Training Adventures with Sage in Cheyenne, WY

I almost forgot to mention that anything beats working at Echostar with their well bellow average pay for the industry and sub-par insurance. With what you were making there you will have no problem adjusting to your new career because just about any job you get driving with be a pay raise for you. Do me a favor and as you are walking out the door on your last day, put your middle finger high in the air and tell them its from me. LOL

 

Were you by chance working up in IPTV? I shadowed a guy up there about a year ago, and he was telling me how EchoStar paid money to train some guy, then he left to drive truck because he could make more money doing that. It was one of many factors that made me decide to not transfer to that department.

 

LMAO!!! Yup that was me. And I make 25k more a year than I did there thanks to that decision.

 

Leadfoot80 where's our Sage Report for Friday? lol

 

Sorry gents, completely forgot about getting on here last night!

Now for the (slightly late!) Friday Sage Report: Classroom most of the morning, then pre-trip and preventive maintenance in the afternoon. Got a chance to visit with some people from earlier classes who are about to test out, as well as one of the other instructors. Good stuff, all the way around. Again, I keep learning new stuff, as long as I leave my ego at home! (Funny how that works!)

Annnnd the Saturday S.R.: What a morning. Got there 20 minutes early to practice the pre-trip. The first drive is usually out and around the Lowe's D.C., but since I've had some experience, the instructor asked if I'd like to do something a little different. Why not? Anyway, to make a long story short, I saw a part of Wyoming that I hadn't seen before, and only ran over one curb doing it (dang 53 footers... ). I thought I was gonna drop the transmission outta that poor old KW tho.. Could not for the life of me get the rpm's right on the low side (finally wound up just starting in 3rd, going straight into 5th, then going to 6th )! No problems (for the most part) on the high side. Anyway.. The instructor was great about just keepin calm (and thus keeping ME calm!) the couple times I started getting real frustrated.

All in all, a great morning. (But DANG was I tired this afternoon!) lol

Oh, we stopped in at the Big D and ran into a Schneider driver who had gone through Sage (not sure when exactly, but he knew the instructor). Sounds like he's got a good gig with them -- makes it home mostly every night, sometimes every other. I might have to check up on that!

Yep it was! I'll let him know about the finders fee!

Mac, I just wanted to second Jynxx's comment here.. Going to Sage is one of the more sound decisions I've made in the last couple years! Also, if your last name happens to start with an S, you're on the schedule to drive next Saturday.. Have you gotten all the pre-hires that you need? I'm guessing so by this point, but if not, I got mine at Werner, Simon Contractors, and Flyte Sanitation.

 

I've discovered that 6th is your FRIEND

 

For sure.. anywhere between about 8mph and 18mph, just grab for it! LOL

 

So that part of Wyoming you didn't see...was that Hereford area? Or our beautiful happy jack road? Can't see them taking you too far out of the way. Used to run through Hereford almost everyday when hauling flowback and production water to the disposals in CO.

 

Another excellent Sage Report thank you Leadfoot80! I'm glad that its going well for you. The old KW gave me a little trouble as well but it got me through and got me my CDL. lol Dave is an awesome instructor. He is so calm and patient which is what I needed when I was going through Sage. I think you could just about drive the truck off a cliff and he would be all calm and peaceful. LOL

 

Rack Delay? LOL