The Rough Start , The Options , The Lack There Of And Where I Am At .

After a rough post training period I finally appeased one of the NH State Troopers and passed yard skills and road testing .

I posted previously about my stress getting the best of me the first test day In February and leaving the spring brakes on during in cab pretrip . FAIL .

Well ...I waited the required 2 weeks for test #2 and got 100% on pretrip and straight line back and offset back . Trooper chose parallel for my 3rd maneuver and I used my second GOAL a bit early ...placed the truck in the box and looked at the passenger convex and flat mirrors and saw the trailer was all in . Looked out of the drivers window and convex and noticed I might be a bit shallow overall . Tractor was a bit on the angle so I was mentally cautious about the pass side drive tire/mudflap . So I pull forward to the cones and do the hard tight S maneuver I was shown . Hard right for 5 feet in reverse with an immediate hard left for 5 feet . Hoping to bring the tractor in the box another 8-12 inches. I finished and toot the horn . Trooper goes to the passenger front of the rig and looks down the invisible line of the parallel and stands there for I swear 30-45 second tilting his head in either direction . I knew it was questionable because I didn't get an instant thumbs up or thumbs down . Well...he waved me out of the truck . FAIL . I had no more than 5" of that rear drive axle tire hanging over the line . School instructor said he thought for sure the Trooper was going to give it to me . Ah well .

Another 2 weeks pass : this is getting expensive btw ..... Since we are now looking at testing a 3rd time without having driven a rig for a month I decide to pay for 2hrs yard time out of pocket and do nothing except for parallel and 90 degree alley back . $350 on the Friday before testing . Instructor tells me I wasted my money and I didnt incur a single negative point on either maneuver that I worked on , for the whole 2hr block of time . Testing 2 days later with a hired State Trooper detail on school property . 90 Degree alley , my best maneuver ! I was one shotting this in school . Could NOT for the life of me point that trailer correctly ...come in too hard ...pullup adjust ....too shallow ...pull up adjust . I got flustered and was not counting my points and pointed out .

2 More weeks ..having not driven a rig in 6 weeks now..and pay another $350 for school/trooper and another $100 in gas . To my horror , Freightliner (twin screw drive axle ) and 45' flatbed that I have been testing on is not in the yard ...its in the shop . I have to test on an International single screw and 48' dry van . Ok ..enough is enough ! This is getting rediculous now . Im absolutely angry at this point . I MAX out straight/offset and 90 alley back . No points . We leave the yard for road test and the Trooper says I have not testing in this area in almost a year ..do you know a reasonable route with stop sign, traffic lights and left and right turns . I want to say something extremely derogatory here but I love driving and Im finally outta that damn skills yard and say ' I can take you for a drive , if you need more just let me know '

I take him around a bit , making sure I hit all of his requisite visuals , and end with the hardest 2 right turns in the area ,each one requiring the rig to be entirely in the left lane before turning . One of the turns was on a main road and one of these rights is a 4 way stop intersection . We get back to the yard and he gives me the best driving review I think I could get from a cop . " That was excellent Mark ... great driving ! And then he says ... I will not take the other 2 students down that last road . 100% Road skills , maybe scores brownie points with the unnecessary right turns.

~S~

I have gotten prequalified with Melton Truck Lines . All they want from me is a Monday starting date .

I emailed PGT my driver information packet since their web site application failed..and they called me back the following day ! Surprised . PGT is apparently not easy to get on with . They only take 4 new CDL's a month . She told me that my packet looks good but she needs to talk with a couple people at the main office , they have had a new driver roll a truck very recently and not sure what their current outlook is for inexperience .

Not meaning to crush the family with only OTR jobs I've interviewed a couple times for residential delivery locally , b trucks . Oil/Propane/Building supply type stuff .

I fully understand that having a CDL-A and taking a local B-truck job is like never having a CDL-A OTR . So I'm on the fence about which employment path to take . I do know that there is very little in the sticks for work and local logging/chips/mulch outfits want off road experience so if its local its likely CDL-B . I want to get my 9-12 months OTR with Flatbed , I love driving a combination but unlike some of you folks my decision is sadly not my own . Although anything I choose to do with be supported here I still don't know where I will end up .

I will keep ya posted .

~S~

Awesome! The point is.... YOU PASSED! Be proud of that. It may have taken you a bit longer but who cares.

Congrats. Even though you took a little time and extra money it sounds like you really have control of that trailer now. I have heard wonderful things about Melton from 2 different former drivers. Wish you luck. Good job hanging in there.

Congrats on passing! The circumstances make no difference. Having that license makes all the difference!

Have you looked through our Truck Driving Job Listings? You can even Apply For All Jobs With One Application. There might be some companies in there that have options to get home on weekends.

I have gotten prequalified with Melton Truck Lines . All they want from me is a Monday starting date .

I emailed PGT my driver information packet since their web site application failed..and they called me back the following day ! Surprised . PGT is apparently not easy to get on with . They only take 4 new CDL's a month . She told me that my packet looks good but she needs to talk with a couple people at the main office , they have had a new driver roll a truck very recently and not sure what their current outlook is for inexperience .

Not meaning to crush the family with only OTR jobs I've interviewed a couple times for residential delivery locally , b trucks . Oil/Propane/Building supply type stuff .

I fully understand that having a CDL-A and taking a local B-truck job is like never having a CDL-A OTR . So I'm on the fence about which employment path to take . I do know that there is very little in the sticks for work and local logging/chips/mulch outfits want off road experience so if its local its likely CDL-B . I want to get my 9-12 months OTR with Flatbed , I love driving a combination but unlike some of you folks my decision is sadly not my own . Although anything I choose to do with be supported here I still don't know where I will end up .

I will keep ya posted .

~S~

Just remember even if you do go otr for 9 to 12 months and then get a local class b job if you stay driving class b long enough and try to go back otr there is a good chance you will have to go back through training again at the otr company due to no experience at otr for a while. Something to think about.

You took a little longer to get your CDL...but you had the hardest testers on the face of the earth. Those troopers are on the road every day...they KNOW what they want to see out there when it comes to truck drivers....So pat yourself on the back....You triumphed over trial by fire. Be careful about getting into those B trucks. It could well affect your chances to go right back into a A truck without retraining...OTR is tough, but they are changing the rules, making them more restrictive all the time. The choices that used to be there are not there any longer.