Profile For Greenhorn88

WHEN I start making the videos I will alert everyone interested through here, on this page. I have a personal channel on youtube already, under the channel name IzIt SoFarFromCrust. Yes the name is lame, but it was what I used for posting gameay videos when I was into stuff like that. I'll be posting under that channel when I start making videos after I get my own truck.

Hmmph. I remember when I had to follow the Oregon Trail in an ox drawn buggy. You kids and your fancy mechanical horses have it easy. Broken arms? Bpphh. Little Timmy drowned when we were fording the river.

Alright truckers, continuing the TMC training story now. Finally got in touch with my trainer. 26 miles away from me, so no complaints there. It took a week for me to get in touch, as he was stuck in the terminal I just left for orientation. Regular scheduled maintenance that ended up taking four days to get to. So, this Sunday marks the start of my 5 weeks of OTR training in which I need to drive 10k miles and execute 60 angled backs. After I accomplish said tasks I head back to Des Moines for final test out, which is basically just a more critically graded version of the same maneuvers you do during the backing portion of orientation, and a road test which is the same route you take on day 2 of road driving during orientation (mix of around town and country). After that, get your release papers and find out which terminal your truck is at, and what truck you're getting. This pretty much concludes the training process. I'll keep a video documentary rolling on youtube once I'm done with training, and post occasionally on general forums to keep those who care updated of the shenanigans. Deuces!

Ok, so today was the last day of orientation with TMC. That's thursday of week 2 for those following along. After a long week of driving maneuvers in the yard, over the road, and simulators, it's a welcome end. Friday, or tomorrow, is clean up, out process, and getting your trainer's info. Next up is five weeks OTR with the trainer. After that, back to Des Moines, IA for final test out and truck assignment. Then, of course, money (ar a wonderful guaranteed minimum $1000 a week for 8 weeks)! My callsign will be Blue Falcon for those who care.

So, 2nd week, day 8-11 will be road and range, with sims thrown in. Lots of driving, at least 3 hours a day. Practicing all types of corners around Des Moines, including downtown. Late nights, early mornings all week. This means, 545am catch the bus, not getting back to the hotel around 9pm. So, get your sleep. You will feel like hammered dog shiz by this point.

Yes, sorry, was in a hurry typing that last part. Further Updates will come Monday, but I'm thinking we hit the backing range again for evaluations, and then road time for the rest of the week.

Ok, day four down. Met the strapping/tarping trainer today. Gruff ex marine, but fair. Gave us the run down for the next 3 days. Also the VP of the company came in and talked to us for about an hour. Did not make a very welcoming or positive speech to the class at all. I didn't let it bother me, but he kind of came off as a "if you don't like something we do, well f you and find some other company that's crap compared to us" person. I got it, TMC is a company that's mostly veterans, and prides itself on having the military standards of doing more than what's required, but at least make it seem like you value or at least appreciate the people coming to work for you. Anyways, like I said, this isn't a diary of complaining, so back to facts. After some gruesome videos that were safety related, we went outside to the strapping bay, where we will be on Saturday through Sunday from 7am until whenever learning how to tarp and strap every load we should come across on a regular basis. Also, confirmed, TMC is getting rid of all 379s and 389s within 3 months. 589s will be all that's left, and eventually they will be all automatics. Also, cameras will be installed in all trucks to "protect the drivers". They will turn on "only during heavy braking, or side to side movements, and will be off once the truck stops moving." Basically if the truck is moving, they're watching you. Tomorrow, which is Friday, will be all outside, doing backing drills. Figure is, serpentines, etc will be demonstrated and then practiced all day, from 6am until 4pm. We will be graded on these skills some time next week, and tested Sunday on the tarping and strapping portions.

Ok sorry this is late. Day 3. Classroom. Finish up testing and forms. Stay awake. Get called out in class for your haircut, when there's at least 4 people walking around with tattoos around their fingers, piercings in, or the remains of an ear that was gauged. Apparently the VP of training seems to think my hair was more important because it looked like a mohawk. I went to dispute respectfully, as I know it isn't a mohawk. I have the hair directly on top of my head, long enough to comb to the side. Skin tight sides and back, all the way up to the top. But he's not hearing it, so that night I had to make a call, hair or job. Even though it's bull****, I now look like a basic training recruit. Something I said would never happen again. Other than that, nothing major day 3 to report.

Day 2 officially almost over. Today the class was split into 4 groups. Group 4 got off at 4, last 3 groups are here until 8pm. Today was filling out paperwork and finishing up tests and training modules. The three groups that stayed (myself included) rotated through three stations after 4. They were 1)shifting practice on the 13spd simulators (which are now obsolete as the company is moving towards all automatics with some 9spds left), straight line backing in the new 579s outside (9spd) and an hour in the classroom to finish up the modules. The trucks are pretty and well maintained. I mean strikingly beautiful for a hulking behemoth. They drive and handle like a dream. A hell of a lot better than what I spent the past 6 months practicing on at the CDL school I went to. Not much else to say about today, it was pretty straight forward. Got final approval on my medical card, although it's only good for a year since apparently the docs didn't understand the concept of not having been on meds for PTSD for 5 months. Oh well, at least it was approved, so I can officially move forward. Next one should be a standard 2 year. Pace is picking up, we'll be moving on to strapping, tarping and real world driving (as well as simualtion driving) by friday (or thursday, depending on how fast we move, being as we have a very small class)

Ok, for anyone who is interested. I have started a day to day running log of sorts under the CDL Training Diaries section. This is intended to give anyone interested in TMC a running first hand experience of the orientation experience, and what goes on. It's not full of whining or complaints, just the facts and helpful tips. Check it out if you'd like, it's a work in progress.