Leaving The Oilfield For Flatbedding
Topic 28962 | Page 1
Hey guys, I'm Zach. I've been lurking on this forum for quite some time. 8 years ago I drove reefer , for FFE. I suppose I wasn't as good as I thought.
I went to the Bakken Oilfield for a few years after I left them. Obviously the companies would need a CDL driver. (Just know that driving is what you do before and after you work.) Man, I loved the physical nature of the work! The company transferred me to Wyoming and I worked the Mesa for a while. Then earlier this year was transferred to Pennsylvania. I'm sure you parents out there understand why I need to find something else to support my family.
Monday I will start orientation with TMC in Des Moines. No more dragging my family across the country. No more calls in the middle of the night. No more chaining up in a blizzard and driving through the mountains because the interstate is closed.
I see my ship coming in, and it's on 18 wheels!
Howdy, Zach~!!
Welcome to the TT family, for sure, sir. I'm the resident 'trucker's wife' around here, jsyk... LoL! (And yes, of course...a parent, as well; ergo the 'work and school at/from home' jibe.)
TMC is a FINE choice. I LOVE their equipment. Were I younger (and tougher!) they'd be MY first choice, as well. Just 'KEEP OFF THE GRASS!' (And of course, keep us posted on your journey; we LOVE these diaries, ya know!)
~ Anne ~
CDL:
Commercial Driver's License (CDL)
A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:
- Any combination of vehicles with a gross combined weight rating (GCWR) of 26,001 or more pounds, providing the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of the vehicle being towed is in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any single vehicle with a GVWR of 26,001 or more pounds, or any such vehicle towing another not in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any vehicle, regardless of size, designed to transport 16 or more persons, including the driver.
- Any vehicle required by federal regulations to be placarded while transporting hazardous materials.
Interstate:
Commercial trade, business, movement of goods or money, or transportation from one state to another, regulated by the Federal Department Of Transportation (DOT).
Reefer:
A refrigerated trailer.
Day 1: Orientation
We had a few people sent home. Make sure you have any paperwork available for your medications. One guy had problems climbing on to the trailer and was sent home. Another guy struggled to lift the tarps and was sent home. And the final guy to be sent home today had an oversized neck? He has to have a sleep apnea test.
We did some general knowledge test, DOT regs, basic math, and general cmv knowledge. Watched videos, and testing with a physical therapist.
Not a bad day for me, but it was certainly bad for others. They will be sent home according to how they were transported here. I hope they find there place. Thank you for your feedback Anne. I'll talk to you guys tomorrow. Keep the dirty side down. Zach
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.
CMV:
Commercial Motor Vehicle
A CMV is a vehicle that is used as part of a business, is involved in interstate commerce, and may fit any of these descriptions:
- Weighs 10,001 pounds or more
- Has a gross vehicle weight rating or gross combination weight rating of 10,001 pounds or more
- Is designed or used to transport 16 or more passengers (including the driver) not for compensation
- Is designed or used to transport 9 or more passengers (including the driver) for compensation
- Is transporting hazardous materials in a quantity requiring placards
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.
Day 1: Orientation
We had a few people sent home. Make sure you have any paperwork available for your medications. One guy had problems climbing on to the trailer and was sent home. Another guy struggled to lift the tarps and was sent home. And the final guy to be sent home today had an oversized neck? He has to have a sleep apnea test.
We did some general knowledge test, DOT regs, basic math, and general cmv knowledge. Watched videos, and testing with a physical therapist.
Not a bad day for me, but it was certainly bad for others. They will be sent home according to how they were transported here. I hope they find there place. Thank you for your feedback Anne. I'll talk to you guys tomorrow. Keep the dirty side down. Zach
Nice update, Zach.. (and YW, btw; np!) << I'm a 50 y/o with 2 teens; sorry for the 'kidspeak,' LoL!
The neck size / BMI / Sleep Apnea conundrum... Just type that in the search bar; if and when you have time. MANY companies mandate it for certain criterion, and many potential candidates feel it's a money grab. Sad they got sent home for that, however. Glad YOU didn't!
I'll still be a'following; wishing you well.
Rest up; 'til tomorrow ~!!
~ Anne ~
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.
