Comments By Hammer St. James

Besides vise grips and screwdrivers what tools do you carry with you on the road?

Continued. ..

I further inquired: "In today's trucking world, you wouldn't advize anyone to go it alone even if they paid cash for their rig?".

He looked at me and said, "Are you a good mechanic? You'll be doing all your own repairs. No owner operator could afford to pay someone to fix everything on their truck. The only things that most owner operators don't do themselves are the engines and transmissions. And that costs THOUSANDS to repair".

I spent the day with a retired veteran owner/operator turned instructor; a serious no bull manure slinging man. For conversation I asked him to consider lease operating and replied, "absolutely positively NO!".

I then continued asking him if his thoughts were the same for lease purchase. He said, "Yes, no lease anything!". I asked him why. He replied, "If you want to starve go for it. They'll give you just enough miles to make the truck payment. The smart move is to go company driver".

Coming from a VERY knowledgeable man (take my word on it!) I would seriously consider his opinion.

First let me say that I find this site an asset to new drivers and wannabes. Kudos to Brett and his crew for sharing their insight.

Ok, I understand positive reinforcement and guiding with a gentle hand. Mistakes bring doubts and a good coach alleviates those doubts and employs corrective measures to assure success. But, how many mistakes does it take until someone says, "Enough!" and persues another career path?

Today was the last day of the refresher course that I attended. Tons of backing practice followed by some roadwork. Yesterday was my first time behind the wheel of a tractor trailer going down the road 19 years. I had the HMFIC instructor in the cab with me. He scored my run as a 51/55 points. Not too shabby for so much rust. He gave me some pointers on how to improve.

Today, I went out again with two students and probably the most toughest instructor anyone has ever met. This guy watched you like a hawk and ordered your every movement and if you didn't do what he said at that exact moment his corrections were stern. I understand his approach; he wants things done his way and it was the right way.. operating an 18 wheeler is dangerous business.

Soooo, I sat in the converted sleeper with another student while another student that already had 8 hours in the captains chair at the helm. The student driver put the truck in reverse without disengaging the parking brakes. The truck began jumping wildly. The instructor stood outside and flipped out. Soon, the instructor came into the cab and acknowledged that maybe yelling won't get the point across but the student at the wheel has 8 hours of previous in cab instruction and should know better.

We don't even get out of the school parking lot without the driver grinding the gears. We get out onto the road and it's clear that this student doesn't know the shift pattern: can't find the gears and and habitually missing the splitter. I swear to be true that the instructor told this person at least 15 times about the splitter-- 5 to 6, 6 to 5 .. and the worst offense--- and trying to take off from a stop in 8th gear. The instructor, by this time has lost all patience.. lost his cool 10 mis-splits ago. He's at the point where he is tired of constantly reminding the driver what, how, and when to shift. He's tired of telling the driver not to roll back from stops, rolling over curbs, and that darn splitter!

So, here we are, about 20 minutes into the drivers turn, sitting at a red light.. the light turns green... the driver dumps the clutch and stomps on the accelerator. ... the tractor trailer violently rocks forward about 7 times... throwing me up out of my seat into the air back into the seat back up in the air etc etc etc. The instructor has just about dumped a gold baby in his pants. I'm sitting in the sleeper feeling that familiar warm pain in my back from the last motor vehicle wreck I was in. I know I'm going to be laid up in the coming days. D $##&**@!!!! I'm supposed to be at Swift next week... this is all I need!

The instructor chastised the student (and rightfully so!!) but allowed them to continue. More misshifts and more of forgetting about the splitter.

How many times will it take to sink in? I bet never. My back is toast now (I'm on the heating pad as I type this). Finally, the instructor has the student pull over to change drivers. The young guy sitting next to me was up next. He did a pretty good job with only making a few mistakes.

Next, I got my turn. I had a blast and remembered what the HMFIC told me yesterday. On a 55 point scale I earned a 53... better than the 51 from yesterday. I pulled into the school yard and we broke for lunch.

After lunch we went back on the road in the same rotation. First driver making the exact same mistakes over and over and over again. Seriously? How hard is it to remember to put the splitter back down when you stop? It's one switch in one direction! The instructor realizes that this person just cannot grasp this very simple operation.. even after multiple corrections!! The instructor doesn't even get mad anymore and just laughs.

