I haven't driven a truck in 2 months, I'm nervous about returning

You are worrying too hard. It's going to eat you up.

I stopped OTR in 2001 and years later I was presented with a yard jockey job and pointed at a ford 9000 day can and pointed at this trailer by the boos saying move this into my dock and get that one over to the shipping building right now. There is 25 trailers you have to shuffle today.

That trailer went into the dock in one move within about 2 inches by eye. A few hours later I was more than happy with it.

The entire company is closed and rotting now. Just the past week. You are probably looking at about 100 people out of good work. Poof. (And yes the trailers are gone.)

Years after that Im fitting difficult trucks and trailers that do not naturally want to go inside a auction barn as a temp boss. I was one of three allowed to take a trailer into there. (There was a gas line for heating during winter a inch thick at 13.7 in a particular part of the roof. So if you go noising a old railroad forward tractor crane truck and all into it... ugh.

That particular railroad crane equipped tractor had the Super 500 15 speed transmission in it. I clean forget about reverse gear (Plural) at this point because it's been years so I made sure to get that nosed in into the building in one move to cover up my little mental whoops.

You never forget riding a bike.

Now I will say this. When the body breaks down enough that does not mean you should be riding one after a certain point. But even today If I had 15 to a hour with a tractor trailer, I'll be adequate to pass the tests. No worries. It wont look pretty until I have all the rust broken off within a day or two.

I don't know what else to tell you. Orientation jitters mean nothing. If it bothers you that much, go do something fun a while before you go. Get it out of your system. What happens next week will happen good or bad. But you never forget driving a tractor trailer.

 

I took two days off and I forgot where I parked!

 

OMG it is such a change with the new trucks that came in and replaced all the old trucks while you were off, now you have to be a rocket scientist to drive them, it is like NASA launching a Saturn Rocket to the moon, so many check points, so many things to make sure won't go wrong. With the new robots in the passenger seat directing you how to drive, when to take a break, when to do a lane change and when to piss, you will be conditioned to preemptively act so to appease the mega gods. Then when they are there in the sleeper berth to make sure you are sleeping, they will make sure you sleep so you will have to adjust to all of it quickly, their cattle prod arms will correct your behavior.

OK got my BS warning to you out of the way so ...

Now relax, it is just a truck and you've done this for 2 years before, nothing is different and never does change.

You will be fine as everyone says.

 

I agree, you are really over thinking it.
I took a few years off and was able to get right back in the drivers seat with no issues.
You will do fine if May was the last time you drove

 

I took 1 year off and later 6 months off from driving. You will slip right back into the groove very quickly. The road test usually just checks to see if you kill anyone or wreck the truck. It's not about comparing your rusty skills to perfection, but are you safe enough (did you hit anything or almost hit anything). Did you drive recklessly, run stop signs, stare at your phone all day?

 

oh man..you'll need at least a 6 month refresher course, then you'll have to go with a trainer for about 1 year, then you'll have to team up with another newbie, then you'll have to be retested again, then you'll have to sit in the classroom for several weeks of orientation, then you'll have to eat pizza for the next 4 years, then you'll have to wash every truck in the fleet, then you'll have to do PM services on the entire fleet, then you'll have to go out and buy all new running suits and flip flops, then you'll have to cook supper for the CEO, the CFO, and the FBI, then you'll have to give 14 pints of blood, then you'll have to scrub toilets.....

i'd say your pretty well effing doomed.

sucks to be you......!!!!!!!!!

 

Ive taken months off. It comes back to you quick. Stop fussing.

 

Oh,youll be Fine.Id say after about 300 miles, "itll all come back to you".Row thru the gears in some city traffic,make a few tight turns and confidence will return

 

Once a trucker, always a trucker!

You can do it...

 

When ya first started driving for the first time, did you have any problems?