Lyght's Journey To Become A Truck Driver

Thanks G-Town I try to manage the space in front of me the best I can and I slow down in construction normally five under the posted speed to try to keep better distance from the people in front of me and to give me more time to plan some of the sharper or even short twists and turns that the trailer might give me problems with.

Jodi I think you're right and that things will get better when I'm in my own truck. My first or second day out with my trainer he tripped and hurt his back so he hasn't been sleeping well at night which on top of keeping the blinds open also makes it harder for me to sleep. Sometimes to push a load he'll start driving at 4 or 5 in the morning and well I can't sleep through that so that cuts into my sleep too. When I get my own truck unless my wife ends up driving too when I'm sleeping the truck wouldn't be moving and it'll be dark both would be a huge plus.

Driving wise I'm getting better and stressing less over it. I'm not perfect sometimes I still bump corbs or having a hard time knowing where the point of no return is on yellow lights. Really tight construction sucks and likely always will, down hill still scares me I need to learn the manual setting in the truck still. My backing is a mess but h rest is coming along nicely. <.

Dear Lyghts I've been reading your experiences and give you a lot of credit. I've been doing this for 1 year. A couple of things that will help.

Construction zones always are a stress. They should be - and everyone is concerned. Remember how you felt in a car?

Also, going down the hills becomes second nature. You're doing it right. Stay alert - be prepared and take your time. Let the "cowboys" pass you.

Backing. Here's a tip that was given to me. When possible - ask your trainer to allow a backing practice at the truck stop into a 2-3 hole space after you fuel up mid afternoon. Even now, I almost always take a practice backup at the truck stop after fueling or especially mid afternoon.. You'll do well. Remember -EVERYONE sets up wrong every now and then and looks like a rookie.

Hey Lyght, I really want to commend you for trying to keep a positive attitude despite the difficulties you're having during training. It seems like everyone has a hard time with sleep during training, even if their trainer does close the curtain. It usually gets much better once you're on your own and you can set up everything the way you like it. Nice job taking those hills slow! When I was in training, my trainer wanted me to take everything fast all the time so we wouldn't be late. When I got out on my own, I took a curve too fast and set off the rollover sensors in the truck. So it's always better to just take it slow...if those guys behind you don't like it, who cares. Construction zones get easier, but there are still a couple I have to drive through regularly here in Colorado that really suck. If in doubt, just keep slowing down until you feel comfortable. Some of these construction zones are so bad that if you're fully loaded, you can do some damage to your equipment and/or your cargo if you take it at the speed limit.

Sorry to hear your wife didn't finish the course. Is she still planning on retaking the longer course and coming out with you after training?