It's been 1 week since Rex picked me up in Indianapolis, and this is the first time I've had the time to post something. I'm at a truck stop in Amarillo Tx doing laundry and giving Rex a chance to get to sleep before I go back to the truck. Since Monday morning I've done little except drive, sleep and eat. From Indianapolis we drove to a town not far from Columbia SC to deliver 20 tons of dehydrated potatoes to a pet food processor. Since then we've been to Youngstown, Ohio, Kansas City, MO, Calexico, CA, Los Angeles, and now we're on the way to Memphis, where we drop part of the load we're carrying, then take the rest to Louisiana. The driving is going well, the shifting only fairly well (I struggled with down shifting in school and it's still a challenge). I've driven in heavy urban traffic and up and down mountains (the Smokies the first day!) and on the freeways through some spectacular country in Tennessee,New Mexico and California. I am pretty intimidated maneuvering in the big truck stops, which all seem to be crowded. I need a lot of backing practice, but it's only the first week.
I seem to be relaxed when on the highway, but my body is telling me that I'm undergoing high stress overall. I should say, my intestines are telling me. I'm trying to eat well, but it's been difficult finding good food at the stops we make and until today, we've been going, going, so there hasn't been time to shop. So I'm living on bottled smoothies, the occasional banana, granola bars, and sandwiches. With my appetite being low, I'm sure I'm losing weight. I'm also letting my beard grow for the duration of this training. I've had two showers in the last seven days and it's too much of a hassle to keep up with shaving. Many, many of the drivers I see at the truck stops are morbidly obese. That's not going to be me.
Thursday I had my first "walk away" moment, as in I just wanted to walk away and go home. It was an accumulation of stress and frustration that had me close to tears, but I weathered it. One of my friends said that he'd have been worried if I hadn't had such a moment.
One good thing--I've been able to sleep pretty well whether the truck is moving or not. A couple of times I've awakened to find that we're parked in a Wal Mart lot. The first one had several other trucks and a couple of NASCAR nomad RV's parked there as well.
I need to get off the computer now 'cause I'm posting on a paid WiFi connection that I need to save some time on.
I'll post again as soon as I can.
Sunday, June 22, 2008
Sunday, June 15, 2008
Heading Out
We finished orientation yesterday and got our company badges, so I am now officially an employee of Werner Enterprises. We finished in time for me to watch Tiger Woods' indescribable accomplishments on the back nine at Torrey Pines in the U.S. Open, bad knee notwithstanding.
After a good night's sleep I waited to hear from my trainer. Several of the guys were picked up last night and a couple this morning. My trainer, Rex, finally called about noon and he will pick me up at the hotel around 2:30 this afternoon. If my information from the Omaha office is right, we'll be heading for South Carolina.
I'm very excited and ready for this next step. I talked with my Trainco classmate, Craig, this morning. He is in Chicago where their truck is broken down, waiting for road service. He said he's been doing most of the driving, which is what I want, and he's having a ball so far. The more driving, the sooner the 275 hours is done.
My next post will finally be from...THE ROAD!
After a good night's sleep I waited to hear from my trainer. Several of the guys were picked up last night and a couple this morning. My trainer, Rex, finally called about noon and he will pick me up at the hotel around 2:30 this afternoon. If my information from the Omaha office is right, we'll be heading for South Carolina.
I'm very excited and ready for this next step. I talked with my Trainco classmate, Craig, this morning. He is in Chicago where their truck is broken down, waiting for road service. He said he's been doing most of the driving, which is what I want, and he's having a ball so far. The more driving, the sooner the 275 hours is done.
My next post will finally be from...THE ROAD!
Friday, June 13, 2008
Orientation...so far
I'm at a Ramada Inn in the suburbs of Indianapolis, sharing a room with a second roommate in two nights. Last night's colleague had finished his training period and picked up his assigned tractor this morning. I had asked for and was assured I'd have a single room, but there's an amateur swing dance convention in the hotel this weekend. Overbooked, the desk clerk said. An early chance to be flexible in this new life, I thought.
