Comments By Yosemite Sam

With speeding tickets it all depends on how fast u were going over the limit. I had two speeding tickets when I was applying to companies. They all asked me how fast I was going over the limit. With having these tickets on ur record u have cut down on number of companies that will talk to you but there are still plenty out there. Honestly I don't think it will hurt to apply to as many as you want. They turn u down on to the next one.

That was crazy man. Not an expert on trucks yet. But I would think if ur truck is shooting out that thick black smoke something is wrong. His entire engine don jumped out in front unbelievable 😳😳

This is completely unrelated to starting out over the road, or anything over the road.

JACKED UP PULLING SEMI ENGINE EXPLOSION BOWLING GREEN OHIO

Congrats man!! Bet u are relieved !! It's a crazy feeling after u finish testing knowing u passed. Do you know what company u will begin with?

Good luck with your test. Don't be nervous. It's easy said than done but it will help u when driving. If ur coming to a stop sign or red light u shouldn't bother to down shift just so u don't mess up and can't get it in gear and u lose points for coasting. Also don't forget if u not downshifting when coming to a light or stop sign and u reach a complete stop don't forget to put ur ranger back down to the low side. That how I failed my first road test and eventually stalled out. Ask ur tester how many times u need to downshift for him to satisfy him or her. Ask them all the ?? U want answeres to before beginning to drive. Just breath and u will be okay. Good luck 👍🏻

Just curious what is diamond status and shower power mean. Are those top notch places u can shower?

Wow, that sucks. My trainer said he makes all his students take one at LEAST every other day or they are off his truck. I take one almost every day. I try to stop at a loves(diamond status) or flying j (shower power) for my 30 min. DOT crap and take one.

OS thanks man. I will figure it out may be rough in the beginning but I'm sure I will learn to do it. I worked night shift at a gas station for 10 yrs. would get home at 8 am and have to go to sleep. Sun was out and everyone in the neighborhood was going to school, work whatever. Another question? Worst case scenario u going to take ur ten hr break and can't fall asleep. Is it okay to take certain things that help u sleep easily. Say like some Advil pm or drink some ZQuil. Just wondering are they ok

Yosemite Sam, I think this is a learned behavior. My wife asks me all the time, "How do you make yourself go to sleep like that?"

If I'm at a place that I can tell is going to take a while I will lay down and sleep for a few hours. Somehow the mind takes over and tells the body, "Hey we've got to rest now because we're gonna be called on later to make this happen." For me it is learned, but it is sort of a survival instinct behavior.

U experienced it first hand. Not sure what u will say to his FM but maybe give them a hint to keep an eye on him. Cause if u come out the wrong way to his FM maybe they will look at u like u are the "outlaw trucker" now

So he basically just snitched on himeself that he is driving in an unsafe manor correct? Being up all day and then driving at night. Why? Guess he feels like he is superman.

Yeah I guess so.

All right. I was tired and shutting down for the night when I posted this last night. My trainer's post really rubbed me the wrong way, but I get cranky when I'm tired so I slept on it. I'm still irritated. LOL.

The reason this bothers me so much is that I spent two weeks 24/7 with this guy, so I know when he says he was up all day and drove all night, he was probably literally nodding off in the driver's seat going 67 mph in his lease truck. What bothers me is the fact that it doesn't seem to bother him. This is the same guy who texted while he was driving and, when I confronted him about it, said verbatim, "You'll learn to multi-task." This is the same guy who could barely keep his eyes open driving down mountain grades in the snow after being up all day in the passenger seat, but didn't stop til we got there. The same guy who drove on my logs sometimes because he didn't want to start his clock so he could drive later, and then proudly told me he's an "outlaw trucker."

The reason I don't just message him and confront him about it is that it will do no good. He doesn't listen. And the reason I never reported all this stuff is that I had no proof and feared losing my job before I even finished training.

Sorry for the long post. I decided I'm going to give his old driver leader a call and ask him what to do. To me, this is not just a dumb fb post. This is a problem that has been going on for a while and needs to stop before he hurts somebody.

Glad to hear u enjoying the new career. Downshifting was tough on me when I began to learn it. Some people go according to the speed some to the tachometer. When I was in CDL school my teacher Doug taught me to go with the speed to. Whom with as u become a more experienced driver u will feel it and start to go off ur tachometer. U got to be at the right speed in order to be able to downshift correctly. Although experienced drivers will say I'm wrong. For new drivers like myself I will stick to this method because I'm comfortable with it. Be safe OTR. You will eventually get the hang of it ✌🏼️

Hello all

I'm in week 3 of CDL training at Wil-Trans. I am brand spanking new to Trucking. I'm 47 and spent 28 years in EMS. While I love being a Paramedic it was time for a change.

I have nothing but good to say about Wil-Trans. From the very first contact with my recruiter, Adam, through classroom training with Kem & Justin. I lucked out with my Trainer Jody! He is experienced and an amazing teacher & coach.

I have to admit that I was extremely nervous as I hit the road for the first time hauling my first load.

While I've improved in a lot of areas, I am struggling with consistently down shifting efficiently. I know I will get better and I get frustrated some with myself at times (I'm always the hardest on myself).

I have learned so much from reading the posts on here, the emails with tips & articles. The training section on here is AMAZING!!!

I look forward to continuing to learn more & hopefully become better everyday.

Thanks to everyone on here for the good tips & advice posted on so many topics

👍🏻

Just wondering what tips you may have as to when times like these arise and us being the drivers know it's best to get some sleep so we can be well rested for when it's time to drive. But how do u make yourself get some sleep if your body doesn't want to go to sleep ? Do you try to count sheep 🐑? Or do some excercise to make yourself 😴. Just wondering?? I know u got some good advice OS. THANKS in advance

Your old trainer's name wasn't Abe was it?

Paul, it seems to me that folks who do this for their living would learn pretty quickly that in certain situations you've got to make yourself grab some sleep some times. Our schedules can be crazyily grueling at times, and experience ought to teach us that our survival and success require that we sleep at unusual intervals. It is just part of being a professional.

So he basically just snitched on himeself that he is driving in an unsafe manor correct? Being up all day and then driving at night. Why? Guess he feels like he is superman.