Millis OTR journal

So, I'm gonna share my day with you guys like one of my old posts. I am putting a disclaimer on this one. I am going to probably sound like I'm trying to make make myself bigger and badder than I am, I promise you that isn't the case. I'm a nobody and happily self aware. Since we have some new guys currently checking in, I want you guys to know where you'll go. Even though you don't see it yet. I won't give the whole path that got me here, because it's too long. But I screwed myself by stopping in Kentucky a couple days ago and here I sit feeling like I fought an honest-to-god battle today. I'm mentally wasted and every drop of this beer I'm holding tastes like heaven. I was planning on starting my day with 2-3 hours of my load already completed. Nope. Had to drive the whole dam thing in one shot. Dark, wet roads, freezing temperatures, and a rain/sleet mix coming down as soon as I started. Then the mountains in WV, PA, and MD with fairly heavy snow that by the way wasn't in the forecast. When I started my day, I had roughly a 30 minute buffer as far as how long my GPS estimated and my 11. That's it. A 30 minute buffer for a 560 mile trip. I am now comfortable enough in both mountains and snow that I managed to keep every minute of that buffer. I have no idea how. I even got to a truck stop after doing a dnh the final. That part wouldn't have mattered with the new DOT laws, but I did it on the clock anyhow. What I did today was something that shocked me. I honestly look at my day and can't believe where I'm at as a driver, based on where I was when I started. I remember EXACTLY what I felt like through every scary experience since I went to school in Trenton. And let there be no doubt, today scared the crap out of me. But now, every "risk" is calculated and based upon past experiences. The cool thing is that even though my inner voice was freaking out I just drove through it. I never panicked or doubted my mental muscle memory. Even when a passing car lost it and grazed a guardrail and dam near hit me. Idiots in cars, man. That right there is going to be my favorite part of today. Just knowing that I reached a place where I don't panic or lose my calm. It feels like a trophy. After today I think I can handle anything. And now I know why experienced drivers feel comfortable blowing by you when the weather sucks. Today, I was finally comfortable enough to be one of those guys. I know what my truck can do, I knew my load, and now I really know myself. I went to school in Trenton in July of 2016. Didn't graduate that class until today. Thanks for everything Bill, and thanks for believing in me. Now I finally feel like I'm a peer. To you new guys, I want you to know that I can tell who you are simply be the way you express yourselves here. You're all going to be fine, and you'll be rockstar truckers some day. Specifically because you started in this dysfunctional family of ours. Here's to all of you, and here's to our tribe. Cheers y'all

 

Kind of twice. There are two contracts in play. School and training. The one year for school begins the day you finish school and orientation. The training contract starts the day you get your truck.

 

I'm with you 100%. I hated staying at terminals. I was cool with Cville and Richfield, but that was because of the watering holes. I was also cool with Weedsport because it is such a good place to sleep and everyone leaves you alone, if there's anyone at all present besides you.

 

Hell yes it is. And @MIT I'd be happy to give you some backing practice in my truck if we manage to hook up at home. It might be a little off because I can turn sharper but the concept is the same. Holler brutha.

 

As a side note to this post, I'm going to dispel a myth taught in class that pisses me off. New folks are told that you can't use your jake during bad weather because it's not safe. Bull ####. I'm here to tell you that's wrong. If I did what I did today without my jake, I'd be dead, and that's a guarantee.