Packing List for Students

Here I am 5 weeks on the road. I am only a few hours from completing my training period with Werner. My trainer had scheduled time off for nearly 1 month now and I tried my hardest to squeeze every bit of my hrs every chance I got but still have about 20hrs left which I could potentially complete in 2-3 days given we get a couple of good loads. We are shut down here in Baltimore for the next 3 days and I am put up in a hotel.

So far I have enjoyed every moment. I wish I would have started yrs ago I would be much better off now.

I came into my trainers truck VERY well prepared, packed light, but packed smart. Thanks to this forum and thread specifically.

Hoping to be driving solo within 2 weeks and hopefully see some home time for the first time in a long time. Then maybe I'll run into some of you folks on the road!

I'm glad the experience thus far is not one big horror story like some of those I read prior to coming into the industry. Just goes to show you can't believe everything you read. Those people that complain... "I got fired for making a uturn" or whatever the reason just didn't come out and tell you about the other 4 or 5 incidents and warnings they all ready got for doing dumb ####.

If you come out here not necessarily for money, but because driving a truck is what you want/like to do. It should be a good experience for you. Everyone has got to start somewhere.

Be safe and keep it between the lines fellas (& gals)!

 

I start Evo 2 next week and that should fine tune my paperwork skills and help me to manage the qualcomm. Lots more to the job than just driving... Good luck man and keep in touch.

 

What if i confessed I'm a lesbian trapped in a man's body?

 

THAT is a great suggestion!!!

 

Another idea is the Verizon Hot Spot. It runs on the 3G network and the data cost is the same, about $50 a month for 5 Gigs of data. The nice thing is it creates a mobile hot spot that you can connect 5 wireless devices to. (like a laptop, an iPod, iPad...whatever.) Really nice if you are planning on running as a team as you will not have to swap out the air card for two laptops and you can connect your iPod touch to Pandora for free streaming music. Cost is $99 for the unit but I think worth it.

 

One thing for everyone to remember with a trainer, that is basically their truck before you get in it. It's small enough as it is in back, and you may run into the situation my friend did with her trainer.

Clothes balled up on the floor, under the bed and in the cubby hole. She was told to bring a bunch of stuff, which she did, and 75% of it is currently sitting in a Uhaul in Tennessee. The other things she could take with her are on the end of her bunk because there isn't any room for it.

Packing smart is the best thing you can do as a new driver with a trainer.

I'm not taking a computer with me until I go solo. I have internet on my phone and I am fine with that for now.

 

When I first started, I only packed a few days worth of clothes, laundry soap, and stuff for taking a shower such as soap, towels, etc.

I also brought a pillow and a sleeping bag, but I forgot how I crammed all that stuff in my duffel bag. I brought an mp3 player and books to read, but I was usually too tired for that stuff during training. The laptop stayed at home.

 

I just finished training with Roehl... The Laptop never came out of its case... Too tired at the end of the day... Time only for a bite to eat and a shower... Cell phone was fast and text friendly... I recommend the DROID X ... Has a GPS for finding street names.... Pack some food too... My trainers did not let me use their coolers so I had to survive on dry food and food easy available and sustainable.. It was like boot camp with a truck stop ending each night... Subway was always there but you get pretty sick of Subway soon... I went home on a brake during training and got hired by a LOCAL COMPANY driving for more money and locally in the same exact truck style I was training with.. 5 days a week 5am to 2pm with no weekends or holidays... I stepped in it somewhere but I grabbed it up . Now I eat in my kitchen and sleep in my bedroom and shower in my own bathroom but the coffee is not as good.... Good Luck! Remember the trainers are there for the money not your friendship.. They get $50 per day plus your miles. They really could care less that you eat or don't. I did not eat for my 1st 2 days due to stress but my trainer enjoyed full buffet style eating from his cooler and another thing. Your there to learn not be comfortable and content. They get a NEW STUDENT every 2 weeks so your just a number and treated as one. TRUST ME... I have been there and went threw this and know from the experience... My trainer was from the deep South and I'm from up North. He was always cold and I was always excruciating HOT!!!!! The truck heater was operated by him every night and I was in extreme discomfort but he still cranked it up and roasted me to a sweetly mess every night and he did not even care as I complained... Called me a TOUGH NY-ER...JUST LEARN the DANCE and get threw it....

 

I'm waiting to go out with a mentor but I've already decided the laptop is staying home until I'm on my own. I got all the other stuff covered I think. Was going to get a rain coat but just opted for the $3 rain poncho from walmart.

 

As a trainee take as liittle stuff as you can. I am a trainer and student come to get in my truckw with a huge suitcase and duffle bag. They leave some at the terminal. the bare essentail is all youll need till you get your own truck.