CMV:
Commercial Motor Vehicle
A CMV is a vehicle that is used as part of a business, is involved in interstate commerce, and may fit any of these descriptions:
- Weighs 10,001 pounds or more
- Has a gross vehicle weight rating or gross combination weight rating of 10,001 pounds or more
- Is designed or used to transport 16 or more passengers (including the driver) not for compensation
- Is designed or used to transport 9 or more passengers (including the driver) for compensation
- Is transporting hazardous materials in a quantity requiring placards
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.
OWI:
Operating While Intoxicated
Day 2: Continued TMC Orientation
It's not going to be a surprise, but more videos, paperwork, and test. That was from 0700 until 1800. Then we spent an hour in a simulator (they are understanding of my poor double clutching skills). This was mostly to see what our shifting was like. Lastly today we did straight line backs. Doing the basics, at 2000 we left the training facility.
I find I keep talking about my previous experience, and yelling in my head to shut up. I'm sure it's neither needed nor appreciated as it was unsolicited. I suppose I will always be socially awkward. 😅
I hope you guys are all doing well, and thank you again Anne for your feedback.
Well good night everyone, keep the dirty side down. Zach
Double Clutch:
To engage and then disengage the clutch twice for every gear change.
When double clutching you will push in the clutch, take the gearshift out of gear, release the clutch, press the clutch in again, shift the gearshift into the next gear, then release the clutch.
This is done on standard transmissions which do not have synchronizers in them, like those found in almost all Class A trucks.
Double Clutching:
To engage and then disengage the clutch twice for every gear change.
When double clutching you will push in the clutch, take the gearshift out of gear, release the clutch, press the clutch in again, shift the gearshift into the next gear, then release the clutch.
This is done on standard transmissions which do not have synchronizers in them, like those found in almost all Class A trucks.
Day 3: continued TMC Orientation
0700 class again. We discussed HOS , quite thoroughly. Took a personality test to help find a good match with dispatchers. Followed by more HOS regulations and examples. Trainer tried to explain the complexity of split 10 hour. (I most likely will never see a benefit.) Tutorial on the camera system (forward and driver). Some videos at the drivers expense.
I am not a fan of public shaming. This would have been done better by blurring the driver's face. This day was completed with a trip to Wal-Mart.
Stay safe everybody, and I will update tomorrow. Zach
Dispatcher:
Dispatcher, Fleet Manager, Driver Manager
The primary person a driver communicates with at his/her company. A dispatcher can play many roles, depending on the company's structure. Dispatchers may assign freight, file requests for home time, relay messages between the driver and management, inform customer service of any delays, change appointment times, and report information to the load planners.HOS:
Hours Of Service
HOS refers to the logbook hours of service regulations.
Day 3: continued TMC Orientation
0700 class again. We discussed HOS , quite thoroughly. Took a personality test to help find a good match with dispatchers. Followed by more HOS regulations and examples. Trainer tried to explain the complexity of split 10 hour. (I most likely will never see a benefit.) Tutorial on the camera system (forward and driver). Some videos at the drivers expense.
I am not a fan of public shaming. This would have been done better by blurring the driver's face. This day was completed with a trip to Wal-Mart.
Stay safe everybody, and I will update tomorrow. Zach
Thanks for the update again, Zach !!
Is that personality test, the good ole' MPPI ??? That's what my hubby took, back in the day. Seemed to work, actually!!
The 8/2 and now 7/3 ten hour split isn't as tricky as it seems; I helped 'my' old guy understand the 8/2 when he was first OTR , and it helped .. in some situations, blessedly. It makes no sense on 'paper' and/or video, but in real life; you'll see. Kearsey has some EXCELLENT videos, about just such. Pretty sure Old School has some excellent related posts, as do many! Just leave that in your 'bag of treats' for now !
Still following, and wishing you the best. As I'd said . . . were I 20 years younger and starting out, TMC would be my first choice!
Carry on, good sir. Waiting for tomorrow, and KUDOS! Another day in the books.
~ Anne ~
OTR:
Over The Road
OTR driving normally means you'll be hauling freight to various customers throughout your company's hauling region. It often entails being gone from home for two to three weeks at a time.
