AJ's Truck Driving Journey
Topic 5059 | Page 3
OK ...permit firmly in hand with 2 missed questions at the DMV.
I missed one that I hadn't been familiar with and it shook me up. Then, I choked on the one right after, being flustered and reading too fast. Closed my eyes, took a deep breath and took it on home.
Once again, I toss kudo's to the High Road Program. ... Invaluable.
3 students didn't pass and will return next week to try it again. The rest of us are full speed ahead. :)
We dove right into HOS after the DMV and I thought my brain was going to melt!! .... What a whirlwind !! Love it !
Until tomorrow.
I can smell the diesel ;)
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.
Dm:
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.DMV:
Department of Motor Vehicles, Bureau of Motor Vehicles
The state agency that handles everything related to your driver's licences, including testing, issuance, transfers, and revocation.
HOS:
Hours Of Service
HOS refers to the logbook hours of service regulations.
OK ...permit firmly in hand with 2 missed questions at the DMV.
I missed one that I hadn't been familiar with and it shook me up. Then, I choked on the one right after, being flustered and reading too fast. Closed my eyes, took a deep breath and took it on home.
Once again, I toss kudo's to the High Road Program. ... Invaluable.
3 students didn't pass and will return next week to try it again. The rest of us are full speed ahead. :)
We dove right into HOS after the DMV and I thought my brain was going to melt!! .... What a whirlwind !! Love it !
Until tomorrow.
I can smell the diesel ;)
Almost at the controls dude! Good stuff. Yeah, that HOS deal is pretty hard to wrap your mind around, but, don`t worry, you will get it when you actually start driving at a company. Your trainer will have you doing it right off the bat to get you used to the paper and maybe e-log dance we have to do.
Have fun tomorrow!
Dm:
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.DMV:
Department of Motor Vehicles, Bureau of Motor Vehicles
The state agency that handles everything related to your driver's licences, including testing, issuance, transfers, and revocation.
HOS:
Hours Of Service
HOS refers to the logbook hours of service regulations.
OK ...permit firmly in hand with 2 missed questions at the DMV.
I missed one that I hadn't been familiar with and it shook me up. Then, I choked on the one right after, being flustered and reading too fast. Closed my eyes, took a deep breath and took it on home.
Once again, I toss kudo's to the High Road Program. ... Invaluable.
3 students didn't pass and will return next week to try it again. The rest of us are full speed ahead. :)
We dove right into HOS after the DMV and I thought my brain was going to melt!! .... What a whirlwind !! Love it !
Until tomorrow.
I can smell the diesel ;)
Almost at the controls dude! Good stuff. Yeah, that HOS deal is pretty hard to wrap your mind around, but, don`t worry, you will get it when you actually start driving at a company. Your trainer will have you doing it right off the bat to get you used to the paper and maybe e-log dance we have to do.
Have fun tomorrow!
Just filled out the Averitt online app and dropped your Drivers # ...... we'll see what develops. I have been in long term communication with this outfit, as you know. Things are moving quickly now, however.
Dm:
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.DMV:
Department of Motor Vehicles, Bureau of Motor Vehicles
The state agency that handles everything related to your driver's licences, including testing, issuance, transfers, and revocation.
HOS:
Hours Of Service
HOS refers to the logbook hours of service regulations.
OK ...permit firmly in hand with 2 missed questions at the DMV.
I missed one that I hadn't been familiar with and it shook me up. Then, I choked on the one right after, being flustered and reading too fast. Closed my eyes, took a deep breath and took it on home.
Once again, I toss kudo's to the High Road Program. ... Invaluable.
3 students didn't pass and will return next week to try it again. The rest of us are full speed ahead. :)
We dove right into HOS after the DMV and I thought my brain was going to melt!! .... What a whirlwind !! Love it !
Until tomorrow.
I can smell the diesel ;)
Almost at the controls dude! Good stuff. Yeah, that HOS deal is pretty hard to wrap your mind around, but, don`t worry, you will get it when you actually start driving at a company. Your trainer will have you doing it right off the bat to get you used to the paper and maybe e-log dance we have to do.
