Day by day on 1st driving job

Ok so I completed it orientation. It was Monday through Thursday, it wasn't that bad just a lot of signing paper work and learning about the company, benefits, and so forth. On the last day, Thursday, we went to the terminal to meet our dispatch and get our badges and there I met my trainer. He told me to call him on the way back to the hotel and he would scoop me up from there. We left the hotel with him driving because I couldn't officially start driving to the next day. We drove til we got just north of Little Rock, picked up a load then parked at there at the facility for him to do his 10 hour. He told me when we wake up I'd start driving.

Here's where it gets real. My FIRST day driving, I started off and everything was going smooth, clear road conditions, not a lot of traffic, everything so good so far. About an hour into my driving I run into the blizzard, the whole road was white, couldn't see the lines, I couldn't see anything. I slowed my speed down and we was running about 30-40 taking our time and flowing with traffic. There were cars in the ditch, a few big trucks, and every now and then I would go over a touch of ice but nothing to where I felt uncomfortable driving. My trainer told me we were going to pull over so we could get some fuel and he'd drive a little until it clears up.

So he began to drive and he drove probably about an hour give an take until the road conditions were fairly good. There was no more snow on the road and average speed was back up to around 65 so he told me I was gonna drive the rest of the way to Birmingham. We pulled over and switched. I start off and everything going smooth, then within 20 minutes of me going, I BLOW OUT A FRONT LEFT TIRE!!! It was crazy because we we're loaded about 79.2k lbs and when it blew I was in the right lane and thank god no one was in the left. Soon as it happened it jerked to the left but I was able to get it half way under control and slowed it down to the left shoulder bc cars and trucks were coming up on my right. After a few seconds when they passed, I guided it across highway to the right shoulder where we sat out the cones and waited for roadside to come fix the tire. After that, I continued to drive on about 350 miles to Birmingham. We stopped at a truck stop and noticed a headlight out, no big deal we'll just change bulb right? Negative, we popped the hood to find out the whole light assembly was busted and completely damaged, inoperable. I then got picked up and he dropped truck off at dealership to get fixed and we both went home because he needed his 34. I'm waiting now to be picked up and we headed out for 2 maybe 2.5 weeks!

It was a H3LL of a first day after going through the snow and dealing with a front tire blowout, but it's one I'll never forget! I'm going to try and keep this updated throughout my 8 week training and so forth.

Thanks for all the things I've learned off this site and Safe travels Everyone!!!

 

Yea, the snow wasn't that bad, driving slow just taking my time but when that tire blew I was scared sh*tless but I'm glad it worked out the way it did. Good experience but it could have at least waited til my second day of driving lol