FFE Training Academy....My Journey Continues

Hard to believe that in only two weeks I will be getting my own truck. Training is flying by. Perhaps I just got lucky, but I gotta say this trainer/trainee thing is not that bad. About the only things I really don't like I have already mentioned. Perhaps the hardest thing that I don't think I have mentioned has been running as a "supersolo" where I drive 8 hours, my trainer drives 8 hours and we take off 8 hours at the same time to sleep. The tough part is being in the seat for 16 hours. The good thing about it is we get a large portion of the benefit of team driving, but I have the benefit of always having the trainer awake and in the passenger seat. We have run a couple of 20 hour stretches, and my bones were hurting after that. I will certainly be ready for my own truck when the time comes.

We have really been running hard. Since my last post we have gone from Miami to New Jersey then all the way to Portland OR where we just left. We are heading for Laredo, TX, which will complete a circle all the way around the country.

Glad to hear a nice report from you Tim! Hang in there, you will really enjoy having your own truck and managing your own time. It's a great lifestyle, and good way to earn a solid paycheck.

takes a really special person with some incredible defensive driving skills.

One of the company's I have been looking into calls it protective driving. This term really hit home for me. We have to be willing to do things to protect people that are not protecting themselves, like your example of hitting the brakes when they try to pass without enough time to do it safely.

Tim's moving to the side is another example of protecting the other driver. After reading my post I didn't want anyone to think I was saying Tim did anything wrong.

One of the company's I have been looking into calls it protective driving. This term really hit home for me. We have to be willing to do things to protect people that are not protecting themselves, like your example of hitting the brakes when they try to pass without enough time to do it safely.

Yeah, it's really about looking out for the welfare of everyone on the highways. To me, the difference between a regular driver and a true professional driver is that the professional is good enough to handle their own vehicle while safely compensating for the mistakes of others at the same time. It's hard enough just to drive your own vehicle safely. But when you regularly find yourself making moves that prevent accidents that would have been caused by the poor driving skills of those around you, you know you're a true pro. Now do that in a vehicle that's 70 feet long, 80,000 pounds, and bends in the middle and that's what separates a true professional truck driver from the rest.

Any truck driver that has been out there for a number of years has made evasive moves which have saved lives. Most of the time those people never even knew something would have happened if it wasn't for that trucker. It's really an amazing feeling. You think to yourself, "Wow, that person doesn't even know how close they came to dying today. Thank God I know what I'm doing out here!"

Hey all. Well, today I road tested with FFE and passed with little problem, attended a mini-orientation, and tomorrow I will get my truck assigned. I believe I am ready.....I hope, lol. So much to learn and retain. My trainer thinks I am good to go.

I am telling ya I really lucked out getting the trainer I did. Six weeks with him 24/7 and not a single argument. He gave me his phone number today and said give him a call any time with questions. Can't beat that with a stick. About the worst things I had to deal with were the upper bunk, which was awfully hard and narrow, and the lack of choice in healthy foods. I bought some new sheets for my new full size twin mattress in the sleeper berth , and I am sure looking forward to sleeping better.

One other thing that did bother me a bit. My trainer made a couple of decisions on running harder than I thought necessary, but after all it is his livelihood and his truck, so I kept my pie hole shut. Those days were totally exhausting, but I still learned from them, and I now know how much endurance I have sitting in a truck seat, lol. Of course, going solo I won't have to stay in that seat near as long as running "super solo" with my trainer.

I will try to post very soon on what kind of truck I get issued, how I outfit it, and how my new job as a company driver with FFE gets going. Hopefully it will be of help to others entering the industry.

Tim Congratulations! Hey that running a little extra hard was good to do, it gives you a chance to see what life is really like out there on the road. There's definitely going to be times when the company will be needing you to go the extra mile, and you'll also learn that you can really boost your paycheck at times by putting a little extra uuumph in there like that.

Keep up the good work and keep us posted, I've really enjoyed following you.

Congrats Tim, sounds like your doing very well. I'm looking forward to getting where you are...Just be safe out there!!!!

Hey congrats Tim! Oh man, time to go solo - steppin up to the big time!!! It's a blessing because you get to make your own decisions, but at times a curse because you alone have to make your own decisions.

Looking forward to hearing how it goes!

Way to go Tim!