My Prime Adventure

what is an upgrade and what do you have to do to upgrade?

 

D seat (student program to get CDL Then run 2nd seat for 30,000 miles till become A seat)
C seat (student graduate up to 2 months OTR experience will need to run 2nd seat for 40,000 miles till become A seat)
B2 seat (3-4 months OTR experience will need to run 2nd seat for 30,000 miles till become A seat)
B1 seat (5-6 months OTR experience will need to run 2nd seat for 15,000 miles till become A seat)
A seat (7+ months OTR experience

 

You will have another "orientation" before your upgrade to A seat. And a simulator test. JCW just did his in Pittston because that's where the trucks are this week. (Or, abandoned up in ME, but who's counting? The one in ME is a 2012. And maybe the recovery will get him some brownie points.)

 

Nice a new 2012? That will probably go to a new L/O.

 

No, it's HIS truck if it passes HIS inspection. It's a lightweight. A company man isn't going to go after a lease truck.

 

Yeah I heard they like to give the new guys the lightweights. Cool got to love a brand new truck!

 

He was the first company man done w/ orientation. He got a list of about eight trucks, and had pick of the litter. He liked the looks of the International 9200i, but when he had the shop pull up the fuel records, the mileage sucked. 6.96 since May. He looked at them all, and was told about the brand new (probably ~25k miles) that was abandoned up at Lewiston. He was given an offer. Go get it. Bring it back. You have the right of first refusal. AKA, if it passes the mustard, ketchup AND mayo, it's his truck. It is a lightweight, but he is JUST fine with that. He is not tall, and not big. And by not big, I mean little. After seeing him a few weeks ago, I realized I'm gonna have to work overtime to bake him lots of fattening goodies. The man can eat 5500 calories a day and not gain a gram. So, basically small truck, no big deal.

 

"orientation" before upgrade to a seat,what do you have to do for that?

 

Drivers just abandon their rigs?!? Seriously? How rude.

 

Yup, drivers get PO'd and walk off. A notation of "abandonment" in your DAC report is a good way to guarantee no one will give you a second chance too. No tellin' what kind of condition the interior will be in!

6.96 mpg isn't bad - it depends on how it was driven. Driver technique can vary a given trucks fuel economy a ton - a number I've heard batted around is by as much as 30%. That seems reasonable in my experience.