kidding. If you have any questions or need any help, don't be afraid to ask. They're a good group in SPP. Good luck and I'll probably see you down there sometime.

 

We are students still Belleye basically so no trainer is going to expect us to be smooth shifters.
please don't worry about it....the more practice the better we will get. Almost every new truck driver is in our shoes....we can only improve at everything.
I'm just as excited as you are honestly. Told my current boss back in June I was attending Truck Driving School every saturday with graduation being Aug 28th...so my last day at this 32 hour/week job would be early September. It's been a challenge just learning and retaining information every 7th day. If I could do it over I'd have quit my job and gone to day classes...I think it would have been easier. i'll have a lap top with me in my truck and I purchased myself a Cobra 7700. It's either Roehl, Swift or US Xpress I'll go with. Can't wait, wish it was today. I test on Aug 30th. Once that is under my belt I'll make the call to one of the above for Orientation. Got everything laid out on a table ready to pack up and go. I know this is going to be challenging, exhausting and exhillerating for me. I need to make some kind of living for myself. My 4 wheeler is manual as well I ride an HD Electra Glide. I believe being a biker has and will help me in where and what I look for as I'm tooling down the road. But driving a manual car and driving a 10 speed semi are two different animals. I look forward to the day (I'm hoping/assuming) when shifting in a big truck is similar to how natural it is for me in my car or on my bike. Driving a Volvo Automatic I would think allows a driver to better focus 100% attention on the road - less strain on the arm, shoulder, hip, knee perhaps. Still going back and forth about who to hire on with. So ready to learn though, so ready! My trainers at truck driving school could not have been better instructors...if you listen to them and do what they say, remember and practice it you'll do great. You gotta want it. It's fun to accomplish a challenge you've given yourself you know? It's a good feeling. Now the real world will be set before you with lots of frustrations, more challenges, negative people (I'll focus on those kind people out there who are positive folks). Stay focused on what I am doing and why I am wanting and needing to become a professional truck driver. I'm glad to see and read about someone else who is genuinely excited about this new future and feels free to express it. It's super that you have the backing of a wonderful family...they're excited for you I'm sure Belleye.

 

There is not better Lisa. Yes, I am positive.... No room for Negativity... I congratulate you for achieving.... You have made it far.... I bet you are proud and I am proud for you.... Good skill on your test OK! I'm pulling for you.... I kind of imagine all the PRO drivers are reading my posts and feel I'm a IDIOT but you know what.... I don't care.... I feel I will be absolutely one of them some day and will strive to be just as experienced and professional... For me it's all about performance.

Tonight I went to Walmart to pick up school supplies and personal hygiene items for my 3 week stay at school. I watched a 18 wheeler pull in and stop and park immediate... The driver got out with his flashlight and walked back to his trailers tandems and crawl underneath into the darkness. I was parked 4 rows over with the 4 wheelers. I watched as I seen the flashlight flicker left and then right. I thought to myself. "Hummmmm?" "He might be sliding the tandems rite here in the Walmart parking lot".. The driver was under the trailer for some time... I thought to myself this is not the way 1 starts to slide..( I can only imagine because I do not know the process yet) so I said to myself... "Self!" "Go over there and shine your truck headlights for the man" and I did just that... The man ( Eahgore from Russia/Canada/USA) came out from under the trailer with a HUGE big old smile. I jumped out of my Dodge Ram truck and greeted him and asked if I might be of any assistance. Eahgore told me he was checking AIR ride problems. I assumed he meant his trailer bellows were not inflated but did not ask him to explain further due to his thick accent and his in ability to speak good English.

He and I chatted about me and him in out respective places in life... I told him I was a New Student. He told me he was a Old Timmer driving in Russia, Canada, and now the US. He enved me for having a 9 to 5 job and I envied him for being a skilled Pro driver and living my dream... We discussed life according to his/my beliefs and came to be friends all within 20 min of honesty and open chat. We walked into Walmarts together him looking for his needs on the road and me looking for what I thought I would need for school.... How IRONIC I thought to myself as I picked up some deodorant and tooth paste for my bathroom case... Eahgore had a warm smile and to me his eyes had all the wisdom and experience I craved... I stared at his eyes trying to extract his essence... He was a good man caught up in his trucking life and the need to feed his family but for that brief 20 min we changed lives . We asked each other what it was like. I told him how I hated being at the mercy of a poor printing crew and he told me about taxes on his pay. He showed me his (Home) Volvo tractor. We discussed 10 speeds vs 13 speeds vs 18 speeds.... I was over my head so I kept the conversation general but tried to learn from his opinion on each... He smiled at me noticing that I did not have any practical knowledge but I did mention Super 10's and he said "No.." " you won't get 1 of them kid"... I enjoyed myself so much.... We parted our own ways and exchanged email addresses and yes..... we were both smiling.... I came home and went down stairs and worked out to get rid of my stress.... but here I am again... In the FORUM...... I have 5 nights left to be a PRINTER bringing my illustrious 25 year career to a abrupt end...... I am so ready...... Did I mention I'm driving my family crazy? The wait is killing me....... Chat soon about school at Roehl....
Belly

 

dude, forget trucking, you should be a writer! i read your posts and they are all so well written i feel as if im reading a book! congrats on making the leap towards your dream but if that dont work out i would consider becoming a writer. you could write short stories about trucking, trucks and truckers. kinda like a modern day louis lamour without the westerns!
Belleye Lamour..............

 

:smt023

 

I am a artist as well as a ......... I'm not quite sure...... I'm everything and LIKE IT! I don't like to brag or show myself off but I am a good fellow.... Just a little excitable as you all have been seeing.... It's ok... I can take a good smack down too.... If I get out of hand just shut me up.... but being how I have professed my faith now it's time to get serious.... I must stick my nose BACK into my DMV books and review the things I memorized to get my class A permit... I have taken the liberty of chatting with you all here for the past few days/nights/mornings and evenings... I'm LIVING THIS.... You all already know what I have yet to learn.... It's BLISS not knowing things.... How much does it cost for a shower? See!!! How much does it cost to WEIGH your Tractor and Trailer? Who pays for it....? ooh the stupidness..... I assume I'm going to stick out like a stubbed big toe at the Truck Stops (Travel Centers). BIG ROOKIE looking small fellow..... Hahahahahaha.... Don't even know where the bathrooms are... I have so much learning to get into.... BUT...... What else do I have to do......

PS: Check out my photo albums if you really wish to see something....

Thanks for the nice words ... I'm smiling.... Writer... Hahahahaha.. Cool!

 

SHowers are free at Roehl Terminals. Gary and Marshfield. They run about 7 bucks at the T/S but when you fuel you get free ones. Your trainer should remind you to sign up for the fueler cards at the big truck stops. Then they keep a running tally of your showers.
AS for the scales... its been 7.50 to 9 bucks for the first weigh. Then if you need to re-weigh i beleive it is a buck. I have not had to re-weigh anything as of yet. Roehl re-imburses you for it. you pay and then submit it on your trip sheet.
Don't worry about "sticking out", as there are a lot of "rookies" in the truck stops. I have found in my time so far that if I ask nicely someone is willing to help out. The worst thing is looking for the restroom when you've been holding it... lol