SUPERBOWL SUNDAY.... GREY DOG TO SPRINGFIELD TO START AT PRIME.... WILL UPDATE DAILY
Topic 12893 | Page 1
Good luck to you! Remember, pay-backs a b***h!
Very exciting! We'll be around for another week or so. If you see a redhead & brunette walking around together morning & evening, please say Hi! Sorry about the Grey Dog & all the sleep you'll be missing :/
Good luck to you! Remember, pay-backs a b***h!
Only if he stinks will I unleash the fury. Lol
Very exciting! We'll be around for another week or so. If you see a redhead & brunette walking around together morning & evening, please say Hi! Sorry about the Grey Dog & all the sleep you'll be missing :/
Will do !
Day 1: We arrived in Springfield this afternoon. The Greyhound terminal called Prime for our shuttle. The shuttle arrives, and out comes a passenger who says "this is why you don't drink. I got sent home. " (more on this later)
Our driver lays down the rules. No foul language, especially the "G.D." phrase. "If I have to tell you twice, you will be forced to walk. "
After a 5 min drive we arrive at the campus Inn. On the drive in we were told about how Rob Lowe takes care of his drivers, and we were briefed on what the facilities have.
The Campus Inn is actually an old Ramada Inn. (Complete with non working swimming pool)
Upon check in, we were given our room assignments and told to go to the computer lab and get our DOT paperwork finished. Unfortunately being tired as hell, we (myself and the 4 other people I was with) skipped that part, and just started completing the long lists of tasks that were listed in our files.
I met my roommate, who is actually leaving tomorrow. Now, remember that guy who was sent home? It WAS NOT a case of him getting **** faced. He had only 1 or 2 drinks at an offsite club but was turned in by a trainer. THERE IS A STRICT POLICY OF ZERO TOLERANCE FOR DRUGS OR ALCOHOL WHILE IN ORIENTATION.
My eyes are starating to cross, so I'm gonna shut it down for tonight.
Oh, and be warned. DO NOT CALL THE SIMULATOR A VIDEO GAME.
Terminal:
A facility where trucking companies operate out of, or their "home base" if you will. A lot of major companies have multiple terminals around the country which usually consist of the main office building, a drop lot for trailers, and sometimes a repair shop and wash facilities.
DOT:
Department Of Transportation
A department of the federal executive branch responsible for the national highways and for railroad and airline safety. It also manages Amtrak, the national railroad system, and the Coast Guard.
State and Federal DOT Officers are responsible for commercial vehicle enforcement. "The truck police" you could call them.
TWIC:
Transportation Worker Identification Credential
Truck drivers who regularly pick up from or deliver to the shipping ports will often be required to carry a TWIC card.
Your TWIC is a tamper-resistant biometric card which acts as both your identification in secure areas, as well as an indicator of you having passed the necessary security clearance. TWIC cards are valid for five years. The issuance of TWIC cards is overseen by the Transportation Security Administration and the Department of Homeland Security.
Day 2: Today started with a 5:45 am wake up call.
After breakfast (you're alloted 4.75 for breakfast, 7.00 for lunch, and 7.00 for dinner. It may not sound like much, but the food isn't expensive. Coffee, Tea, water are free) We made our way to our first class, where we completed our work history, background check and tax paperwork. Then the nurse came in and we completed our medical paperwork.
After the paperwork was complete we did our physical agility testing. (checking range of motion, lifting boxes, etc.... if you want a break down let me know) Then it was on to our drug screen and DOT physical. Yes, even if you already have a DOT physical you'll do another one. There were several people who had to come back from yesterday to take their blood pressure. Several from my class have to go back tomorrow because their blood pressure was too high. Even mine was very close. I've never had anything over 125/ , even when I weighed my heaviest. Today I was 140 /70. Luckily because my lower number was only 70, I passed. (Coffee and nerves are a *****)
Yes, the rumors are true. If your BMI is higher than a certain point, they will make you take a sleep study. Thankfully I don't have to take one. However. ..... someone was forced to to take the study and she let everyone know she wasn't happy about it. We were told about how one of their drivers was undiagnosed, feel asleep, and killed some people. Now if you have signs of possible sleep apnea (elevated BMI) you go through the sleep study. (Just my personal thoughts, but I think it's a good thing. It shows Prime cares about your safety.)
After lunch we completed our "interview." We turned in our paperwork that we completed in the morning (job history, background check..)
I completed all my computer based training, and now I'm kicking back in my room. My roommate left this am, so I have the room to myself. Tomorrow all the "A seats" (people with enough previous experience to not need a trainer) meet at 7 am in the sim lab for a driving class. All the "B" and "C" seats meet at 8 am at the Sim lab, to be taken out on the road for a road test.
To be continued. ...
DOT:
Department Of Transportation
A department of the federal executive branch responsible for the national highways and for railroad and airline safety. It also manages Amtrak, the national railroad system, and the Coast Guard.
