Roehl Transport, Inc. - Marshfield, Wi.

You start getting paid after orrientation when you go out with your first trainer. You are an employee at that point.

 

After nine months they may ask you to take a forty hour refresher course, very like my situation. As alumni at my school the forty refresh would cost twenty bucks. good luck.

 

thanks -- I feel a bit better about it -- I feel like I got the job without much effort -- maybe a sign of the lack of drivers in the industry -- but regardless, it seemed too easy and I wasn't sure if I could count on it working out. They've never even laid eyes on me.... anyway, thanks -- this forum is an incredible resource......

 

BKG and all others that have questions...

Okay, folks here's the drill...

When you're accepted to ROEHL for DCTC or as a regular newbie driver, you don't have a job until you get to the terminal they are sending you to and pass the company physical/drug test/road test series.. You're just being given a shot at getting into a truck.

Regardless of your path to the door, every new driver still has to go through the same drill. The DCTC student has a leg up because they can see first hand the day to day operation going on and interact with line drivers.

After orientation, everyone goes out with a trainer for at least two evolutions. EVO I is driving the truck and the focus is on that primarily, EVO II is everything else including driving the truck. Both evolutions last a minimum of 10 days with a planned three day break at home (could be longer, though). After that, you're placed in EVO III and scrutinized very closely. EVO III can last as long as a month or as little as two weeks depending on you.

A couple of hints here... IF YOU DON'T KNOW, ASK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

There is no such thing as a perfect driver and everyone started as a newbie somewhere!!!!!!!!

Pick your trainers brain. Ask questions until you don't have any left and then think up new ones.

Trainers - They vary. Some are good, some are bad but for the most part they want you to succeed and will try to help you in every way possible. You also have to do your part and push the trainer to help make you learn. If, for any reason, you feel uncomfortable with your trainer or feel you aren't learning anything and are just being used as an extra logbook, get out of that truck!! Call training and request another trainier.....

From the very first minute in that truck, watch like a hawk what the trainer is doing. They might be doing things that you think are strange. Ask them "Why"?

Why is going to be the largest word in your vocabulary once you are in training..

Now, some of the trainers really don't like to back and they in truth aren't very good at it. Force the issue. Get them to teach you how to back and force the times to practice. Backing is critical. It's less than 1% of the job but also the one thing that will get you into trouble faster than anything else. Always, always, always get out and look behind you before you start to back up. Even in the yard where you think it's "safe."

Once you pass through all the EVO stages, then the challenge is going to come in of making pick up and deliveries safely, legally and on time.

Take your time!! For the first couple of months, you're going to find that the miles you drove with your trainer just aren't possible for you at your current level. It takes time to build up your endurance and develop the skills to rack up 500 to 600 miles a day.

There are hundreds of ways to help you but there also hundreds of ways to hurt you.

Hint! Take it easy and relax!!! Take time for yourself and plan to end your day early enough that you can get a good parking spot and relax a little.

Never, ever, get excited or angry while you're behind the wheel of the truck. You can't afford to let the distraction wear you down. Being angry uses energy that you need to complete your trip safely. Just be aware that people driving cars are dumb, and other truckers don't know how to drive and you'll do fine.

Don't fall into the rut of "I don't have time.." That's bull...!!! Make time for yourself on every single trip to rest, relax, shower and have at least one good sit-down meal.

I was in Gary a couple of months ago and this new driver (flat-bed) came in and was running around like a chicken with his head cut-off. I asked him what was wrong and he started a whole list of everything he found wrong with the company. He stank and I asked him when the last time he had a shower was and he said he never had time because of the way he had to run to keep his miles up.... WRONG ANSWER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I told him to stop what he was doing, get his shower bag and go take a shower. He started complaing that he couldn't make any money in the shower and I told him he wasn't making money anyway because of the way he was trying to run.

He had his priorities all wrong. He was running like crazy trying to make miles and neglecting himself to the point where he was going to end up sick and out of work.

Take your time... No freight is worth your health......

Thje first six months as a solo driver are going to be the hardest to take. Everything is new and the learning curve is a straight vertical line... Network with other drivers and learn from them. Don't sit around the drivers lounge and listen to the whinners. They're not going to last long and most of the whinning is BS anyway.

Don't get locked into the mind-set that you have to roll exactly on the tick after your ten-hour break is over. Take the time you need to get fully rested and set a routine for every day. Your going to find that you make more miles and feel better than if you are rushing all the time. You will also make far fewer mistakes...

With every trip, plan it out as closely as you can. As you gain experience and after you travel roads, you're going to be able to pretty well estimate how long it'll take you to drive from one point to another.

Break your trip up into bite sized chunks. What can you drive in a day? plan that portion of the trip and have a couple fall-back plans if things go south on you.

I normally like to plan fuel to fuel and pick a stopping point or several along the way in case I get tired and want to pull over.

Okay, I'll get off the soap box now. Good luck to you all..

 

Unka D-

I really appreciated your little soap box rant. Your method sounds reasonable and is how I would like to run. I'm going to save that post and make sure I refer to it often while learning the ropes!

 

I ended up going something like 4 days without a shower this time while I was out. The ducks all just lined up in a row, but the wrong one. Bad roads, accidents in Minneapolis, running out of hours at the shipper or consignee and having to take the 10 hour break there, etc. I like to get a shower long before I start to feel like I'm dirty, but it doesn't always work out that way. Sometimes I get lost and get so exhausted trying to get where I need to be, when I finish my day I hit the bunk and I'm out. It seems the Screamin' Meanie barely wakes me up any more.

 

Unka D..well thanks for the great advice. I recently retired from the army and have obtained my CDL last week. Will be headed to Gary on the 24th to begin with Roehl. Was headed to TMC but began talking with Roehl Drivers in Bensalem,PA..close to home and really liked the idea of the 7/4 7/3 rotation. Will be using the GI Bill with the Honor program...Luckily the army payed for my degree while I was still active duty so I will get to use the GI Bill for something.

 

D&#@n, thats just nasty!

 

That was one of the most well thought out and presented posts I have read about what to do and not to do.
Excellent post.

 

I know it's nasty, but the fact is I just didn't have much of a choice in the matter.