Profile For Dingo

Hey all it has been awhile. But things Re going good...except for my backing. Still having some issues on set up and hitting the hole. But my trainer is patient and my last back of the week was the bomb... home time has been a blessing. I have been home the last 2 weekends. Our FM has been great about getting us home a day early.

I go back out tomorrow and starting my 5 solo loads this week. Hopefully all goes well and I get my own truck end of the week or next week. Can't believe this trip so far. It has been fun, exciting, challenging, frightening, amazing.

Can't wait to get on to making real money. It has been tough and the bills are piling up. But that is only temporary.

Dingo

Way to go Dingo. I've watched your entire journey through training. Mine begins Monday, February 7. Good luck with your career, and stay safe.

Good luck Bill!!! You are gonna love it!!!

Jails? 2 was really good. Got in about 6 hours of driving and bumper to bumper traffic in Connecticut. Trying to find a place to park was ridiculous. Lucky we had a fuel stop at a TA and shut down there. Get up at 4am I had to go roust an old boy who was playing Captain Make-a-spot. He was not happy when I asked him to move so we could get on our way.

Day 3 made our morning delivery and headed to the new pickup location. We loaded up and I started driving. Pulled out and needed to North on 1. To do that had to go down to thr next ramp and back up to North 1.

The ramp was super tight. On top of thst there were snow piles. I missed my setup and scrapped a little road sign. It fell over.

I thought my career was done right there. We couldn't safely and legally pull over so we called Safety. They took all the information and said to keep going. Send pictures of the trailer at the next stop. We did . No damage to the trailer.

Later in the day I talked to my FM told her what happened. I owned up to told it was my fault and what I did wrong and how I was gonna do better. She was pleased thst I owned up a said at Roehl honesty goes a long way. Glad I still have a job.

Day 4. Stuck in Syracuse NY due to weather. Again Roehl is huge on safety. They sent out emails that said if you do not feel safe do not drive. We **** down at 7 am called our FM and she said no problem they would take care of everything. So we are watching it snow in Syracuse.

Dingo

Hey all Dingo here.

Phase 2 training has started with Roehl Transport, but first a little report about my time home

Got home from the GYCDL program on Wednesday night. Came home to an amazing reception from the fur babies and the wife. Was told that it took up to 5 days for the data base to update in Pennsylvania so I knew I was gonna be home a few extra days. Monday rolled around, and I got my full blown CDL license in the mail from PennDOT. Was not expecting that at all. Tuesday called my Training Fleet Manager and we set up a zoom call. I told my FM that I would be ready to go on Thursday. Talked to my FM on Friday and she said it looked like Monday at the earliest. Later that day got the call. Monday with a regional trainer!!!

My trainer lives 2 hours away from me and he is home on the weekends!!! Needless to say my wife was thrilled. Connected over the weekend with my trainer Earl.

Met Earl yesterday (monday) at o'dark 30 by his house and we hit the road. He had to finish delivering a load about 50 miles away so he drove that and we talked about ground rules and expections. Follow your trainer's rules. This is his house. No shoes in the sleeper area and don't hit anything!!! Things like that.

After the drop it was my turn. Got in the driver's seat and we were off to Hinckley OH. What a rush!!! Actually doing the job. They are gonna pay me to do this!!!

Speaking of pay. 1 to 5.9 hours worked is a half day so you get half pay after 6 it is a full day with full pay $113 a day.

Got to Hinckley, drop yard, dropped our empty and loaded up. Headed to Shippingburg PA. Driving was good. Little things from Training came back and the pieces fell into place. Earl said I did very well. After about 4 hours total I was exhausted. Earl took over at our fuel stop.

Heading to Shippingburg Earl was getting close on his 14 hour clock so we planned our stop for the night. Plans changed. We already had our next preplan by the time we left Hinckley and were gonna go from Shippingburg to NJ. We got rerouted to Mechanicsburg for a relay. I drove a it 90 miles to Mechanicsburg on 70/76. Got some tunnels amd some good hills.

Copilot, our GPS worked great till Mechanicsburg. We ended up at the side gate of the Nestlé plant not the drop yard, with barely anyeoom to turn around and a no truck route sign facing us. Uh oh.

With some fine backing work we got out of that. Found the drop yard and called it a day. Was I tired. Top bunk set up, I ate a quick meal and hit the sack. 330 am comes awful early.

Dingo

Thanks everyone. Looking forward to starting this amazing journey. I am going to start a new subject on my over the road driver/training. Please follow for more exciting updates.

Dingo

Thanks everyone. Been home a week now. Amazingly an envelope came Monday from Penndot (DMV) with my CDL in it. Didn't have to go down and get it.

Had my first Zoom meeting with Sarah my Training Fleet Manager on Monday. Went well. Looking at getting my trainer this weekend at the latest. I told Sarah I was ready thursday if I don't get out by Sunday I am eligible for $300 of home pay because they couldn't get a trainer for me so there is that.

Take homes from the Roehl GYCDL training program in Appleton.

1) the instructors care. They are honest. They want to make you the best they can in 3 weeks. They will not lie and they will not sugarcoat. If you suck at something they WILL tell you. And then they will help you fix it and learn it.

2) pay attention. There is a lot of information in 3 weeks.

3) do your best. As long as you are showing improvement you will pass and you will succeed.

4) don't get discouraged. There will be days you cannot back the 90 to save your life. It makes it that much sweeter when you nail it the next day.

5) Use the Jaccuzzi!!! Relax when you can. But only after you knock out the JJ Keller modules. Knock those out asap and study the pretrip. You will wake in the middle of the night saying Properly mounted, not damaged, not leaking.

6) Don't think. After about the 3rd day of back you will know what to do, don't think about it, just out it in the hole. You think about it you get in your own head and then nothing you do works.

Hope these help. I will update more when I get in the road.

Dingo

I PASSED !!!! I am now a truck driver!!! Had a little hiccup with the offset, zero pointed the 90 and did pretty.good on the road test. Ultimately I passed!!!

Now on to phase 2 with my driver trainer. That should be end of next week I hope. Money is tight at home and I need to hit on the road asap. But I am gonna be truck driver!!!

I will continue updating as I go along. Thank you everyone for the kind words of encouragement.

Dingo

TEST DAY!!!

It has been several days since I posted last. Not much in the way of deviation from the routine. Pretrip, backing, driving. Pretrip, driving, backing. Did get to bump a dock. That was fun.

Test today 0730. Temp is 12 degrees with winds of 15 or so. Cold!!!

I am a little nervous, but in a good way. Excited to say the least. I checked out of the hotel so no going back!!!

And here we go.

Good luck Stephen. Just remember the basics they teach you and get the JJ Keller mods done as soon as you can and study the pretrip.

Oh shoot! Thought you were in Gary instead of Appleton! So nevermind on seeing you around while I'm here, but hopefully I'll see you around on the road!