More Miles Than I Can Shake A Stick At, Dirty Restrooms And More.

So I know I have neglected my orientation journal with western express but that because I'm now with my flatbed trainer and have not stopped moving. We are currently on a run from Nashville to San Diego hauling truck axels.... That we had to secure in a downpour and wind and cold.... Soaked to the bone we get into the truck to find the heat not working.... Only the bunk heater. We changed and hit the road with him driving. Stopped for the night then I hit it hard the next two days. We made it to New Mexico last night and got a call that we are T calling with another driver..... I can't tell you what we will be hauling or where were heading but it's 2500 miles from where we sit currently..... And delivers Thursday morning. We are suppose to be a solo dispatch but that isn't going to happen right now. I have quickly learned the pivot point on a flatbed is different then a dry van. My trainer is amazing, he doesn't yell, he doesn't scream and most importantly he doesn't snore. Since my parents live 15 miles from our drop he is giving me a night at home after we drop. My only gripe about the truck is I'm 6'1 and have just over 18 inch of space when I'm on the top bunk. The good news is that on this long run I get to sleep on his memory foam mattress.

On a side note the entire state of New Mexico needs to hire some one to clean the restrooms. I'm at the point where I would rather pay for a shower to know I'm getting a cleaner toilet. Anyways I will check in later..... And old school if you see this I will call you later.

Dale, I couldn't even keep up with the miles we turned during training. I did that exact same run down to San Diego with those trailer suspensions, and then we promptly got dispatched from southwest New Mexico to Connecticut. We started team driving immediately after our first delivery of some railroad tracks in Louisiana. My trainer said "you already are a good driver, we are going to start turning some miles now", then he contacted our dispatcher and told him to start running us hard and we got all kinds of loads that were already late and they needed someone to work a miracle just to get it there on time. I was exhausted after that four week stint, it was crazy for a new guy like me to be running that hard, but that's one way they like to measure you up and see if you are going to be able to handle the job. Hang in there, and do your best, once you get assigned a truck and are running solo it only gets better. I'm still getting lots of miles, and as long as you can keep up the pace they will keep counting on you and providing you with "all the miles you can shake a stick at".

Glad to hear you got to feeling better and are running with your trainer now.

I like these positive reports!

We are currently on a run from Nashville to San Diego hauling truck axels.... That we had to secure in a downpour and wind and cold.... Soaked to the bone we get into the truck to find the heat not working.... Only the bunk heater

Sometimes life on the road is like a Springsteen song, isn't it???

Woke up this morning my house was cold
Checked the furnace she wasn't burnin'
Went out and hopped in my old Ford
Hit the engine but she ain't turnin'

"One Step Up" - Bruce Springsteen

My trainer is amazing, he doesn't yell, he doesn't scream and most importantly he doesn't snore

So you would characterize the lack of snoring as the most important trait a trainer can have????

Just kiddin