Comments By Squirrellyguns

Thanks everyone, it’s been great. So live unloaded in Opelika, Al. Now drop n hooked while loading. This ones going 861 miles to Philadelphia, Pa. I’ve been doing all the driving and doing great. We got bored on the way down here so completely from memory I ran through the full pretrip to my trainer from tractor to trailer front to back, and only missed 6 points, so we’re both confident. So far I’ve been doing all the dock bumps and lot parking as well and doing better each time, so far I’ve not missed a hole yet. Maybe a extra pull up but hey, better than risking any damage. So with that said, I feel confident I can go trifecta in a another week n a half. Again, listening to everyone here. On this site, and the Road Test and pretrip information made this so much easier with it already in my head. Stay safe and stay alert.

Did a couple hours on the back pad, second time around the reference points clicked and it was all good from there. Grabbed load from terminal going 327 miles to Ochelata, Ks to Walmart DC, no problems at all, hour early and in a door with 2 pull ups. Live unload. Then deadhead 90 miles back to Joplin, Mo to grab another Kraft/Walmart load bound 705 miles to Opelika, Al. Will grab it tonight then haul it tomorrow. Overall great day, my trainer said he is very pleased, I’m doing well!

Well today was a partially wasted day. Outbound screwed us with a Walmart load for tomorrow 8 pm delivery only 327 miles away..... not sure who wants to strangle the weekender more, me or my trainer..... Anyways though I did some more in town driving, bobtail though, but had to deal with more than I had thus far, lots more stop lights, railroad tracks, and crazy drivers, but I followed the rules, kept good distance, slowed early and stayed behind the tracks at the stop light till the vehicle ahead cleared me enough room to fully cross over in case I would have to stop. Good experience today.

Big congrats as well and keeping safe!! Keep up the great work!

Remember that tomorrow is always a new day here, surely one of the PRIME reasons you sought coming here cause the next day wasn’t new before.

Sorry, just had to.... 😂

Thanks Bran (weasel 😄). So day 6, drove down to Arkansas and back bobtail, then went back to the terminal and to the pad area, grabbed a trailer and practiced each backing maneuver a bit. Having been a yard dawg operator for 5 years it was very difficult for me to not just put it in the hole my way, cause here you have to use their “reference” points, where as I used to just be able to do it. But I’ll learn their way to pass which is what matters. Still, I didn’t do bad though.

Congrats so far and keep up the good work!

My keep up the good work and withat positive attitude it’ll all click into place. Stay safe and keep your eyes and ears open!

Thanks everyone! Yesterday was some more class time, and a 4 hr sunburn session out on the pad doing pre trip on tractors and getting some drive time around the yard. I’ll be in an auto but was able to take a manual LW around the yard. That said, simulator and tractor transmissions are NOT the same at all, but once I found the transmissions sweet spot, it was all smiles from there. Today I’m out driving some local time bobtail and then with an empty, tomorrow we grab our first load for PSD Phase. Stay safe out there and to all my fellow students out here, pay attention and stay positive!!! See ya on the flip side!

Well day 3 consisted of a pre trip inspection class with a great cheat sheet giving us all the info and exact wording we’ll have to use. Then for a good portion of our class they spent the day running around trying to get permits and get computer courses done and try to test out of sim lab. Now I’ve done a great job staying on my goal of being ahead and tonight I was able to test out of sim lab with a 99, so now my work is complete in this stage and I am sooo looking forward to training on the road to get that license!! Honestly thanks to here and my family n friends, I really haven’t been that stressed about any of it. You just have to preplan and set your goals. And listen to everything they tell you, and you will succeed. That said, watch out drivers, here I come!!!!