Location:
Huntington Beach, CA
Driving Status:
Preparing For School
Social Link:
40 yr old male preparing for training
Posted: 6 years, 8 months ago
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Things are moving along. I was able to drive in some adverse weather. Well, adverse for me. lol. Yesterday while coughing I heard a crack in my back rib cage. The pain this morning was intense. The bad part is that it is on my right side and unable to drive at the moment. Tssss. Any suggestions?
Posted: 6 years, 8 months ago
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Hey Tyrone! Any updates? I hope you are still going at it in the JP program and doing well?
Hey Ralph G,
I am doing well. I did pass my CLP. I was sent out on the road with my trainer on Sat the 17th. I was practicing in the yard with a Freightliner and my trainer has a Pete. (Uh Oh). He drove us out of Missoula due to the ice and snow. He drove us to Billings and into SD. Day 2 out and it was my time to drive. He pulled over at a rest stop full of ice and snow. Boy, did I grind the gears. He tried to shift from the passengers seat to no avail. He was yelling until I finally got it. I said to him, "don't worry, we will survive". On the 94 heading east in SD there is a slight downgrade over a bridge and up an incline. (most of y'all might know it). Going up i said "should I start to downshift". He stated "no, I want you to move to the right lane first". I proceeded and downshifted flawlessly up the grade. After we got over it he says "now where was that shifting before". I said "my life was on the line". hahaha
I now have about 30 hrs of driving in. He let me drive during rush hr in Chicago and Detroit. He has me driving through all major cities that we drive through. (St Lou, Tulsa, OKC, Indy) My struggle was this, I was using the downshift technique on the upshift. No more grinding since then. I do mis a gear now and then when I am in traffic and worrying about traffic, speed, lane position, RPMs, you know. (putting it all together in a split second). Driving down the 55 and 44 is a breath of fresh air. I was able to blindside back with 1 pullup today. There is a lot of stuff (lol). Two men in a truck, we had a few moments, but I don't have time to dwell on it, the new moments around the next curve dissipate our quarrels, gotta keep moving forward and deal with the next moments set of circumstances. I go back to test on March 6th. Ok, time to sleep. Hope that this update helps.
Posted: 6 years, 9 months ago
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Day 1 is in the books. Today my fellow classmates and I were picked up from the hotel approx 7:10 am. There is 3 of us in training with 1 other guy stuck in bad weather. He should be in tonight or tomorrow. We were all given a single room in the hotel. (Nice touch) We arrived at the terminal to a welcome board with all our names on it. Everyone in the building gave a warm and inviting welcome. My nerves were calmed quickly due to all the smiles and nice intros. It was a day of drug testing, DOT physical and some paperwork. A lot less than I had expected. They do a lot online before our arrival, which I think we go over tomorrow in an interview to confirm our information. On our tour, it was nice to meet our recruiters. They took the time to greet us and encourage on our new journey. It was not one of those fake introductions, you could really feel the warmth in the room, actually, throughout the facility. We did our physical in, on under the truck and trailer. Our instructor even did a brake test for us. He showed us all the functions on the dash. He asked if we had any questions I was thinking "would you say all that again". Hahaha..... All in all it was a nice relaxing day. Tomorrow we go for our CLP testing and on that note, time to get back to studying.
Posted: 6 years, 9 months ago
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I made it to Missoula safe and sound. It all starts in the morning. It is nice that I was given a single room. I will get some good rest, wake up. and put my best foot forward. Mouth shut and ears wide open.
Posted: 6 years, 9 months ago
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Thank you G-Town. Was you a r apper in the 90's or something.Yeah...I get that a lot...
Singing.....
🎶..."He's hangin' on the web giving sage advice - we're livin' in a G-Town paradise!"🎶
Sorry guys....couldn't resist! 😜
😂😂😂 Nice Lyrics.
Posted: 6 years, 9 months ago
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Best of luck Tyrone. Safe travels.
Thank you G-Town. Was you a r apper in the 90's or something. Oh wait, that was H-town. I have my first taste of the unexpected. I am sick. This came over me starting yesterday. So be it, I shared with my recruiter that I am coming in hot. "Keep the date". I leave on the bus tonight.
Posted: 6 years, 9 months ago
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Thank you.
Congrats and welcome. Good to arrive a bit early. Study, study and study your permit material as things will move rather briskly!!....Pack warm gear, its been a bugger of a winter and its just started... The training group in Missoula is top notch...good luck and we'll see you around!!
Posted: 6 years, 9 months ago
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I am winding down my last few days and then heading on the bus to Montana for training. Jim Palmer allowed me to pick my arrival day and I chose to arrive Saturday morning. This will allow me to relax Saturday and Sunday, then it will be on and popping Monday morning Feb 5th. My recruiter Alex has been wonderful to work with. It was about a month long process due to some previous employer delays. I struggled with the fact of whether to fly or take the bus, I am going with on the bus. I decided that way to stay in line with the process as it is. (Personal thing on going with the flow of a set process). Due to Trucking Truth, An experienced driver cousin, and years of being a shipper and receiver at a large food distributor, I didn't have much to ask Alex. I did count the cost and am ready to learn. I know one thing...... I don't know anything. (ouch) That touched this 40yr olds ego. I sit here nervous, excited, and scared. I have studied extensively but that is about it. I am coming out of California but I am originally from good old Taxachusetts. Thank you Trucking Truth family. You have helped me tremendously. I will do my best to keep this updated as I move forward through training.
Posted: 6 years, 6 months ago
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Accepted To Jim Palmer
I did get my CDL. However, my trainer was sort of a pig. We were out a month together and he only showered 2x's. I mentioned it to my training manager that during the team phase, I will not share a bed with such filth. After I passed my CDL they wanted to dispatch us out and didn't take into consideration hiw serious I was avout it.
I was told that they didn't have another trainer. My cousin who has been driving for 40 yrs was a little disappointed in the situation due to. the fact that he thinks highly of JP. He talked with his owner and shared my situation with him, and they decided to let him train me. They usually only hire drivers with 3+ years experience.
I have been on the rd with him running coast to coast and I love it. I still keep in contact with my classmates and my trainer. I liked him as a person, just couldn't handle the filth. I would still recommend JP, I jist think thr ball was dropped on me. It happens and I hold no ill will. Our last load went from Lompoc , CA to Jessup, MD. Now going from PA to Fresno. Jason is doing good and about to be on his own in a few weeks.