Starting in Trenton 8/22

Day 9 or How to play Truck Driver is done. We went out on the road for the first time. Started at the Trenton terminal, had a flat tire on the front passenger tandem, quick stop at the garage and it was fixed and we were off. Went up to Celina, then to Wilmington for lunch at a nice buffet. If you are coming to class and Bill ask you if you want to hit the buffet on your road training its worth it, only 8 bucks. I took over in Wilmington. Went S71 into cincy, over into KY, got to drive up the cut in the hill in KY. Hit 275 forget the exit we got off at and went into Hamilton from there. Was fun got 120 miles of driving total. Got to mess with the jake brake to see how well it worked. Worked out well was using it going down the hill in cincy on S71, when everyone decided to brake check to look at the cop who pulled someone over on the shoulder. Got slowed down, downshifted with out problem.

Was a fun day overall, although I have to say sitting in the seat waiting to drive is about as boring as it gets. We all need to work on our downshifting but everyone in the class did a good job. We even had the honor of getting our doors blown off by a supertrucker flying past us at 50mph in a 35mph, he was trying to get past us in a right turn lane. That was about the only nervous event.

9 days down 6 to go.

Also if you haven't been to the Trenton lot in the past couple days it is jammed packed with full trailers, only parking left is on the driving range.

 

Day 10 over at 11:30am. We had to finish up the videos and class work before Monday. We did Speed and Space Management, Hazards, Bad Weather. Have the rest to do as homework this weekend and a quiz. Everyone passed the backing quiz, so now we just have to get the rest of our road hours in and we will be off with trainers after the 14th.

Monday should be fun we are going up to the Richfield terminal to drop a Barney trailer off staying up there and coming back Tuesday. Gonna try and get the driving leg that goes through Chicago and see how I do there.

 

Figured I would offer a couple tips for anyone coming to school.

Read up on Hours of Service and check out American-Truckers Pre Trip Inspection, both are good to know and have a basic understanding of. They do a great job covering them in class, but was nice to have read up on them before, gave me one less thing to try and study for with everything else we learned.

If you are staying at the hotel go to Walmart and get sandwich stuff for lunch, and bring a slow cooker if you want. One of the other guys in class has on and has saved quite a bit of money over eating fast food each day. Wear clothes you don't mind getting dirty in, you are going to get grease,dirt and a frick ton of dust on them.

Bring a wallet/purse with your license and permit in them to class everyday. A watch is also handy to have. Sunscreen for you left arm if you don't want two different colored arms also.

Get Out and Look.

Thats all I got for now, if all goes right my next post will be from Richfield.

 

At the super8 by Richfield. Drive up was pretty easy going. I started the last leg of the drive, took over on the first oasis on the 294 tollway around Chicago, ran up to Richfield, dropped the barney trailer at the yard, ran over to Miller to pick up a trailer to bring back. Was suppose to be a load of dunnage, turns out its full from nose to doors with kegs, at least they are empty. It weighs a little over 23k.

Was a nice ride got in almost 5 hours total drive time, no traffic to speak of, and saw about 20 or so 4 wheelers pulled over by the cops for whatever reason. Also got to see a First Fleet get pulled over on 294 for being in the left hand lanes, cop pulled up right behind him, gave him a good mile to merge over before he lite him up. Leaving out early tomorrow to go back to Trenton. So all in all not a bad day. Also good lesson learned if it says stay in certain lanes, stay in them.

Am hopping we will drive through Chicago tomorrow and not take the bypass. If we do am going to run that leg, if not will do the second and run from the end of 294 down to south of Indy.

For those coming to school later, don't eat at the oasis on the tollway in Chicago, Fricken $10 footlong sub and pop.

 

Got back to Trenton about 5 today. Was a easy drive back. I only drove from Bloomington Il, to the first rest stop into Indiana. Was like 90 miles. Had to let the other two guys catch up on hours, I got an extra 2 in yesterday running to the brewery and because I drive slow. I try to stay 2 under the posted limit. If anyone knows of a spot in IL. that is not under construction let me know, all we saw throughout the whole state was orange barrels.

Stopped at a Peelot in Bloomington, and got to see the condition some drivers decide to leave the restrooms and parking lots in. Also I guess if you can't find a spot out of the 40 or so free spots its cools just to park long ways blocking the scale exit and two pumps. Yeah that happened.

Bear I am sure we will meet up at some point down the way. We are heading back up to Richfield tomorrow. Hopefully you aren't sitting and waiting still.

Anyone offhand know of anyone near Richfield Terminal or on the way to that sells sarsaparilla, they don't sell it near Dayton anywhere and I want some.