First Steps: I Want To Drive Big Rigs

Thanks, G-Town.

Matt thank you for reading my post it is greatly appreciated. I look forward to meeting you one day.

Week one of training in the Springfield underground on the kraft account is in the books.

The Lowdown:

My shift with my trainer is from 1800 H to 0400 H sometimes we quit at 0330 sometimes we stay until 0500 so 6 pm to 330am and most times we stay until 4 am.

We drive Westernstar Day cabs 5700s, not a fan, I much prefer the Cascadia Sleepers at the PAD.

My trainer is fantastic, I couldn't be happier he is patient and has me do the pre and post-trip in detail each shift, he is a great teacher and sets goals for me each shift with increasing time behind the wheel.

Monday:

basically did pre-trip and then observed from the passenger seat, I did get a lot of reps lowering and lifting the landing gear and glad-hands/power cable connects and disconnects and 360 walk around looking at the kingpin, cross members, trailer condition, seal, lights, landing gear arms/supports (pizza slices). The trailers at the yard and caves are old and only good for across-town runs and most of the landing gear mechanisms are beat to hell, more often than not it is difficult to engage the hi/low gears but I am getting better at. We haul about 10-14 trailers per shift between kraft Heinz and the caves so I get lots of practice..

Tuesday - Friday

Every day I drove a little more on our route, which is city driving and a 2 exit stint on the highway. I started backing one or two times Tuesday and by Friday was backing about half the time it is all alley docks usually between trailers with stone pillars in the caves. it is stressful but I am getting better the more I do it, I am very careful and listen to my trainer's instructions.

I have Saturday off and will return Sunday at 1800 H and was informed that since Sundays are usually more calm that I will be doing most if not all of the driving and backing.

I am driving almost 100% in the dark and am learning many valuable lessons about driving the trailer not the tractor. How to take right and left turns in traffic and control the CMV. The route encompasses both left and right turns, highway on and off-ramps, speed control, stop lights, stop signs, curves, and railroad crossing so basically a sampler of city driving. I enjoy highway driving the most this city at night is a little sketchy with drunks and sleepy 4 wheelers.

We mostly haul cheese rounds and at the end of the night, we haul one stinky reefer unit with dirty barrels to a cleaning facility the first time I opened it I almost puked with a nasty and foul gust of rotten cheese. Since I've been working/training at kraft I've been avoiding cheese in my meals lol.

The kraft yard is pretty busy with other Wilson trucks, OTR drivers, and yard trucks flying all over So I do some driving but no backing as off yet in the yard. All my backing and coupling are in the caves although I do pick up and drop trailers in the yard sometimes. I really enjoy the work and the learning process I feel that after one more week of training at kraft/caves and 2 days of pad practice I will be ready to go on the CDL test.

Archer,

We're still here, following, too!

Awesomeness, man. You seem confident enough to have this 'comfortably' behind you, real soon!!

Always KUDOS, good sir!

~ Anne (& Tom!) ~

ps: Wilson has 'blue' trucks, too ?!?!? Noice!

Hope things are going well, Archer! And yes, it would be cool to meet up someday.

How goes it??

Hey, Archer. Who is/was your trainer at Kraft. I did my two weeks there as well. I start my 30,000 miles in the morning.

We also might have seen each other in passing at the terminal or even the Baymont. I got into Springfield on March 12 and didn't leave to come home until April 9th.

Thanks, G-Town.

Matt thank you for reading my post it is greatly appreciated. I look forward to meeting you one day.

Week one of training in the Springfield underground on the kraft account is in the books.

The Lowdown:

My shift with my trainer is from 1800 H to 0400 H sometimes we quit at 0330 sometimes we stay until 0500 so 6 pm to 330am and most times we stay until 4 am.

We drive Westernstar Day cabs 5700s, not a fan, I much prefer the Cascadia Sleepers at the PAD.

My trainer is fantastic, I couldn't be happier he is patient and has me do the pre and post-trip in detail each shift, he is a great teacher and sets goals for me each shift with increasing time behind the wheel.

Monday:

basically did pre-trip and then observed from the passenger seat, I did get a lot of reps lowering and lifting the landing gear and glad-hands/power cable connects and disconnects and 360 walk around looking at the kingpin, cross members, trailer condition, seal, lights, landing gear arms/supports (pizza slices). The trailers at the yard and caves are old and only good for across-town runs and most of the landing gear mechanisms are beat to hell, more often than not it is difficult to engage the hi/low gears but I am getting better at. We haul about 10-14 trailers per shift between kraft Heinz and the caves so I get lots of practice..

Tuesday - Friday

Every day I drove a little more on our route, which is city driving and a 2 exit stint on the highway. I started backing one or two times Tuesday and by Friday was backing about half the time it is all alley docks usually between trailers with stone pillars in the caves. it is stressful but I am getting better the more I do it, I am very careful and listen to my trainer's instructions.

