Profile For Paul D.

Feels like forever since I update you all Been going strong After going back to Florida for my physical CDL, we took a load from there to MI, then from there to CA, CA to UT, deadheaded to ID. Now headed to TN.

My HOS ran out yesterday, so resetting in WY.

Still with the same trainer as my D-Seat (permit) training.

I'm still loving it. My backing has gotten a lot better, still room for improvement, but I'm confident I can put the trailer where I need it, just might take me a couple tries lol

The best part for me is the traveling, seeing the country, seeing the different landscapes and regions I've never been to before.

I'll try to keep you all updated

Safe travels everyone

Yesterday was test day...... First time pass!!!!

Next step is to head home to get my physical CDL, then on the road team driving with my trainer for 30k miles.

He had to get some work done on the truck, so it's in the shop, but we should be heading out tomorrow morning towards home.

I am grateful for the wonderful training team here at Springfield. They have, and continue to, provide me with the tools and guidance to make this journey possible.

It has been a journey, and it's far from over, but I'm convinced I made an excellent choice in careers as well as the company to help get me there

And thank you all for all your encouragement and for following me along as I take this journey

Last couple days have went much better, still with there own challenges, but better. Got that load to WI, took 9 or so hours, after getting stuck in traffic twice and some nasty weather in Chicago. I ran out of hours and we were cutting it close as far as time, so my trainer drove the last 90 minutes or so. It was -1° when we got there. I'm not sure I've ever been that cold before...

Got some sleep at a TA not far and picked up a load set for OK mid-day today. Only drove about 200 miles, so we can get some sleep and get back on a daytime schedule tomorrow.

Got to stop at the Iowa 80. It is huge. I didn't have time to look around at everything but I will definitely have to stop back by next chance I get.

Back at it tomorrow morning for a full day of driving. After we drop off this load, I'll be heading back to MO to get ready for my test.

Well today was a mess all around Got up at 0800 to be on the road by 0900 to deliver outside Cincinnati at 1100, the the earliest they'd take it.

Got details for our next dispatch, couldn't pick up until 2230, and only 6 miles from our Cincinnati stop. So, to conserve clock, we waited until 12ish to head out.

Got to our stop and waited over 2 hours just to get through the gate. No communication from the guard, just handed me a bay number.

Backed it in and waited

And waited

And waited

Seven hours later, now well after our appointment time, and getting close to our next pickup time, we call dispatch, they call the receiver. Turns out they wanted us to drop and hook.

So we do and head to our pick up. We get there and I can't back up to save my life. My trainer thinks I was just tired, I don't know maybe, but it was ridiculously bad. So bad he had to take over.

Hopefully it was just a bad day, I knew there be days like this: plans changing, delays, miscommunication, ect.

Now to get some sleep and hope tomorrow goes much smoother....

Quick update We made our drop in FL, then deadheaded to GA for a load to KY, picked up a load there to go back to GA. My trainer ran out out hours and we had to hand it off to another driver. We picked up another load in KY the next day, this one headed for OH. Now we're waiting at a pilot, to drop off later and pick up another tonight headed for WI.

Ewww snow storms, glad I'm missing those lol. But I'm sure my time will come.

But yeah heading to Florida on my first full day driving, didn't make it the whole way, shutting down in GA for the night, then finishing in the morning The drop is just about 2 hours from my house.

Last few days have been great My trainer picked me up Sunday and we headed down to AR. I didn't make very good time due to the very very winedy roads but it was a great first experience. Caught a couple hours sleep and dropped off our load the next morning Picked up another load later Monday Now heading towards Florida Should be my first full day of driving

I'm still following along and thank you so much for sharing your journey. I'm sure you're doing much better than you think, "we are all our own worst critic"

I just completed my week 1 training at Wilson and will be heading out on my D Seat training as soon as my trainer gets here.

Maybe I'll see you out there...

I've completed the first phase of my training. I feel 100 times better about my backing, I've got my pretrip just about down, and I've spent a little time on the road. It's been a long week, with a lot of information and practicing. I'm now ready to head out for on the road training with my trainer, who should be here in the next day or so. So far I've learned a lot, and had a great time doing it The trainers here are great and I am thankful for all the knowledge they have given me. Hopefully I'll do a better job of updating this diary during the next phase...

Made it thru day 2 After class yesterday I was exhausted from traveling all day Sunday. I did some studying and crashed early. Today was a lot of backing. I started out strong, did an offset, no problems, then nailed my very first blind side parallel first try. Later in the day I got a little frustrated with myself. I was good as long as the maneuver went well, but if I got off any I couldn't seem to recover without making it twenty times worse, but it's only day 2, I'm confident I'll get it. Well I'm meeting with some of the other trainees to study pretrip, I'll try to remember to post an update tomorrow.

Thank you all for the support and thank you Eugene, I've been reading your diary from the beginning. Everyone here seem like very good people. I think I made a good choice, both with career as well as the company.