Have fun tomorrow!
Just filled out the Averitt online app and dropped your Drivers # ...... we'll see what develops. I have been in long term communication with this outfit, as you know. Things are moving quickly now, however.
Good deal AJ. Things will be moving real fast now, just try not to get caught up in the frenzy and keep your eye on the prize (whichever one you choose). Pick the company that you think will fit you and your experience will be much better.
Dm:
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.DMV:
Department of Motor Vehicles, Bureau of Motor Vehicles
The state agency that handles everything related to your driver's licences, including testing, issuance, transfers, and revocation.
HOS:
Hours Of Service
HOS refers to the logbook hours of service regulations.OOS:
When a violation by either a driver or company is confirmed, an out-of-service order removes either the driver or the vehicle from the roadway until the violation is corrected.
Week 1 complete.
I received my first pre-hire confirmation yesterday, which takes a bit of the load off knowing that I will have a least ONE job offer coming out of school. Let's just hope that is one of many.
We finally got in the trucks yesterday afternoon after the week 1 final exams. We started straight backing. I have not killed any cones yet. My first try, I managed to work it all the way through the lane, after several pull ups and corrections. The second time around, I started over correcting and got the trailer out of position and doomed myself. I couldn't get it backed through the lane before we had to shutdown for the weekend. lol!
If anyone wants to chime in on the basic backing rules, please give a man some advice !! That was the first time ever shifting and backing a big rig. Awesome!!
I'm going to start researching all the backing up threads on the forum and watch some You Tube stuff and try to ingrain some rule concepts.
I heard one guy on You Tube say, "turn to the problem side" of your backing maneuver. Problem was, when I got out of position, BOTH mirrors looked like trouble !! lol
Oh, well... I can only improve from here.
The instructor wanted us to memorize the shift pattern and double clutch technique in mock up fashion this weekend. I have chair that will lower a bit , and a small broom as a shifter! lol ... my clutch leg is a little beat up today... :) I'm using the clutch motion in unison with the shifting in order to practice the double clutch timing and shifting pattern.
Looks like the learning is not going to slow down for many months.
I'm still pumped up and looking forward.
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.
Pre-hire:
What Exactly Is A Pre-Hire Letter?
Pre-hire letters are acceptance letters from trucking companies to students, or even potential students, to verify placement. The trucking companies are saying in writing that the student, or potential student, appears to meet the company's minimum hiring requirements and is welcome to attend their orientation at the company’s expense once he or she graduates from truck driving school and has their CDL in hand.
We have an excellent article that will help you Understand The Pre-Hire Process.
A Pre-Hire Letter Is Not A Guarantee Of Employment
The people that receive a pre-hire letter are people who meet the company's minimum hiring requirements, but it is not an employment contract. It is an invitation to orientation, and the orientation itself is a prerequisite to employment.
During the orientation you will get a physical, drug screen, and background check done. These and other qualifications must be met before someone in orientation is officially hired.
OWI:
Operating While Intoxicated
You will get many more pre-hire letters as the days go by.
On the backing, get used to having your head on a swivel, driver mirror, passenger side mirror and so on. Small adjustments between the cones. When you start doing the offset, try to remember that when your trailer tires line up with the cone (driver side) start turning the ass of the trailer parallel to the inside of the cone and aim for about 6 inches off. This way you are leaving plenty of room on the blind (passenger) side. Go ahead and get out to look though so you can build a sight picture in your mind of how things should look from all angles.
Pre-hire:
What Exactly Is A Pre-Hire Letter?
Pre-hire letters are acceptance letters from trucking companies to students, or even potential students, to verify placement. The trucking companies are saying in writing that the student, or potential student, appears to meet the company's minimum hiring requirements and is welcome to attend their orientation at the company’s expense once he or she graduates from truck driving school and has their CDL in hand.
