CDL in hand... Now What ? Decision time, that's what...

Sitting at the construction site of the new high school to which the sports floor is being delivered. Good day over all but a bit sticky getting in here.

Before leaving my overnight stop in Breezewood, PA, I treated the tractor to a bath after having been through the rainy mess the last two days.




Made a stop to kill some time at the Maryland welcome center on I-70E between Hagerstown and Frederick.




Then pulled into the site around sunset. At first I went into the driveway where the address was. But no, that wasn't it. Had to back into a side drive then go around the city block to the other side, move some portable barricades, and then enter the site. Just as I got the barricades replaced, a security guard came up and said I could not park there overnight. "But... But... I was told..." (thinking in Milton's voice from the movie 'Office Space'). So a few phone calls later, permission was received. Then I had to back the rig around a curb and onto a drive next to the gym for unloading. And here I sit until the morning... a nice peaceful spot with no reefers running nearby

 

The unloading process went without a hitch. I was on my way home by 10:00am.

Here is the forklift able to reach everything from one side.




Here is the staging area for the floor outside the gymnasium building.




Here is the gym prior to floor installation.




And here is the truck parked at the old dairy farm during home time.




I live 2 miles from this farm that is owned by a friend I have known since kindergarten. It seems the ideal place to park the truck. I started orientation one month ago on 27 February. The company is giving me 6 full days off. My next on duty day is 03 April.

Be safe and have fun.

Perpetual.

 

My orientation and OTR training was approximately three weeks in duration and occurred in late winter / early spring. The gear I brought was for the most part appropriate to my situation. Upon reflection, the following list would be ideal.

Accessories
Eyeglasses
Sunglasses
Wallet
Cash
SS card
CDL
DOT med card
Credit / debit cards
Med insurance cards
TWIC
Passport or Birth Cert
Checkbook
Laptop & pwr adapter
Cell phone & adapter
Broadband card
CDL school papers
Multitool
Ear plugs
Road atlas
FMCSR
ER Guide
HazMat guide
Magnifying glass
Ruler
Pens
Pencils
Calculator
Clipboard
Headlamp
Spare batteries
Wristwatch
Water bottle
Pillow & case
Sheets - twin set
Blanket
Soft sided luggage / duffle bag

Clothing
Sleep shorts 2
Teeshirts 7
Underwear 7
Socks 7
Thermal underwear
Thick flannel shirt
Long sleeve button shirt
Short sleeve button shirt
Hooded fleece
Jeans 2
Slacks
Coveralls
Wind shirt
Thin rain coat / pants
Winter coat
Watch cap
Ball cap
Work gloves
Fueling gloves
Thermal gloves
Flip-flops (shower)
Work boots (safety toe)
Casual shoes
Belt

Toiletries
Shower bag (day backpack)
Soap
Shampoo
Shave cream
Razor
After shave lotion
Toothbrush
Toothpaste
Dental floss
Vitamins
OTC pain / allergy meds
Deodorant
Cleansing wipes
Baby powder
Foot powder
Nail clippers
Small towel
Wash cloth
Q-tips
Hand sanitizer
Laundry soap
Quarters
Laundry bag
Small first aid kit


Obviously the list could be modified for the time of year and duration / type of training. In my situation, laundry facilities were available in the orientation hotel, company terminals, and many truck stops. Therefore, more than a week's worth of clothing would be excessive in my opinion.

I picked up a few snacks before heading out OTR: trail mix, granola bars, apples, etc. Also I get gallon-size containers of purified water to put into my liter-sized water bottle, which is kept in the cup holder at the driver station. I personally do not care for tap water especially if it has chlorine or fluoride in it.

The usefulness of coveralls cannot be overemphasized (I have Dickies brand and will probably get some insulated Carhartt brand for next winter) for flatbedding. Any time you are doing any work, especially with tarps, straps, chains, bungees, put the coveralls on. Otherwise you will likely ruin your regular clothing.

I found a nice pair of Red Wing safety boots that are light weight with a composite toe and very comfortable.

Save one nice shirt and clean jeans or slacks for customer interaction. When I do my initial customer check-in at the shipper or consignee, I put on a nice button shirt and clean pants (we are professional drivers and there is no sense looking like a slob, especially when walking into the customer's office facilities). Then I change into work clothes / coveralls. If it's warm weather, just the coveralls over underwear works well.

My company issues hard hats, safety glasses and safety vests. I always wear these whenever at a job site or other facility requiring this equipment. Again it is about professionalism and over-compliance with safety requirements.

Since I have a smart phone, I would have rather left the laptop home during training and then picked it up for going solo.

I would be happy to answer any questions about the list, why I included or excluded certain items, etc.

Stay safe and have fun.

Perpetual.

 

http://www.thetruckersreport.com/truckingindustryforum/album.php?u=79875

Enjoy.