Starting With Pride Transport SLC On 15 Feb 2021 Ask Away!

Oops forgot to mention the HookNReel. Cajun seafood joint right next to the hotel. Best seafood boil I've had since I left Gulfport MS! Spicy means spicy!

Tuesday 16 Feb 2021 Today was safety. Winter driving considerations, anti-collision/stability features of the trucks. Video recording systems and a slew of "don't be this guy... " videos. Defensive driving with on road demonstration. Accident procedures and yard security. HOS , Trip/PTA planning and more elog use for load/planning. Intro to Transflo and random paperwork for the personnel office to get badges and driver ID Codes.

I am in no way regretting my decision to go through this retraining. I may be able to get the truck down the road, but with mentorship on the other processes will may the learning curve less steep. I have always been successful with an teach, observe, demonstrate and review style of teaching/learning modality.

Good sir, I am totally enjoying your diary.

Seemingly, one of the best, and I thank YOU. Love the honesty.

Only issue I have, is the tongue slather/dripping I got re: Cajun Seafood. Sure haven't had THAT here, in looonnnng minute!

Enjoy. That's what I / he / we enjoyed about being 'out there..' the DAGGUM selection of AMAZING foodstuffs~!!!

Stay safe, you seem to be fairing extremely well; and I know your background has all to do with it. I salute you.

~ Anne ~

Thanks Anne!

Wednesday 16 Feb 2021 Today was maintenance. How to contact them for Breakdowns, reporting needed service, grab n go fluids. Covered adding an inverter, zero cost installation, 2000watt max, can buy one from the company on $50 weekly installments. Direct TV is pretty much the same. You can also set up XM/Sirius. They will install, but not calibrate CBs. Will install additional spot/flood lights that are purchased, just have to get approved lights by maintenance.

Load locks are free for 2 at a time, free air through valve caps, gland hand seals, oils, coolant, wiper fluid, anti-gel and 5th grease packets. Deep discounts at local Freightliner/Peterbilt for gear. There is a storage trailer if you want to protect your gear while away from your tractor, controlled by the security manager.

In depth payroll brief on perdiem, shorthaul (<400miles) pay and pay cycles. HR briefs on harrassment and culture. Was supposed to have benefits brief but it snowed 6 inch this morning and some folks got called out, so that's tomorrow.

Spoke to my trainer and training manager, looks like I'm keeping the rental and going home Thursday night and my trainer is picking me up this weekend after a 34+hr reset. He is a dedicated driver from SoCal to Hurricane Utah. I'm on the other side of the mountain from Hurricane, so he alluded to good runs and plenty of home time if I want it or push thru and possibly get all my road hrs in about 5weeks. That's more likely I hope. I want the mentorship but I don't want to drag it out unnecessarily.

I have been wracking my brain trying to find any negatives. There's some ****-ant stuff, like there was in the military. But... man I just really can't complain overall. The only thing I wish they had was just some small lockers like high school to stash a few things in while you are tooling around the facility instead of lugging all of whatever you may have to all your stops. Of course I feel the training was rushed but I also am left with sense from everyone that it'll a get handled. Miss a receipt for trip? Just put it, "We'll figure it out." Want something added to your truck? Talk with maintenance 1st, get some parameters for/from them, buy the gear and figure out when to have it installed. Get a load assigned that'll out run your HOS? Get the load moving and they get another driver to meet you where you'll run out and take it. If any of this sounds bad I don't see it because I haven't the experience of years. But it sounds good to me.

Thursday 18 Feb 2021 Today was benefits, chaining and reefer. Benefits are a comprehensive and well explained. I'll probably opt out as my retirement benefits from the military are cheaper. But once my financial adviser goes over the details of each then I'll decide. I may jump on the term life just to be on the program and to be able to avoid open enrollment and health questions that could change my costs. I'll also likely jump on the disability insurance.

Chaining training was pretty basic. Extra emphasis on chain direction and securement and of course safety, safety, safety. It was emphasized that if we as drivers aren't comfortable with conditions to just notify dispatch and not push it. According to my training plan I have to chain 5 times before my trainer can pass me to eval.

Reefer/trailer training was really good, maybe because it was completely new to me. Trailer tires have an auto inflate system, how neat it that? Pretty neat. Majority of reefers are Carriers, and the have gobs of preset profiles and the load comes with required setting thru Drivertech system and are monitored by dispatch as an extra set of eyes in transit.

That was the completion of orientation and I was sent home to wait for drug test results which are still delayed as of Friday @ 1300 MST. Was told maybe Monday, notified my trainer and now have to wait to get on board. Oh well. The military has perfected my "hurry and wait" skillset. We were always told "flexibility is the key to military power"

So I'll dive into my training plan and be ready. If I find any gems I'll post them. Then its 100 hrs of driving under guidance and 200hrs of team driving before I have written test on admin and route planning and the driving eval. By the way, the right turn that other pride drivers mentioned is still there, I just don't know where it is. Lol

Gonna get REAL, real quick!!

