Profile For Brian K.

With your trainer you don’t always get what you want! Cue The Rolling Stones. I asked for a non smoker but that would have set me back on getting a trainer. So I went with it. He wasn’t a smoker but a vapor. Which wasn’t that bad. At least it was flavored. But you have to do what you have to do to get done. So here are some things that kept coming up with me. 1. Backing. Still with me backing. And backing some more. I would get nervous and want to rush, because I didn’t want to hold other drivers up and in the process of hurrying I would not get lined up right and it would take more time. So I would tell others to take your time (GOAL) and don’t worry about others. Remember you’re responsible for your truck. Not what others think. 2. Watch your mirrors. Always be scanning so you make a lane change if you have to or avoid speeding 4 wheelers. That includes your blind side on the right. 4 or 5 times I have seen people drive on the shoulder to pass so you need to scan your mirrors often. 6-8 seconds need to scan mirrors. 3. Remember you have a trailer. Especially in truck stops and going around corners. Wide turns! One left turn I tried to beat an on coming car and rushed the turn and almost drive the trailer right through the car waiting at the light. Needed to wait for my left turn light and not rush.

I think those were my main points. I’ll post more later. Drive safe!

Here is an update to training. I really feel it was a little lucky because there were only two students in the class with two trucks to train on the whole time. So it was hands on the whole time. We start out with some instructions in the classroom and outside with the pre trip and then driving in the range. Instructor was patient with us and told us how to do the maneuvers and we had the rest of the day to practice. This doesn’t happen ever because they usually have 6-8 students per class. So that was great. Even with all the practice I was so nervous about the backing. Come test time in the parallel to the left side I thought I failed the test with instructor because I couldn’t see the line in my mirror. But the instructor said you made it by one inch. So I passed on the first try in the driving test. Just got nervous. Going out with my trainer was good also. Had to complete 15000 miles, and after you complete that if you are ready you could get your truck to go solo. My trainer allowed me to drive right from the start which scared me half to death. I’m sure it scared him too. He said you passed your test right so you can do this so let’s go. I was a wreck. I remember my shoulders and arms being so tight and sore the first week because of not wanting to mess up. The first back was a difficult one so he did park it for me. Or I may have quit right there! He did say you’re doing the rest. And I did except one other time. But all the rest I was able to do. My trainer was a nice guy and again was patient with me. Would ask why I did what I did and I would answer and then would tell me what I should have done. Didn’t get mad or yell and that was very good for me because that would have made things worse for me. The problem I noticed was my trainer would bail me out for example. I needed to trip plan better and would blindly follow truck gps. Which was not good and he would help me get to where I needed to be. That was the first thing I learned when I went solo. Truck stops was another thing he would tell me where to go and when your on your own some of the gas stations look like they could be truck stops but are not for trucks. That is not a fun situation. Ok I will add more later. Hope this helps someone.

Thank you everybody for your replies. I am going to try my best. That was one thing my Dad always said "do your best". Thanks for the tip about alway looking at the trailer because that was one of the comments from the instructor was look out your right side more. You look out your left but need to look out the right more because someone always tries to get around you. I will work on that. I got a little bit of my Mom in there too and she would say "you may need that"! So I need to watch that when packing. Thank y'all for your help. Enjoying some time with family before I head out.

For him to stop in that right lane and not get off the roadway could it be an air pressure problem and the spring brakes activated. The only thing is I did not notice any skid marks. At least none visible. The triangles are not in the right spot. 10 100 and 200 feet. This would definitely be an oh no moment.

Just passed the CDL test. Start with the OTR trainer on August 7th. So happy. And very relieved. I know there probably many threads on what being on trainers truck. But any advice would be great.

Instructor booked us a load to Wisconsin. Instructor took us out of Ft. Worth, to Oklahoma. I was able to drive from Oklahoma to Joplin Missouri. Instructor said I did a good job, but when trucks are next to you don't move over to the right. Stay in your lane. Space management. Driving is very intense. I will sleep good tonight. I will update more later.

Training is progressing remembering all the parts to the pre-trip is difficult. I am not really a mechanical person. What has been helping is physically touching each part. Instructor ques have been helpful. I just forget the names of a couple of items. I think I'll be able to get it. We did a mock backing test today. Straight back, driver side parallel, and off-set back, and I did good except for the driver side parallel back I jacked the steering wheel all the way in the first turn and when I straighten the truck I only had one cone. Almost laid an egg. But was able to recover with out a pull up. And got it in between the lines. Tomorrow we may bobtail on the streets. I'll give more updates later.

My favorite concert in college was Rush. Being a drummer myself watching Neil was incredible. Maynard Ferguson and Louis Bellson quartet for you jazzers. Now that I'm older I listen to Christian Rock. Skillet was cool too loud that is because I'm old. But it was great. Newsboys, and For King and Country was awesome. Davy A love you drumset. Never thought that could be possible!

Just started the first week of training and everything is going great. The instructor is great. Small class so we are getting a lot of individual help. Started coupling and uncoupling the truck today with trailer inspection. Next week pre-trip and backing. It was great to finally see all the things that we studied about for the CLP. Went over how to do driving logs and hours of service. Going to do a lot of JJ Keller trainings this weekend. I will try to send updates on how things are going. Thanks for all the informative topics and training features on this website. Check back with you later.

Thanks Davy A. Those are the reminders that I was looking for. Thank you.