Comments By Deke

Hi Reyn, no I really wasn’t able to watch anyone else. I have a game plan for the next time if I get that route. I will need to essentially slide left as soon as I can once the curb on the drivers side is cleared. I think I held my lane too long.....If I get the same route this next time I may even finish my turn in the center lane instead of the right....I might lose a couple points for that, but it’s better than the automatic fail of hitting a curb.....

Yes G-town, it was a right at a busy intersection with a traffic median and curb on the left hand side that forced you into the turn earlier than you would want. I went as high in the turn as I dared, for fear of curbing on the drivers side and I caught the passenger side curb with the trailer......it is an intersection/turn that definitely wasn’t designed with trucks in mind....lol

I like the clock Errol.....😂

Parrothead, do you do any training out of Cuba?

Thanks PackRat, yeah, I was pretty bummed to say the least. It was a pretty nasty little turn. Guy before me failed at the same spot for the same thing. No excuses though, I screwed up.......I’m eager to try again.

Well, disappointed to report that I failed my drive. Pre-trip was good, backing was good, but I hit a curb on my drive. Automatic fail.......it was going good right up until the point it didn’t.

I am waiting for the school to set up my re-test. Hopefully I will get it done before Christmas.

Hello all, just a quick update on my progress, but more a big thank you to this site and all of the folks here that are so committed to helping us newbies!!

I have two drives left at school and I test next Friday. I haven’t posted really anything about my experience at school to this point because it has been exactly what I had expected from reading all of the previous training threads. If you put forth the effort, study and listen to the instructors, you will get through it.

I will check back in next Friday to let you all know the results....

I am scheduled to attend orientation with McElroy starting Jan 8th. So if anyone else is headed to Cuba for that class, let me know!!!

But again, just a huge thank you to ALL of you guys and gals for sharing such a wealth of experience, knowledge, and expertise....It has all been hugely beneficial and incredibly accurate!!

Thanks for that example Turtle. Helps us new guys to see the numbers! At least for this new guy.....the split sleeper rule still makes my head hurt.....lol. Good thing it looks like I will be running for a company that has weekends off.....haha

As long as these autonomous vehicles have a chance of having a malfunction or of being hacked and used as weapons targeting schools, hospitals, government buildings, etc....there will have to be humans able to disengage the "autopilot" and take control of the vehicle.

Could you imagine the chaos if a hostile entity "commandeered" 20-30 tanker trucks and directed them at soft targets???

Then there is the point made previously that people just don't trust technology. Now this may eventually change, but it will take quite some time. I spent over a decade in the aviation industry. The technology has existed for over 30 years that could take off, fly enroute, and land an aircraft without human intervention, but you still have two pilots sitting up front. Why? Because machines break and nobody wants it to be them in the back of the plane when the computer goes dark.....

I don't know why people ask for advice if they have no intention of at least considering it in their decisions.....unless of course, that person is just trolling.....but seriously, in my short time here I am somewhat amazed by the number of folks that post with these pie in the sky dreams and not a clue about running a business. They think they are just going to go out and buy a truck and make a bunch of money. My sole purpose in my endeavor of pursuing this career is to help the financial STABILITY of my family as my daughters go off to school.

I actually have more than enough resources at this point in my life to buy a truck, but why would anyone want to take on all that risk for only a CHANCE at a slightly higher income than a company driver.....and from the failure rate of new drivers, that chance of a higher income is minuscule.

If after my daughters graduate college and I decide then that I want to play with my own truck, then I might just give it a try. But certainly not now when I NEED the income......

So Cookie, I guess if you don't need to make money, then by all means, ignore the years and years of experience of those that have done this and are telling you it's a bad idea and just go out and buy yourself a truck.