How did you learn to drive?

what a small world it is pete. Saw tony on easter at big jim b, house. he finally calmed down women wise. You must remember my family at pickering wharf. Stella-z Patty-Z Sabina-Z Judy-Z- Gertrude-Z? Most are all gone now. Sherms has not changed. best place to hydarate.

 

Giggles was just asking me 2 days ago about the show tuna wars
told her i knew everyone on it
as a newburyporter we were always the outsiders
i ended up in portsmouth nh
tony sure stirred up that town after they ran him out of gloucester

pure son jamie still trying to fill daddys shoes

 

neighbor had trucks and around 1970 i was 14 every summer i would run with him,love sitting in seat going down road am radio blaring,then one day he started teaching me,17 in marines pulled 3 got out turned 21 he helped me get started worked for him 6 years.never made any money but learned how to truck,still going and loving it

 

Pete I guess tony will never learn. he was nailed for fishing trawls inside line. cant haul pots for a year. When I last saw him last he had that "I am in love again look" in his eyes. That scared me. Hes running out of towns !!

 

Got my first car in 1986, a brand new Ford Escort Pony 4 speed stick. My dad asked me if I knew how to drive a stick, I had studied him over the years shifting his little Ford Courier so I told him "Yes". Got out of the Ford store and up to the first stop sign fine and dandy, the only thing I didn't know was that I had to start off in 1st every time lol. I don't know why it didn't click as I left Ford in 1st but didn't register that I would have to do it again after every stop. Anyway, once I clued into that I pretty much self taught driving that car all over the place.

Soon after joined the Marines in July 1986, they placed me in Motor Transport. The driving school was about 6 weeks in the old Jeeps, Hummers, Cucvees, and 5 ton trucks over all kinds of roads and terrain night and day. Driving at night out in the wild with no lights. One guy rolled his 5 ton into the ditch and the guy following him went right in behind him. Second driver was almost given a medal for doing such a good job of staying on track with the convoy lol. We even purposely got them stuck in 5 foot deep mud/water so we could learn how to unstick them. One day we had an inspection where they wanted us to wear our best cammies and boots, I put on my best belt with anodized shiny buckles, spit shined boots and brand new cammies starched and pressed. We saddled up and went straight to the mud pit where we just about buried the 5 ton, then they made us get out there in the mud and push, I was so mad because now I was going to have to shell out cash for a new 'best' cammie uniform inspection set that I would keep in the locker strictly for passing inspection.

 

cool....also...Thank you and all the other veterans for their sacrifice and their service....Giggles you done good gal....this thread is great!

 

I went to The Diesel Institute of America in Grantsville Maryland back in 97/98. I took a 7 month course on diesel mechanics, and at the time a 2 1/2 month course to get my CDL. I also went through the training mill when I hired on with Schneider National in 03 just as a refresher. That course was 6 weeks long. I was placed with a trainer that had been with the company for 7+ years and better than 15 behind the wheel already. He happened to be my uncle and I received that best training I could ever get. I have always loved trucks. I respect them with all my heart. After 1 1/2 years I was asked to become a TE(Training Engineer) for Schneider. I did. The training for that was about 3 weeks if recall proper. It is definitely not something everyone can do. I gave it up because at the time I didn't have the patience for new students. Plus I was on a dedicated account and only ran from a DC to the city and back hauled back towards the DC. Its been a long and interesting road so far and my journey is no where complete. Be safe. BTW I voted!

 

i think you nailed it. See, back in the day, if you went and applied for a trucking job, the only thing you needed to bring with you was your driver's license and your social security card. You walk into the office and they would ask you one question, "Can you drive?"

No trainers, no videos, you had nothing. You didn't know what's kind of truck you would be driving or what kind of transmission it had. You had no choice in the matter if you wanted the job...it was real simple...EITHER YOU CAN DRIVE OR YOU CAN'T.

You got into the truck, started her up and figured out the tranny real quick. You had a couple minutes to convince the guy you could drive. There were no excuses.

same goes today...either you can drive or you can't. Doesn't matter what kind of wagon you're dragging. Or the transmission. If it does, guess what? You can't drive. Yes, you may hold a job, but you are just able to hold the steering wheel.

 

Pete- I think Giggles should get high praise for this thread. Brought back a lot of mems. Remember how much trucking went out of the State Pier and Gortons 24 hours a day? The town never slept. Now the town is no more a fishing city. Only herring boats and junk shops. When the De-Hyde closed, so did Gloucester. What ever happened to yesterday???

 

World of difference between an experienced "hand" and a truck driver........almost anybody can be taught to drive a truck. But it takes a special type of person to become a professional driver. It has nothing at all to do with a personal skill set....it has everything to do with what's in a persons head.

We as drivers come into contact with all sorts of people everyday/night some we will never even see again...just drive right by 'em...but let the right situation come up.... an encounter with a kid who wants you to blow your horn...or maybe giving directions to someone that is lost , or stopping to just lend a hand with a flat tire on a rainy day. That's when the difference between a driver and a professional shines the most. Attitude is our greatest friend.....and our worst enemy.