Profile For John C.

Some of the companies actually require you to get your permit before entering their programs, others do not. Check out this link. There is a lot of info to be found here:

company sponsored schools

Awesome! Congratulations!

Oscar, Rainy is totally correct, no BS...I actually had a similar response queued-up but she was quicker than I (there is an "Old Guy" joke in there somewhere...LOL).

Anyway, although the truck is doing most of the work, at times I will drop n' hook a total of four times throughout the course of my day. 15-20 minutes each time, outside in 90+ degrees and high humidity soaks my shirt (and it's made from Coolmax). If I was not in good health I would have a very difficult time performing this work.

Play this out in your head Oscar...you have a load going to Phoenix Arizona with a delivery time of 1400 in mid-summer heat. There is a 100 yard walk to the receiving office from the parking area, there is a line in the office and the AC is barely holding the temp at 82'F. It takes 15 minutes for you to get to the window. Oh nuts, you forgot your paperwork (it happens), repeat same walk going back to your truck to fetch your paperwork, then retracing your steps back to the office only to stand in line another 5 minutes enduring the heat. Once you get your door number, your work is just beginning. Receiver requires the tandems slid all the way to the rear before docking (most do), so for most trailers this requires you to unlock the tandems by pulling a long bar on the tandems (outside in the heat after a 60' walk), walk back to the tractor to move/re-position the tandems to the rear and get out again to release the bar, setting the pin-locks. Walk back to the tractor to slightly move the trailer, snapping the pins into their holes on the sub frame. Get out again to make sure all four pins are properly in place in their respective holes and positively engaged. Also keep in mind pin-locks can be sticky, the bar might require additional muscle to release properly. Once that is complete, pop your lock, open the trailer doors and retrieve your load locks. Then "back" to the dock; get out in the heat, stow your service lines, raise your landing gear (oh, really old gear, difficult to turn) and release the kingpin lock on your fifth wheel. You are not done yet...climb back into the tractor to get out from under the load. You now bobtail to the receiver's drop yard and find an empty to drive away with. Unless they assigned you an empty number, you might need to check more than one trailer because at times loads and empties are mixed within the same drop area. Hooking to the empty requires the reverse process of dropping a trailer but includes an inspection (walking around and checking under the trailer), potential for adjusting the landing gear up or down if not aligned with fifth-wheel height, and likely moving the tandems back to a road setting legal in the state you are in. And one last thing, crawling under the trailer to ensure you have a positive 'hook" of your trailer by checking the lock is across your king-pin and the puller is flush with the side of the fifth wheel.

How do you think you will feel after all that...knowing you have 7-8 hours of driving ahead of you? In the summer time I go through towels and water like there is no tomorrow, at times dousing my head with water, then drying off before driving. I am fairly quick dropping and hooking trailers, "done and gone" in less than 20 minutes including a trailer inspection. As a rookie driver, it will take you longer, so you'll be in the elements, longer. And what goes around, comes around, things are equally harsh in the winter. Not trying to dissuade you, although hypothetical, this is a reality you will likely be dealing with several times per week, perhaps more often if on a Dedicated Account.

This is why I love this site! Thanks for the realistic view! I'm in my mid 50's but in great shape (cardio workouts every day), with low body fat, no health problems, and use to the southern CA sun. That drop and hook sounds like a real challenge to me...

I have some advantages as a dedicated driver. While I am still pretty much running over the road, I am often times delivering to customers, and in parts of the country, that I am familiar with.

As far as your question as to how many months it took me to get this "super power" of punctuality down? I'd say the answer would need to be in terms of years. After a couple of years at this I began to get good at being able to guesstimate travel times fairly accurately.

I still screw it up occasionally, I just don't tell you guys about it!

Thanks, I was hoping you would say a few months, but it is what it is. I see how non-dedicated would take longer to get wired due to the variety.

I won't tell anyone about your occasional screw-ups. Oh wait you just did!

I think you're being unrealistic on the miles and speed.

By my estimates, 2500 miles per week would be the most to expect for an average as a rookie driver. Taking it slow, learning the ropes and being a safe driver seems to be the key to the first year.

Most company trucks will be governed at 62 miles per hour max. I think some are governed at 60 mph.

Old school, Thanks for these great tips! Communication is one of the keys to success in any business, and you're a natural at it.

I have a somewhat related question: You seem to have it down as to who long it will take you to get anywhere. How many months of driving did it take you to get this wired?

I ask this because I can picture me coming up with the same solutions, making the calls, than being off on my time, and screwing up on the new appointment times. Three appointments near each other seems fairly easy, but I've read your accounts of doing the same thing with the appointments hundreds of miles apart. How do you pull it off consistently?

Thanks again Brett,

I picked 2 copies from the local DMV today. One for home, and one for the day backpack I keep in my car. I will go through the High Road program, these are for use when I'm not on my computer.

Between work & personal projects, I get too much screen time these days, and my favorite hiking trail has the perfect tree to sit under and read!

My apologies for asking in the first place. I should have thought of getting a hard copy of California handbook myself. This site is so helpful, I forgot my local resources.

This brought up a curiosity question though. Which state is the High road program based on? And will there be many differences from other states such as California?

I understand, Thank you both for the quick response!

Brett,

Thanks for making this great, helpful training program!

Is it possible to create a PDF of the text from the High Road program? It would be awesome if we could print and study the program offline while away from the computer in addition to online. I'm thinking just the text, not the test questions. We could study offline, then go online and go through the program with the test questions.

It would be a great help to me to be able to study at night when I don't want to use my computer, and when I'm out hiking, sitting under a tree, reading while in nature when I prefer to get away from electronics. I'm getting very far online...too many distractions. My bad, I know, but I'm trying to spend less time in front of my computer, and more time outside.

I would try myself, but it's really not place to alter your material, and you created a way better PDF then I did for the Pre-trip inspection guide. I'll give it a try if you don't have the time. I'd prefer to have your permission first.

Thanks!