ABF Freight Driver Development Program
Topic 31553 | Page 10
Thank you! Thank you!!!
I spoke with my terminal manager after my post yesterday. I will be starting my 80 hrs of dock training Mon, 4/18/22 at 4pm. Have an appt for Hazmat fingerprinting at 9:30am today, 4/15/22 at an Identgo location near me.
My manager is still waiting for a date/time from the operations manager out in Carlisle PA for my state road/skills test. Hopefully it will be sometime this coming week, don’t want to get rusty being out of practice too long.
HAZMAT:
Hazardous Materials
Explosive, flammable, poisonous or otherwise potentially dangerous cargo. Large amounts of especially hazardous cargo are required to be placarded under HAZMAT regulations
Terminal:
A facility where trucking companies operate out of, or their "home base" if you will. A lot of major companies have multiple terminals around the country which usually consist of the main office building, a drop lot for trailers, and sometimes a repair shop and wash facilities.
It's interesting that they do Driver training then dock training. It was the other way around for me. The skills/road test was right in the middle of my training.
Congratulations on completing the training. Keep us posted.
The skills/road test was right in the middle of my training.
I would have tested on the last day of training but being a PA resident, I couldn’t test in Jersey. Therefore I will go out to Carlisle where they can test me onsite. Will most likely have my ABF doubles road test while out there.
Guess they do the driver training 1st so you can spot trailers in doors while learning the dock operations
Doubles:
Refers to pulling two trailers at the same time, otherwise known as "pups" or "pup trailers" because they're only about 28 feet long. However there are some states that allow doubles that are each 48 feet in length.
The skills/road test was right in the middle of my training.
I would have tested on the last day of training but being a PA resident, I couldn’t test in Jersey. Therefore I will go out to Carlisle where they can test me onsite. Will most likely have my ABF doubles road test while out there.
Guess they do the driver training 1st so you can spot trailers in doors while learning the dock operations
I, for some reason, thought that the ELDT from 02/07 would simplify this, "If you live, here, test there, nevermind other state, then drive more miles to get your CDL" BS!
Guess not; sorry! Well, at least you can 'still' get 2 birds (doubles!) .. right ?!?!? LoL !
All that matters is: YAY, and CONGRATS!!!
Best wishes, forward!
~ Anne ~ (& Tom!) ~
ps: Here ya go, fellow songsmith! Your new theme song; might have to adapt a few words: "You can drink my liquor, you can call my lady, you can take my money, you can smoke my blunt, BUT . . . >>>>>> *BLANK BLANK MY BLANK!* "
CDL:
Commercial Driver's License (CDL)
A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:
- Any combination of vehicles with a gross combined weight rating (GCWR) of 26,001 or more pounds, providing the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of the vehicle being towed is in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any single vehicle with a GVWR of 26,001 or more pounds, or any such vehicle towing another not in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any vehicle, regardless of size, designed to transport 16 or more persons, including the driver.
- Any vehicle required by federal regulations to be placarded while transporting hazardous materials.
Doubles:
Refers to pulling two trailers at the same time, otherwise known as "pups" or "pup trailers" because they're only about 28 feet long. However there are some states that allow doubles that are each 48 feet in length.
No clue on that one Anne!!! I’m all rock n roll, metal, grunge, etc…
...but don’t touch my truck.
Update 4/21/22
Just finished day 3 of dock training. Working the inbound, 4pm-12:30am or longer till we’re done. My terminal is extremely busy and loaded to the gills with trailers. I start my day by pulling loaded trailers with the jockey out of doors, finding a spot to park it and replacing them with empties. Terminal is pretty tight and it’s quite a challenge finding places to put them. On top of that, we have many trucks coming in between 5:30-6:30 as I’m trying to shuffle trailers around. So far I’ve had about 15 moves to start each day.
Luckily most of the moves are with pups which is what I trained on, I pop them right in the doors. Have had to move a few 53’s, doing ok with them but takes me a couple pull-ups to get em in. There’s not much room to set up so I’m forced to put back of trailer in front of hole and do the extreme 90 and pivot the back wheels. When I say its tight, I’m not kidding at all! There’s no more than a foot between the trailers on each side in the holes away from the building. Pulling into a door gives me more breathing room and is less stressful.
After I’m done with the moves, I strip trailers and stage the freight in the proper areas for the reloading of trailers headed for Carlisle PA. Finish my shift with a few more moves to open up doors for the overnight guys.
Was informed today I will take my state test next Thursday out in Carlisle at 2:30pm. I will report to the terminal in the morning and they will give me a few hrs to practice my pre trip, maneuvers and road driving before my test. Already getting tons of practice with the maneuvers from all the yard moves I’m doing, but I’ll it will be nice to do em in a truck again
Terminal:
A facility where trucking companies operate out of, or their "home base" if you will. A lot of major companies have multiple terminals around the country which usually consist of the main office building, a drop lot for trailers, and sometimes a repair shop and wash facilities.
“Production Spotting” of trailers is some of the best experience there is. I did that for over a week when I started with PFG. I know this may sound odd, but I really enjoyed it.
I know this may sound odd, but I really enjoyed it.
I don’t mind it at all. Take spotting trailers over the forklift any day. Just wish I had more time with 48’s or 53’s at training. I’m kind of self teaching/figuring the big vans out as I go. Getting pretty good at blindsides, sometimes its the only way in.
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