LoL on the right turn; clue us in when you find out, good sir.

Best to you~!

~ Anne ~

Monday 15 Feb 2021. Ok 1st, not a fan of SLC roads, yikes! INDOC started a 0700. 9 names with reserved seats 4 have shown up, 1 to join tomorrow because of weather. Since I did all the hiring paperwork online I only had to fill out an hours worked in the last 7 days days and a Food Safety Act dcuments. WAY EASIER than an SSBI! A quick tour, hair/urine submission, quick med exam, submit license/proof of work eligibility and now I'm sitting in the conference room waiting while some drivers get their road test on. HQ is nice, clean and what I would call NASCAR professional. Like a blend of corporate and motorhead cool. I imagine that this could easily be the style of Edelbrock's or Holley's divisional HQ. I like it! For now it's hurry up and wait. Road tests should be done by lunch, which is provided. They say sandwiches will be delivered.

Sounds like it's all going well...glad to hear it. I'm going to be heading to Prime in April and I'm looking forward to it. Know it sounds funny...but someone told me I better grow out my hair before Orientation at Prime because they will need to do a hair follicle drug test. I keep a shaved head sometimes...especially when it starts getting warm...so I'm wondering if I need to heed this. Did they actually do a hair test...or just urine test for the drug test section? Fine either way...but good to have time to grow out the hair if needed.

Good luck, I'm sure you'll do great.

James, I'm not sure about Prime but Pride definitely took hair. Even though I keep a high and tight they were still able to get enough hair. The guy beside me had hair taken from his arm. So don't worry go get it.

So it's been a few days and I need to catch you up. I finally got cleared for my drug screen on Monday. Got a hold of my trainer and was picked up Tuesday around midday. Me and the trainer made a made a run to Hurricane Utah then South down the 15 to Riverside California where we overnighted waiting to get unloaded the next day. The trainer drove the leg to Hurricane as he explained how the training would go. Then I was in the driver's seat all the way from Hurricane to Riverside. Wednesday morning by 10 o clock we were one hour early at our drop-off and I had my first of 35 back ins to unload 31000 lb of yogurt. Luckily the yard wasn't too busy and we had plenty of time and space to get back in between two already waiting trucks. After a quick offload and a slow paperwork drill, we were on the road 15 minutes under our detention threshold. Boo, no detention pay. A short run to our Ontario drop yard, where we had a screw pulled from our trailer tire and accomplishing 3 more practice back ins. A short run down the road and we were loaded with 18,000 lb of creamer and whipped cream. Then we ran to Victorville to overnight before heading to Hurricane Utah once again. Thursday morning by 7:45 we were on the road to drop our trailer and swap with a trailer already in Hurricane. After the drop and hook I used up the rest of my 11-hour clock to get us back to Victorville. My trainer has a dedicated run between Southern California in Hurricane. It's only been 3 days and I've almost got 25% of my first 100 hours of phase 1. My trainer says if we go all out I'll have training completed in about 5 weeks. So total I have nine backing, 4 reefer pre trips, 3 truck pre trips and tomorrow we go to San Bernardino for a drop before getting another load and staging to run from Victorville to Hurricane the following day.

So yesterday was a bit of chaos. Since we were in Victorville with a San Bernadino unload at 1100 we spent the morning on backing. A lot of backing. I got 22 back ins yesterday and my total as we shut down tonight is 31. Only needed 35 and my trainer says we'll easily hit 100+. At San Bernadino I got to experience a good and a bad side of trucking. The bad was we hit the dock right on time as Stater Brothers will not let you in earlier than 30 minutes prior to your dock time and will change the bejesus out your company if you're late. And don't even think of dilly-dallying after your done at the dock. The whole process took about 4 hours. The good was we had 12 cases of Activa peach yogurt that was an overage. A "come up" is what my trainer calls it, because you "come upon it". We passed out the extras to other drivers and split a case between us. Pay it forward and get good karma!

Left San Bernadino at 1500 with 2 hrs of detention pay and headed for Ontario for a 1900 dock time. We got there way early and bumped the dock a little before 1700. They loaded us with vinegar about an hour early. The lesson here was even if you are early, check in anyway. You might get surprised. The vinegar was bound for Pride's yard in SLC, Utah. We were able to get as far as Baker, Ca and shut down at 2300 so we could get going early after a 10hr reset. Arrived in SLC around 1930, dropped the trailer and took showers before grabbing and empty trailer and parking for the night out side of Schreiber Cheese in Logan UT. We don't have to be at the dock until 1000. So tomorrow is a sleep in day. The load of cheese is bound for the same Stater Brothers. I ponder the possibility of "come ups" cheese sandwiches. I haven't said much about my trainer yet. But we are getting along well. He's not much younger that me and has spent all10 years of his trucking experience at Pride. He trash talks a few people there, but it sounds like they fully earned it. Lol But he has said it's a good place to be and that he would put a good word in for me to get me on the dedicated fleet. So I guess I'm making the cut so far.