Started PTEC in St. Petersburg, FL

No driving today! This whole week we have short days due to some sort of teacher conference thingy, Laura says it's mandatory that they cut so many hours for the whole week, so we are done by 1:30 pm every day. (BUT we can stay and do chapter work/tests yippee!!) Today Al was gone so Laura taught us the Smith System. I was glad because I am way behind on the tests, I got 4 done today and I'm still behind.

 

Open book sweet! Heads up to anyone who is thinking of going to PTEC, our tests are NOT open book, and they can be tricky. You get 7 minutes to answer 10 questions. Plenty enough time but you pretty much have to read the whole chapter in order to answer the questions.

 

Peterbilt's are my fave truck. We have one but Laura had just bought it so it's in the shop getting seats installed back in the sleeper, which means we may not drive it Don't ask me what the other trucks are, all I know is that they aren't Peterbilt LOL.

We have started testing for the pre-trip, but they haven't talked about the parking or driving tests. Maybe next week? So far Jim and I are the only ones who have taken our pre-trips. My hubby says he is going to take his tomorrow, but the other 2 haven't said anything yet.

OH speaking of the other 2, I was wrong about Mark, he showed up today! So there are still 5 of us

 

Oh and you mention night driving - I have heard that we are going to do just one day of night driving, and Al will let us know ahead of time.

 

I think it was 275, I don't know I'll have to ask Al. Yeah I just go where he says, I have too many other things on my mind right now (what gear am I in, setting up for the turn, when to turn, when to shift, where's my trailer, don't run over anything etc etc)

Well I've noticed that Al has Jim and I doing stuff before he has the other students do them, so I think he and I are doing pretty well. I like driving way better then backing!!

 

Yesterday was uneventful, just more driving and practicing. But once I got home I realized that I only had a half hour of range time (thanks to these short days ugh) and so this morning I asked if I could not go out and drive and just spend the whole day out on the range. Al didn't hesitate to say yes because 'your driving skills are excellent' Woot! So I got out there right away, with Jim. After a half hour Laura came over to me and told me to park the truck and go inside because Jim was ready to take his skills test. WHAT???!!!????!! I was pretty steamed But that's ok because I'll be ready soon. I feel like I'm totally ready for my road test, but they say I have to take my skills test first. I'm about 90% ready for my skills test.

After he took his test I was able to get out there again, and by lunch I had an hour and a half of practice. So I decided to go out with Al. It was just my husband and I. Oh and speaking of my husband, he took his pre-trip yesterday. The computer spit out that he had to pre-trip the whole thing! Poor thing, I only had to do the trailer and inside the cab, Jim only had to do the tractor and inside the cab. My husband did really good though he only missed 2 things, and one of those things he swears wasn't even in the book.

Anyway, I'm hoping to hop in the truck first thing in the morning and if I think I am hitting everything pretty good I'm going to do my skills test, kinda like Jim did this morning. Because I will just die if he gets his cdl before I do!!

 

My husband wants to drive during the day so I'll be the one doing the night driving. I'll have to keep this in mind!