EPES TRANSPORT-Greensboro, NC

hey, waitaminute! Are you using empty trailers? Even in school, I never started out in 1st gear. I only started in 1st once and that was carrying 46,000 lbs of beer and I was stopped at a light with a HUGH incline! If it's a 10 speed, with an empty, you should start out in 4th. I usually start out in 3rd if I have any (heavy 20,000+) weight that called for it, or else I'm starting out going up a hill! I do know, and you will learn/see when the time comes...you can start out in 6th when bobtailing....but it also depends on your truck. The Kenworth I had at USA wouldn't start out in 6th in bobtaill, yet the Cascadia I have here will! So you guys are going forward using cones? At the school I went to, we spent 2 weeks backing, with cones, before we went out driving! Driving, I mean DRIVING.....while we were learning backing, those 2 weeks, after the 1 week of classroom, some would go out and observe. We had to have 20-24 hours observation before we could drive. Then it was a total of 20 hours driving time, with 4 hours of night time driving. Since, I take it you're going to a CC, you'll probably be required more time. I guess I was one of the lucky ones outta my school, which is a great school...ALOT of LOSERS that were there....but then again, they have a high success rate. Other than your typical "flunkies" as Flying would call them! haha
Here's a real interesting story....today I stopped at Harrisburg TA for fuelling. I pull upto an island that was right next to one that was closed for repairs. Get out and do the usual yada,yada....fuelling up dunno what the HELL kinda bugs I hiot with my winshield....but they were the size of BIRD TURDS! lol Was scrubbing the living daylights outta my drivers side windshield...MAN DID I HAFTA SCRUB! I think I killed an epidemic! You guys can thank me later! haha finally get windshield clean and walk over to passenger side tank to finish fuelling when another EPES driver, some older guy, comes up to me and starts yelling at me, "WHEN SOMEBODY CALLS YOU OUT, YOU NEED TO CALL THEM OUT BACK!" I just pointed and said, "WHAT?! Do you NOT see AND hear that large Concrete grinder beside me? I'm busy here working, I don't pay ANY attention to ANYTHING, other than MY JOB! I gotta go...lotsa steering wheel holding needs to be done...where's your truck?" Boy, was that dude pissed! I didn't see ANY EPES trucks around at all....just that guy with his workshirt on, wondering around the truckstop. And some people wonder why they don't get alot of miles. Alright, got little dude a HUGE truck from the Petro at Raphine. I use to come here all the time, as a young kid. My grandfather use to have a cabin about 30 minutes from here and we have "once" family owned property that was taken over by the state called, Crab Tree Falls. My great-great grandparents are buried at the bottom of the falls. It's only a 3 mile hike to the top....but an awesome site, for sure. So I'm gonna chill and finish up this beer run in the early am hours.....then home for a 3 day weekend....2200 miles this week....I'm happy.....need ALOT more next week for that #### dreaded mortgage payment. But it'll drop down $100 for the next year, due to property taxes...GUILFORD COUNTY PT SUCK! lol Have a safe and happy Labor Day guys!

 

Hey! I just finished a beer run also!
Oh. You mean beer in the trailer?
Never mind.

 

I like it!!
By the way, I'll be in Greensboro for orientation on Tuesday.
Without beer of course.

 

Good news, bret 57.

 

sheesh...if you could drink 45,000 lbs of beer...you'd be BEYOND DEAD! lol and beer-thirty IS happening when I get home tomorrow FOR SURE! Congrats on Orientation....hope things go smooth for you! I may see you Tues. As I'll be heading back out to the old road!

 

That's funny...I don't care who you are!!!

 

We are using empty trailers at this point. I should have phrased it better. Some of the trucks have Low, 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th. Others have Low/1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th. Of course this is all on the low side. When I say "1st", I'm not talking about LOW GEAR. We are starting in 1st/2nd so we get more practice changing the gears.

We don't have any "Observation" time...THANK GOD!!! We get enough of that waiting on our turn to get in the truck. We will have a total of 6 weeks working on the range (Backing, shifting, etc) and 5 weeks on the road. While some are on the road the others will be on the range Vice versa. Yes, we are required to get more time than that. To get PTDI Certified we need about double that. I really don't think we have any "LOSERS". There are a couple that I think have issues to overcome and might not make it and there might be others that will not make it long term as "Truckers". I might be one of them!! I love learning and I'm doing that now!!

I know you are a "Smoker". Meat that is...so I share this with ya. I'm going to plan a day and cater lunch for everyone in my school and all the instructors. I'm thinking 20 students and another 10 instructors. I'm going to smoke 4 pork butts with my dry rub. Smoke for 12 hours or so. Then a course chop and mix in the "Bark"!! No sauce at this point, but I will moisten the chopped pork with the natural juices that I save. Then my special baked beans and "MOMMA'S" Slaw!! I'll take 3 sauces...Eastern NC Sauce (Vinegar), Western NC Sauce (Tomato Based) and HOT (HOT).

 

I don't need to moisten my BBQ. It's moist because of the way I smoke it. Adding back in the natural juices doesn't change the flavor profile I've worked so hard to get. The natural juices are only needed when you can't serve directly from the smoker.

I do however like to use apple wood along with my hickory when smoking for a milder/sweeter smoke. I also use apple juice as a spray when I do ribs. They need the additional moisture in the first (smoke) phase of cooking.

Dang...this is making me hungry!! LOL