Is going local as a newbie a mistake?

So my first day out with the trainer went smooth. My trainers a good guy and know/does his job the right way. There's alot to learn about how to load these tank, like the kind, amount, and weight of each different product. We had a load of sodium bisulfite 3.8 last night and I got to feel what the surge of the liquid feels like. At first it kinda spooked me but after about an hour it didn't bug me. So everything so far seems to be going good, I just have to get my twic card if I wanna get more loads so next week I'm gonna get that bad boy.

 

So this is just to update this thread on a little event that happened to me today. This is a good reason why any newbie has to do more training. I was taking a load of bisulfite and we came up to this tight left that I had taken three or four times before with no problem. I came up to the same corner at about 15mph like usual and was slowing as I entered the corner, all of the sudden the surge from the liquid hit and threw the truck forward and into a steering axle slide. I stood on the brake but the truck still slide about 1/4 of the way into the ditch. Luckily we were still able too back out and keep going but it made me realize why I'm with a trainer for the next month. I guess i'm not the first guy to go in that ditch and it could've been alot worse.

 

the surge wasn't even too bad of a slam, it was just a nice enough nudge that it put the steers into a skid. We were about 92000 pounds and I had taken the corner at about 95000 at the same speed I was at I just got stupid cuz the corner was wet with sand on it. Should've known better but my trainer didn't even report it and told me to use it as a training experience. It didn't help that the drop axle was down either.

 

So I haven't really been posting on here very much but I thought I'd let ya'll know how things are going right now. I'm on my last week of training and should be in my own truck by next week. My trainer said this past week that I'm good to go and he's going to try and get us some longer runs. The only thing I have left on my training is to do a load out of the port, which sucks cuz I'm still waiting on my darn twic card. I'm enjoying pulling tankers and I'm not gonna lie the job gets challenging at times when you have to figure out how to load some of these chemicals. Anyway I'll let ya'll know when I finally get out on my own. GO PACK

 

So instead of starting a new thread I thought I'd keep going here. So I finally got out on my own on Thursday and so far it's been a rough start. My first day out on my own I loaded 6,000 pounds too light due to a miscalculation on my part. Oh well first time jitters, then once I get to the receivers they don't come unlock the valve for at least an hour. Rough first day but I thought oh well the next day will be better. So after I finish my reset I go back to day and jump right back on the horse. Day starts off rough cuz one of the other drivers backed the trailer all the way up so the rear axle was in the ditch. I finally get it out and head down the road. Everythings going smooth until all of the sudden my air pressure start dropping quick. I throw on my 4 ways and pull into a rest area and what ya know air's pouring out of a line on my trailer. I get out, grab my tools and fix it, then a fuse goes out in my truck at the shippers so I have to stop and fix that too. I figure wow the day couldn't get any worse. I get loaded, get to the receiver and off load. Everythings finally going good when I hear this loud boom from behind my truck. Look in my mirror and what ya know my trailer fell off. So I'm stopped in the middle of a busy road beating on my fifth wheel until I get that fixed and hook back up to the trailer. Okay it's official the day is the worse day ever, Nope wrong again I stop to get fuel for the next day and my fuel card gets denied, I call up my dispatcher and he says well that sucks but it's not my problem and hangs up. By this time I'm ready to tell him to take this truck and shove it straight up where the sun doesn't shine. Anyways thought I'd get on here and vent. Sorry its so long but #### what a day.