May Trucking Starting Orientation 10/4/2016
Topic 16456 | Page 1
Welcome to the forum Sam...and good luck to you. Keep us posted.
Welcome to the forum Sam...and good luck to you. Keep us posted.
Good looking out !! Thank you ! Definitely will keep everyone posted
Hey everyone! On the road to Gary, IN to orientation. Company put me on a Greyhound bus. Funny thing about me getting to the bus this morning. When setting up my ticket which the company did (May). The recruiter looked for the closest greyhound to my address. I knew that there was a greyhound station in downtown Cleveland, OH. She tells me there is one in Parma, OH. I said even better. This morning I came to realize that the station in downtown is the only one nearest to me. But just so I dnt travel from my address to downtown the put me on the closest bus to my address. I was shocked to be honest. To figure out the company wanted to care of me like that so I dnt have to come outta pocket to travel to downtown I caught the buses from Parma to downtown and began the trip from the downtown greyhound station. Actually made me feel good knowing the company cares enough to do something like that. I'm sure know one really cares bout this but I'm kinda bored on the bus so I decided to check-in. Tomorrow the journey begins with orientation. Can't wait to get started. Best thing is I get to the hotel maybe 7:30-7:45. Just in time before the beginning of MNF!! Let's go G-MEN ! NY GIANTS for those who dnt know. ✌🏼️
HOS:
Hours Of Service
HOS refers to the logbook hours of service regulations.OWI:
Operating While Intoxicated
Good day to everyone!! So today was the beginning of my orientation. Although it was only a half a day (8:30-2:30). Started my day by getting picked up at hotel by local recruiter from terminal (Amy). Very nice woman. Began watching a bunch of DVDs ( Qualcomm , safe driving techniques and different weather conditions). Was a laid back type of day. Did my UA when the time came. Filled out some general paperwork. My class has only 3 ELD's in it. So I feel good that the class is not that large so we all can have sufficient time with safety instructor. The SI ( Steven) is a very laid back type of guy. Took each of the students out on the road and did a few backing procedures with each of us. The crazy part was I thought I would be training on a manual and come to find out MTC now has mostly all automatics. Really wanted to learn some more things with a manual but it is what it is. Drove for bought 30 mins. I can honestly say the automatics are less stressful on my legs. Not complaining but I was shot in my left femur bought 3 yrs ago. So my clutch leg gets cramps here and there. Automatic was just like driving a car as far as the pedals go. But all other aspects of driving a CMV are still in play safe distance, watch trailer on turns, etc... I'm looking forward to tomorrow going into depth about HOS. Definitely looking into understanding how to maximize my HOS while being complaint. I wasn't nervous at all today although I've noticed I have plenty of rust to shake off for my backing. Got the trailer in the box all 3 times but did take a while no worries I guess. Practice will make me better. So until tomorrow ....✌🏼️
Terminal:
A facility where trucking companies operate out of, or their "home base" if you will. A lot of major companies have multiple terminals around the country which usually consist of the main office building, a drop lot for trailers, and sometimes a repair shop and wash facilities.
Qualcomm:
Omnitracs (a.k.a. Qualcomm) is a satellite-based messaging system with built-in GPS capabilities built by Qualcomm. It has a small computer screen and keyboard and is tied into the truck’s computer. It allows trucking companies to track where the driver is at, monitor the truck, and send and receive messages with the driver – similar to email.CMV:
Commercial Motor Vehicle
A CMV is a vehicle that is used as part of a business, is involved in interstate commerce, and may fit any of these descriptions:
- Weighs 10,001 pounds or more
- Has a gross vehicle weight rating or gross combination weight rating of 10,001 pounds or more
- Is designed or used to transport 16 or more passengers (including the driver) not for compensation
- Is designed or used to transport 9 or more passengers (including the driver) for compensation
- Is transporting hazardous materials in a quantity requiring placards
HOS:
Hours Of Service
HOS refers to the logbook hours of service regulations.
We still standing... So day two of orientation was longer than the first. Felt great going through company policy and procedures. As most of the procedures I learned in trucking school as far as logbooks and HOS understanding. Learned all the company rules and regulations and procedures for certain things examples( accidents, chaining tires, getting gas, paying for scales, what we can and can't do with out trucks once we solo out). Feels great!! The wheels are definitely starting to roll. Tomorrow we officially become employees of MTC. Gonna hit the years and practice some backing. Gonna feel good getting back in a truck.
Logbook:
A written or electronic record of a driver's duty status which must be maintained at all times. The driver records the amount of time spent driving, on-duty not driving, in the sleeper berth, or off duty. The enforcement of the Hours Of Service Rules (HOS) are based upon the entries put in a driver's logbook.
