My Carolina Cargo Review of Orientation / Training and Driving

Truckmovin · Nov 18, 2014

I've been driving like crazy and finally got a break. I got three checks so far, one sign on bonus check and two paychecks both paychecks were a little over $600 after taxes, I can deal with that for getting the experience I need to take myself further. No problems on the road. I've been to Cali and back to the east coast three times now, and I'm about to do it again tonight. The brand new truck just got it's first 50K miles so it's in maintenance for an oil change and check up. I'm back at the Motel 6, I paid one of the the new guys that started orientation today $20 to take a shower and chill for a little while, I really needed to get out of the yard for a few hours and chill out somewhere I can kick my feet up, of course the new orientation guys have dozens of questions so they don't mind at all. I've been here for two and a half weeks driving an managed to get three checks and now working on my fourth check when I return from this trip to Cali.

No bad news so far it seems to be going good and steady for now, hopefully things remain that way! Sorry I don't have time to respond to posts at this time I'm trying to get a lot done in these few free hours I have available before I get back on the road.

Sik_Life · Nov 18, 2014

Glad it's working out for ya so far.

GenericUserName · Nov 18, 2014

Brandson said: ↑

I'm not gonna argue this, but I don't agree with you. He has no idea what he's doing behind the wheel yet, he needs to be watched first for a few days at least, not a few hours. I mean no offense to the OP, but trainers like this are putting dangers on the road, with full knowledge of what they are doing. He's essentially been handed the keys and driving solo with no training beyond whatever crummy cdl school he went to. Worse actually, he's driving with no training, but spending his rest period in a moving truck, a situation he isn't acclimated to and some never are. There's no proper defense for making a student's first trip a non stop coast to coast run.

OP, you don't even know what to be worried about out here yet, take things slow if you need to. I'm usually one for not babying people, but I want to stress again to not blindly listen to your trainer. I can tell you without a doubt right now that you are his paycheck, not a student.
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My first day otr i did 753 miles. It was overnight too, 11pm-10am.

Some of us know how to haul ###.

Brandson · Nov 19, 2014

GenericUserName said: ↑

My first day otr i did 753 miles. It was overnight too, 11pm-10am.

Some of us know how to haul ###.
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Congratulations super trucker. Hope you get to meet another student that had the same opportunity you did. If you do, you could have a lot of time to talk to him on the shoulder of the interstate...

sdaniel · Nov 19, 2014

Truckmovin said: ↑

My trainer sleeps like a bear in the winter, it really bothers me. When I have a question that needs to be answered in real time I have to yell his name and I'm lucky if he answers back. And when he does answer it's with an attitude because he was sleeping. He did get me out of a jam and I thanked him for it but, he sleeps almost the whole time I'm driving, and if we get somewhere and he was driving and have to sit for a few hours he actually goes to sleep again.

No one should sleep that much, especially a trainer with an 18 wheeler on the road, I sleep almost 6-7 hours and that's the most my body will let me sleep. I have to stay up anyway to watch him drive because that's the only way I can learn from him, I know once I take the wheel he's back in the sleeper berth.

The jam he got me out of:
I had to use the bathroom really bad after driving for 6 hours straight non-stop trying to see how long I can drive without stopping and I wanted to hit 700 miles in one 11 hour shift but it's just not possible with a 65 MPH governor, because construction lanes hold me up and I don't go faster than the posted speed limit in construction lanes that's just not worth it on my driving record ( yes I know I have Felonies, someone is going to say that and so what) I want to keep a clean driving record. But anyway, I had to use it really bad so I pulled over at the next Shell station I saw, I've seen other truckers pull into the side of a regular gas station before but this one had no room and in the middle of nowhere for real. I drove through and went out the other side and as I turned out thinking I have enough on my wide turn to clear the drainage ditch I watched the trailer tires as I turned out and realized I miscalculated about 3 feet off in front of me on my room to turn because there was also another ditch in front, the driver side trailer tires weren't going to make it. As I tried to back up so I could make a wider turn, I made another miscalculation and got side jack knifed I guess that's what I would call it. So, I had a ditch on my left right in the path of my trailer tires and one in front of me just before an open field, the open field ditch is what stopped me from making the wider turn I thought I could make because it was night and I couldn't see it until my headlights shined on it, and even then I said to myself " I think I can make it," but nope. 2015 Peterbilts do not have a sharp turn and I knew that from driving it but I still thought I could make it. I woke him up and spotted him as he got me out of it, since he was now awake I went and took a dump while he waited on the side of the road with the hazards on.

