McElroy Truck Lines

Thanks RedBeard, I start in Ennis on the 18th so I'm looking forward to some updates from your orientation days...Squid has been a big help...wonder what your classmate did on the road test...did they tell him anything? Squid as far as tarps I guess any help they give is better than none & from talking to you the other day it sounds like if there's ever any fellow McElroy driver around they're usually willing to help out also...Good luck RedBeard

They go over everything you need to know plus they do shift training there in Cuba just remember the policy's of Mtl turns are done in 4th gear don't shift while turning never shift on railroad tracks. Keep checking your mirrors and gauges and make it obvious. If you do this road test with more attention to detail than you did for your cdl you will do fine.

Hey red beard I sent another pm try looking in your spam email or other if you have one of those.

Thanks ill keep that in mind squid when i go down there. Parrot ill will let you and this site how it goes ill try and keep notes and hopefully like hell ill get through it. Good luck to you in Ennis my classmate said he got within less 4 seconds of following distance when passing a car and said another guy got sent home cause he took a corner to fast so like squid said we gotta keep in fourth.

Squid ill look again hopefully its in one of those folders if not we will figure something out.

Well RedBeard who'd it go my brother. Wish you well

So i have finished two days orientation here it as follows;

1st day is a whole and i mean a whole lot of paper work like more paperwork than it is to buy a house. Then afetr that another guy comes in and talks about saftey and the simulator. He tells saftey is the most important thing and how 99% of all accidents are preventable and a lot of people think they are great drivers in their personal cars but are really average due to eating and checking our cell phones. Also he tells us to take the simulator very very serious and never ever call it a video game.

2nd day is your DOT physical and your agility test its pretty simple a few hard parts but not to hard just breath the whole time through try not to get excited about anything so you can keep that heartrate down. They are big on not having high blood pressure.

So hope that helped out a little ill try and let you know how the rest of my week goes.

So i have finished two days orientation here it as follows;

1st day is a whole and i mean a whole lot of paper work like more paperwork than it is to buy a house. Then afetr that another guy comes in and talks about saftey and the simulator. He tells saftey is the most important thing and how 99% of all accidents are preventable and a lot of people think they are great drivers in their personal cars but are really average due to eating and checking our cell phones. Also he tells us to take the simulator very very serious and never ever call it a video game.

2nd day is your DOT physical and your agility test its pretty simple a few hard parts but not to hard just breath the whole time through try not to get excited about anything so you can keep that heartrate down. They are big on not having high blood pressure.

So hope that helped out a little ill try and let you know how the rest of my week goes.

Congrats man, looking forward to your next update...So no video game and no high BP...was agility pretty much just getting on and off the trailer and lifting the tarps

Congrats man, looking forward to your next update...So no video game and no high BP...was agility pretty much just getting on and off the trailer and lifting the tarps

yes tarps and getting on and off the trailer plus they put weights in a box and make you pick it up and move remember keep your head up it creates good posture.

3rd is spent all day in the yard doing coupling/uncoupling, folding tarps and throwing straps no chains that day. If they talk about a record for the fastest tarp folding time. just try and beat it you may not beat it but you should get a hat for trying. A couple of guys in our class did and one guys was like 10 seconds off. Also that day is the road evaluation test like squid said all turns in 4th and seriously i mean seriously check your mirrors every 5 to 8 seconds and you will do fine.

4th day is in the classroom all day doing map reading and log books. I loved that day i love reading maps knowing the states and doing fake trip planning (i am sure ill dislike trip planning when i have to actually have to do it for real). If you dont know how to read an atlas i suggest you start now, study every part like mileage directoy, legend, height restrictions and index. Now you dont need to know the distance between nashvile and dallas or how many height restrictions florida has and where small town usa is but just where to find them at. I am saying that cause the more you know the better and it will help you not to fall behind.

5th day they issued your employee id and gave you a hat and said welcome to mcelroy but that does not mean your in the clear i have read and actually talked to guys working there nothing is final till you take your first solo run so dont let your guard down ill still might the ax hope not but you never know. Also on that day you get shown the backing field and what they want from you we wont start that till sunday we got off for the weekend but have to be there at 11am on sunday to start that and start doing shift training with a fully loaded trailer.

Hey red beard looks like we might get to meet up I should be in Cuba on Monday, they are giving me a new truck. I have swapped 4 times. That is not normal by the way almost everyone I talked to has their first truck for roughly 6 mos. I just have that cloud above me. Lol. But I'm heading out tomorrow bound for Huntsville then down to Cuba. Hope we can meet up while I'm there. Send me a pm with your name and info so we can.

I have finished 6 weeks and aside from swapping trucks so many times it's been great. From my trainer to my FM even Bruce Moore who does final week and was on vacation for our class they have all been there for me and helped to get me into this new truck. I have felt really bad for calling so much with discrepancies, but they have been nothing but supportive and it helps that I have run very hard for the company. As matter of fact just Monday I ran 648 miles with a regin load securement and took a shower lol. If you keep the door shut and bust your butt this company will take great care of you.

Thanks for the great info RedBeard and congrats (I guess) Squid on the new truck. Though I'm sure thats not the way you wanted to get one. I don't guess it matters if i have the laminated version of the Rand McNally does it. One week from Ennis and don't know if I'm nervous or excited. I know this may be putting the cart before the horse but Squid do you mind sharing what kind of equipment you use in your truck....fridge, power source etc...I think you mentioned it when we talked the other day but i was on the road and couldn't write anything down. Just like to know what has worked for you and what hasn't if anything...Thanks