HOS:
Hours Of Service
HOS refers to the logbook hours of service regulations.
One more in the books thank god. 3rd day of orientation was pretty productive as we learned how to chain a tire with wires. Went into load weights and how to slide tandems and 5th wheel to make weight legal. Also reviewed the atlas book on how to find miles for route you will be sent on. Where to find details of each states low clearances. Went into depth about our QC system. Weather in Indiana today was heavy rain all day so we could hit the yard and practice backing today. Got our official hired notices today and welcome gift pack today. Really starting to feel like family at TMC. They truly feel like a company that's takes care of there drivers. Also meet a mentor today who was waiting to take a ELD from last week class OTR. He's been a driver for 1yr and got to pick his brain a bit. Basically told me that MTC hasn't given him a reason to leave company so he is staying with them cause he feels like he is respected within the company and enjoys his job. Hopefully weather holds up tomorrow so we can hit the hard and practice backing.
OTR:
Over The Road
OTR driving normally means you'll be hauling freight to various customers throughout your company's hauling region. It often entails being gone from home for two to three weeks at a time.
Tandems:
Tandem Axles
A set of axles spaced close together, legally defined as more than 40 and less than 96 inches apart by the USDOT. Drivers tend to refer to the tandem axles on their trailer as just "tandems". You might hear a driver say, "I'm 400 pounds overweight on my tandems", referring to his trailer tandems, not his tractor tandems. Tractor tandems are generally just referred to as "drives" which is short for "drive axles".
Tandem:
Tandem Axles
A set of axles spaced close together, legally defined as more than 40 and less than 96 inches apart by the USDOT. Drivers tend to refer to the tandem axles on their trailer as just "tandems". You might hear a driver say, "I'm 400 pounds overweight on my tandems", referring to his trailer tandems, not his tractor tandems. Tractor tandems are generally just referred to as "drives" which is short for "drive axles".
Fourth and final day of orientation. Today weather was good. We got to hit the yard and practice backing. Ran the course bout three times and practiced my backing into two different spots a few times. I only got to do and alley once I had to leave and catch my greyhound bus back to Cleveland. Unfortunately they didn't have a mentor for me to ship out with today so they sending me home for few days. A bit disappointed but glad I get to go home and see my family before beginning my mentor training. Honestly I dnt think I have any cons about company to give. So far so good. The company MTC is my new family. I'm so proud of myself for setting a goal and reaching it which was to get my CDL and begin my career in trucking. Next goal in place to learn anything and everything I can from my mentor. So I can be all that I can be when it's time to solo out. Anyone have questions about May Trucking company feel free to ask me.
CDL:
Commercial Driver's License (CDL)
A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:
- Any combination of vehicles with a gross combined weight rating (GCWR) of 26,001 or more pounds, providing the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of the vehicle being towed is in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any single vehicle with a GVWR of 26,001 or more pounds, or any such vehicle towing another not in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any vehicle, regardless of size, designed to transport 16 or more persons, including the driver.
- Any vehicle required by federal regulations to be placarded while transporting hazardous materials.
SAP:
Substance Abuse Professional
The Substance Abuse Professional (SAP) is a person who evaluates employees who have violated a DOT drug and alcohol program regulation and makes recommendations concerning education, treatment, follow-up testing, and aftercare.
Congrats looking forward to your experience......
Thanks TNT Any tips for when I get on the truck with my mentor?
Congrats looking forward to your experience......
TNT:
Trainer-N-Trainee
Prime Inc has their own CDL training program and it's divided into two phases - PSD and TNT.
The PSD (Prime Student Driver) phase is where you'll get your permit and then go on the road for 10,000 miles with a trainer. When you come back you'll get your CDL license and enter the TNT phase.
The TNT phase is the second phase of training where you'll go on the road with an experienced driver for 30,000 miles of team driving. You'll receive 14¢ per mile ($700 per week guaranteed) during this phase. Once you're finished with TNT training you will be assigned a truck to run solo.
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Will begin my orientation with MAY 10/4/16. Hope to give help to anyone seeking or looking to join this company. Just got my CDL 9/29/16. Can't wait to begin this new journey for me. I'm doing this because I discovered trucking truth as I neared graduation and was deciding on which company I was going to begin my journey with. Definitely help me a ton as I got to read and understand from a newbies perspective what they went through and what I can expect. Most entries I read may have been old but still helpful. So I decided to do the same hoping with my blogs being more recent. I can give the answers that some are looking for as they search for the companies they are researching.
CDL:
Commercial Driver's License (CDL)
A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles: