Jim Palmer Trucking In-House Training In Montana
Topic 19505 | Page 1
Please do a training diary! And good luck!
Yes Sir, will do... I can say the training started weeks ago via "homework" way prior to the final nod of acceptance to apprenticeship... I'm lucky to have a CDL B already. That being said, I'm pouring over Class A material and reviewing what's part of my Class B. I'm also using multiple online resources of course including TT High Road stuff. JPT was cool and mailed me the Montana CDL book (paper)....I like paper! Make a study plan for home and try to stick with it is my approach...Easier said then done..lol.
Please do a training diary! And good luck!
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.
Day 2: Moving and shaking no doubt!...Only me and another guy in program.. The "homework" prior to arrival INVALUABLE. Tested Montana Class A permit this morning without issue. Gave them my Texas DL and received Montana DL in hand. Headed back to terminal for some class time then straight to Freightliner D-seat!.......a few laps around yard then out into downtown traffic. Super instructor pulling no punches... Sink or swim and we're not interested with "sinking".
Fast yet well planned and deliberate. Assigned FM and trainer who will roll into town in next few days and its off OTR.
Rain doesn't seem to stop hands on work and focused training...Man its also cold here...lol....ain't Texas man!
Time to decompress at hotel and hit it hard (no pun intended) tomorrow.
Lucky to be here with JPT....As my old Dad has always said; "success is where luck and preparation meet"...In giving it all I can.....
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.
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.
Fm:
Dispatcher, Fleet Manager, Driver Manager
The primary person a driver communicates with at his/her company. A dispatcher can play many roles, depending on the company's structure. Dispatchers may assign freight, file requests for home time, relay messages between the driver and management, inform customer service of any delays, change appointment times, and report information to the load planners.
Awesome! Keep the updates coming. Be safe and good luck! I'm sure you'll do great.
Day 3: Woke up to a couple inches of snow for 1st day of pulling trailer....Wha???.....its almost June. Coupled up, slid tandems around a bit and off we went to expose the public, albeit at 40 in a 55mph zone. All good as snow on road was slush. Having a bit of difficulty with double clutching at super low RPM coming from old dump trucks. My classmate hit the 90 backing right off the bat, as in 3 for 3. RIGHT ON!!!...Me, not so... This maneuver is going to take me working at it, afraid I'm already starting to over think it... When asked; "what do you want to start day focusing on tomorrow?" the word "90" naturally rolled off my lips. Oh, a few rounds of pre-trip went well. Good for the 2 of us (students) to observe each other will solid instruction right on top of it. In addition to having pad to ourselves for backing, a couple experienced drivers appeared during practice and we're totally cool. No heckling, no wise cracks, no sideways looks.. Just helpful advice and reinforcement. Not bad to have 2 students and 4 patient instructors... Im ready to keep it simple and put it in the whole tomorrow!
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".
Double Clutch:
To engage and then disengage the clutch twice for every gear change.
When double clutching you will push in the clutch, take the gearshift out of gear, release the clutch, press the clutch in again, shift the gearshift into the next gear, then release the clutch.
This is done on standard transmissions which do not have synchronizers in them, like those found in almost all Class A trucks.
Double Clutching:
To engage and then disengage the clutch twice for every gear change.
When double clutching you will push in the clutch, take the gearshift out of gear, release the clutch, press the clutch in again, shift the gearshift into the next gear, then release the clutch.
This is done on standard transmissions which do not have synchronizers in them, like those found in almost all Class A trucks.
Day: 5 Day 4 was city driving and backing, backing, backing along with paper, paper, paper....Also hung out with trainer and we went out for a nice meal, McDonald's was getting old. Today (day 5) was a couple local deliveries. Got my first door spot on! (Lucky) Some rest now and off for some OTR @ 0100 hrs..... Having a blast!
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.
More specific: Now that week one is complete (CDL A permit, in class didactic, pad maneuvering, city and highway driving both bobtail and combo) it's off for 2 weeks OTR moving freight with trainer. Scheduled back to Montana for CDL drive test. Will arrive a couple days prior to testing for final touches. Once full CDL in hand, will rejoin trainer to team for a few weeks.
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.
Bobtail:
"Bobtailing" means you are driving a tractor without a trailer attached.
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.
DAC:
Drive-A-Check Report
A truck drivers DAC report will contain detailed information about their job history of the last 10 years as a CDL driver (as required by the DOT).
It may also contain your criminal history, drug test results, DOT infractions and accident history. The program is strictly voluntary from a company standpoint, but most of the medium-to-large carriers will participate.
Most trucking companies use DAC reports as part of their hiring and background check process. It is extremely important that drivers verify that the information contained in it is correct, and have it fixed if it's not.
Day?: Not really sure....lol....Its DRIVE-LEARN-PRACTISE-SLEEP-DRIVE-LEARN-PRACTISE-SLEEP..........
My trainer is 100% in the game with me. It ain't easy and the pushing is, and has been, hard and fast paced. The whole process and people involved have been nothing but positive and supportive. Jim Palmer Trucking is obviously dedicated to the success of the apprentice...
You get out what you put in....
My oldest daughter is graduating high school on Friday in Texas. I completely expected and frankly understood that I would enjoy this milestone via photos and phone calls..No worries, such is life. My trainer and FM worked it out so I would be home for a few hours to enjoy my girls ceremony in person...WOW.....say no more!!!
Double bonus: My little ones will be able to see "THE BIG BLACK TRUCK" while my training hangs out for us...
To whipped to write more...I'm in the SLEEP mode at moment as we get to it at 0100 hrs every day.....
To all out there please be safe and have fun!
Fm:
Dispatcher, Fleet Manager, Driver Manager
The primary person a driver communicates with at his/her company. A dispatcher can play many roles, depending on the company's structure. Dispatchers may assign freight, file requests for home time, relay messages between the driver and management, inform customer service of any delays, change appointment times, and report information to the load planners.
Update: "Guess that's OTR Trucking"
As mentioned in prior post, was ready to have the opportunity to see (in person) my daughter graduate high school....Welp, half our load of onions was REJECTED at receiver so back on our truck they went. Dang, changed the whole plan!..Had to drive past my home and onward up the road to bring the poor sad onions to a place that would have them...No graduation visit is the verdict.
This in no way reflects negatively on all who bent over backwards to try and make this happen for me and my family. Just the way it is....Will spend night next to a rotten onion dumpster...lol....
"Guess that's OTR Trucking"
Be safe out there!
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.
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Welp, countdown to hoppin' on the DOG tomorrow bright and early....Head North it is...... Looking forward without a doubt!