Traffic Jam And Averitt Express

Good job Traffic Jam !!!! You went into this with the right attitude...and it shows in how you have worked with different trainers, learned everything you could, and are now going to be on your own in record time !!! WAY TO DO IT DRIVER !!

Now go out there and enjoy your adventure !!!!

Thanks Brett and Starcar! This week coming up (I am at home now on days off) was to be my last days in training (Sun-Tues) and I was to have a "test" done by safety and then be cut loose. However, I asked to continue the training through the week with my other trainer, Brendan. This was approved and will last through the end of the week and then I'll go through the final audit or test and be cut loose. I wanted to do this as Ken and Brendan were both such a case study in contrasting styles of driving, focus, detail work, etc. I feel really lucky to have this approved and am going to make the most of it. This last week was my last full week with Ken and we had fun but did work hard. On one stop we had over 1400 pieces to deliver. Ken said we ought to be out of here by about 1:00 PM and it was about 9:30 AM at the time. I had looked over the situation (the lot, the setup, the inside of the store, etc.,) and told him let's try for 11:00 AM. He said we'd never do that but we had her done in 1 hour and 15 minutes. I remember when I first started I would push a cart up into the store and bend over to get my breath. fI was real slow but Ken sure had a lot of patience and worked with me and allowed me my time. Now I just walk back and grab another and keep going and going. So It has been a real experience and the old 60 year old body has responded. I feel in lots better shape after these four plus weeks of going and going. The driving has been going real smooth and my backing is continuing to get better all the time. One good thing about this type of account is I feel we get more backing experience than an OTR driver. That is very beneficial and sure boosts my confidence in controlling the vehicle. All the other things a driver deals with also have come at a more rapid rate: coupling and uncoupling, all types of backing and I mean ALL TYPES! I could go on but I am sure you get the idea. I bought an air line this week with a glad hand on one end and a receptacle on the other to air up tires. You attach it to your red air line and air up your tires. Kind of neat to have your own portable compressor along, ha, ha. I am planning on getting a cooler to plug in the first week of real driving and so that is on the waiting list. I em enjoying the GPS Unit and pretty much use it and put the company qualcom one on mute as we drive. The SiriusXM radio is great for all those NFL and MLB games. The World Series is coming up and I am looking forward to this. Too bad the Texas Rangers are not in it this year! I am finding that I really like driving the truck. I like the feel of it, the sound of it, the vibrations, the power it has going up hills, the coasting down hills. When it shifts is has a sweet smooth sound and the view out the windows is nice and full. In traffic jams (NO I DID NOT CAUSE THESE TRAFFIC JAMS) like down in Dallas I just move along slow like a creeping action and make my time. I don't get in a hassle and quizzy about how slow I am making miles. It will all work out in the end and I trust my God to be with me to meet my needs. I am trying to focus on each day and learn all I can soak up. I put in my hours and work hard and take pride in doing a good job whether it is driving, backing, making a turn, unloading the truck, placing the roll-tainers in the store storeroom, etc. When I drive away it feels good and is satisfying. There is more to life and a job then the money angle and this is important to me. One a side note: one week I had to re-set in Alburquerque, NM and it was during the balloon festival. It was very pleasant there and as I live near here it was all quite familiar but I loved it. I did sleep a lot as I was still in the stage where every off hour I had was a recovery time from the work. The TA truck stop in town has a great restaurant and reasonable prices. Service is good too and that was a good hamburger! If you are looking to begin a trucking career you ought to come and join me in Averitt Express meanwhile watch out for any

-Traffic Jam

I did it last night! I was driving up thru a rural area and hit a wild boar! Took off part of the bumper on drivers side. Everyone is teasing me about it. Did I bring it back for bar-b-que? (No it probably weighed over 150 lbs). They are saying my new handle is "Hog Slayer" but I am going to stick with "Traffic Jam." This is LAST week of mentor/training! As they say down Texas way. . . Yeeeeeeeeehaw!

I did it last night! I was driving up thrum a rural area out hit a wild boar! Took off part of the bumper on drivers side. Everyone is kissing me about it. Did I bring it back for bar-b-que? (No it probably weighed over 150 lbs). They are saying my new handle is "Hog Slayer" but I am going to stick with "Traffic Jam." This is LAST week of mentor/training! As they say down Texas way. . . Yeeeeeeeeehaw!

So, hog slayer, you didn't bring the boar to one of the bbq,s? That's just mean. I have been up and down the Texas roads several times now. I guess a hog would be one of my least worries...Until now

But seriously, congrats on everything. You seem to be doing really well.

Traffic Jam...I did the same thing..in Kentucky. Dished in out chrome Texas bumper, ripped my fancy rookie stick off, tore off one of the drivers side steps, and because I hit it with the steers, tandems and trailer tandems...spread hog the full length of the truck and trailer hitting. TSB didn't wake up until I stopped to retrieve the parts. I didn't know what I hit, just that it was BIG and black. But when we got out of the truck, you could smell it...Do you know that the truck wash place wouldn't wash our truck ?? So we waited until they closed, and washed it at their outside bay. Cost us nearly $20.00...but that smell would have kept us out of ANY receiver. TSB bought me a chrome "flying Pig" hood ornament..

They are saying my new handle is "Hog Slayer"

That is hilarious!!!! OMG that would be an awesome handle. "Hog Slayer"....I can't stop laughin about that!

Seriously, one time I was almost chased by one and ironically it was in Arkansas, the home of the Arkansas Razorbacks for those not familiar with their college football team. But I was jogging down a quiet road in the middle of nowhere and this huge hog started squealing and grunting and running in circles in the brush, I'm assuming to scare me away. Well it worked! He was probably pleased with himself when he noticed I was running but heck, I was already running! But I didn't care what he was thinking, as long as he was doing it from a distance. There was a standard chain link fence just off the side of the road. That's where I was heading if he had charged me, but luckily he didn't.

They are saying my new handle is "Hog Slayer"

You may like traffic jam, but I think your new name is gonna stick

I vote for hog slayer....Got a nice ring to it

The Huntsville Cowboys lost....the Chiefs musta done an extra special kick butt dance....I'm a Bears fan....I know..I know....

WOOHOO!!!!! Yeah!!!!!

Ok the hog kill I survived-still here. I m now officially done with my 25 day riding with a trainer. I get a ck our drive this fri n then m dug loose to start driving. Thanks TtuckingTruth.com!!!!! Its been a journey to begin here n your help made a big difference. Thanks!