I'm baaaaaack!!!!!!!!

DAY TWO!!

Riveting videos on safety and maintenance. Paperwork. More paperwork. Then (DUN-DUN-DUUUNNNNNN!!!) the Driving Evaluation.

The Freightliner has a much wider seat than the International Prostar I've gotten used to (good), the Cummins torque peak is 1100rpm (good), the gear shifter is MUCH tighter/smoother/closer than the slop stick on the Prostar (even better). The company is okay with floating gears if you know how to do it (I do), and the pedals and shift mechanism are seemingly built for a floating heel-and-toe downshift (which kind of freaked out my evaluator guy, in a good way). I really like the Cascadia more than the Prostar from the driver's seat--spousal judgement will have to wait til tomorrow.

Overall the check drive is a nonevent. Right out of yard, down a ways, left, down a ways, left, down a ways, left, down a ways, right, left back into yard, back into space with enough room to do a straightline back--evaluator guy says that's kind of an observation on the driver's intelligence as a distressing number of people try to jack it in as a 90 degree back (I guess they watch those guys closely if they don't send them home outright). It is apparent they expect you to know what you are doing when you come here. I'm fine with that; I'm done training noobs.

Back to the orientation room for pizza for lunch. Then some more riveting videos on logs/FMCSA/e-logs/Qcomm, but the attitude is that you pretty much know this stuff so it isn't a 9-hour slog a la Celadon orientation but less than 2 hours (though still comprehensive).

Sign name 7,643 times (fuel card, various required paperwork, return of medical forms, acknowledgement of training, etc).

Sacrifice a goat.

Oops, its 1600--scram.

Gotta check out of the hotel in the morning. I'm gonna mooch a ride to the yard tomorrow since I'm the only one here who didn't drive and I don't want to wait for the shuttle again. We expect to finish around 1600 tomorrow then truck assignments, meet DM, and (for me) load assignment (since I want to work Christmas--I'm the Grinch, sue me).

Now I'm in the hotel room needing to get something to eat so I can take my evening meds. I likely won't be able to blog again this extensively for a while since I won't have this nice desk to sit at while I type in luxurious comfort.

This experience has been pretty much like my first impression of the yard--no frills, all business, and extremely efficient. I'm cool with that; they can focus on the drivers (and invest more in them).

For now, I gotta go get dinner and then find a replacement goat.

I am Captain Zoom.
I have spoken.

 

Well the ride for my wife has been arranged; she will be at the terminal by 1600. Christmas for me will come a day early as I get my truck and first dispatch. Need to get up early to pack and check out in the morning. I just hope we're done before my wife gets there. She's The Hot Chick. Or she will be when I get another CB (but the jury's still out on that--too many radio Rambos out there).

 

Day three!

This update is late due to loading the truck.

Payroll, videos, ops, blah blah blah. We finished after lunch. I got a Cascadia with 260K miles. It is quite sound mechanically and cosmetically, and had either been beautifully detailed or else been a non smoker's truck. Cummins power, TriPac, 1600W inverter. Workhorse.

The general impression I'm getting here is this company is for grownups. They seem to expect you to pretty much know what you're doing when you get here. You are treated as an adult in orientation. Once thing that stood out for me was how they gave me a glimpse in how the driver support works behind the scenes and how the driver can smooth the process and get himself more miles cooperating and playing by the rules. I left orientation with a better understanding of how (at least here) the planner and csr and fleet manager work with the driver manager to keep the driver productive. I got the strong impression that the outlaw wannabes who complain and whine constantly about the rules tend to weed themselves out. I'm good with that.

To all of my brothers and sisters, whether out here with me today or at home, I wish you a very merry Christmas. May your loads be light, your roads smooth, your hills gentle, your skies fair, and may you always find your way swiftly back home. Be safe out there. Until next time!

I am Captain Zoom.
I have spoken.

 

Soo, short day today, only about 400 miles. Gonna wrestle my way into the Memphis Wal-Mart DC then pick up about 80 miles away at Unilever going to Pontoon Beach IL. Should get me around 800 miles for my first week. A small paycheck is better than no paycheck.

Hope you all had a good Christmas!

Peace on you.

 

I did sell Mitzi's in NC; in fact, I was the sales training manager for the dealership. I did two rounds at Dart -- second round was with one of those Volvo 630 automatics that gave me no trouble whatsoever and the first round was with a brown Volvo 660 that was an absolute nightmare so if we met while I was waiting on service it was likely the first time. Are you still at Dart? You can see why I left in an earlier post. Hope you're doing well!