Werner pays lodging and transportation for orientation (actually, until your trainer arrives on the scene). The room is OK, but there's only one small towel per person (I rate hotel rooms by the number and thickness of the towels). We have to be ready for a shuttle at 6am and the hotel doesn't provide breakfast until 6:30, so we get a bag breakfast of a very small container of juice and a muffin. No coffee. I did get some at noon. All told, not an impressive show, but I Know the company runs a lot of people through this program here and at several other sites around the country, and a lot of us don't stay. If you're wondering...I'm still determined.
I dodged one bullet when I decided to rent a car to drive here instead of taking advantage of the free bus ticket. One guy who did take advantage said a group of just-released prisoners were put on his bus. Another fellow orientator's bus arrived at 8pm but wasn't picked up by the hotel shuttle until 11pm. Whew.
Werner pays lodging and transportation for orientation (actually, until your trainer arrives on the scene). The room is OK, but there's only one small towel per person (I rate hotel rooms by the number and thickness of the towels). We have to be ready for a shuttle at 6am and the hotel doesn't provide breakfast until 6:30, so we get a bag breakfast of a very small container of juice and a muffin. No coffee. I did get some at noon. All told, not an impressive show, but I Know the company runs a lot of people through this program here and at several other sites around the country, and a lot of us don't stay. If you're wondering...I'm still determined.
I dodged one bullet when I decided to rent a car to drive here instead of taking advantage of the free bus ticket. One guy who did take advantage said a group of just-released prisoners were put on his bus. Another fellow orientator's bus arrived at 8pm but wasn't picked up by the hotel shuttle until 11pm. Whew.
Friday, June 6, 2008
Decision Made
I've decided to sign on with Werner Enterprises. Their trucks are various shades of blue with blue and gold lettering. It's a very large company based in Omaha. It had come down to Werner and U.S. Xpress and the nod went to Werner because they have more extensive driver training and more choices of regions, including a Midwest region that specifically excludes the Northeast. I'm from the Northeast and I love it there, but not as a destination for a delivery in an 80,000 pound, 65-foot truck!
I will be leaving by bus on Thursday June 12 for a 3-day orientation either in Springfield, Ohio or Indianapolis (whichever has the shorter bus ride!). Following the orientation I'll be assigned to a trainer and we will head out on the road for my OJT in his truck for 4-6 weeks. It's possible I'll get home once during that time, but I'm not counting on it. My trainer and I will get to know each other pretty well pretty fast. I've been told that I can ask for another trainer if the relationship doesn't gel. Our instructors at Trainco made it very clear that this training period may not be a lot of fun, but to stick it out. I fully intend to do that.
Tom, one of my two classmates who stumbled on their first CDL test, passed the second time around and is off this Sunday to orientation with U.S. Xpress. Craig, who also passed his re-test, started his orientation with Werner today in Indianapolis. Lumpy is headed for training with the flatbed company, Maverick, tomorrow. I talked with Lalo today and he is still in the decision-making process. That leaves just Greg and "Biker" Ed whose decisions I haven't heard about ("Special" Ed, the FBI agent doesn't need a job, of course).
Speaking of "Biker" Ed, I owe you a story about him. Ed has driven straight trucks for a number of years, occasionally making deliveries and pick-ups over the border into Canada. He does not intend to return to that country anytime soon. Here's why.
Several years ago he was sent to deliver some "prototype" dog food, developed by an Ohio-based firm, to a pet food company in Ontario. When he tried to clear customs, the officials found that the bill of lading did not list all of the ingredients in the dog food. They told Ed that he could go no further until the information was provided. He contacted the company and they faxed a list of ingredients comprising, Ed said, approximately 99% of the total. Well, surprise, that didn't satisfy the inspectors. So Ed called the company back. By this time, he had already spent about four hours at the border and he was getting edgy. Apparently the second call led to a much longer delay. Maybe the company didn't really know what they had put in the dog food. In any case, the time was dragging on and Ed had to either hang out in the inspection office or make many, many visits to find out if a new fax had come. Now Ed is a big guy and he is definitely not the patient sort. Somehow, the vibes he was giving off in the office were picked up by a Canadian driver who began to make disparaging comments about Ed's U.S. countrymen. Mind you, he wasn't exactly directing these comments at Ed, but he was a loud-mouth, according to Ed, saying things that one could best sum up as describing Americans as wusses. Ed, being a good Christian man, tried his best to ignore the guy, but on the umpteenth check in the office after a wait that had stretched to about 10 hours, old Ed had had enough and he decked the loud-mouth. Ed said before he knew what had happened he was pinned face down on the floor and handcuffs were being applied to his wrists. The Mounties had pounced. Ed was dragged off to a room where he was questioned by the officers.
