One more noob for the road! The story begins...

"Hurry up and wait." We have all heard it, experienced it; this morning is no different. I'm at Dial in Edwardsville, Il after dropping my load from Wednesday in a door. Now, I'm waiting on the planners to find an empty and a load, or send me over to the mother ship for refresher training. In 20, it's a Qualcomm message and over to the Flying J.

Now, as for the dropping of the trailer - I've got the "yips.". If this were a Target store, I'm confident that I could thread the needle. But here, with nothing fit two doors at least on either side - I looked like the noob that I am. It was so bad that I could have backed into Kansas and not hit my spot if it was a cornfield! But, I kept the nerves down as best I could and got it against the dock. Yes, I used at least four GOALs and a half dozen pullups. Goodness, I want to be better at this than I was this morning; especially after two really challenging ( for me) spots in Pittsburgh and Alliance.
I get stuck thinking there is just one right answer. Today, it was: " Lots of space, let's blindside." What it should have been was: "Miss the blindside practice twice and set up sight-side.".

I'm such a rookie and I'm out here on the ledge. The important thing for me to remember is that as long as I don't put myself in an unwinnable spot and I continue to GOAL that my skill set will catch up and I will get better/faster. Until then there are no judges, no bonus points, and only opportunities to fall on my face.

Any week that starts with the Buckeyes beating the "Team up North" is a good week. The Bucks did their part, it's on me to keep it going!

 

Wow, what a couple days! My refresher training was not quite what I expected. However, I did pick up a couple tips. I got to use those tidbits later that afternoon while picking up a load going to Texas for someone else. That's right, use the new guy.

I was okay with it because well, I'm the new guy and I did scratch up somebody else's truck. My okayness with it all started to fade after the fourth hour in line. I know from hearing others that I will have to fight for the detention. I cannot say I'm thrilled to make $48. However, this is trucking and I have to pay my dues. I have a saying that I turn to when I think I am being done wrong by somebody, "The first one's free." Hanging me out like that to get a load for someone else, is probably smart dispatching but it is certainly poor driver management.

I put yesterday behind me when I saw I had to pick up a beer load going to Indiana. That's right, I get to be the Snowman! No, it wasn't Coors nor was it from Texarkana but I got to live a trucking cliche. I got more backing practice at A/B as well as at the delivery end. I was feeling my confidence growing. Plus, I'm gaining some good understanding of scaling loads and kingpin lengths.

Off to Danville and a pickup going back towards STL and the confidence took a hit. I arrived with two hours to go in my day and I had a plan. That was until I had to drop my empty three times. I thought I had it in the right place and the yard guy said I was in the wrong spot. After blind siding around an obstacle I wasn't even close to being lined up and here comes the yard guy. Now, I have to back an 1/8th of a mile between some jersey wall blocks and across the employee walkway (Aside: see big truck? Stop walking.) and into a TIGHT slot that might have been 3" wider than my trailer.

Result: I got out of there and I'm hiding in the corner of a small logistics company for my 10 hour break, and I may have more GOALS than both Gordie Howe and Gretsky combined but no scratches! Freight is delivered and I'm safe and legal. Today was a hard learning day but I'm on this side of it and tomorrow is a new day.