New Career ... From the beginning.

Checking in from the Days Inn in Carlisle, PA. Schneider put is up for a few days of orientation. I drove down from upstate NY (home). Took about 5 hours. When I got to my room I was surprised to see somebody sitting on the bed watching TV. He's my new best friend ...JD. He's here for orientation too. He's 4 years younger than my youngest daughter. Now, that is enough to make an old guy feel old. Not sure how big our class will be...tomorrow is just physicals and physical tests...I got here at night, so it's a little hard to get the lay of the land, but this is a truck town...SNI has a 50 acre center here...saw Roadway and Knight as well.....all the guests here look like truckers...

 

Hey , maybe our hair is white, or mon existent, maybe we gotta get up in the middle of every night...but, we have wisdom that can only be acquired by time. Texzonie, stay in touch.

 

Tuesday afternoon. Drove down to Carlisle yesterday...rolled into the Days Inn (remember it used to be called 8 Days Inn?) nothing scheduled until noon today ...when we checked in to do our physical tests... Height, weight, BP, then a bunch of exercises to see if we can lift and carry some weight...no problem..heart rate is good...BP is AA little high...but everyone's is...I think it's nerves. Nobody wants to be sent home. Excused and told to be back on tomorrow morning's bus at 6:30. We were told to expect long days...and lots of homework. Most of the guys in class are in their twenties....but there is one other old guy! He used to be a pilot...flew for FedEx. His route was abolished...and now, like me, he's looking for a new career. We were comparing notes...his daughter and mine when to the same college. Small World! ...I think we hit the road with a trainer on Saturday....it is an adventure.

 

It's 5AM. Almost time to start another day at orientation. Yesterday was a very fast and long day...bus picked us up at the motel at 6:30. Class began at 7 Holy Cow. We went at it full speed til noon...when we split into small groups and out on the training range for some hands on work. Pre Trips, tight turns backing. Etc...I need work on the slow,tight maneuvers,, I hope they allow for a learning curve... There are 10 in the class...one guy split before we even got started... Hope we all make it. I'm probably the most senior here...another guy is also 61. He drove truck for Walmart for 20 something years...the became a fed ex pilot ...then... Got downsized...so, he's back on the road again. Another older guy was a food salesman...selling to grocery store chains....he got downsized...rest of the pack are all young guys I their 20s. Wish me luck!

 

I agree...so far I am very impressed and happy with my choice to come here...orientation is very intense...and we're all hoping we dont get wash out. I've got to learn their bump and run/gear recovery method.

 

Today is our road test...there are 10 in our class...it's hard to predict how we're doing...we're being evaluated all the time...sort of like a Miss America contest...(do you like my analogy?) the trainers are all watching us...keeping notes...there are major driving events ...but this one today is the big one. I wonder if the trainers have a technique...to point out the student's faults the first day, to make us feel like we're not going to make it...then by day 3 start with the...you're doing great stuff. As I talk with the other students it seems like a tactic that is being used across the board with a number of us...maybe...maybe not. Last night I was talking with a fellow student who was pretty bummed...his trainer told him it didn't look good..poor guy. He just wants to drive a dump truck..but has had little luck. By the end of the day, I'll either have my very own fuel card...or be on my way home. I meet my driver trainer on Sunday for a week driving with him...then a 2 or 3 day Christmas break...then back to Carlisle for another week of high intensity training....wish me luck! I'll keep you posted.