Stevens Transport aviary

i always injoyed stevens ya all just hang in there it will get better i promise

 

Well, took my student over to the Big Texan for dinner tonight. Not a bad walk from the TA. Needed the exercise.
Always good to get a nice meal.
I'm going to spoil him. He'll think truckers live like this all the time.

Called to check on the load. Person checking said, "Your DLD isn't until 2:30 sunday morning. They won't even begin killing those cows until tomorrow evening."

So much for an early start.

 

Yeah, well, just steer him clear of this always-tell-the-truth place.

 

I had the absolute worst steak of my life in that tourist trap. I ordered a rib-eye cooked medium. When they brought the steak out, it looked perfect...until I cut into it. It was still raw...and when I say raw, I mean the meat was literally cold in the center. After pointing it out to the server, they take the steak back and charbroil the outside. When I get it back, it was charred on the outside and still uncooked on the inside. I finally got the manager...who offered me a whopping 20% discount. I let them have it in front of the entire table, and told them that they ought to be ashamed to serve a customer that kind of steak...and then to add insult to injury, still make them pay for it even though they didn't eat it.

The real sad thing was that the steak was a really good cut. If they would've turned the fire down some, it would've been awesome. oh well...so much is my luck

 

That's me cruising down the road at 58mph. I was having regen problems, you would not believe how low my mpg was

 

Need to roll,

I am planning to also join the Stevens Group in the first quarter of 2012. I would really appreciate any info you can give me on everything about your experience there. From your check in, to your physical, to how it goes starting out, and, of course as much of your experiences there you are willing to share. I will certainly respond.
Thanks in advance.
gary

 

Everything you want - and more - can be found in these 393 pages more than once. There are also very good "first year" forums on TTR. Good luck.

 

I'll do my best but it does sound like most everything is within these pages. I highly suggest you read through before you go. Looks like it is going to take me until I leave to finish reading the whole thread.

 

OK, I'm bored. Sitting here waiting for the cows to die, so I'll try and answer the perspective new driver's questions about what to expect.
I wrote it once before, but I'll be darned as to where it's posted.

You will arrive on saturday after a thrilling Greyhound excursion from your home to Dallas. Once off the truck and you'll likely notice several of your co riders are also there for Stevens and looking just as pensive and lost as you.
But not to worry, the shuttle arrives and wisks you off to the fine digs at the likes of Worlds Finest Motel, where you will double up with one of your new confederates and share a room of vast compfort and capacity.
(read a bit of sarcasm here!)
Actually, it's not all that bad.
Sunday morning you will meet downstairs at the motel office where you'll find 60 other driver candidates milling around, enjoying the complimentary coffee with the day old stickee bun. Or some go for the fruit loops or cheerios from the bulk container.
None the less, you'll find this is 'breakfast'.
The shuttle arrives and seats 13 passengers plus the driver.
You quickly do the math and figure you best elbow your way to the front of the line so you aren't left behind waiting in the cold for the next hour or more.
When you arrive at Stevens, you will be impressed with the place.
No kidding here.
The place is clean, spacious and the rows of tractors lined up and trailers all in a row, and the backset of the buildings are impressive.
Now you'll wait outside the building until 8am.
So much for getting a jump on things!
Sunday is filled with different speakers, introductions, some paperwork and a few movies. You'll be fed lunch there each day thru wednesday. Lunch is something like soylent green, spaghetti, beefaroni, etc.
Not the greatest, but not bad either.
But what the heck, it's free.
Coffee is always available as well as vending machines.
Sunday afternoon you will go out 'on the hill'. This is a section of the yard that has all the training trucks and courses. On sunday it's a hands on application of climbing in and out of trucks, trailers, underneath, pulling some slack adjusters and general observations.
Each function has two purposes. The first is the obvious one they tell you about. The second is one where they are observing you.
For instance: You will be told to duck under the trailer, reach up under the rear of the tractor and pull the slack adjuster, then exit the other side so not to hold up the line of students.
That's the first purpose. Can you get under the trailer and fit under the truck to reach the slack adjusters?
The other is to see if you are physically nimble enough to walk under the trailer (hands and knees are acceptable). You must be able to do this in order to properly inspect your trailer each day.
Believe it or not, there are some candidates that cannot physically do this.
Another exercise is to climb into the trailer, walk to the front and inspect the air chute, then come back and climb back out.
You must inspect your air chute when pre tripping your trailer.
But they also want to see if you're physically capable of climbing in and out of a trailer.
See how that goes?
If you fail any of these tests, you will be singled out quietly for additional training later (at no cost).
Sunday night you will go back at about 5pm.
Dinner is your expense.
Monday is much like sunday, except you come into the classroom to be greeted at the door by a smiling dark haired gentleman with a gravely voice. Once you're in, you will likely put your stuff down and TRY and head out the door to the coffee machines only to find out you're 'trapped'.
You see, monday is 'pee in the cup' day and you can't leave the room for any reason until you've done your drug test.
It isn't a big deal unless some clown like me has encouraged you to 'drink lots of fluid' before arriving at the yard.

Drug tests are followed by your physical and these two things will take you all morning.
Lunch is served, then more speakers and finally dinner at 5pm or so, and up to the hill for skills testing.
Monday and tuesday are pretty much the same with skills testing consisting of backing, shifting and parking exercises that are ment to similate some real life situations out there on the road. The trainers are there to help you and it's almost impossible to fail any of these.
At some time on one of these two nights you will be required to do your qualification drive with a trainer out on the streets.
As long as you can make half your shifts, don't run over grandma on the sidewalk and don't run any traffic lights, you'll pass.
They don't expect you to be a good driver. You've only passed a CDL course. Stevens is there to train you to be a safe driver.
After wedesday, anyone left is hired officially on thursday. You know you've made the cut when they have you fill out the W-4 forms.
Thursday morning you will be required to bring all your luggage into the room from the hotel. This is because a FEW of you will actually be dispatched with your O-1 trainer. Then the rest will be shipped back to the motel for a cozy night's sleep and rinse and repeat the procedure the next day.
Most students get out with their trainers on friday or saturday. It all depends on avaialbility of trainers.
Randall tries to set you up with a trainer similar to yourself. Smokers, non smokers is the biggest sorting nightmare.
And no matter how hard anyone tries, it seems there are always more of one than the other.
If you're a smoker, there will be a plethea of non smoker trainers. The next week it's just the opposite.
But you will get out. 95% of students are out by sunday.
And that' s what you can expect your first few days at Stevens.
I hope you paid attention.
These things will be on the test.

 

I was totally left alone today. Have a produce load going to target cedar falls and yesterday it was every two hours are you on time? I told them yes but since they do not trust a mans word to repower the SOB or stop harrassing me.

Today was sent my preplan a good load from WI to stockton CA, which is a good place to get me home from.

Now i will say that stevens has not lied to me but there do ignore questions and do like tto play games when I want to go home. Getting me home takes some forward planning to get me to one of the 4 areas that can get me a load home. Depending on a repower when the other driver can say no rarely works out.

Flight glad it is working out for you. They actually made you sign a one week lease on the recovery? Sure hope they dont charge you the lease turn in charges on that truck.

Emu got to love that answer from tyson. We both know that is not a true statement.