We have an excellent article that will help you Understand The Pre-Hire Process.
A Pre-Hire Letter Is Not A Guarantee Of Employment
The people that receive a pre-hire letter are people who meet the company's minimum hiring requirements, but it is not an employment contract. It is an invitation to orientation, and the orientation itself is a prerequisite to employment.
During the orientation you will get a physical, drug screen, and background check done. These and other qualifications must be met before someone in orientation is officially hired.
You will get many more pre-hire letters as the days go by.
On the backing, get used to having your head on a swivel, driver mirror, passenger side mirror and so on. Small adjustments between the cones. When you start doing the offset, try to remember that when your trailer tires line up with the cone (driver side) start turning the ass of the trailer parallel to the inside of the cone and aim for about 6 inches off. This way you are leaving plenty of room on the blind (passenger) side. Go ahead and get out to look though so you can build a sight picture in your mind of how things should look from all angles.
Ah ... that must be problem #1 . I was definitely spending most of my time on the drivers side mirror.
Other students were getting through faster than me, but they were killing cones, lol. I am trying to keep the mindset that those are two trailers there, and I am NOT going to hit them, no matter how long it takes.
I did jump out of the truck twice on the backing I got stuck on. (none of the other students did this) . (Hitting the Parking brake before I exit is already second nature) I looked out of position from the seat, but when I walked back there, I was really pretty well set up to get in the hole. I said to myself, "Just come on back!" ... I know I'm beating myself up for only being in a truck for about a hour, I guess. I'm just the type that it will drive me nuts, until I master it.
I'm having a hard time tying together how the back end will react to the steering wheel moves. I realize it is opposite, but I certainly couldn't get it.
I am going to be working my butt off this week!!
Oh , btw... my clutch leg is sore!! lol
Pre-hire:
What Exactly Is A Pre-Hire Letter?
Pre-hire letters are acceptance letters from trucking companies to students, or even potential students, to verify placement. The trucking companies are saying in writing that the student, or potential student, appears to meet the company's minimum hiring requirements and is welcome to attend their orientation at the company’s expense once he or she graduates from truck driving school and has their CDL in hand.
We have an excellent article that will help you Understand The Pre-Hire Process.
A Pre-Hire Letter Is Not A Guarantee Of Employment
The people that receive a pre-hire letter are people who meet the company's minimum hiring requirements, but it is not an employment contract. It is an invitation to orientation, and the orientation itself is a prerequisite to employment.
During the orientation you will get a physical, drug screen, and background check done. These and other qualifications must be met before someone in orientation is officially hired.
TWIC:
Transportation Worker Identification Credential
Truck drivers who regularly pick up from or deliver to the shipping ports will often be required to carry a TWIC card.
Your TWIC is a tamper-resistant biometric card which acts as both your identification in secure areas, as well as an indicator of you having passed the necessary security clearance. TWIC cards are valid for five years. The issuance of TWIC cards is overseen by the Transportation Security Administration and the Department of Homeland Security.
HOS:
Hours Of Service
HOS refers to the logbook hours of service regulations.
It will be sore for a few days.
You are doing it right. Like anything else, the more you do something the easier it becomes. The steering will become automatic soon enough.
It will be sore for a few days.
You are doing it right. Like anything else, the more you do something the easier it becomes. The steering will become automatic soon enough.
Thanks, buddy ....
I think tomorrow I will go with the "small moves from the bottom of the steering wheel" technique.
Just push the wheel in the direction I want the back end to go, with a bit of anticipation for the delay.
Enough note taking today on memorizing the Pre-Trip. ( working out mental tips) Time to spend a few minutes on 10 speed shift pattern before some Tennessee Titans football !!
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Attending Truck Driving School Becoming A Truck Driver CDL Test Preparation CDL Training First Solo Months On The Road High Road Training Program Life On The Road Reports From CDL Training Truck Driving Lifestyle Truck Driving Stories
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Ha!! lol ...OK then ... bring on the beast!!