Start CDL School For Stevens Transport Mon. 6/6/16 (Whew, Glad That One Is In That Date!!)

09/17/16

Okay, not really sure just where to try to start, but here goes. Finished on the road training the day before yesterday. Got my last mountain in at about 9:30 in the morning and my hours were already complete by then. After that, we just finished the load and delivered. Then, we went to the yard as it was just about thirty minutes away. It was really weird as it seemed kind of anti-climatic. I expected to feel some kind of over-the-top excitement or euphoria, but it was more just part of the job and the current situation as it wound down to delivery and the "Empty at Destination" macro on the Qualcom. Don't get me wrong, I was very glad to have my training complete and get off of his truck with thoughts of getting my own truck. Also, I would never run team. I did that years ago for Motor Cargo, pulling doubles , and I will never, never do that again!! But it was kind of depressing logging out and leaving his truck. Does that seem weird? It does to me!! I had no storage space, the top bunk, and nothing that will make living out of my tractor pleasant and comfortable, and there is simply not enough room for two people!!!! So just why was I so torn to be leaving his truck?!?!? The only thing that I can think of is that after having such a "Freddy Krueger" nightmare of a trainer the first time around, it was kind of difficult to actually leave the great trainer I had after that. Also, I'm sure that there is some part of the "Uh oh, now it's all on me and I'm not sure I'm ready." complex going on.

I am now at home in Yuma, CO staying in my favorite motel (remember, I let my rental house go as I knew that I wouldn't be home for about three months when I left for CDL school). I have an entire week, but I still feel this immediacy of having to get things done right away, even though I am supposed to be relaxing. That is a very unsettling feeling!! I went and got my mail today and there was about five pounds of it. My meds from the VA were there which was great (no more $200 for 14 pills instead of $5 for a sixty day supply). I need to sit down and make lists of things to accomplish while I am here as I have the time to get things done, unless I fritter around and don't get organized right away.

At this point, I am really in a quandry. I know the things I need to get done, and I know that I am supposed to relax and re-energize, but it seems like that is the the last thing that will happen. I just hope that I will wake up with a more settled mind in the morning. It is really amazing how the "on-the-road progression of one objective to the next and get them done" mentality takes over and makes it hard to think in any other way. I need to make lists of things I will need to have when I head out with my own truck, and intend to hit Walmart and get everything taken care of. I have to wonder, just how many things will I forget?!?!?!?

I have a master plan!!!! Tomorrow is Sunday and is for nothing but football!!!!!!!! (I was raised on TV and even though I haven't experienced any withdrawals through all of this, I am cognizant of all of my favorite shows that I am missing!!!) If an entire day of football doesn't clear my mind as to getting other things done in the next few days, then I am in trouble!!

All in all, I am very glad to have my training complete and am very glad to get my own tractor and get it set up to live in. I just hope that I get lucky and get a fairly new one and don't have to jump on a plane to go recover an abandoned one as my tractor!!!!

Not really sure where to go from here, if you have questions, please reply and ask them and I will do my best to answer them.

Don't get me wrong, I am still very much enjoying this and can't wait for it to progress further!!!!

DSTURBD

Congratulations! Now relax recharge and get it done. Once in your own truck, make it a home. Then when needed get a nice hotel room for a break. Looking forward to the pic of you in your truck. Live the dream, stay safe and have fun.

Congratulations on completing your training. Job well done and all that. Also, if you do have to pick up someone else's abandoned tractor, just think of it as a rescue tractor that will love you for saving it .

Hey there guys, I would love to think that my new tractor would appreciate me taking care of it and treating it with respect (I always tend to project human qualities on inanimate objects and treat them the way I would like to be treated). I would like to make my PTI's a religious experience, at least for the first few months, and get to know my tractor and it's idiosyncrasies and problem areas. I know that most people get kind of lackadaisical about PTI's after they know their rig and it's idiosyncrasies, but that is not me. Granted, most things are fairly constant and don't change much, but staying on top of it can only make things better. I would love to pull through the safety lane at the yard and have them say, "You're good to go." each time.

I also need to figure out just how often they will pay for a truck wash as I hate a dirty truck! I know that the job is the most important thing, but it really bugs me to have a dirty truck! I love seeing other trucks go by that are clean and shiny and looking right and I want mine to be the same! Stevens buys very nice equipment and I would like to keep it looking proper and making a statement as to how nice it is to be driving top-notch equipment. When I started to research companies going into all of this, I started with the ones that I was impressed with their equipment and thought that I would be happy running that equipment. My trainers would let their trucks get dirty and not think about it, but that is not me. I want my truck to be clean and shiny!! It can only help going through inspection stations and such. Beside the fact that I will be in that truck and taking pride in how it looks and performs!!

Oh well, this is probably all very rookie in essence and I'm sure that I will learn better, but I hope that I will not lose the desire to have a clean truck that makes a statement and is an example of the best of the industry.

DSTURBD

DISTURBED wrote:

I know that most people get kind of lackadaisical about PTI's after they know their rig and it's idiosyncrasies, but that is not me

I think it's awesome that you intend to be professional when it comes to performing the pre-trip, we all thank you for that.

However I would suggest that stating a fact such as "most drivers are lackadaisical about performing the PTI" is perhaps what you have observed during a very short period of time and likely does not represent the majority of professional drivers. Beyond what you have actually observed, this is a blanket statement, without factual basis and only your opinion. And for the record, I do not agree with you.

Please stick to what you actually know to be fact.

DISTURBED wrote:

I know that most people get kind of lackadaisical about PTI's after they know their rig and it's idiosyncrasies, but that is not me

I think it's awesome that you intend to be professional when it comes to performing the pre-trip, we all thank you for that.

However I would suggest that stating a fact such as "most drivers are lackadaisical about performing the PTI" is perhaps what you have observed during a very short period of time and likely does not represent the majority of professional drivers. Beyond what you have actually observed, this is a blanket statement, without factual basis and only your opinion. And for the record, I do not agree with you.

Please stick to what you actually know to be fact.

Sorry, didn't mean for it to come out that way, but you are absolutely right. Should have been, "From what I've seen so far..."

DSTURBD

DISTURBED wrote:

I know that most people get kind of lackadaisical about PTI's after they know their rig and it's idiosyncrasies, but that is not me

I think it's awesome that you intend to be professional when it comes to performing the pre-trip, we all thank you for that.

However I would suggest that stating a fact such as "most drivers are lackadaisical about performing the PTI" is perhaps what you have observed during a very short period of time and likely does not represent the majority of professional drivers. Beyond what you have actually observed, this is a blanket statement, without factual basis and only your opinion. And for the record, I do not agree with you.

Please stick to what you actually know to be fact.

Sorry, didn't mean for it to come out that way, but you are absolutely right. Should have been, "From what I've seen so far..."

DSTURBD

Yes and that I believe. Like you, it really bothers me when I see a driver skip it. If I see a Swiftie skipping their pre-trip, I have and will continue to confront them. No excuse.

I do believe the majority of us take it seriously and like I said I'm glad you do. Set the example, that's all you can do.

10/3/16

Well, finally got cleared off of med-hold today (yeah, I know, for the second time), got my new medical card and should get my truck sometime tomorrow. Can't wait to see what I draw. I am really hoping that I can stay in a KW T-680.Still have some items on my clearance sheet, but they shouldn't take long to take care of and then I will be ready to be dispatched on my first solo load!! Woohoo!!

DSTURBD

Glad it worked out. Good luck!

Great to hear. Good luck.