CRST - Training Adventures In Cedar Rapids

Well, training is becoming an exercise in patience. We got put off the road yesterday by 40 mph winds here in Kansas. Then when we were ready to roll last night, we find one tire flat and one that lost its recap. And of course the Love's we stopped at doesn't have a shop.

So, we had to wait until morning to get service over here to change two trailer tires.

Okay, that's done so I try another pre-trip and... Are you effen kidding me? Drivers-side trailer signals are not working!!!

So, we wait for another service guy. Meanwhile, I'm pretty sure Dispatch is cleaning their shotguns right now and thinking about us. (Our load was due last night.)

Well, service guy gets here and takes almost an hour of tracing wires, then tearing plugs and wires apart, before he finally declares he's never seen anything like this in 20+ years of doing this. He's been out for parts twice and called a few of his buddies looking for a clue. And two hours later he's still at it. Gotta admire his tenacity!

Finally, we may not be able to get very far because of huge storms moving across New Mexico that my trainer doesn't want me driving in. (I'll take his word for it - I'm not someone who has to see something to believe it.)

So, we may yet get out of here some time today. Or not. But, I guess this is a part of the job. So, I'm waiting and trying to get some other stuff done. Gave us plenty of time to clean the truck, inside and out. Check a bunch of other stuff, fluids, etc. And it's been a fine time to practice patience!

Safe travels everyone!

We were shut down due to winds & wild fires. I’m like can’t we go around this stuff? It’s wild fires! It’s smoke! The winds were shaking our rig as if it were an earthquake! Luckily, our mechanical issues were easily resolved. Continued safe travels & intense learning from a great trainer.

Another long day. We started out of Arizona this morning, rolled into California, dropped a load in Santa Fe Springs, bobtailed down to Riverside, and now we're sitting in the middle of Arizona again on the way to Maryland.

Last night was only the second night I've tried to sleep in a moving truck. Something else that is taking some getting used to. L

Kinda hard to sleep while laying in the dark and just feeling every bump in the road, every twitch of the steering wheel, and hearing the truck shake and rattle like it's all just gonna fall to pieces any second now.

I'm getting more and more used to it, but it still seems very unnatural. It seems to require a certain amount of faith in the driver and a certain amount of resignation to what will be, will be.

Then this morning was an exercise in humility. LA traffic is interesting all by itself. But of course that wasn't enough for ol' super-trucking me. Nope, i just had to try LA traffic in rush hour on a Monday morning while going down a 7% grade!

I've never been so scared, angry, confused, and hyper-aware-of-everything before. That was an experience to check off the list and hope to never do again.

And on the way back out today, I was just a little scared when a gust of wind helped my truck change lanes. But I was absolutely terrified a few minutes later when I passed a truck (J-C-R or J-C-T ???) laying on its side in a ditch just about a mile up from where the wind tried to get me.

There was a huge tow truck on scene, Arizona State Police, and some other vehicles. But no ambulance or fire trucks, so I'm hoping that means nobody was hurt.

It was a very sobering wake up call for me. All the videos and pictures I've seen back in school and orientation have nothing on seeing it in person. Very surreal and very sobering all at once.

Well, early start again tomorrow...

Take care and be well.

Stuck in Texas since early this morning. Some sort of tropical storm had wind and rain sending every truck in sight scrambling for shelter. Now high winds seem to have us grounded because we have such a light load.

Ran hard yesterday and last night before the weather. They're right when they everything is bigger in Texas. This is only my second Texas-storm (probably not even a blip on the radar for these folks) but it's about as interesting of a storm as I've ever drove in. 😯

I've been getting more backing practice in when we hit random truck stops, but I still need a lot of polish. There's a world of difference in pushing this trailer between those orange cones at school and trying to finesse it between two tricked out Peterbilts in a truck lot, lol. Let the swearing begin!

I've only gotten one docking in the last few weeks because we've mostly had drop & hook jobs. Though, I've become a wiz at using the QualCom and doing TransFlo. 😁

Something to keep in mind if you haven't gotten out of school yet - whenever you get a chance, start grabbing Reward Cards from various truck stops, etc. Places like Loves, TA, and Pilot / Flying J (last two are some company) are what you're going to see and stop at most often. So start collecting those cards soon and start using them when you make purchases at those places. Little purchases won't add up to much, but when you look it fuel in your truck is when you will get the big points. The points will cheapen or make free things like food, drinks, and that all-mighty religious experience the shower! (Trust me, you'll understand later on...)

That's it for now. Hoping for a good weather update soon.

Safe travels to you all!!!!

Believe me I know how much it's been raining recently.

I've been getting more backing practice in when we hit random truck stops, but I still need a lot of polish. There's a world of difference in pushing this trailer between those orange cones at school and trying to finesse it between two tricked out Peterbilts in a truck lot, lol. Let the swearing begin!

LOL Jeremy, is that swearing coming from you or the guy who owns that tricked out peterbilt say'n that guy better not touch my house on wheels?

LOL, glad it is going well.

Army says :

LOL Jeremy, is that swearing coming from you or the guy who owns that tricked out peterbilt say'n that guy better not touch my house on wheels?

C'mon army, he doesnt work for Swift! no reason to get worried. I'm only kidding.....

Army says :

LOL Jeremy, is that swearing coming from you or the guy who owns that tricked out peterbilt say'n that guy better not touch my house on wheels?

C'mon army, he doesnt work for Swift! no reason to get worried. I'm only kidding.....

#^*+%+*

Army says :

LOL Jeremy, is that swearing coming from you or the guy who owns that tricked out peterbilt say'n that guy better not touch my house on wheels?

C'mon army, he doesnt work for Swift! no reason to get worried. I'm only kidding.....

#^*+%+*

I was just joking around, i did not mean any disrespect. Honestly i haven't seen anything remotely close to the stuff people criticize their drivers for.

Anyways.... Jeremy, seems like you're doing very well. Keep up the good work man! Hopefully you were able to get some extra rest while the weather was wreaking havoc on your plans.

All good Rob, I totally knew that. Just bustin' on yah, couldn't resist. All in good fun.

I actually thought it was funny... well played.