Wheeler Trucking

Day 6: It's Saturday and today we drive from Flushing to Springfield in our new trucks. The Western Star has a smooth ride and I don't have any complaints with it. Its a different truck so I will have to learn how to drive it and get more comfortable. It does 67mph on the pedal and 70 on cruise. Im not use to passing people.....

We arrived in Springfield at the terminal around 1pm and we were told to wait for instructions. And wait and wait and wait. At about 7pm we were directed to the house at the end of the yard. We unpack and get ready for tomorrow 730pm start time

Day 7 and 8:

We are here to learn how to chain the units properly. At each terminal they have load assistance. Their job is to pull the units from the yard, stage them and help chain down the units for the drivers. So for a week, this will be our job. To work closely with the load assistance and learn. We are told that they help us, they are not our slaves. If we, the drivers, don't show the initiative to start working then they will not bother to come over to help.

At this terminal they have 3 docks. The load assistance drive the units on the docks/ramps and the driver pulls them on the trailer.

After the first unit is at the nose then it's time to stack them on each other. On the driver side their is a spotter. He is the one that gives the driver directions when loading the units on the trailer. It's very important to listen to his commands. He let's the driver know if he is straight or needs any type of direction. The spotter also puts the saddle in place for the unit to slide onto the next. He is under the unit and it's important not to over shoot the saddle because the unit will fall on him.

After the saddle is in place, the driver slides the unit forward and the spotter tells him how close he is to the cab of the vehicle in front of him. Then rinse and repeat until all units are on the trailer.

Sunday, the first day wasn't bad. About 15 trucks showed up to get loaded but it was hot as hell. Monday was brutal, about 45 trucks showed up throughout the day and it was hotter than yesterday.

Day 9: Again just chaining down units. It's very monotonous and it's hot out here. Only been doing this for 3 days and I'm already reevaluating my life choices. Truck after truck after truck for 12 hours. The only break time we have other than lunchtime is when one truck leaves and the other is backing in. I have total respect for the load assistance, their job is not easy.

We are to do this for a week and then follow behind a mentor for 2 weeks. I'm starting to think that Wheeler does it this way to weed out the weak and show the drivers just how much stress the loading assistance go through. There isn't much practice with driving the units on the trailer but I was able to drive a total of 10 onto the trailers by talking with the drivers and asking if I could practice.

Yesterday my mentor showed up to get loaded. Usually they assign a mentor at the end of the week but I already had mine lined up. My mentor is Bill and we have been in communication since I met him back in April. Talking with Bill he asked me how I liked it so far and I had to be completely honest. It's hard work but we both agree that it is necessary. He also told me that I will be getting out early. He's taking me to Texas with him on Wednesday. I'm excited about the news.

Day 10: Anxious to get on the road. It's been a little over a month since I have been behind the wheel. Met with Bill in the yard around 8am and we load up.

We both have 2 stops in Dallas for Friday but our second stops are at different locations.

I'm getting comfortable with driving the units onto the trailer but still need lots of practice. It's tricky and a little nerve racking at first but it's coming along well. Listening to the loading assistance and taking it slow and steady is paramount.

We drive all day and stop a little south of Little Rock. I have to admit that it was a rush of adrenaline. Getting behind the wheel and driving again felt good. I also felt like it was my first day driving a truck. Turning will take practice, the wheel base is stretched and I'm not use to that at all.

Day 11: We arrived in Dallas and decided to park at the first delivery site. Didn't do much driving today since we made a huge dent in traveling yesterday. So now it's just waiting to unload first thing tomorrow morning.

Day 12: Unloaded fine and everything went smoothly at the first drop. I had a little bit of an issue at my second stop getting the unit off the trailer. Nothing major, I had to build a bridge because the exhaust was scrapping the trailer when I was trying to unload it. Other than that everything was fine.

There is a lot of movement that goes into this job. It's a lot more than flatbed and a lot dirtier. Being by yourself to unload is a lot of back and forth, side to side. Moving ramps, unchanging and most importantly G.O.A.L. I do not want to fall of the side of the trailer with this unit. Especially in front of the customer..

After I was done I met up with Bill. We were suppose to go pick up in KC and take it to Chicago but the KC yard was doing inventory. So we deadhead back to Springfield, OH.

Everything is going good so far. The drivers are nice, not one of them of said anything bad about the company. There are a wide range of drivers here, like any other place. From 23 yes old to 68. From city guys to country boys. It's a nice place so far.

Really good read, sounds like you're dolling well. Thanks for updating. Fascinating stuff.