Biting the Bullet and Finally Doing It

no central used to be called dick simon a few years back, they have nothing to do with england....... I would definetly try central 1st, they in the same city, well at least 1 of there terminals......check out the central (dick simon) thread

 

Redhead, I appreciate you posts and will be following your experience. Like you, I'm unemployed too and considering trucking. Good Luck!

 

Bought my last brand new Harley in 2006. Still to this day it hasn't broken down. As for preventive maintnance, I do that myself.

My Harley is always in the house. Rests in the middle of the living room between the sofa & the TV. Still has not leaked a drop of oil.

 

Heading out the door to get in the car to head to Burns Harbor.. Only a 2 1/2 hr drive so should know if my fat old tired body can still pass a DoT physical. Will update on my progress as I go. Laptop's with me; so, hopefully I can find a wifi signal somewhere.

 

You will do OK,probably. I doubt you will like an otr truckers life, but give it a try. Perhaps be a little more trusting of the company , until proven otherwise. Good luck.

 

Gonna recap a bit of my 1st 3 1/2 days at CRE in Burns Harbor.

Got in Sunday night and things went pretty well. Dropped my pee test(it WILL be clean), took and passed my agility test and physical. The trainer, Dewayne, was pretty funny and pretty cool. One of those old-school cowboys from before regulation. Back to the hotel. This is the bad part. This place blows. Not as bad as some have described. Then again, I never expected them to put me up in the Ritz Carlton.

70 or so other guys and I get on the buses to go to school the next day. Monday and Tuesday were a blur of cramming info for the Indiana learners permit tests. Not once was anyone threatened with being thrown out. Nor was there a long line of people preaching the gospel of leasing from Horizon. Simply info and more info and signing your name a million times. Of course, the loan agreement for the school too. Here, I'm actually paying about 1/2 of what I'd have ended up paying if I went to another school interest included. That, plus coming here with plenty of cash in-pocket made things pretty comfortable.

Tuesday.. more cramming for tests. Actually did hear from one lady with Horizon. She was, actually, pretty uncomfortable speaking in front of a huge group. I tuned her out after about 10 seconds and went back to studying.

Wednesday is test day. Go to school... crammed the few minutes for the tests and then off to the bmv for our learner's permit tests. Passed them all with flying colors. Yeah! I'm an Indiana CDL learner's permit holder. Out onto the range tomorrow. Celebrate a bit tonight with my roomie. I'll leave him nameless but he's pretty cool, older than me, an experienced driver and doesn't smell like a horse. Will update again when I have the time to do so.

 

Sounds like some pretty full days! Looks like you have a grasp of what's going on since you passed your tests for your permit. Good for you! Man, I can't believe there's THAT many folks in your class.... That's crazy!

Thanks for the update. Keep 'em coming and keep up the good work!

 

Beware of a Bob Coswell for a trainer. Maybe he has learned that students dont appreciate his need to wear womens underwear.

Ugh! Any one have some brain soap please?

 

Okay.. on to Thursday. Things went pretty well. Got out introduction to paper logs for those times that the QC goes down. Then board instruction on straight-line backing. Then out to the range. My instructor is a pretty cool guy. Soft-spoken and doesn't act like a d-bag. Went over the full Indiana PTI for the test and then demonstrated the straight-line back. Easy stuff. Greased my first one. Only 4 of us to a truck so I got like 9 run-thrus til my brain was tired and I had to quit.

Today, pretty much the sameonly it was demonstrating the offset backup with a run thru on the needed reference points. A bit trickier; but, I was getting it until my brain shut down again. The last time (Like MY 9TH) I tried to get fancy and not take a pull-up and ended up going in ####eyed and having to take like 9 pullups to get the truck centered in the lane. Tomorrow's parallel and more work memorizing the pti. All is well so far and STILL no long line of people extoling the virtues of England leasing. Tho.. tbh... I might do it. Just for s's and g's. Wife's coming into town tonight.. so out of this horrid hotel and into the pool at the Day's Inn. Get to play with my kids tonight so uber happy about that too.

 

by the way Gears.. where at in Western Iowa? pretty much a lifelong Quad City resident here. Instructors here were amazed I knew what the Iowa 80 truck stop was.