My journey with Jim Palmer Trucking

I just passed my CDL-A test September 7th, 2018 and am now 9 days into the C seat training.

For those that want to know the details of obtaining your CDL-A license and gainful employment with JPT, here they are based on my experience, with the Missoula, Mt offices and yard.

1. After applying I was called within 24 hrs. Skylar, my recruiter gave me the rundown and answered all my questions.

2. The class starts on Monday, and with any luck you'll pass the dmv permit test Tuesday morning along with dot physical and bobtailing through downtown Missoula with a trainer and 1-3 others learning to shift.

3. Day 3 will be more time behind the wheel in town. But this time with a 53' trailer! Yea, you have all of 45 mins behind the wheel bobtailing and suddenly you are pulling a trailer in traffic. Don't fret, these trainers are professionals. They keep it safe but put you right into the fire. Saying it's fast paced would be an understatement.

4. Day 4, backing exercises! Good stuff here. They teach the manuevers needed to pass the dot exam.

During periods of non driving there's class time dealing with Hours of Service, and basic rules to live by safely driving.

5. Friday - Monday is all depending on if your on the road trainer comes in or not. If they do, you pack up from the hotel and join your trainer. If not, you'll be at the yard doing more backing and driving.

Next post will be my experience, ymmv.

But you might want to know the financials.

School costs $3500. Last at least 6 months of employment with them and they knock off 50 percent. Stay a full year and you got it free. Bail out and you will be indebted. Don't do this if you are not financially able to pay.

D - Seat training. At least 75 hrs of actual driving, hauling loads with a trainer in his truck. He's always awake and in the passenger seat when you're driving. You are not paid, but can take $200 per week advances against future pay once you become an actual employee the day you pass your test.. The pay back schedule is very easy on you. This period is 2-4 weeks on avg. When they route you back to Missoula you'll usually get a few days of 1 on one time with the trainers to make sure you are ready to pass your test.

C - Seat. You now have a cdl and are employed. Time for 10k miles under team driving conditions with a coach in his truck hauling loads. Pay is $600 per week, or 12cpm. Your miles and his miles are combined.

B - Seat. 20k more miles at $700 per week or 14 cpm.

Back to Missoula, do a little road test and some backing with trainers and they cut you loose for a 1 week solo at above rate. Handle it well and you're an A seat, given a tractor and earning 45 cpm just like any other company driver.

Be safe, on time, and get out there and earn a living.

 

Five of us started the same day. But we left to do our D seat training on different days. They try to match up smokers and non as much as possible. As well, they try to match you with something close to age and personality.

My case was unique. My coach was almost 70, and he said 50 yrs experience. I'm 58, so that was fine by me. He taught me a lot about safe truck driving habits. But personality wise, he was not my cup of tea. Maybe taking only 1 shower in 16 days had something to do with it. But he got me back to the yard after I put on about 7k miles in western states.

I got off the truck and practice maneuvers with the new class for a few days until my new trainer arrived. I spent 10 days in his 2018 freightliner automatic and learned lots more. Showers every 2 days or less, and no personality issues.

I got back to Missoula with only 1 day to practice before my dmv testing and they were short on training trucks with the new class in. I needed probably 1 good day driving a stick to pass because I needed work on my shifting. But I can't use that as an excuse either.

Cdl test day came and we went to the dmv test sight. I scored perfect on pretrip, took 1 extra pullup for 1 point on my 90 and passed all the backing exercises with only that 1 point.

Then I screwed the pooch on the road. Doing the emergency pullover, I was in 9th gear. I dropped the splitter and came to a stop, and never put it in neutral. We were on a slight downhill, so she started to roll when it was time to continue. But she was lugging also, and going too fast for 5th. Needless to say I didn't recover and coasted more than a trailer length. Auto fail. I knew I failed and asked to complete the course. The tester allowed me to finish and told me I would have passed.

The folks at Jim Palmer were not as worried about it as me. They put me up in the hotel for 7 days so I could retest. Round two I passed and got my CDL-A.

Now it's time for paid C seat and back with my last trainer to team 30k miles!

 

C seat

My coach arrived at the yard the day I passed my test. We left the next morning (Saturday) to go get a load. I drove almost the full 11 hrs that day. It was about a 1400 mile trip including the 180 mile dead head.

Off and running! It's now Sunday a week and a day later. We put on about 6750 miles and I'm out of hours. We're doing a 34 hr reset at his home.

If all goes well, this 30k miles will be gone sooner than expected. I'll make B seat this week.

 

B seat

 

Yay, A seat.

 

Things of note so far.

I've come across 4 trucking involved accidents.

I've done two emergency stops on the highway. One was a tanker hose dropping in front of us in early morning fast commute traffic, hitting the flashers and covering two lanes preventing others from hitting it, just as a local cop pulled up on it too. Possibly saving others from a potential accident.

The other was as the first to pass by a SUV rollover into a 8 foot ditch. No injuries.

I was in the passenger seat and saw the glow of fire ahead at a upcoming rest stop. Told coach, he pulled into it and a pickup towing a small livestock trailer was engulfed. I called emergency services with the details as the driver was getting the goats or whatever they were (night time) out of the trailer and coach pulled out the fire extinguisher. But saw that was no use.

Emergency services was there pronto and put out the fire and were on our way.

It's interesting what we can come across. Even more so if we can help someone. This is going to be an interesting career.