Orientation Oct. 1 in Phoenix

So after getting offers from MTC, Covenant, Western Express, and Navajo Express I decided that May was the way to go in order to get my first year out of the way. The deciding factor was the comparative CSA scores.of all the aforesaid companies, with Navajo and Western scraping the bottom.

 

48 state reefer or 11 Western dry van

 

Sorry for the late reply but here's what happened:

It's two right hand turns to start; it's a basic right followed by a jughandle right. I climb in the Pete 587, slip into 1st, and let the truck just idle cruise up to the first turn. Wait, crap!! I'm too up the center so I better get this biggins to the left some more. As I had NEVER sat in a truck that large with a 53' trailer it wasn't until I was in the course I noticed. So I get it to the left and begin turning to the right, however what I failed to notice is that I wasn't turning the wheel fast enough so down goes one of the tires on the perimeter. Congratulations numbnuts!! You lose, do not pass go, do not collect $300. After setting the parking brakes I get out, signal the person watching I was in need of them, and was told to get into their vehicle and wait. After he gets back into the vehicle I tell him, "Well thank you very much Lee. Sorry for failing and wasting May's time; hopefully I can come back in the future and try again." He smiles and says, "It's not up to me and you probably won't go home. I'll talk with the Safety Manager and you could get a second chance."
The next hour in the office waiting was spent deep in thought, going over and over what happened, what I needed to do, and how I could potentially fix my mistakes. The Safety Manager, Jose, walks over to where I was and smiles. "Get in the truck, time for last chance." I'll spare you the long, drawn out, boringness but I passed the second time around with about 40 or 50 GOAL's in order to get just the right turns done. The straight line backing and 45 degree driver side alley dock were a cake walk after that. Well son, you're half way through those woods. Now you have to survive the road and not screw up there because there is no second chances there. For those of you wondering about MTC they use a VERY progressive shifting pattern and Jose was very nice in helping me out by offering me the advice of "shift" whenever it was time for the first few times and help with knowing how MTC wants me to handle stopping and downshifting. By the time we returned to the yard he told me how fast I had picked up the shifting, and how impressed he was with how little he had to help me out after the first few minutes. "If you can keep your confidence up, pay attention, and take your time, you WILL go far with MTC." I shyly ask him, "So does this mean that I tentatively have a driving position with May?" Well sure enough I do!!
The rest of orientation was learning company policies, how to use ComData cards and ComCheks, learning about QUALCOMM, and how to chain up using the old fashioned bust-your-back chains and the new fangled lightweight chains (give me the new ones, they're EASY!!). The people out at the Phoenix yard helped our class feel very welcome and comfortable right away and after the first day I felt like I was already family with them. I even got to meet one of the trainers; he gave out his number and told our small class that he does not mind at all if we call him at any time with any questions. "I would prefere you call me at 3 A.M. with a stupid question and answer it knowing you're going to be O.K. rather than not asking and hearing about you going off of a road or mountainside." Well I don't know about you but that was an instant winner moment in my book. Now I know I have to stick it out with them and do good by them. Here's to seeing what my future with MTC will hold.

P.S. If anyone does go to May and does their orientation in Phoenix, AZ be sure to ask Jose before you do your whiz quiz how long it will take to get the pregnancy test results back

 

Winner winner chicken dinner!! When I asked him how long until I got my pregnancy test results back (I am a male) he about fell over laughing.

 

Hanging in there, waiting for some family issues to clear up so I can get into a truck with a trainer. Very thankfully they understood my position and were willing to accomodate me on holding off getting into a truck with a trainer. Once all is clared up/taken care of I should be in a truck and be rolling onward.