GYCDL With Roehl Starts Monday

Day 3...started o'dark 30 at the truck for pre trip. Hands on. Then went to the simulator. I was not expecting that. This thing is state of the art. My 3 man training crew all did well in the simulator learning g left and right hand turns and the 4 steps.

Back out to the truck and to finish pre trip. We had a fill in instructor today. Our regular instructor is a Certified CDL examiner and today was test day. The test is done right in the yard in the truck you train in.

3 inches of snow on the ground the lot was a sheet of ice. Thank God for those ice cleats. We pick up a trailer and parked it for pre trip on the trailer after lunch.

Came down after lunch and pre tripped the trailer. Good thing we did, the trailer had a broken PSI thingamgig box. Traded out that trailer and reported it to maintenance. Picked up a new trailer and headed 20 minutes across town to an Indiustrial park.

We each took turns on making turns. Left and right. The instructor said we all did really well and were some of the best first time drivers he has seen.

Back to the terminal , dropped the trailer off and post trip on the tractor. Plugged it in, it is supposed to be cold cold tonight. Did some grocery shopping at Walmart and back to the hotel of more studying.

Tomorrow is straight backing. Cannot wait.

A little about Appleton WI. There is a mall, every major store you can think of, Target, Walmart, Sam's and Costco. And restaurants galore. Panda Express, PF Changs, Culver's, Wendy's, Arby's Texas Roadhouse, Applebee's, Famous Dave's, TGIFrifdays... can you tell I am a fat kid? The price of tobacco is outrageous!!! $17.50 for 2 cans of Cope Wintergreen longcut.

Back to JJ... see you tomorrow.

Dingo

Fight the GOOD FIGHT, Dingo! I'm following as well; happily!

~ Anne ~

Oh I am jealous. Good deal man! Keep it shiny side up! Hammer down!

Day 4- Backing

Day 4 started off cold again. Pre trip and simulator in the morning. Simulator was to learn straight line backing. We did really good. No issues at all. Then came serpentine backing... Those poor barrels. We must have run over a dozen of them. A real eye opener.

In cab pre trip before lunch. Box lunch... the sandwiches need more meat but the soup is good.

After lunch we tried live straight backing. It went real smooth. Then across the yard for backing around the trailers. Basically 90 degree backs. Boy was that a interesting time. Very nerve racking, but very exciting too. I got to make 2 laps, 8 turns total. The other 2 guys on my truck each did a lap. We did well over all.

After class a trip to Walmart for shorts for the jacuzzi and pool this weekend.

More time with JJ at the hotel. The modules are informative, but they do take time... oh and that great internet at the hotel on day one. Yeah not so great now. Have not been able to connect at all. Luck for me I can use a hot spot.

Good luck with your training! It is a good time of the year, you will be out with a trainer in late January or early February, so winter driving should not be a problem. I got my license in Marshfield, started last year on 12-28, and it was good. As for tolls, a good way to avoid 76 in PA and 80 (in Indiana) is taking US-30W from I-71 near Mansfield, and then stick to 294. Probably it is the cheapest way.

As for tolls, a good way to avoid 76 in PA and 80 (in Indiana) is taking US-30W from I-71 near Mansfield, and then stick to 294. Probably it is the cheapest way.

Thanks for the tip. I looked it up on Google maps and that is how I think I am going home.

Day 5 today... half day due to the holiday.

We covered Atlas use and trip planning. Alot more goes into it then just getting in and driving from point A to B.

Lunch at IHOP took forever. On half days you are on your own for lunch.

We are off tomorrow for the holiday. So studying tonight with JJ. Almost done with that and then it is gonna be pounding the pre trip.

On a side note the other 2 guys in my truck(1 being my roommate) are both fire fighters. My Roommate and I are former. The Pierce factory is here in Appleton just down the road. We are gonna try and get. Factory tour next week after class on Friday.

Oh and it being New Year's Eve I think every child in the Fox Valley area is here swimming in the indoor pool and running up and down the halls screaming.

So Roehl is really big on safety as I said before. Company mandate all drivers are to be off the road by 8pm local time. I think that says volumes about the company.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! If you are on the road, be safe and keep the Shiny side up.