Dispatcher:
Dispatcher, Fleet Manager, Driver Manager
The primary person a driver communicates with at his/her company. A dispatcher can play many roles, depending on the company's structure. Dispatchers may assign freight, file requests for home time, relay messages between the driver and management, inform customer service of any delays, change appointment times, and report information to the load planners.HOS:
Hours Of Service
HOS refers to the logbook hours of service regulations.OWI:
Operating While Intoxicated
Day 4: TMC Orientation
Today we took HOS test, went over benefits, per diem , tuition reimbursement, and VA assistance benefits. Lunch at noon followed by 3 hours of load seceurment diagrams, explanations, and terminology.
I understand why TMC is so strict about the seceurment. DOT regs are a bare minimum and nobody, especially professional drivers should do the bare minimum. Tomorrow we start 3 days of hands on practice with a skilled instructor.
Hi Anne, the personality test was Professional DynaMetric Programs or PDP. It was certainly a great read. And so far as I can tell the results are mostly true to my personality and personal experience. But I will treat it like a horoscope, fun to read and very general. Thank you for your continued interest and support!
Goodnight everyone, and keep the dirty side down. Zach
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.
Per Diem:
Getting paid per diem means getting a portion of your salary paid to you without taxes taken out. It's technically classified as a meal and expense reimbursement.
Truck drivers and others who travel for a living get large tax deductions for meal expenses. The Government set up per diem pay as a way to reimburse some of the taxes you pay with each paycheck instead of making you wait until tax filing season.
Getting per diem pay means a driver will get a larger paycheck each week but a smaller tax return at tax time.
We have a ton of information on our wiki page on per diem pay
HOS:
Hours Of Service
HOS refers to the logbook hours of service regulations.
Day 4: TMC Orientation
Today we took HOS test, went over benefits, per diem , tuition reimbursement, and VA assistance benefits. Lunch at noon followed by 3 hours of load seceurment diagrams, explanations, and terminology.
I understand why TMC is so strict about the seceurment. DOT regs are a bare minimum and nobody, especially professional drivers should do the bare minimum. Tomorrow we start 3 days of hands on practice with a skilled instructor.
Hi Anne, the personality test was Professional DynaMetric Programs or PDP. It was certainly a great read. And so far as I can tell the results are mostly true to my personality and personal experience. But I will treat it like a horoscope, fun to read and very general. Thank you for your continued interest and support!
Goodnight everyone, and keep the dirty side down. Zach
Still following, Zach; it's been awhile. All still good ?!?! Hopefully just too busy to 'stop by~!' How'd that 'matching test' work out for ya? Hopefully better than Tinder and Grindr, hahahaha~!! The MPPI I spoke of, is 'Multi Phase Personality Index' ... I couldn't remember when I mentioned it.
Thinking 'boutcha; KEEP OFF THE GRASS ~!
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.
Per Diem:
Getting paid per diem means getting a portion of your salary paid to you without taxes taken out. It's technically classified as a meal and expense reimbursement.
Truck drivers and others who travel for a living get large tax deductions for meal expenses. The Government set up per diem pay as a way to reimburse some of the taxes you pay with each paycheck instead of making you wait until tax filing season.
Getting per diem pay means a driver will get a larger paycheck each week but a smaller tax return at tax time.
We have a ton of information on our wiki page on per diem pay
HOS:
Hours Of Service
HOS refers to the logbook hours of service regulations.OWI:
Operating While Intoxicated
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Hey guys, I'm Zach. I've been lurking on this forum for quite some time. 8 years ago I drove reefer , for FFE. I suppose I wasn't as good as I thought.
I went to the Bakken Oilfield for a few years after I left them. Obviously the companies would need a CDL driver. (Just know that driving is what you do before and after you work.) Man, I loved the physical nature of the work! The company transferred me to Wyoming and I worked the Mesa for a while. Then earlier this year was transferred to Pennsylvania. I'm sure you parents out there understand why I need to find something else to support my family.
Monday I will start orientation with TMC in Des Moines. No more dragging my family across the country. No more calls in the middle of the night. No more chaining up in a blizzard and driving through the mountains because the interstate is closed.
I see my ship coming in, and it's on 18 wheels!
CDL:
Commercial Driver's License (CDL)
A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:
Interstate:
Commercial trade, business, movement of goods or money, or transportation from one state to another, regulated by the Federal Department Of Transportation (DOT).
Reefer:
A refrigerated trailer.