I have Saturday off and will return Sunday at 1800 H and was informed that since Sundays are usually more calm that I will be doing most if not all of the driving and backing.

I am driving almost 100% in the dark and am learning many valuable lessons about driving the trailer not the tractor. How to take right and left turns in traffic and control the CMV. The route encompasses both left and right turns, highway on and off-ramps, speed control, stop lights, stop signs, curves, and railroad crossing so basically a sampler of city driving. I enjoy highway driving the most this city at night is a little sketchy with drunks and sleepy 4 wheelers.

We mostly haul cheese rounds and at the end of the night, we haul one stinky reefer unit with dirty barrels to a cleaning facility the first time I opened it I almost puked with a nasty and foul gust of rotten cheese. Since I've been working/training at kraft I've been avoiding cheese in my meals lol.

The kraft yard is pretty busy with other Wilson trucks, OTR drivers, and yard trucks flying all over So I do some driving but no backing as off yet in the yard. All my backing and coupling are in the caves although I do pick up and drop trailers in the yard sometimes. I really enjoy the work and the learning process I feel that after one more week of training at kraft/caves and 2 days of pad practice I will be ready to go on the CDL test.

Does anyone know what happened to Archer ?!?!? I'd hate to hear he washed. (As in out; not a shower.)

These dedicated & detailed diary entries were so 'verisimilitude' for me!! ?!?!?

~ Anne ~

I unfortunately do know what happened to Archer. I was in my first week when he came back to test. I really don't want to say what happened with out his approval, but with me saying that I'm sure you can guess.☹️

Thanks, G-Town.

Matt thank you for reading my post it is greatly appreciated. I look forward to meeting you one day.

Week one of training in the Springfield underground on the kraft account is in the books.

The Lowdown:

My shift with my trainer is from 1800 H to 0400 H sometimes we quit at 0330 sometimes we stay until 0500 so 6 pm to 330am and most times we stay until 4 am.

We drive Westernstar Day cabs 5700s, not a fan, I much prefer the Cascadia Sleepers at the PAD.

My trainer is fantastic, I couldn't be happier he is patient and has me do the pre and post-trip in detail each shift, he is a great teacher and sets goals for me each shift with increasing time behind the wheel.

Monday:

basically did pre-trip and then observed from the passenger seat, I did get a lot of reps lowering and lifting the landing gear and glad-hands/power cable connects and disconnects and 360 walk around looking at the kingpin, cross members, trailer condition, seal, lights, landing gear arms/supports (pizza slices). The trailers at the yard and caves are old and only good for across-town runs and most of the landing gear mechanisms are beat to hell, more often than not it is difficult to engage the hi/low gears but I am getting better at. We haul about 10-14 trailers per shift between kraft Heinz and the caves so I get lots of practice..

Tuesday - Friday

Every day I drove a little more on our route, which is city driving and a 2 exit stint on the highway. I started backing one or two times Tuesday and by Friday was backing about half the time it is all alley docks usually between trailers with stone pillars in the caves. it is stressful but I am getting better the more I do it, I am very careful and listen to my trainer's instructions.

I have Saturday off and will return Sunday at 1800 H and was informed that since Sundays are usually more calm that I will be doing most if not all of the driving and backing.

I am driving almost 100% in the dark and am learning many valuable lessons about driving the trailer not the tractor. How to take right and left turns in traffic and control the CMV. The route encompasses both left and right turns, highway on and off-ramps, speed control, stop lights, stop signs, curves, and railroad crossing so basically a sampler of city driving. I enjoy highway driving the most this city at night is a little sketchy with drunks and sleepy 4 wheelers.

We mostly haul cheese rounds and at the end of the night, we haul one stinky reefer unit with dirty barrels to a cleaning facility the first time I opened it I almost puked with a nasty and foul gust of rotten cheese. Since I've been working/training at kraft I've been avoiding cheese in my meals lol.

The kraft yard is pretty busy with other Wilson trucks, OTR drivers, and yard trucks flying all over So I do some driving but no backing as off yet in the yard. All my backing and coupling are in the caves although I do pick up and drop trailers in the yard sometimes. I really enjoy the work and the learning process I feel that after one more week of training at kraft/caves and 2 days of pad practice I will be ready to go on the CDL test.

Does anyone know what happened to Archer ?!?!? I'd hate to hear he washed. (As in out; not a shower.)

These dedicated & detailed diary entries were so 'verisimilitude' for me!! ?!?!?

~ Anne ~

I unfortunately do know what happened to Archer. I was in my first week when he came back to test. I really don't want to say what happened with out his approval, but with me saying that I'm sure you can guess.☹️

Well, dang. Sorry to hear.

Thanks for stopping in to 'let us know,' though; Benjamin.

Appreciate,

~ Anne ~