Comments By PPGER

Day 2:

Day 2 consisted of more pre-trip inspections and backing. The pre-trip is going well -- I can pretty much get through it without refering to the printed list -- but backing....

Well, that is kicking my butt. Came home feeling pretty discouraged. My brain feels like mush.

One instructor insists that we ride the clutch in reverse so we go slower.... that is really working out my leg. I think my left leg is going to be bigger than my right after 2 weeks! LOL.

One instructor insists that we alternate between right and left mirrors when straight line backing... one says to just use the drivers's since the passenger one throws you off. One says to look at the tandems when backing to see if you're slewing off line; another one says to look at the drives in relation to the trailer edge over them. Then instructor A sees you doing it instructor B's way and corrects you to do it his way.....

Our class is down to 4 people I think. The person who was late yesterday did not show up today. Supposedly he had a sick kid or something. I guess we will see tomorrow if they kick him out, allow him to continue after missing a whole day, or have him just start over in the next CDL class next week.

Tomorrow is another day!

Keith A: I'll be working out of the Phoenix terminal.

Way to go Keith! Congratulations!

Well, day 1 of Knight CDL school is in the books. We watched some videos and then out to the pad to get in the trucks. There are only five of us in our class. There are a couple of other students around but they are in their second week of CDL school. Anyway, out on the pad we divided up into two groups (2 & 3).

We first went through some pre-trip inspection training. Pretty intense -- about 90 items to memorize.

One group practiced straight line backing and the other group (my group) drove the truck around the yard and practiced double-clutch shifting. That went better than I thought it would. I missed a couple down shifts but overall I thought it went well.

After that we went back to the pad and switched off groups. I then practiced straight line backing. That was harder than I anticipated. I only got four repetitions in so I figure it has to get better!

After lunch we headed back to the pad and practiced off-set backing. I never got a chance to practice that but that is supposed to be first on my list in the morning.

Then it was back to the classroom for a little training on filling out log books and a video on backing.

The big surprise for the day was when I was informed that I am assigned to dry van and not reefer. And another guy who thought he was dry van was told he was reefer. It is not a real big deal to me, but it was surprising. When I first talked to the recruiter over a month ago, she asked if I wanted dry or reefer and I told her reefer because I wanted longer runs. And then last week in orientation I told them I was reefer and that seemed to be the case. But, the computer has me in the dry van division so I guess that is where I will be. They said that after 90 day of being on my own that I could always transfer to reefer if I still prefered that division. But like I told them, I was not dead set on reefer over dry. I told them I be happy in whichever division they wanted me in -- that I just wanted to drive! Plus, looking at the bring side, I'm thinking that not having to worry about the extra responsibilities of a reefer as a rookie will be a good thing.

So far in training we have been using a Volvo and an International ProStar. I have to say that so far I like the Volvo better. I asked one of the instructors about how the ProStar hops around at low speed clutch engagement and how it was so different from the Volvo. He said that was because the Volvo had a hydraulic clutch whereas the ProStar had a mechanical one.

I am hoping the backing gets easier! But for now, I'm just jazzed that I actually got to drive one of these things!

It is a concentrated course, with long days -- 6 a.m. to 4 p.m... No time for slacking.

I just completed Knight's agility test. First, I had to take a milk crate with 40 lbs of weights in it off a shelf, put it on the floor, and then put it back. The shelf was about four feet high. That wasn't too bad -- but remember that I am only 5'7".

Then you had to crouch down and reach out with your arm fulled extended, and lift a 20 lb kettle bell up, over, and back down again to its original position. This was to simulate sliding a fifth wheel.

Then there was a another crate with 65 lbs in it. It was on the 4 foot high shelf. You have to pick it up, set it on the ground, and then pick it up and put it on the six foot high shelf. Since I am only 5'7", that was the hardest thing for me. I lifted it straight from the floor to the top shelf -- not something I'd recommend since you are allowed to go from the floor to the 4' shelf and then up to the 6 foot shelf. But lifting that much weight over my head was the biggest challenge.

After than you step up and down on a step for a minute as fast as your can. They take your pulse before you start and then again a couple minutes after you are down to make sure your heart rate comes back down like it's supposed to. I am not sure what the cut off is on max heart rate or anything.

Then it was step up onto about a 2' step to simulate getting into and out of a tractor. Grab the hand rails, step up and down 10 times with each leg.

Then there was a crate with about 70 pounds in it. You had to pick it up, walk about 8 feet with it, and put it down. Then you picked it back up and put it back in its original spot. You did this for 5 total laps -- (pick it up, walk 8 feet, put it down) x 10 times. I was pleased to see that got some of guys younger than me were breathing heavier than I was after that.

I think that was it. Everyone in our group passed it. Some said lifting the 20# kettle bell at arms length was the hardest part.

I agree with Old School. I don't need to, but I am thinking of selling my new car as well. I'm not hurting for money, but like he said, what's the point of having a new car if I'm never home to drive it. I guess I'll wait and see for now. Be on the road for six months or so and if it looks like I'm going to continue to do OTR, think hard about just selling it. If I do, someone will get a really sweet deal on a really low mileage 2015 model.

AND, at some companies, letting any "unauthorized" person into your truck will get you fired.

Well, I finished orientation and am now officially a Knight employee. Yeah! I start CDL school on the 2nd.

Anyway, I'm wondering if anyone can help with a Zonar question. The Zonar systems have built-in navigation BUT the problem is that the routing of the Zonar rarely matches the route selection of the DM. I think they said the Zonar nav uses Google maps. Anyway, I'm wondering if you can program the Zonar nav so that its route matches the route they want you to take.

If not, how hard is it to program a Rand McNalley GPS to match the route set by your DM?

Thanks.

Knight does not allow trucks to be taken home. It has to be be left at the terminal during home time.

Six D-cell Maglite... works great if need be...Perfectly legal. But I would also not add any enhancing accoutrements to it. It will do the job well enough unadorned.