Newbie Diary

Thanks, everyone.

It's been a week now, and I was holding onto this, so I'd have a more complete tale to tell, regarding my classmates. For those of you, who dislike stories with loose ends.

For those of you who have read, up to this part, I want to point out, through the history of my class testing for their CDL, I have gone to support them. I do this mainly, cause I live a mile away from the site. It's a tradeoff, really. I had to drive for 45 minutes to school, and back. they have to drive 45 minutes to take the test. I've gone on days I wasn't testing, I've gone 3 hours early, I've stayed 3 hours late. It's just the kinda guy I am. I'm a guy who doesn't have a lot of hobbies.

So, no one should be suprised that I went back to the site, the day after I passed, since the remaining two of my classmates were testing. One, hadn't tested before cause he got a job near the end of class, and the other, was the one who failed his pre-trip. They have Louie.

the first classmate passes easily. Aside from problems with the memory-game that is the Pre-Trip Inspection, he really is a natural with the truck, and I feel a bit safer knowing he's going to be one of the multitude of drivers on the road. After he's done, I say Hi to Louie. I've been chatting with the Third Tester, who's on office-duty today, appearently (I didn't really mention him, because I never tested with him.)

Second Classmate goes out... Pretrip takes a loooonnngg time. Seriously, almost an hour from start, to air-brake. Then goes to skills.. well, he's better at skills, than he is on pre-trip... but still, he cuts it really close, then: He's out on the road!

The Third tester is working with some county workers on their CDL-B's. He leaves for their road test.

Then Bob comes back from a road test. Bob's been there earlier, but now.. Bob is the only tester there. Bob pulls my instructor into the office, and tells him to get me the heck out of there.

To his credit, my instructor does field an argument. But quickly runs into mode we all get in, when you realize you're trying to argue with an idiot, and you're eyes sorta glaze over, cause you're just so dumbfounded that you found someone that dumb. He then comes out, and tells me Bob wants me to leave, and explains the conversation to me.

So, I go. They'll tell my classmate that I wanted to be there, I'll call the school later, to find out how he did. As much as it's in my nature, to be a complete jerkwad, and just go sit in my pickup and wait to see if my classmate can get back before Bob thinks to call the police. It would harm the schools' relationship with the testers. and that would only end up hurting some student down the road who wanted nothing more than to make his life better than it was. So, I go.

I called the school, and my classmate failed. He allegedly went too short on a left turn, and backed up in the intersection, to correct his error. He may not try again. He is intimidated by the idea of having to redo his pre-trip, air-brake, and skills tests again, which he would still have to do, even if he were trying for a CDL-B, which the school suggested.

I talked with a company, had to fill out an "Unemployment Affidavit" Stating that I was, in fact, a stay-at-home daddy for the last 4 years (It's been 7, but they only care about the last 4.) Can't be a relative.

If I had "Friends" or "an active social life" I probably wouldn't look into a line of work that pretty much wipes it out for months at a time. Father, wife, son, and (shiver) In-Laws. I managed to track down one friend that hadn't moved away, and still had a phone. I ended up asking the manager of my local video store to be the second. We've been friend-ly for 10 years, Its not like I've ever been to her house, or anything...

So, got the pre-hire... got the affidavit, got it faxed, talked to recruiter-person, I could go to orientation Wednesday! 7 days away! I can do that! tough part, is getting the physical appointment done in time. But I can do it!

and what did you want to do, again? Flatbed!

Oh.

Rut-Roh, Raggy! What do you mean "Oh."?

And... these were my choices... I could either, start on Wednesday, on Dry Van, and work on getting into flatbed as time permits, or wait, over a month, untill April 9th, when they'll be doing an Orientation for Flatbedders.

And, honestly, something seems askew with going dry van, and then trying to switch later on, later on, I hope to be on the road. and if I can never get to where I need to be on time, then I'm pretty much stuck.

I don't want to be stuck. So, I took the April 9th date. More time to get my physical done. but, another month of No money. Hope this works out for the best.

Oh, when I called the school, the day after I was kicked from the test site, I was talking with the owner and he was trying to make me feel better about getting kicked out...

"well, you know, every now and then, the guys over there get a little concerned about people hanging around while other people are testing, they're afraid that you might be giving instructions, or hand signals..."

"It's OK. Bob hates me. That's really all we need to know."

"...with an unbridled passion. I've never seen anything like it before. What did you do to him?"

"I wish I knew."


Also, point of interest: The testing site I have described, is where CR England tests it's students that Hail from Wisconsin, Illinois, and all parts East of those two states. so, pretty much the North-Eastern quarter of the U.S.

 

Appearently, I'm starting orientation with Roehl on March 28th, for their flatbed fleet. It was April 9th for a while, but calling the recruiter every other day appearently keeps you in memory when someone with an earlier date cancels.

Had to take another DOT physical. appearently, Roehl would like to make sure I didn't go to some hack that would just sign off on me, without really checking anything. Made me wish I hadn't gone to some hack, that way he'd just sign off on me, without checking anything.

This Office, had an actual audiometer. Great. Please note: I'm not hiding my hearing loss on the DOT paperwork, that would be bad. But I am hoping anyone who reads it, sorta skips over that part. That may be more likely to happen if I didn't check the box that says "Hearing Problems? YES" then writing in the blank spot "Rt. Ear: Missing eardrum."

Appearently, "Missing Eardrum" is akin to saying "Liver Disappeared" It appears to make the doctor look at it, because they don't belive me.

"Why do you think your eardrum is missing?"
"Because it's gone, and I haven't gotten a ransom note yet, it's been 15 years, I think I'm ready to call it."
"What were you doing when you lost it?
"I suspect, listening to something with my left ear."
"Well, let's take a look... Oh.. you have an eardrum..."
"Wait for it... this is gonna be a great payoff in a moment..."
"Oh, that's not an eardrum.. that's scar tissue on the other side..."
"Right."
"Huh.. you don't have an eardrum."
"Well, the relevant question now is, do you see anything that would imply that it was depressed, or having a life-changing event?"
"What?"
"I'm the deaf one, that's my line."


Anyhow, I squeak by on the hearing test, the Metric is you have to have one ear that can hear 40 decibels, my left ear can hear at 30 decibles (Mild Hearing Loss) and my right ear can hear at 65 decibles (Severe Hearing loss)

I'm a bit concerned that with Roehl, from the first day of Orientation, to first paycheck, is going to be over 3 weeks. I can get $15 a day while I'm with the trainer, as my sign-on bonus. So it looks like I'll probably only be eating once a day. Roehl's paperwork tells me to bring $7-$10/ meal while out with a trainer.