The jam he got me into:

He programmed the GPS his and the standard PeopleNet that comes in the truck, and said "Stop at the Loves on I-70 and get fuel the address is already in both GPS but, follow the PeopleNet GPS not mine." He went in the sleeper berth and fell fast asleep as usual, when I get to about exit 159 on I-70 in Indiana I see a loves coming up, the GPS says it's at exit 166 but I see it at 159 or so, I yell his name and say "I see a loves coming up but it's not exit 166 like the GPS says." I get no response from the 64 year old sleeping beauty. In the blink of an eye I passed the off-ramp, yep, too late and I'm off to exit 166, I get off and don't see a Loves I follow the GPS about 2 minutes which was just long enough to get caught in a Mayberry type small community. I yell his name and tell him the deal, he responds with an attitude and says " Well follow the top GPS then" I do so and it leads me 3 more minutes in to this small very wholesome looking community.

As I saw low looking power lines I yell very loud and of course at this point he can hear the anger in my voice as I say " Wake up these power lines are low and I'm going to stop right here and turn on the hazards and call dispatch or someone!" He responds by saying "Just go through the power lines and if you hit some it's not on you it's on Carolina Cargo because they sent you this way." That was the dumbest thing I have ever heard, as he sat there on the bunk in his underwear yawning and scratching himself I was getting infuriated. I know if I hit anything it's on me, so I go about three miles an hour stopping and looking at each line before I proceed. I made them all and turned out on Indiana SR 127 and got extremely upset about the whole scenario, I pulled over and got out of the driver seat and said "You drive I'm taking a break!" He gave a final yawn put on his pants and shirt that he has been wearing for 5 days ( we took showers but he put on the same clothes) and drove to another Loves just for them to say we are not authorized to purchase from them.

As he drove again he said, " It was good that you stopped at every power line and looked to see if you could make it" I replied "I had no choice I'm not hitting anything anywhere." As he continued to drive he said " I had a trainee a month ago who actually hit a power line and he didn't say anything but someone else saw him and reported it and he got arrested." I asked how did he do that, he replied " he was driving through a small town in Charlottesville." I asked how he could even be doing that he said " he had off-duty time, I said " How could he just drive where he wants to on off-duty time. This angered my trainer very much because he knew that he should have not allowed that to happen in the first place so, he responded in anger and said " Look, he was waiting to get unloaded and when you wait to get unloaded you have off-duty time! Right! I don't want to talk about it anymore!" As he waved his hands in anger, he knew I was aware that it was his fault but he didn't own up to it. Who the hell drives away from a shipping dock while waiting to be unloaded. My trainer must have been sleeping as usual and the guy may have gotten into the same type of GPS issues as me but actually hit a power line.

This training at Carolina Cargo is very unprofessional to say the least, and that's being nice to say it that way.

I'm back at the motel 6 until they get our truck serviced for a routine check tomorrow, I'm glad I get to sleep in a bed at Carolina Cargo's expense.
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Companies that take training seriously ban teaming on a trainer's truck. I trained for years. Sat in the right seat so I could answer any questions and watch (and keep them out of trouble). Made many great truck drivers . Not fair to the trainee to have to learn by having to wake your trainer! I fully understand this may be your only option, and you seem to doing well. Continue doing the best you can. Be safe is rule ONE! Best of luck!

Chinatown · Nov 19, 2014

Been there 2 1/2 weeks and heading out on your 4th West Coast turnaround; that's some serious trucking. Good job!

TruckDuo · Dec 9, 2014

Any new updates ?

Truckmovin · Dec 14, 2014

Still driving I haven't gone home yet my checks have now hit over $800 per week with my 5 cents a mile mileage bonus and on time bonus and fuel bonus. I might stay on the road until January

TruckDuo · Dec 14, 2014

Congratulations !

Are they fixing any issues ? You and your trainer getting along ?

ethos · Dec 15, 2014

Truckmovin said: ↑

Still driving I haven't gone home yet my checks have now hit over $800 per week with my 5 cents a mile mileage bonus and on time bonus and fuel bonus. I might stay on the road until January
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800 gross or net? If net that's not bad for your first year.

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