State and Federal DOT Officers are responsible for commercial vehicle enforcement. "The truck police" you could call them.
Sleep Apnea:
A physical disorder in which you have pauses in your breathing, or take shallow breaths, during sleep. These pauses can last anywhere from a few seconds to a few minutes. Normal breathing will usually resume, sometimes with a loud choking sound or snort.
In obstructive sleep apnea, your airways become blocked or collapse during sleep, causing the pauses and shallow breathing.
It is a chronic condition that will require ongoing management. It affects about 18 million people in the U.S.
BMI:
Body mass index (BMI)
BMI is a formula that uses weight and height to estimate body fat. For most people, BMI provides a reasonable estimate of body fat. The BMI's biggest weakness is that it doesn't consider individual factors such as bone or muscle mass. BMI may:
- Underestimate body fat for older adults or other people with low muscle mass
- Overestimate body fat for people who are very muscular and physically fit
It's quite common, especially for men, to fall into the "overweight" category if you happen to be stronger than average. If you're pretty strong but in good shape then pay no attention.
Day 3: This morning I was able to sleep in, because I knocked out all of my computer basedan training. However, my internal clock woke me up @5am. So much for that.
After eating breakfast, I made my way to the sim lab. I was all dressed to hit the road, and found out that our "road test" was actually on the simulator. The training staff went over how to adjust the seat, operation of the 10 speed transmission and everything else, we signed forms telling us how high our truck was... then they let us "drive" on a flat road with a few obstacles thrown in. (Kid runs in front of you in a school zone, truck pulls indoor of you.) But mainly, this first run was just to get used to driving the sim.
Next was the road test. We started parked on an interstate of ramp. We were told to get on the interstate and drive. We'd be judged on speed control, following distance, lane control. Etc.etc... "you will have to follow signs to get to the end of the test." So I get onto the interstate and come across an accident in the right lane. I downshift, and move to the left lane. Some how, my truck stalls. I get throught that and proceed. I then come up to a construction zone. Again, down shift, slow down, move to the left lane, and continue. A little farther down the road I come to another construction area. I see a detour sign but missed the "trucks must follow detour sign" next sign I see is "12'8" for an overpass. F*** ! I pull over, flashers on and trek the trainer "I missed the off ramp." His reply was a kurt "yeah, but you still need to finish the test. " I decide to back up (No traffic) and try to cut the median. (Thinking that I would back up as far as I could before I ran out of shoulder) I try to cut the median, and just as it looks like the trailer is gonna flip, "End of exercise" comes across the screen. F*** ME !!! I'm thinking I'm getting sent home. I go up with my head hanging lower than a hound dog. "You passed. " WHAT!? How did I pass with that ? "I don't know, I just go by what the computer tells me. " He obviously wad not pleased. "Watch your F*****g signs. Have a nice day. "
My stomach was in total knots ! The only thing I can think of is that 1) I didn't hit the bridge, and 2) the exit ramp must have been the end of the test, and I crossed that line before the trailer was gonna flip.
About an hour later I head back to the sim lab to see if I can practice. I may have passed, but I was not happy with the way I passed. I was told that I couldn't get in to practice because they had other classes coming in.
After lunch it was back to class for dispatch operations and then an intro to Qualcomm and paper logs.
Qualcomm:
Omnitracs (a.k.a. Qualcomm) is a satellite-based messaging system with built-in GPS capabilities built by Qualcomm. It has a small computer screen and keyboard and is tied into the truck’s computer. It allows trucking companies to track where the driver is at, monitor the truck, and send and receive messages with the driver – similar to email.Interstate:
Commercial trade, business, movement of goods or money, or transportation from one state to another, regulated by the Federal Department Of Transportation (DOT).
OWI:
Operating While Intoxicated
Last day of orientation has arrived.
This morning we had a benefits class. Then, the "A seats" got their trucks.
At 1 pm it was the certification class, where we got our long and short form medical cards back.
After that we went to the millenial building and met our freight managers and made our ID/ COMDATA cards.
I thought my trainer was going to be here tomorrow, but the guy i'm going with won't be here until Saturday. It sounds like he'll only be my interm trainer, because he said he already had someone on his truck, but that the guy was on home time or something. I don't know, I don't care. I'm just happy to be hitting the road, and ready to learn all I can.
Not much to write, it was a pretty slow day. Lol. I just moments ago picked up another roommate.
Great updates! Keep 'em rolling. :)
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Tonight's the night... Leaving Lafayette, LA. to Springfield, MO. to start training with Prime. Just a bit nervous (New Adventure) but I know I got this. I'll post a "Daily Log" of the adventure. As long as my trainer doesn't stink, I'll be fine. And if he does..... Well then I'll just load up on onions and pay his ass back. :)