Jim Palmer Trucking - Missoula MT

Congrats on the first week plus of training...

Update time!

Spent Tuesday and Wednesday not doing much other then PTI. Talked to my trainer on Tuesday.

He said he would be in Missoula Wednesday night or Thursday morning. But had to get some work done and would leave Thursday night or Friday morning. We left Missoula a little after 6pm on Thursday headed to Cheyenne Wyoming with paper rolls.

Trainer drove the first 100 miles or so and got us out of the steeper down grades. I took over and drove about 200 miles then we took a 10hr outside of Billings. Friday we did about 400. Saturday we finished off the last 70 miles and parked for the weekend. Can't deliver until Monday morning.

Backing is getting better. Learning how to navigate around truck stops will be a challenge but I'm getting it. My trainer has help some and I think we're going to get along just fine. :)

Until next time, peace!

P.S. Shifting has improved a lot and so has missed shift recovery!

Oh Geeez - paper rolls for your first load.

Those things can be tricky. It sounds like you're doing well. Thanks for the update!

Oh Geeez - paper rolls for your first load.

Those things can be tricky. It sounds like you're doing well. Thanks for the update!

Thanks and you're welcome.

Little tricky is pretty accurate. I'm getting some really good experience in dealing with grades and 80k loads.

Quick update. I'm still at it and loving almost every mile! Hoping to be back in Missoula to do the cdl tests in about week or so. Soonest I'll be able take it will be 8/28.

Once I get some extra time I'll post a longer update with more substance.

Time for another update!

It has been an amazing journey. Steve is awesome and I couldn't ask or beg for a better trainer!

Some of the stops we've made are Golden CO, Kalispell MT, Great Falls MT, Vernon CA, Redland CA and Spokan WA!

Looks like the remainder of the week will be another paper run to Cheyenne and something headed back north. Probably beer or maybe pet food.

Some of the more interesting highlights of the past week include lots of mountain driving. US 95 in Idaho has some beautiful mountains! Tricky to drive but beautiful! 4 wheelers in Salt Lake City ain't to bright, LA drivers are better. LOL

Shifting, some days are great and other aren't! Backing had improved a lot! Put a trailer in our tight a$$ Ontario drop yard and it was perfect. Only had one reset!

Still a chance I'll test next week but ya never know.

Until next time, Peace!

Hopefully I'll be starting training in Springfield come Monday. I'm in Florida but told them I'd got to Montana if that's what it took. I'm 56 and have some nerves but need to JUMP in, My wife is really encouraging me with the whole process.

Well, it's time for another update.

This past couple of weeks has certainly been a journey! 5600 plus miles and over 100 hours of driving in two weeks!

Bit of an update for the past week or so. Left Spokane WA late Monday 8/21 and parked at the terminal in Missoula for the night. Took off Tuesday for Cheyenne and stopped in Capser for the our 10 hr. The Hat Six AB truck stop is dang nice! Next stop was to drop off our paper load Thursday morning. First dock was a good one! Took a few extra pull ups to get it straight but I got it. Had three options to hit the dock. One being a blindside 90, next was a left side 90 over some railroad tracks and the third was use the parking lot a crossed the street and back across the street. Chose the parking lot and it work "okay".

We were pre-planned for a beer load out of Fort Collins for Missoula. Pre-planned load to Missoula, coincidental? Don't this so! So off to Fort Collins we go except with one problem, heavy cross winds! Steve took over the drive to Budweiser. Once we dropped and hook I took back over because we was just a little heavy, 79,500 lbs heavy! Not many ours left on the clock but we push to Buffalo and get parked for the night.

Recaps were good so we had a nice easy 9 hour drive back to Missoula. Got word on the way that we need to stop in to see Shannon (the training manager) when we get in about 4:30pm. I find out that that staying in Missoula and Steve my training is picking up a new student. Was kind of sad that I was loosing Steve as my trainer for C and B seats but since I'll be on the Advanced Fleet (Prime) I need some one on that side to train me in the was of Prime.

Anyway back to motel for me... On to the next step of this journey! Saturday starts out with pre-trip with Darwyn then out for backing and driving the course. Did pretty good! Sunday was more of the same and so was Monday. Anyway, Tuesday (8/28) is/was test day.

Marc and I plus some of the others that need to retest take off for the DMV test site. Examiner shows up a little before 9am and we get started by doing a pre-trip on the lights. I get the trailer for the random part of the pre-trip. So, first is coupler, then trailer, then we move to the in cab and break test. Next up backing. Was thinking to myself, must have past the pre-trip if I'm moving to the backing test. Straight back was good, 90 was a little rough but I got it with 2 pull ups and the offset was good too. Passed those so now it's drive test time! Off we go! Had a few "almost" goofs. One slitter and a "you are going in to gear now" grind or 2.

Get back to the test site, stop and set the breaks. Examiner says congratulations you passed. I'm like wow! I PASSED!! I got my CDL!!!!!!

Casey and I take off for the drivers license office to get my upgrade from permit to CDL. The rest of the day was filled with paper work and videos!

Big relief passing the pre-trip, backing and driving exams and getting my CDL but this journey is far from over. Should find out who my new trainer will be in the next day or so and then the next step of the journey will start.

Until next time, take care y'all!

Dave

Congrats on your CDL. I do have a question since JP is my first choice.

Could you clarify this?

"Was kind of sad that I was loosing Steve as my trainer for C and B seats but since I'll be on the Advanced Fleet (Prime) I need some one on that side to train me in the was of Prime."

What is advanced fleet or prime as you call it?

Thanks. Chris

Sure Army, Jim Palmer and Wil-Trans (Wilson Logistics) does two things. One being regional dry van. The other is reefer called advanced fleet. The reefer side is 48 state and consists of pulling Prime trailers and doing things Prime's way.

There is a considerable difference between regional and Prime in how things are done. Rainy and the other Prime drivers here can explain the Prime side way better then I can cause I only know some of the basics. What I do know is things like how you get paid, where and how you fuel and the way you are dispatched are different.

Hope that helps some.

Peace!

Regional:

Regional Route

Usually refers to a driver hauling freight within one particular region of the country. You might be in the "Southeast Regional Division" or "Midwest Regional". Regional route drivers often get home on the weekends which is one of the main appeals for this type of route.

Dry Van:

A trailer or truck that that requires no special attention, such as refrigeration, that hauls regular palletted, boxed, or floor-loaded freight. The most common type of trailer in trucking.

Reefer:

A refrigerated trailer.

Wil-Trans:

Darrel Wilson bought his first tractor in 1980 at age 20, but, being too young to meet OTR age requirements, he leased the truck out and hired a driver.

Through growth and acquisition, Wil-Trans now employs over 200 drivers, and has a long-standing partnership with Prime, Inc. to haul their refrigerated freight. The family of businesses also includes Jim Palmer Trucking and O & S Trucking.