The young guy gets his turn and scores a 50. Then I get my swing and I nailed the run with a perfect 55/55.

My point of this whole rant isn't to brag or gloat but this first student .... wow... unteachable. I admire his tenacity but there are some people that are just not cut out for it..

Keep the sticky side down and the shiny side up!

It breaks my heart that you dont think you have used alvebra since the 8th grade. as soon as they showed us the offset manuever i immediatley thought geometry. as an engineering major with math being the hugest art of it. your doing a 12 foot offset. you ut the truck at a 45 degree angle twice with the ca 40 in a cascadia with a cascadia in a coule days i can do,the math and what not then if i can ever get a hod of,a coule,different,trucks i can take fotos and show you how to do,the math actually give a,a couke days and if,i have time ill get the wheel base for all,the trucks and write,out the formua,and show you where to,lug in what for secific foot offsets lol. bjt a cascadia at 4 with a 53 foot trailer the trailer doe,st matter a whole,lot its the wheel,base bjt you have to,cinsider the length of the trailer and be sure you wil not encroach on your neighbor... its a 12 foot offset with 2 45s and it rolls its all math. when you figure your gas mileage its algebra when you che k your bank statement to see if you ha e enough money to,go,to,walmart its algebra when you set your alarm clock its algebra when u say i only need one,cu so i make half a ot of coffee its algebra when you decide to floor it or slam on the brakes at a orange red light its algebra

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I'm speechless

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After some thought, the equation made sense to me. Sometimes I'm a little slow on the uptake, but when it clicks it sticks!

I have been having a blast at the refresher class. I have a relaxed and knowledgeable yard instructor now that explains everything clearly. Yesterday was Lionel Ritchie Sings Real Loud day. I picked up the parallel parking manuever pretty quick. The instructor gave me a couple pointers to tweak it and the trailer darn near goes in the box by itself.

Today is the day I waited for all week: 90 degree alley dock. Whoot!

I'll be honest about one thing. Knowing that I won't be tested on any of the manuevers took alot of stress off me. It's all fun & games!

The offset is for when the shipper or receiver says to back in a door and you do and then they say opps back in the door next to you.... You will be surprised at how many times you will need to do a offset

That's what I'm looking for! Thanks!

The way the instructor told me to do it for a left hole:

Turn the wheel 1 turn right. Back it until the center cone disappears behind the trailer in the convex mirror. Spin wheel full lock left. Back until tractor and trailer is straight. The center cone should be lined up and then it's almost a straight back.

My point is if the rig isn't in the proper starting position no matter what you do it won't end up in the correct place without some improvisation.

Errol, if you begin a left offset turning the wheel left won't the trailer start moving right?

Remember back in 8th grade while sitting in algebra class thinking, "how could I ever use this in real life?". Some may have even been as bold as me and directed that question at the teacher. To tell the truth; I haven't used algebra since 8th grade.

Yesterday was my first day at the truck driving school for a refresher course. Straight line backing was a piece of cake. The other students in the class never backed a 53 foot trailer before so I did have a leg up on them. I think I spent more time coaching than practicing backing. Anyways, the instructor sent me forward to the next manuever- the offset.

Mind you, I took my cdl test almost 2 decades ago and I don't recall doing this manuever. The instructor rambles an explanation on how to set up and what to look for in the mirrors... he stays with me for one go and then walks away. ..

This is what I learned: set up is the key. You need to begin with the rig absolutely straight with one of the holes in order to end up with the trailer in the right place with the center hole cone. If you don't begin the manuever in the right place the recipe for success will elude you.

Well, during my practice yesterday I fudged up and ended up all discombobulated. I had a heck of a time trying to get back to the proper starting position to try it again. Remember, there's only 180 feet to straighten out a tractor with a 53 foot trailer. Curses!

The school also hosts a heavy equipment course that goes on right behind the 2 holes for the offset. There's no way to go around and pull through one of the holes to begin straight again. Arrrrrrrrr. ..

Anyways, what I'm trying to get at is this... how does the offset manuever relate to real world everyday business?

On a side note: I already have a cdl. As a refresher student I wish they would take me to some real docks to get real practice. I'm not retaking the test.