First Week At Roehl

Next is called Phase 2, 19 to 25 days with a driver trainer, depending on his or her evaluation. One of the requirements of completion is the last 5 loads are all on me, from pre-plan to delivery, it's all me.

Next is called Phase 2, 19 to 25 days with a driver trainer, depending on his or her evaluation. One of the requirements of completion is the last 5 loads are all on me, from pre-plan to delivery, it's all me.

COOL !! I'll be following. Enjoy your home time!

You got this, man! Best going forward !!!

~ Anne ~

Hammer down! Best of luck. Keep us posted.

Time for another update. I meet my new driver trainer Tuesday, 8:00 am at the Loves in Covington VA to begin my Phase 2 training.

That's not too far up the road from me.

Day 2 of Phase 2: Day 1 had me right seat for a get aquainted ride with my driver trainer. I couldn't have picked a better trainer! We're both prior military, and we're getting along great! Day 2 (today) put me behind the wheel. We started out light (11,000 or so) and I was originally just going from our overnight to our fuel stop, but I talked him into letting me drive to our receiver, which was a drop and hook. We arrived and I put it in a door with very little help backing. Dropped it, hooked the empty and off to the next shipper. A live load of 44,000. Out of there to our receiver for a live unload. From there to another shipper for another drop and hook. My trainer is getting bored already, I told him I can do this, I just need the experience. So now we're parked up at the Love's at exit 123 off of 74 in Indiana. Rolling out at 6 am to Gary IN to our terminal. Thank you everyone for all the support, and be safe no matter where you are.

PS: I drove 435 miles today

That's not too far up the road from me.

For me, that was a 2.5 hour drive from home, and we ended up meeting @ 6am, so I was up at 2:30

Sorry for the long delay, but week two didn't slow down any at all. Most days ran the same formula, drive out on the road before lunch, backing practice after lunch. My driving is solid, but sometimes my speed is a little slow (out of an abundance of caution). My straight line back and my offset is spot on, but my 90 degree is hit or miss. The weather out here is bipolar on a good day. Week three was more of the same, just stepped up in difficulty. More driving during the mornings, but now adding in driving down Central Avenue in downtown Marshfield, and some interstate speeds on 10 East. Practicing 45 degree parking and truck stop pull thrus. Afternoons still practicing offsets and 90 degree backs. Thursday was test day for me. For my pre-trip I drew the coupling and the trailer, in cab and brake test. I got 45 out of 48, then to my backing test. I aced straight line and offset, went out of bounds 1 time on my 90, straightened out with a pull up, put it in the box perfectly on my first GOAL for a total score of 2. Off to the road test. I was waiting for the examiner to tell me to take the truck back and park it, but I kept on. When we finally returned to the terminal , I was certain I had failed. When the examiner told me I had passed, to tell the truth, I wasn't sure if I wanted to scream or throw up. I didn't hear much of what he said after that, except my score, an 8 on driving. I did it, I earned my class A. Three weeks of what felt like at times as pure HELL, but I survived. Saturday was a half day on atlas reading, then driving a total of 16 hours home, arriving at 4:02 am Sunday morning.

Oh shoot, wish I had seen this. I live in Marshfield, probably saw you driving up the hill on Upham! I’d have bought you a cup of coffee. Where do they put up their drivers in town? I hope you keep posting about your Roehl experience.

Hey Thomas, congratulations on passing your exam! Glad to hear things are going well for you in phase 2!

Just a quick update on where I am... I'm almost done with the first of 5 'solos', a 1600 mile run from Idaho to Illinois. Since it's such a long haul they'll count it as 2 loads. I'm fine with driving and backing, just would like more practice with check-ins, paperwork, workflow, trip-planning, etc., so I'm hoping the next ones will be shorter loads so I can get that extra practice in. That, and I'm ready to be done with phase 2...

Onsdag I've run out my clock, doing a 34 in Mechanicsburg, PA. My trainer says that's all I need to do is the workflow on the PC. I've been doing some of it, and adding more each day. Other than that if it were up to him I'd already be in my own truck. Glad to hear from you, keep in touch, let me know what your up to.