Comments By Skydrick (Brian L.)

That is crazy. I would suggest getting up on the other side of the bed tomorrow

In a sleeper does that mean flip your sheets around and sleep with your head on the passenger side or sleep on the top bunk?

Congrats on passing your exam! WGT!!!

And welcome to Melton! As you probably already know, there's a few of us on here! It's a great place to work! I'm currently in Tulsa on "light duty" but I should be getting my doctors clearance to get back in a truck on the 18th. If you have any questions, please feel free to PM me as well. I'm not on here as often as I'd like, but I'm always willing to help out when I can!

Congrats again! And I look forward to seeing you out there in a Melton blue truck!

Tarren

Thanks Tarren! I'm really excited to be joining the Melton family. I have gotten nothing but good vibes from everyone I have spoken to. Hopefully you will be out on the road by the time I get there, but I'm sure we will cross paths at some point. Good luck getting your clearance.

Really looking forward to a beautiful blue Kenworth.

Congratulations Brian

And Best of Luck to ya over there at Melton. If they ever send you down to the SAPA plant in Delhi, Louisiana make sure and send me a private message - maybe I'll let you buy me some Bar-B-Que! I've met quite a few Melton drivers at our plant picking up pre-loaded trailers.

I sure will Old School. And Jopa, it really is nice to have a network of support from people who understand what it is like to go through all of this. My family and friends are supportive, but I don't know anyone who is, or has been, a professional driver so it is all new territory. Thanks to all you guys for great advice and words of encouragement.

Congrats and remember to party with milk and cookies from now on!

In my case North Carolina style BBQ

(Dixie Bones in Woodbridge VA just off Route 1. No truck parking nearby that I know of but worth the trip if you can)

Passed my DMV exam today!

So relieved that I am done with that experience. I really would like to thank TT and Brett for helping me to waltz right through the permit test and endorsements so I could focus on the actual driving. Thanks to Old School for being an all around mentor and for always calling it as he sees it. Jopa for keeping things humorous (your $29.99 is in the mail, however it might take 4-6 years for postage to clear so be patient) Also thanks to Daniel B for the pre-trip. While I could only use your pictures, because Virginia has different names and phrases they have to hear from us, the parts are at least nearly the same. Thank you for that resource.

I'll be starting orientation with Melton on May 25th. Can't wait. Also want to thank the folks on here from Melton for giving great information to help me make a decision especially on the flatbed variety thread. (Wilson, I sent you a PM, your photos and comments sold me).

Again thanks all and looking forward to seeing many of you out on the road shortly!

DMV test tomorrow morning. I am fully expecting this type of experience tonight. Last night had a downgrade-no-brakes dream, so we will see how tonight goes.

What an excellent update! Glad to hear all went well through Virginia. I love the pictures. Thanks you for letting us know how its going.

Waitress, bar tender, cab driver, sheepherder, rodeo clown, flea collar fabricator, flagger, pilot, laborer, scaffold buildler, line locator, traffic control tech, site safety RR project, ..... some of us like variety I am heading for CDL training as an addition to my pursuit of a degree in safety engineering, bored yet?

I was also a Safety Technician/Specialist for five years in construction, fire, chemical and biological safety. Interesting work except the desk part. Before and after that I was a stagehand and shop manager for a small corporate sound and staging company. Getting gear packed and loaded on our trucks and vans and driving it to the venues was what made me realize I loved driving. I really enjoyed fixing the gear too so I'll love replacing burnt out lights and fuel filters etc on a truck. The only cubicle I ever want to sit in again better have wheels and windows on three walls.

Yeah that sure does sound tight! Good luck and have fun! Check your map before going through the I-495 I-95 I-395 interchange (known to locals as the mixing bowl) the signs are pretty good but its best to have a visual maybe off google maps first, just so you know which lane you want to be in especially if you are actually exiting at exit 169A/B for Franconia or Old Keene Mill Rd. Your lane decision for those exits is actually on I-495 not I-95, about a mile in advance. Let us know how it goes! I can't wait to be out there with you in about a month and a half.

Congratulations on getting out solo! Sounds like a rocking first week. I'm from just south of Springfield in VA, PM me if you have any questions about the area. If your delivery is at 3:00pm on Wednesday and you do your DC area driving between 10:00 and 2:30pm you shouldn't have too much of a problem especially if you are coming I-66 to I-495 outer loop, then it depends where in Springfield but it shouldn't be too bad. Of course I'm still thinking like a car so some drivers here probably have better options.

Things to keep in mind in DC, rush hour is from 5:30am to about 9:30 or 10am. and 3:30pm to 6:00pm or so. Wednesdays are the worst day of the week in the morning and Fridays are the worst day of the week for afternoon. If you have a conventional radio with you and want to hear local traffic 103.5 fm traffic on the 8's however they won't always talk about normal volume only accidents and delays but they do a good job.

There are several industrial parks right in Springfield but I don't know if any are friendly to overnighting if you are getting in Tuesday night. And a few that I am familiar with have no parking 7:00pm-7:00am such as General Washington Dr. off Edsall on I-395N which is a shame. Anyway good luck and safe driving!