Profile For Zachary J.

WE ARE IN THE TRUCK!

The rest of last week was un-eventful. After breezing through the CDL written test, our instructor quickly ran out of Atlas mapping, and Log entry exercises. By friday of last week, we were sitting in the classroom watching youtube videos on run-away trucks.

So yesterday, we began our in truck training. We were handed the key's to a new Volvo, the instructor went through the driving range with us, then decided to get out of the truck and test us on our memory of the course.

Line the tractor up with the trailer, drive down a straight, lined, path. Stop within a certain numbered box. The lower the number, the better the score.

Proceed to back the tractor/trailer in a straight line for 100 feet.

Signal, begin driving forward, make a sharp right turn. Get the trailer tandems as close to the cone as possible.

Then back the truck into the bay.

This program is set up in a way that allows even the worst drivers plenty of space for error. Luckily my partner and I seemed to catch on real quick. By our 4th time around the course, we were scoring zeros. Which is a perfect score.

They NEVER let students out on the highway/ public roads before day 3 of in truck training. Last night our instructor felt so confident in us, that he gave us the chance to take the tractor down old route 66.

This is where I am so grateful I stumbled across this forum and it's blogs. While my partner was jamming gears, grinding, and getting frustrated. I remembered reading how to properly upshift and downshift here on the forum. Rule number one, NEVER jam it into gear, let it find it's own way in to gear. My biggest concern, double clutching, ended up being quite simple.

After three hours of upshifting and down shifting, the instructor began teaching us how to quickly down shift, like when you exit the freeway. Clutch, neutral, blip throttle, clutch, lower gear, brake, repeat.

Our instructor was crazy pleased with our performance. Especially given that his last class never even made it out of the range, and had to be held back an extra two weeks. SO to him, we were a breath of fresh air.

Today we will begin dealing with traffic, as we approach down town springfield with a 70 feet tractor-trailer. Pray for us.

Well. Today was the big day for CDL permits! In the history of the school, only two people have EVER passed the CDL exam with %100 across the board. I am one of the two.

My scores:

General Knowledge: %100 Air Brakes: %100 Combination Vehicles: %100 Doubles/triples: %100 Tanker: %100

All I have left to go for would be Hazmat! However, the school doesn't offer that training. With my permit open, I can add endorsements for free. So next week I will take the Hazmat on my own time.

After the past 48 hours of cramming, I am very enthused by my performance on the tests. I am not confusing confidence with ****iness. Every CDL student is new. And I will not soon forget that.

On to the next chapter!

Through a Schneider sponsored education, I began my CDL training yesterday. (10/21/13)

If you are interested in obtaining your CDL, at little or no cost, I would strongly consider contacting your local trade school or community college. They tend to have companies who will sponsor your education. I had the opportunity to choose from Schneider ($500 dollar tuition cost) Marvin Keller ($200 tuition cost) and U.S. Express ($100 tuition cost).

I went with Schneider. Through my school, there is no contract, no minimal length of time with the company. Tuition is paid by schneider once the schooling is done. My understanding is that this is a new attempt at recruiting through Schneider. (To qualify they look heavily at your driving record, and length of previous employment. If you do not qualify, you are asked to enter into a 6 month contract.)

Day one was filled with cramming. We crammed the first 52 pages of our booklet. That covered most general knowledge. Today, we crammed the Air Brake section, and combination vehicles. I am stunned by just how much my brain is able to retain. Tomorrow, we go and take our CDL permit tests. By Friday I should be in a truck. By the 15th of November, I will graduate with a CDL, and on the 17th I head to Schneider national.

Our class of 4 people was cut in half today. Two of the students were from Northern Europe. While fluent in Albanian, english was not a strong language. They were cut. Myself and one other remain to round out the training. So far so good!

The instructor seems to be rather excellent, and my confidence is through the roof. Of all the pre-tests, I have only missed 7 questions. (6 pre-tests)

I searched, and searched, and never found a good answer as to what to expect at a DOT physical. Atleast in terms of what exactly they put your body through, their checks, etc.

So after having my very first DOT physical, I thought I might give a general idea of what to expect.

When you are first called in to the examiners room, they ask you a series of questions. (Age, height, weight, past medical issues, past surgeries) Just a basic medical questionnaire.

My examiner happened to be a very sweet, older woman. Who took her time. (Albeit, I was in a hurry that day.)

After the questions she/he will take your vitals. Blood pressure Must BE under 140/90. Mine was 122 over 80. (She checked once before and once after)

You will than pee in a nice little cup, where they swirl a test strip to test for sugar content. High sugar content = High risk diabetic.

You will be led into this cold little room, asked to strip down to your skivvy's, and put a gown on. (In my case, the old woman never left)

She/he will make you walk to the furthest wall in the room. She then whispers a series of numbers. You are asked to repeat the whispered numbers, the minute she stops saying them.

She will test your peripheral vision by moving a pen in and out of your vision zone. You must acknowledge the pen the minute you see it.

She will ask you to cover one eye, read the board 15 feet away. Cover other eye, repeat.

She will attempt to push your arms down, you must not allow her.

She will attempt to push your arms up, you must not allow her.

At this point, you will be thinking...THIS IS THE EASIEST THING EVER!

And then comes the Hernia test. The doctor will usually place a finger right under your pelvis, ask you to turn your head and cough.

There now. That wasn't painful.

Time to crawl! Now she will ask you to kneel down, as far as you can, and walk.

Now she will ask you to transition from a kneeling position, to a crawling position. Crawl 5 feet.

She now pulls out the ledges of the bed, and asks you walk up three steps, turn around, and walk down.

She signs a piece of paper, signs your medical card, and tells you to keep it in your wallet.

YOU'RE DONE!

Walk out of the office with your head held high! After all, you just breezed through a 70 year old woman touching you awkwardly!

This was just my experience, and a general idea of what will take place at a DOT physical. My understanding is that each one may vary slightly, but most are similar to mine.

Now on to the hard part...getting the CDL.