From the schoolbus to the truck

Discussion in 'Questions From New Drivers' started by snorelord, Feb 27, 2008.

  1. snorelord

    snorelord Light Load Member

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    Jul 21, 2007
    Springfield, Missouri
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    Day 7 - I'm a little late with this but here goes. We started the morning with Pre-trip. The first student that went did real good. It was COLD. Windchill had to be in the teens. During pretrip we found a powersteering leak. A hose was broken. The freightliner drivers got on the range and we had to go back to the class. After standing out in the cold for an hour I was happy to go inside. A mechanic came and took the international and we worked on mapping and miles. A local guy who hand makes these tools came by and sold each student a device called Truckr-Tool. It's a fith wheel pin puller, tire thumper, hammer, chisel and can aid in the tie down straps if needed. It's pretty cool. The teachers used one on their trucks and showed us the tool. seemed pretty handy to have so I got one. After lunch our group got in the Freightliner and practiced more of the same. On our alley dock we get two turns. It never fails, I nail the first one then I botch the second one. I can get the truck in there I just don't understand why yet. Double cluching is now second nature and my downshifting is getting smoother. I am getting to the point that it doesn't matter what truck I am in I will be able to drive it comfortably. Defintely taking my pretrip on the International. Now I am off to get dressed to go for today.
     
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  3. snorelord

    snorelord Light Load Member

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    Jul 21, 2007
    Springfield, Missouri
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    Day 8.
    Started with a different instructor. With everyone whining how much better the International was I volunteered to go in the frieghtliner. It's a good old truck. I will probably stick in this one. Since less people can ride in it I get more time behind the wheel. The instructor with the Frieghtliner lets us do longer laps. BTW ALL the instructors here are seasoned trucking veterans. No newbies training newbies here. We get taught stuff for the "test" world AND the "real" world. The Freightliner shifts smoother and I am getting used to backing it. Today we did the laps around the range. I am getting more comfortable with downshifting. We did more alley docking. I'm nailing it almost everytime now. We started Driver's side pararel parking today. Nailed it both the first and second times. Monday can't come soon enough. Starting next week we will be getting recruiters coming in and we might hit the open road OFF the range. Watch out!!
     
  4. snorelord

    snorelord Light Load Member

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    Jul 21, 2007
    Springfield, Missouri
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    Day 9 -

    Well everyone seemed off their rythm for the first hour on the range. But we got into it at did more of the same. More shifting, Up and down, alley dock, driver's side pararel, straight line backing, and now we started blindside pararel. Alley dock I just need a few more times and I will have it. The two pararels I am doing good on. It's just a matter of how well I set up. Straight line backing is no problem. I even did some backing between two trailers. My shifting is getting better. Our intstructor use to drive tankers so he is all about smooth shifting and smooth take-offs and and stops. The companies he worked for don't usuualy hire newbies but on his recomendations they will hire out of his class. Good companies so I am trying to atleast impress this instructor.
    Now for the fun part. We got a visit from our first recruiter. He was from Covenant. He had some good things to say BUT he was trying to hard to have this "no BS approach". His approach only came off as arrogance to me anyways. Thanks to a thread in this board "Questions to ask recruiters" I made a few that seemed to annoy him. I think my instructors got a kick out of that. well I got get ready for today, I will go into more detail later.
     
  5. snorelord

    snorelord Light Load Member

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    Jul 21, 2007
    Springfield, Missouri
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    Day 10

    I got the keys first this morning. I found out that a cold truck is a pain in the behind to shift. Nailed all the exercises right off the bat. Later I went into trial and error mode with my setups. I am starting to get beyond the basics of controlling the trailer. After lunch we went to the classroom for a couple of hours of Lifestyle and finance. Here is where they teach you how to be healthy and not make your self broke on the road. LOTS of good advice. We will probably get on the range full time tomorrow so we can be on the road by Thursday. Some of us are ready, others aren't. Me....I think so.
     
  6. Cruise Cookie

    Cruise Cookie Bobtail Member

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    Mar 5, 2008
    Arizona
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  7. snorelord

    snorelord Light Load Member

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    Jul 21, 2007
    Springfield, Missouri
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    I think I am gonna check witht this company that is coming by tomorrow. And then make my decision. Thanks for the heads up!
     
  8. snorelord

    snorelord Light Load Member

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    Jul 21, 2007
    Springfield, Missouri
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    Day 11,

    Got some major range time today. All is going well. The instructor may have started to lose patience with another student today. Don't get me wrong, the teacher is EXTREMELY patient but he seemed to get a little frustrated towards the end of the day with her. He thinks we can be on the road tomorrow. (Maybe)
    We were also told that testing wouldn't be until April 2nd or 3rd. The students in the second truck got to go on the road for the first time.
    One thing I would like to mention. Every now and then while watching the others I get to thinking. Trucking has all these hurdles. First you have school, then testing, then applications, then orientation to a company, then the company's screening process, then their road test, then their training, then if you are lucky and don't screw up you become a driver. And then you hope the company is good because you want to stick with them for a year at least to learn the ropes. Not to mention all the changes that have to be made at home and how it affects my family and such. Sometimes I think it's a huge weight on one's shoulders. But then I remind myself this is a major change, probably the boldest move of my life. I just hope I get to the other side.
     
  9. OhioTruckin

    OhioTruckin Light Load Member

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    Feb 25, 2008
    Cleveland, OH
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    So it's possible to go to the DMV and just take the test for your HAZMAT, and then come back later (a month or two) and get your CDL?
     
  10. Cruise Cookie

    Cruise Cookie Bobtail Member

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    Mar 5, 2008
    Arizona
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    The test for Haz Mat is a written test you can take when you take the other written tests .
    (general knoledge,airbrakes,combination vehicles,tanker, doubles and triples.)
    You can have a class A CDL without the extra endorsements like Haz Mat, doubles and triples,and tanker.
    I believe you only need to pass air brakes, general knoledge, and combination vehicles to get your basic CDL.
    Anytime down the road if you need any of the others you can take them any time without having to take all the tests over again. When you pass them they just add them to your current license.
    If you fail a test the laws are different from state to state as to how much time you have to wait before you can re take it.
     
  11. snorelord

    snorelord Light Load Member

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    Jul 21, 2007
    Springfield, Missouri
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    My plan is to have all the stuff ready for hazmat so I don't have to pay the extra cash to just add it later. A company I am interested in requires Hazmat so I need to get it now.
     
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