May Trucking Rookie Pilot Training Program

If things start to go sideways with your mentor you have to find a way to share your frustration. Don't let it sit there. The truck is too small for all that tension. With that said things are cool and we are now in Twin Falls, Idaho and we deliver tomorrow so we've some time to kill. I'll practice sliding my fifth wheel. Plus we've already been dispatched for our next pick up which will be in American Falls, Idaho to Pennsylvania, about 2,300 miles. This will more than likely be my last run with my mentor. I got blasted by a nice 45 mph wind in Wyoming the other day and that was a new adventure in driving 😁 I tell ya. I still can't back but I learned something very important. My mentor can't back very well either and he's been at this for a few years and still gets the job done. Can't back? Okay... Don't hit anything. Still working out some kinks in trip planning but it's getting better. Side note... If you're trucking through Wyoming they're a spot called Little America, a truck stop etc. Awesome showers there. God bless y'all. Jojack

My mentor flew off the handle at me again today. I backed into a dock, it's probably the easiest place to dock that I'll ever see. I wasn't completely square but it was good enough for the dock workers as one of them gave me a thumbs up, I applied both brakes. My trainer didn't see the dock workers behind him and he just came unglued that I parked like I did. It was an unbelievable display and quite embarrassing. Are you thinking about becoming a trucker? I think it's important to understand that if you are about to become a trucker you are going to, without a doubt, be dealing with some insecure, ego tripping, condescending jerks that aren't so much interested in teaching you what's right as much as just feeling like they are right all the time. I'm almost convinced that my trainer doesn't want me to learn, it would take away from his need to always be right. I've been dealing with it from day one with this guy and I've put up with it because my father always taught me to learn despite my teacher. To not use my teacher as an excuse for not knowing. Somebody might come down on you so hard you'll feel like quitting and I've seen it happen more than once in the past month. Students dropping like flies and, maybe this is done on purpose??? Besides, my instructor told me he's not much of a people person and that he's doing this for a bigger paycheck, so, there you have it. If I can't make it as a trucker I want to personally own it, maybe I don't have the skill set, maybe I do, but I'm not quitting because somebody else beat me down. I want to become better than that guy. With that said I overheard a phone call today and I'll be off his truck in the next couple days for my solo test. I'll be dropped off in Nebraska or Indiana. I'll know better tomorrow. Things are getting real. I'm about to find out what I'm made of and I want to be a trucker. God bless. JoJack

Be thankful that you only have a couple of days left. I got at least three weeks.

Always remember to be grateful, no doubt. Great advice and it's strange how I'll forget but it works every time. I hope it's going well for you, Andy. It's 05:20 mountain time and we're on the road to Cheyenne from American Falls, ID. So far so good and thank God for that overnight reset button.

I made it to Gary, IN then down to Joliet, ILL, Kansas City and now Denver. Probably make it to Layton, Utah tomorrow before getting kicked out of my mentor's truck in Payette, ID. I will solo test there this Friday. My mentor and I have had our share of issues but we've both worked through them and I've learned from him. Mostly I learned trip planning from him and I appreciate it, it will help immensely. I wanted to learn backing from him but he's not that good at it himself, admittedly, and he's been trucking for a good decade. So from that I learned you don't have to be a great backer, you just need to get out and look, and not crash the truck. Don't hit anything and don't be intimidated. If it takes 10, 15, 20 minutes longer to get to that dock, so be it. Get loaded and on to the delivery. Then do it again. For new students, as you get to the point of hopping in your trainers truck, it won't be perfect but make it work. There may very well be some tense times for you both... Maybe you won't get along but find a way to respect each other and learn. Don't waste that time. Get something out of it and be grateful for it. I'll let you know how the solo test goes. Have a great day. Jojack

I made it to Gary, IN then down to Joliet, ILL, Kansas City and now Denver. Probably make it to Layton, Utah tomorrow before getting kicked out of my mentor's truck in Payette, ID. I will solo test there this Friday. My mentor and I have had our share of issues but we've both worked through them and I've learned from him. Mostly I learned trip planning from him and I appreciate it, it will help immensely. I wanted to learn backing from him but he's not that good at it himself, admittedly, and he's been trucking for a good decade. So from that I learned you don't have to be a great backer, you just need to get out and look, and not crash the truck. Don't hit anything and don't be intimidated. If it takes 10, 15, 20 minutes longer to get to that dock, so be it. Get loaded and on to the delivery. Then do it again. For new students, as you get to the point of hopping in your trainers truck, it won't be perfect but make it work. There may very well be some tense times for you both... Maybe you won't get along but find a way to respect each other and learn. Don't waste that time. Get something out of it and be grateful for it. I'll let you know how the solo test goes. Have a great day. Jojack

I've been following your journey, JoJack.. and I just want to WISH YOU THE BEST tomorrow~!!! I'm so excited for ya, man. Good Luck, you got this ~!

Anne :)

Thanks MomCat... They actually tested me today and I passed. I PASSED Crazy ! Wow I'm going nuts with the idea that I can't think of another job with such serious responsibility. To be safe. Don't crash and very important... Don't hurt anybody I'll try my best to never let those ideas escape me. I'm off my mentors truck and in my own. They've misplaced my permit book so perhaps I'll get ahold of it tomorrow. I haven't talked with my driver manager yet but tomorrow I will. I was given a choice between 11 western and all 48 and I took all 48. My head, honestly, is kinda spinning with excitement and a definite overwhelmed feeling. I believe PakRat told me to expect that emotion and he's spot on. I need to chill, like that scene in "Say Anything." ??? "You Must Chill." I'll probably get my first run tomorrow to get me close to home to get my things, but I'm only guessing. Thanks for y'all's support and I'll keep you updated on my first run for sure. Jojack

Nice job! Congratulations!

Thank you Old School

Congratulations!!!