Heading out for Prime Sunday

If you are interested in a update....the dmv comes here to test for the cdl permits. After the cramming last night, I passed all 3 parts on the first try. Yeah me. Now for the bum news... we took the shuttle down to the dmv offices to get our permits. Guess what... mine license had a hold on them from the state of Ohio. They gave me a number to call. Seems a while back, while living in Ohio, I had a random select for financial responsibility for a pick up that didn't run. I had no insurance on it, since it had become a yard ornament. Well, come to find out, if you have a vehicle in Ohio, running or not, it has to have insurance. For 5 years I am supposed to prove to the state that I carry insurance. Even though I live in West Virginia now, and have my license from there, I have to have my insurance agent fax a copy of my policiy to the state of Ohio to prove I carry insurance. How stupid is that. So tomorrow morning they should fax it, then the state will release me, and I can try again. I have to have it fixed by Friday, since they alreay have me assigned with an instructer to take me out on the road. I knew it was all going to smoothly. lol. So, we have a couple of classes tomorrow, and then we get our id cards and comdata cards. Then it's sit around until all of our driver's show up Friday to start taking us out. I like the idea of 1 on 1 instructions in the real world. We will be hauling freight as we learn and prepare for our test. We have to log a minumum of 100 hours at the wheel with the instructor, then we come back and take our skills tests, and the test with the dmv to get the cdl.

I have to get this fixed, as I will not take a greyhound back home. I would just move here and get a job before I did that. lol

Joe

 

Hey U2exit... the one thing I can tell you to make sure is to have all your paperwork in order. You have to have a birth certificate with the raised seal on it. If you have had any other licenses in states, call those dmv's and make sure there is no issue with them. They go back 10 years on that. A social security card that isn't laminated. In another thread, there is a post of a packing list for students. I pretty much followed that. No more than 2 duffle bag type suitcases. These trucks aren't that big. The suitcases can fold up, and go under the mattress in you bed.

I got my situation with Ohio cleared up today, but too late to get to the dmv. The students in my class that got thier permits yesterday, got thier id's and comdata cards today. They were advised to get thier laundry done tonight, and possibly leave out tomorrow with an instructer. The few of us who have to wait til morning to get our permits, may wind up having to spend a few more days here waiting on a truck.

All in all, it is really nice here so far. The people really work with you to get you trained. One of the fellows couldn't pass the eye test, so they figured a way to advance him the money, and get him down to get some glasses today. I am impressed with little things like that. This class is about 30 people, and they work with everyone to get past the little snags that pop up.

 

Ok Friday night, and all is done, except the waiting. Went to the dmv this morning, got my permit, back to the mellineum building for id card, comdata card, log books and instructor assignments. I will be stuck here until tuesday or wednesday waiting for my instructor to roll in, but they pay for everything and give us food tickets for the grill over there. The nice thing about the wait (if there is something nice), we can go over to the pad and driving range all we want, and practice with trainers until ours show up. I think that will be a huge benefit for me. I will learn shifting, backing, and pretrips before I go out. At least when I get in the truck with my trainer, i will have already gotten over the fear factor, and have had a big confidence boost from here. The ones that went out today got none of that, and they will start cold with thier instructors.

I have been here since Monday, and I can't think of anything to complain about really. It's just cold here, and sometimes waiting for the shuttle is a pain, but they run people all over the place, so I can understand having to wait a while. 4 of the people failed thier permit tests for the sixth time today. I don't know how they can do that, but Prime is letting them stay and try again Monday. The will have to work the fuel lines here over the weekend to pay for thier stay, but at least they can do that. I told them we would get together over the weekend, and I will help them study and get them prepared for Monday.

Tomorrow, I finally get to sit in a truck and get some seat time. Very excited about that, and will let you know how it goes.

Joe

 

The wind is killing me for sure. We will be out on the pad all day saturday and sunday in it.. lol

Hey Jugg.....thanks for the link, that is a great forum for me. I would have replied to the pm, but i don't have enough posts yet.

 

Freezing on the pad. But, my roommate and I got our instructors today. One of the first things they tell you here in class, is you are being "interviewed" all week long. Our drivers, have been watching us the last couple of days, and came up and asked us if they could be our intstructors. There are some slackers here, who are going to be the ones who have to wait and wait for someone. If you are coming here, my suggestions are, to be prompt, polite, keep your mouth shut, and learn. Do no be late to any classes, or anywhere they expect you to be. BE EARLY. We, in 20 degree weather, were on the pad 45 mins early, watching other students test out. We were learning, and showed an interest in learning. That makes the difference. Prime doesn't owe you anything. I still have nothing I can complain about, except the cold, and my roommate's flatulence problem.

I think Prime sets you up to succeed, and if you fail, it is your own fault. The people who ##### on here all the time about thier companies, are probably the ones who are the slackers, and don't take advantage of all the tools the company presents to you to help.

My instructor lives here, and told me instead of staying here at the hotel, I would be welcome at his house, to wait until his truck is repaired and we get on the road. I told him I would stay in the hotel until Harold gets out with his. We get along well, and study well. We can use the time to study the pretrip, and test each other on it. Hopefully he gets out Wednesday, and I will go to my instructors house then.

The next few days are free for us, but we will be out each day at the pad and range, honing what little skills we have before we go out. That is the kind of attitude you need to bring here. If you can do that, you will succeed. If not, you will be one of the ones, that lasts a few months, and then joins this forum to whine to anyone that will listen.

If I don't post anything, it's just because we aren't doing much. I will start posting as I learn knew things, and as I start driving.

Joe