We are gonna go to the terminal tomorrow and do some pre trip on our own. But I am gonna go dark till Monday.

Dingo

Y'all need to let me know 'ahead of time' when you're gonna be doing the I71 to US30 in Mansfield. I'm awful close!!!

Happy New Year to you, as well!!

~ Anne ~

Day 6. What a rush!!! Driving a 73 foot vehicle down roads. Who would of thought I would be doing that.

Monday started cold as usual. Pre trip and trailer hook up. We forgot L=landing gear. Forgot to raise them but it was caught by the instructor. We were not admonished, just informed that we might tear them odd in there present position.

Really like our instructor. He is a veteran as are my two truck mates. I am not but my wife is and dad was so the stories make it more homey. Our instructor is patient with great tips and one of his favorite sayings, which I really like is... "you broke it, you fix it" instead of him telling us how to get out of a situation he let's us figure it out. I learn better this way.

We did 45 degree backs and learned offsets. Key for any newbies on that offset. Get it straight out of the chute otherwise it will be tough throughout the backing.

The jacuzzi felt great coming from the cold.

Was going to do a day 7 but... did not sleep last night due to stuffy nose and drainage with a sore throat. Now I am on quarantine until I get results back on a covid test. Test is tomorrow at noon. Wish me luck. However, regardless of the outcome Roehl is going to be there for me and I will finish the course.

Dingo

Day 6. What a rush!!! Driving a 73 foot vehicle down roads. Who would of thought I would be doing that.

Monday started cold as usual. Pre trip and trailer hook up. We forgot L=landing gear. Forgot to raise them but it was caught by the instructor. We were not admonished, just informed that we might tear them odd in there present position.

Really like our instructor. He is a veteran as are my two truck mates. I am not but my wife is and dad was so the stories make it more homey. Our instructor is patient with great tips and one of his favorite sayings, which I really like is... "you broke it, you fix it" instead of him telling us how to get out of a situation he let's us figure it out. I learn better this way.

We did 45 degree backs and learned offsets. Key for any newbies on that offset. Get it straight out of the chute otherwise it will be tough throughout the backing.

The jacuzzi felt great coming from the cold.

Was going to do a day 7 but... did not sleep last night due to stuffy nose and drainage with a sore throat. Now I am on quarantine until I get results back on a covid test. Test is tomorrow at noon. Wish me luck. However, regardless of the outcome Roehl is going to be there for me and I will finish the course.

Dingo

Oh wow, man! Excellent diary, sounds like an excellent instructor, as well. Good for you!!!

Dang on being sick; sure hope all that turns out well for you. It's awesome that Roehl is being so supportive; that's encouraging, for sure.

Keep us in the loop; feel better soon!

~ Anne ~

Sorry to hear you caught the Cov dingo! Thank you for posting this! I start on the 17th of this month! Super excited and nervous all at the same time. Been driving fire trucks the last 7 years but nothing tractor drawn. Stay safe and feel better!

Day 6. What a rush!!! Driving a 73 foot vehicle down roads. Who would of thought I would be doing that.

Monday started cold as usual. Pre trip and trailer hook up. We forgot L=landing gear. Forgot to raise them but it was caught by the instructor. We were not admonished, just informed that we might tear them odd in there present position.

Really like our instructor. He is a veteran as are my two truck mates. I am not but my wife is and dad was so the stories make it more homey. Our instructor is patient with great tips and one of his favorite sayings, which I really like is... "you broke it, you fix it" instead of him telling us how to get out of a situation he let's us figure it out. I learn better this way.

We did 45 degree backs and learned offsets. Key for any newbies on that offset. Get it straight out of the chute otherwise it will be tough throughout the backing.

The jacuzzi felt great coming from the cold.

Was going to do a day 7 but... did not sleep last night due to stuffy nose and drainage with a sore throat. Now I am on quarantine until I get results back on a covid test. Test is tomorrow at noon. Wish me luck. However, regardless of the outcome Roehl is going to be there for me and I will finish the course.

Dingo