Training With Veriha Updates...

Marc, we haven't heard an update in quite a while. How are things going?

Marc, I was actually thinking about you this morning. I hope all is well. We've gotten too attached to you and your adventure into trucking for you to just drop off our radar. We would love to hear how things are going!

Haven't heard from Marc OR Bruce in awhile.....

Brett! Old School!

So I survived two weeks out wih an OTR trainer (company paid hotel in between weeks because trainer wanted it that way and truck needed service and parts from two different places over the weekend). This was after 2 weeks with a "home daily" trainer.

Got back after midnight Friday and he let me sleep in the truck in the yard (he went home).

Finally got to my mail, packages and gym. (after 5 weeks). 172.25 lbs., a solid 40 pounds down from end of April!!!

Got Corporate rate (my expense) at nicer hotel last night, back at the other hotel rest of week. Spent a "short" day today backing with the backing trainer.

Rest of week I go out with another "home nightly" trainer. Just heard from him... he is in Kenosha waiting to be live loaded so he will be back late. He is a "slip seat" driver and his usual truck is in the shop. It is an auto-shift day-cab. He is currently in a 10-speed sleeper. Not sure what the plan is... they may view shifting as an "unnecessary complication" or his automatic may be returned. I have wanted to learn to float gears properly before never having to use a clutch ever again so this could be my chance. He is off Friday so maybe more backing, dunno. Next official phase of training is "student team" driving (I think still both drivers "on duty" (not SB) but not sure.

As for how it has all gone to date... not sure just how much to share. "It's trucking!" and things happen, change quickly, best laid plans... For now let's just say it's been fun, challenging, difficult, enlightening and much much more. OTR trainer kept asking "So you want to be a truck driver?"

Answer always was and continues to be "Heck yes!"

Found out 5 people here decide who stays and who goes. Just trying my best to be in the former group.

More when I can share more...

Stay focused and the rest will fall in place!!!!

Stay focused and the rest will fall in place!!!!

TRYING!

Good job, keep it up.

Good job, keep it up.

Marc Lee wrote:

As for how it has all gone to date... not sure just how much to share.

Tell us how you are progressing; are you on-target to go solo? What (if any) challenges or setbacks can we help you with?

Marc Lee wrote:

As for how it has all gone to date... not sure just how much to share.

Tell us how you are progressing; are you on-target to go solo? What (if any) challenges or setbacks can we help you with?

G-Town

So short reply... there really isn't anything specific with which you can help me - though I do appreciate the offer!

I have been given most of what I need to know (at this point in my training). I just need to pull it all together.

Longer answer... I really do need to do this.

I don't believe I have much longer to prove that I can in fact do this. Was pretty much told that by my current trainer who is as good as it gets here. He was named Rookie of the Year in 2016 and has trained several other trainers, including my first.

Today the only truck available was a 10-speed Cascadia. Since I am not restricted to AMT's I started out driving. Plan was to switch if Milwaukee traffic became a problem. Hadn't shifted in a year!

Drove about 15 miles each way to get a heated trailer and then our load of castings near our HQ. (P.U. was close to HQ but trailer was in another yard). Heat needed to avoid rust on unpainted parts...

Trainer liked the docks because they are well lined (straight and true). Got it close with minimal help, including sliding tandems. He finished moving it over and getting it straight as he explained what and why as I watched outside. Good stuff!

Drove to Milwaukee. Dock had no lines, no markings. Nada. Zero. ZIP! I have been told to use "everything available"... he mentioned the cones (knocked over by others) on arrival, the no lines... I noted several cones standing... so I placed one at each side of dock where yellow lines should be (for trailer door opening space) and one on each side of lane for "lines" similar to "targets" taught to aim tandems at in CDL school and Schneider training.

Got it in perfectly with minimal help and no "spotting".

Did doors and drove to Kriete near Racine to drop off salvaged parts needed for a Volvo in their shop.

Drove back to Marinette. Milwaukee traffic S.-bound about 15:00 and N.-bound about 18:00.

He said he was surprised how well I shifted. I made plenty of errors / misses which he minimized or dismissed. I was my biggest critic. Got back to the yard and park in a spot I practiced in on Monday. Tougher than it looks, did slighty better than Monday. Not straight. Not great. Some direction but no spotting. He mentioned my multiple GOALs as a good thing. He said "You got it in there!" I added "and I didn't hit anything!" He looked puzzled... I explained that in General Aviation flying there is a saying "Any landing you can walk away from is a good landing!" But my last instructor put it as "Any landing you can walk away from where you can reuse the aircraft is a good landing!" I said "I got it in there AND I didn't hit anything!" I added you could pretty much walk the yard hanging signs that said "Winnig parked this!" (just by looking at my handiwork). Clearly he is looking for progress not perfection. I think my stock went up a little today. Not sure how much...

Total miles driven: 400.2!