Terminal Rats

I hope to get out to orientation by the 27th or the 5th. I hope I get a decent trainer like you bear. You seem to have all ur ducks in a row and pretty decent temperment.

 

I graduate the 16th. Then just have to wait for my hardcopy licence to show up in mail and then I can head out to orientation. I keep trying to get to be tested out earlier than the last few days of the last week so that I can get my hardcopy started in mail before I can get home. I am doing a bunch of extra work trying to get ahead of everyone else. But with the amount of students in the weeks ahead of my it might be hard. Either way I will get out of here by the 16th and then wait to be told to head out to wherever for orientation. I assume it will be Vandallia but not sure.

 

While most of the rest of the students in my class are still trying to master that fine art of backing in a straight line, LMAO, I am going to try to go to DMV and get my HAZMAT, tanker, dbl/trpl endorsements

 

I always try to do extra and it has helped my throughout life, I just cant sit by and wait for #### to happen. I have heard that some trainers arent worth their salt. My only request (which I know doesnt happen, just a request in my mind only) is that the trainer is not a complete slob, live in a pig stye and showers on the second tuesday of each week. and will get me the info I need teach me what I need to know, let me do what I need to do so I can get back to upgrade and roll that dice of decent or pos truck. LOL

 

Actually there are a lot of things I miss about my time at USA Truck. I won't get into the minutia, but USA Truck does many things right. I also agree with you that many things that drivers can do to minimize their time at terminals. I did get to meet several good people at several of the terminals. I just brought the subject up because you make it sound like drivers just love the terminals so much they just go there for no other reason then to sit and BS with each other and scare the students. As for my time at the terminals having repair after repair done and redone I was losing money. I figured I lost close to $1000 in that process. There was no way for me to have done anything to prevent it either. I remember many many times talking to drivers and almost every driver was in a terminal either having their tractor serviced , APU screwed up or the Tractor AC was out. And by the way this terminal (((Rat))) thing is common to almost every trucking company out there.

Oh one more thing, as I told someone whom shall remain nameless sometime ago I will post in any section of these forums I like, if you don't like it I suggest you contact an admin.

 

I'd just like to say, I've been solo going on a month and a half now and would be what you call a "terminal rat". Why, you may ask? Because I've got a LEMON OF A TRUCK! for 4 out of my first 4 weeks out, I was ALWAYS having to goto a terminal for coolant problems. Go in on Wednesday, and leave on Saturday. My checks/miles, when my truck would run, were great. But if the mechanics would do their job and just fix my truck, my FM and I could make some money. So, last time I was in Vandalia, for the 4th time....I needed the coolant checked(it was AND still is drinking a gallon every 2-3 hours of operation, I KEEP TELLING THEM it's within the engine, as I do PTI before driving in the morning and NEVER seen a leak under the truck), also had to have my APU fixed....they didn't do anything with my coolant problem, but they did get my APU running again. RUNNING, NOT working, and then my electrical system was really screwy, it was like the truck was having a hard time everyday turning over, even showed the mechanic and he said, "**** it, let it breakdown and call breakdown." I finally went on home time for 4 days, when I come back to truck, with APU ONLY turned on....guess what, it was running, then trucks batteries were COMPLETELY DEAD! Look, I'm not talking bad about the COMPANY, just the mechanics that supposedly "fixed" my truck. Once off of home time, I had my truck jumped and back in the shop, again for the 5th time to get it "fixed". I just don't know why they won't issue me a different truck, nothing new, just a running truck, so I can make more money. I haven't been late, except for a load I relayed and it wasn't my fault it was due 2 days earlier, I delivered it the next day after I picked it up. I've been to pick up on time, haven't ******* about anything, but my broken down truck. I did spent alot of time getting to know another driver in Vandalia, he's been in the shop alot like me and over ALOT of DOT violation issues with his truck that is NOT being addressed. I wanna work, I love to work, I wish other people would do their jobs so the rest of us can do ours!