Eventually, as the loud-mouth chose not to press charges, Ed was released with a summons to appear in court at some specified date. I don't remember whether Ed ever made his delivery or had to return the dog food to its developers, but he did go back out on the road. He contacted the Canadian court pleading guilty and sent them funds to cover the fine and costs. However, he was told, during a trip to California, that he would have to appear in court. I can't do it, Ed said, my work won't allow it. Not the response the Canadians wanted to hear. Twice Ed sent the money and twice it was returned. He gave it up and vowed to steer clear of Canada from then on, figuring there's a warrant waiting for him.
I will be leaving by bus on Thursday June 12 for a 3-day orientation either in Springfield, Ohio or Indianapolis (whichever has the shorter bus ride!). Following the orientation I'll be assigned to a trainer and we will head out on the road for my OJT in his truck for 4-6 weeks. It's possible I'll get home once during that time, but I'm not counting on it. My trainer and I will get to know each other pretty well pretty fast. I've been told that I can ask for another trainer if the relationship doesn't gel. Our instructors at Trainco made it very clear that this training period may not be a lot of fun, but to stick it out. I fully intend to do that.
Tom, one of my two classmates who stumbled on their first CDL test, passed the second time around and is off this Sunday to orientation with U.S. Xpress. Craig, who also passed his re-test, started his orientation with Werner today in Indianapolis. Lumpy is headed for training with the flatbed company, Maverick, tomorrow. I talked with Lalo today and he is still in the decision-making process. That leaves just Greg and "Biker" Ed whose decisions I haven't heard about ("Special" Ed, the FBI agent doesn't need a job, of course).
Speaking of "Biker" Ed, I owe you a story about him. Ed has driven straight trucks for a number of years, occasionally making deliveries and pick-ups over the border into Canada. He does not intend to return to that country anytime soon. Here's why.
Several years ago he was sent to deliver some "prototype" dog food, developed by an Ohio-based firm, to a pet food company in Ontario. When he tried to clear customs, the officials found that the bill of lading did not list all of the ingredients in the dog food. They told Ed that he could go no further until the information was provided. He contacted the company and they faxed a list of ingredients comprising, Ed said, approximately 99% of the total. Well, surprise, that didn't satisfy the inspectors. So Ed called the company back. By this time, he had already spent about four hours at the border and he was getting edgy. Apparently the second call led to a much longer delay. Maybe the company didn't really know what they had put in the dog food. In any case, the time was dragging on and Ed had to either hang out in the inspection office or make many, many visits to find out if a new fax had come. Now Ed is a big guy and he is definitely not the patient sort. Somehow, the vibes he was giving off in the office were picked up by a Canadian driver who began to make disparaging comments about Ed's U.S. countrymen. Mind you, he wasn't exactly directing these comments at Ed, but he was a loud-mouth, according to Ed, saying things that one could best sum up as describing Americans as wusses. Ed, being a good Christian man, tried his best to ignore the guy, but on the umpteenth check in the office after a wait that had stretched to about 10 hours, old Ed had had enough and he decked the loud-mouth. Ed said before he knew what had happened he was pinned face down on the floor and handcuffs were being applied to his wrists. The Mounties had pounced. Ed was dragged off to a room where he was questioned by the officers.
Eventually, as the loud-mouth chose not to press charges, Ed was released with a summons to appear in court at some specified date. I don't remember whether Ed ever made his delivery or had to return the dog food to its developers, but he did go back out on the road. He contacted the Canadian court pleading guilty and sent them funds to cover the fine and costs. However, he was told, during a trip to California, that he would have to appear in court. I can't do it, Ed said, my work won't allow it. Not the response the Canadians wanted to hear. Twice Ed sent the money and twice it was returned. He gave it up and vowed to steer clear of Canada from then on, figuring there's a warrant waiting for him.
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