It takes some getting used to...While the truck is moving,it feels a little weird...I can not sleep well unless I'm really tired.I had better luck sleeping in the passenger seat..lol Teaming is a great way to get miles but you have to remember that the truck is rolling almost 24/7 and someones sleeping and the other's driving...Not for me
Team driving is not for everyone. Some people can sleep when the truck is moving, some can't. When you are out with the mentor is a good time to find out. For me, the first couple weeks weren't too bad, but by the end of the training period, I couldn't sleep at all. Of course, it also depends on how well you get along with your teammate and how well you trust him/her. I would definately find out if you can do it before committing to any kind of team arrangement.
What would happen if the mentor deemed the rookie driver in need of additional training? What happens next after the driver has completed training?
Either that mentor would go back out for a couple more weeks or another mentor would be assigned. After training, rookie comes into home yard and takes a road test and a policies general knowledge written test. Then you meet the fleet manager for truck assignment and then your driver manager and get your first load out.
Update time: Things have been going great, running hard and getting my hours in. We did not get the Reno trip after home time, seems GM canceled the load at the last minute. Took a FedEx load from Detroit to Atlanta then a load from there to the Memphis terminal. Got a load out from there to Cincinnati then picked up a load as a favor to the DM over in Indiana headed to Chicago. For doing the favor they got us a load from Chicago to Tracy, CA, got to gamble in Reno after all then make my first run over Donner's pass. Dropped the load in Tracy and got another load out of Lathrop headed to Pennsylvania so I got to run Donner's pass twice in the same day. Picked up another load out of Pennsylvania headed to Kansas City and got a load from there headed to Compton, Calif. Was a fun drive from Denver through rush hour traffic, through the rockies at night with rain, wind and finally fog but I made it to the I70/I15 junction in Utah before having to call it a night due to hours. I was whipped pretty good after that and welcomed the rest. Mentor woke me as we hit Vegas thinking I would like to see it... I rolled over and went back to sleep. Got a load out of Calif to Phoenix and 20 miles out from the terminal we get a call over the qualcomm that a planner needs our help. Seems a driver took a load and was sitting at a rest area claiming he had no more hours. so we quickly dropped our trailer at the terminal and bobtailed out to the rest area. Turns out the driver still had two hours left to drive and was only an hour away from his final. It was a Safeway load, we hooked and ran it in to Tempe through morning rush hour through Phoenix. I backed into the dock just as I reached my 14. Mentor had to drive back to the terminal. The other driver got a service failure. If the other driver had put in his Macro 22 sooner we could have just t-called and switched trailers with him at the rest area as our load didn't deliver till later and he could have taken his 10 and both loads would have been on time. Got a pre-plan from Phoenix to Ohio but had to decline due to HoS as I had 1.75 available for the day. Had our PTA pushed back to tonight and got another FedEx load leaving here tonight to Fort Worth. All in all things are going great, should have my hours in within the next week or two max and I am looking forward to my own truck. Sure are some pretty trucks on the lease lot here in Phoenix, but I just look and keep on walking. Mentor loves my driving and actually prefers that I drive in metro areas since I am much more relaxed then he is in heavy traffic. He was impressed at how well I handled LA traffic. Going to go get some more rest and will get another update as soon as I can. Be safe, -SgailDreugan
WOW, what a great report. I am sharing your thread with my class and hope to do as well as you are. Keep on trucking man.
What a marvelous post for us new fellows entering into this career. It sheds some light on what its like to do the job. I personally thank you for your post. I hope to do as well as you Sir. Keep up the good work and attitude.
Ditto! I'm seriously looking at Swift as my starting point...out of the Phoenix area. Any comments on that school/terminals in the area?
Updating a bit sooner then I had figured... I was planning on giving an update when I got home Tuesday or Wednesday coming up as the mentor has home time planned, which means I have hometime... but as things in the trucking world are known, plans never seem to go the way you want. After finishing our drop in Fort Worth we were dispatched to pick up a load out of Central Freight out of Dallas headed to Pharr, TX. Another JIT load which is not a problem for me as I keep the door closed and run, but when Central doesn't even have the load ready we end up sitting in the lot. Ordered Domino's pizza delivered to our truck and when they tell us it is ready and give us the trailer number it turns out to be the trailer we were parked next to. It was loaded and ready the whole time, they just didn't have the paperwork ready. Finally rolled out two hours later then original dispatch and of course the ETA was pushed back for delivery. Drove hard, as hard as you can governed at 62, no stops along the way and made it just after daybreak at the original ETA. Dropped the trailer and looked for an empty, all the trailers available were '14' series, hooked up the best looking one and sent the empty call. Dispatch messages back that we can't take a 14 foot trailer, of course being the newbie I am I argued that it was 53 foot and they argued back that it was 14, I told them I am not stupid, it says 53' right on the side and I would never hook to a little 14 foot trailer... After the planner finally explained height, not length I felt like an idiot .. live and learn .. spent so much time that the original trailer was unloaded so I just hooked back up and sent the new empty call. Pre-plan came quickly to drive to the Laredo terminal and pick up a Tcall from Mexico. A 2 stop Lazy-Boy load to Siloam Springs, Arkansas and Neosho, Missouri. Tried to sleep while the mentor drove but the trucks A/C crapped out and all I could do was sweat in the sleeper. Took over driving when we got to Willy's Place south of Dallas and got the load to both stops without an issue besides lack of sleep. I don't mind driving at night but I find the hardest time is just before dawn for me. Once the sun comes up I get my second wind and the fatigue goes away. Picked up another load in Joplin, Missouri headed to Proctor Gamble in Leipsic, Ohio ... then the sitting began, holiday weekend and all. The mentor got pissed and started making calls and messaging everyone he could. Told them to at least get us to our terminal so we could get our replacement mirror and have the A/C fixed. Finally we get the message to deadhead to New Boston. Better then sitting all weekend in a dirt lot. Truck is still sitting in the shop as I type this. They replaced the mirror and the A/C compressor yet the A/C still doesn't work. Of course the mechanics tell us we don't need it as the cool weather is arriving... like to see them try to sleep in 100 plus degree heat and then drive fatigued. So they have the dash torn apart trying to find what the problem is and the dispatchers expect us to sleep in the truck. The mentor says thats not going to happen and makes a couple calls... couple hotel vouchers later and I get to hop on here and tell you all about it. Hopefully they will find the issue and get us rolling soon, I get paid each day as a student, but the mentor is going to be hurting especially since he has home time scheduled for Tuesday. And after the 7000 mile week we had last week this week is going to be very slow. Still having a blast even with the challenges most of you seasoned drivers are used to. I am not easily discouraged, and I know shat happens, it is all in how you deal with it. I really do appreciate hearing that my adventures are being read and enjoyed by others and I will be happy to answer any questions I can. If I cant answer them, there are many wonderful people on here that can. If you are looking at Swift as a starter company I would have to give my recommendation as my experience has been very positive so far. You could do worse and I know everyones experience may be different but ignore the naysayers unless they can back their words with facts and/or proof. Till the next update I wish you all well. -SgailDreugan
