Profile For Eric H.

Day 4:

Another day gone. But it was a pretty damn awesome day!! As usual we started out on the sims. Did suburban driving today. Well until the instructor wanted to throw me and a few others who are doing well for a loop. I ended up getting some steep hills and my mind went blank on what to do. I knew to go in a low gear but it wasn't translating in my head. But it was a great learning experience.

After lunch we headed out to a into rangee and did some straight line backing. The trainer on that said I did a good job. You can tell if you're doing well here or not.

If you're doing things right, not much is said to you.

So although it seems like a boring day it was awesome. And I'm getting to know the other trainees better as well. Everyone in my training class is awesome. They're good peoples.

But that was my day. Day 5 tomorrow is the end of the week until Monday. So I'm about to hit this pre-trip up all weekend.

Until tomorrow!!

So, before I get into day 2 and 3, let me tell you, I've learned a lot, and I mean A LOT, in my 3 days here. I can already tell that the instructors here want you to be successful and give you tips and such to make sure you will be.

After 3 days I know I will succeed, where in other places I would have certainly failed. It wasn't an easy decision to leave the previous company (I will no longer be naming the company I am with or was with), but I can tell that it was the correct and right decision for me.

So... here we go.....

Day 2: Tuesday was a day filled with presentations on various subjects, watching some videos on double clutching and shifting, plus we did a little work in the SIM room here. These sims are freaking awesome!!! We did work on the straight line. And other than the machine I was on being messed up, I did pretty well.

That was pretty much Day 2. Boring. But I did some learning today.

Day 3: Today was equally as awesome. We started off with roll call, had a brief presentation, then we were split into groups. One group went outside (Brrrrr!!) and was show the pre-trip. My group headed into the Sim room to work on shifting.

A few of us either have experience in driving or already have some training, so for some of us this Sim was pretty simple. These machines aren't perfect. But they can help you with the gear pattern and getting that muscle memory for DC. After lunch we switched.

The way the instructor did the pre-trip made everything easier. If you do it as he showed you and study on it, you should pass easily.

That was all for today.

Tomorrow it's more SIM time for one group while the others go to a range to do some straight line backing. Then of course we switch. Should be a good day!!!

Well, I'm in my room studying on the pre-trip. I know the parts and where they are, just gotta make sure I have the words right.

So I hope everyone is having a good day and I look forward to posting for you folks!! I finally feel I'm on the correct path to get those L's!!!

Day One:

Well, day one is your typical boring day here in Indianapolis. I got up around 6:30. Didn't go down to the cafeteria till around 7:40. Class began at 8.

Today consisted mainly of paperwork, contract signing and a drug test. That was it. So as anyone who reads this can see, a typical boring first day.

But so far I like it here and the group I'm in are some pretty cool people. Tomorrow will be much of the same so I may not post again till Wednesday.

So until next time folks!!

As those who were reading my Roehl diary, I'm no longer there. After things were taken care of I am now with a different company. I considered returning to Roehl, but this company got me up here to Indiana yesterday.

So... this new adventure starts. I'll put Day One later this evening on here.... so join me on this journey. It's gonna be a wild ride, I'm sure....

Awesome Jeff and Congrats!!!

Thanks Lunchbox. And it's all good. I can say I got some time behind the wheel yesterday. A total of 8 miles. And since it was a Monday and all I was off synch. But it's all ok. I'm not giving up. I'll be posting again sooner than expected. Not gonna let the cat out of the bag on that one.

Due to some unforseen situation my training at Roehl is over for now.... so this diary is over for now. . . Thanks to all who commented. . . . I'll get back to a diary once I'm back in training. And I will be getting back. While away I'll continue my studies as well on pre-trip and all. Can't let things get to me and get ready to get back at it....

Mister B, don't forget to make sure everything is properly mounted and secure!! And no leaks....

I'm glad things are going good for you down there is Gary. I almost went to Gary but told them to just send up here to Appleton instead. Hope you have a great rest of your Sunday. And good luck on Week 2. I'm sure you're looking forward to it as much as I am.

And the way you all do Pre-Trip is a great idea. We've hardly went over it at all. Which has me worried. But I'm gonna take what you all do and see if my group wants to give it a shot. Sounds like a great way to get it down.

Eric,

When is your CDL Exam date? What week are you in?

Was there in January, if you need to know anything, ask me. I hope you got MO as your trainer. The guy is a riot!

When in doubt, wait it out. Sound familiar?

Mike, the "When in doubt, wait it out" is something Ryan says all the time. Thing about it is though, you'd think that'd be common sense. As I said, I have some small things to work on driving wise. But by the end of this upcoming week, I have a feeling I'll have it down ready for week 3.

As much as I'm ready to get the certificate to go home and get my CDL hard copy, I know I'll end up missing it here. Even this horrible cold weather !!

Day 7:

Sure, it's an off day, but I thought I'd go ahead and post anyway.

Tomorrow is gonna be a big day for me. I'm first to drive in our group. Time to show my trainer that I listened to what he had to say Friday about not missing 7th gear. A few times I've went past the spring wall and went from 6th to 9th.

The thing is I see tiny improvements everyday I get behind the wheel. Which is what you want. No improvement= Bye Bye. And that is not something I want.

I spent last night and part of this morning going over everything in my mind. Right and left hand turns, shifting, visually scanning at all times, mirror checkes every 8-10 seconds, downshifting, just everything. I'm going to spend this week taking it all in and then implementing any feedback I get from my trainer.

As nice as it's been to esentially have this "34 Hour Reset" I'm ready to get behind the wheel and get these things hammered out.

The first week flew by (minus the day we were shut down for weather). So I'm excited to see what all we get in this week. Hopefully at least one day of highway driving. We began street driving in the community first. Which I understand why.

Highway/Insterstate driving is the easy part as my trainer says. If you can get things smoothed out and do city/town driving well, then the rest is gravy.

We've only worked on straight line so far. Which all 3 of us do well. So.hopefully tomorrow we'll work on the off-set and alley dock (90° back). Those were the 2 things that gave me problems in my previous experience. However, with the training they give here, I'm sure I'll get those two mastered.

I know the pretrip. But I still do a little studying on it nightly to make sure I have it down. Then, tomorrow or sometime this week I'm going to ask my trainer to do the brake test with me. I've done it before previously, but I want to know it's something I'm gonna pass. It's the part of the pretrip that you can not miss anything on.

Although it won't happen, my goal when I test is to get 0 points.... on all of it. The road test I can see getting a few points somewhere.... but at minimal, the pretrip and backing.... Goose egg is my goal.

J.J. Keller book final I'll knock out next weekend. I already did the mid-term Friday night. I got 14 out of 15. Which percentage wise is a 93%. It was open book, but I only opened it to answer the question I got wrong. Open book tests are typically ones I don't do well on, unless I do the opposite and not use the book.

But anyway. I keep rambling on. Trying to relax since it's only 10:15AM. Work out all my previous Week One nerves and get my mind focused on Week 2.

So, until tomorrow everyone!! Have a wonderful Funday Sunday!!