The New FFE Driver Academey

congrats any thing you sayto help us newbees

 

Congratulations Mr. Bill!!!

 

I have been on the road with my trainer for about 4 weeks now and i have been loving every moment of it. We are actually team driving now. I would like to give some simple advice to all the new FFE Academy grads. I have not have this happen, but trainer has told me stories of this happening.

1) The trainer cannot say you only get one shower a week. If this happens call in and report it.
2) The trainer can say we will stop for showers every other day. A shower is not always possible everyday.
3) You cannot tell the trainer you will not back the truck into a dock or parking space. That is why you are here.
4) The trainer cannot make you drive more than 11 hours or on their log. That is illegal.
5) If you are not comfortable driving in a particular sitiutation...let your trainer know.
6) The trainer cannot make you do something illegal.
7) Dont be afraid to ask questions. That is what the trainer is there for.
8) If the trainer goes on home time; count on staying in the truck. They are not required to put you in a motel room.
9) The trainer is not required to buy you meals. That is on you.
10) You should not have to pay for showers. A team shower will get you both a free shower with points or with fill up. You will have seperate showers. Team shower does not mean you share the shower.

 

Congrats! We'll see you out here!

 

To all you new grads congrats to you good luck with phase 2 of your training. I upgraded to solo last Friday while I was out with my trainer we made it to 37 different states and almost every mountain range in the lower 48 what a learning experience. Try to learn as much as you can from your trainer (people net )you got to know it to be solo good luck to all and drive safe.

 

Is PM still around?

 

yes that is why they use the schools address and put it down as an apartment. u have to switch ur cdl back to ur state when u can. for me it will cost me another $50 to change it back in arkansas. i just rec'd my cdl when i got back to lancaster this past weekend. i called first thing monday morning to find out how to switch it. since i have a texas cdl good for 5 years i think i will wait. lol

 

PM

is no longer around.

 

What r FFE requirements? They seem 2 b diff. Online and when u talk 2 a recruiter. I have a 5 yr old misd. And can't get a chance to use my cdls. I hate being home all the time and like to drive long distance. Being board at home don't pay. Thanx

 

Got a little down time at the Flying J in Phoenix so I thought I would do a little update of whats been going on so far,since I'm a non smoker it took a little while to get a OTR trainer so I stayed in Lancaster the first week with a local trainer. I fill everyone should do a week or two with a local trainer before going out OTR I had three backings the first day in the tightest spots I've yet to see so far and driving in the city streets is great experience I think by the end of that week I had at least 12 to 15 backings and a few more grey hairs.

Now I have been out with my OTR trainer just shy of two weeks and after criss crossing Texas for the first few days finally got out of Texas for awhile and did just a little over 3k my first week driving,I think my longest day so far was 662mi with most days being around 400-500mi with a couple shorter days thrown in there. Been as far east as Penn. and west to Calif. so far with some awesome roads and some total sh#t roads in between, one day had Nav-Go route me right past the receiver and send me off to some country road to a dead end driveway of somebody's farm house,that was a fun day.

I don't know if I've been lucky or not but both trucks I have driven so far have been gov. at 70mph not the 62mph I've heard of most trucks being set at.I've only been out a short while but have already seen some crazy ###### and some strange accidents. I had one person just a little ahead of me and to the left verge into my lane a little than must of woke up and panicked then slammed on his or her brakes I don't know which because it happened so fast all I saw was the car skidding in my left mirror and for a moment go under the trailer just after the tandems and then come sliding back out just missing the rear trailer bumper,that got my heart rate going for awhile.

It has been quite an experience so far and some of the showers at the Petro's,Pilots truck stops are 10 times better than some motels I've stayed at in the past so that was a pleasant surprise to see. I found as long as your moving time really seems to fly by when you are sitting around for any reason the time drags you just need to fill the down time with usefully things to do. Well thats all for now everyone stay safe,and since I don't have internet access all the time I will try and update when I can.