Beginning My Journey With Roehl.
Topic 9257 | Page 3
Donnie, Hope your training is not near the SWIFT teminal in Phoenix. I worked across the street for Maricopa Parks and Rec. Dept. back in 2007. There is a dog food factory near by as well a landfill. Ahh enjoy the scent and brown cloud of Phoenix. Hope to meet up some time. See you in the Flatbed division sometime.
I appear to be about 3.5 miles away from the Swift Academy. I'm lucky I don't have a weal stomach then I guess haha. Then again, landfill baking in 110+ degrees probably won't help at all.
Have you started a training journal yet? I'll be sure to follow it and here's hoping to meet up at some point on the road. Good luck with your journey and school.
Donnie, I leave tomorrow (Sunday) for Marshfield. I'm fortunate to be able to drive my own vehicle the 500 mile trip. CDL training starts Monday morning, they pick us up at the hotel at 6:45. Sorry, I don't do military time yet.
I'm not sure about doing a training journal. It all depends on how intense I find the training to be. If I do one I'll send you the link. Keep cool.
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.
Donnie, I leave tomorrow (Sunday) for Marshfield. I'm fortunate to be able to drive my own vehicle the 500 mile trip. CDL training starts Monday morning, they pick us up at the hotel at 6:45. Sorry, I don't do military time yet.
I'm not sure about doing a training journal. It all depends on how intense I find the training to be. If I do one I'll send you the link. Keep cool.
I might see you in marshfield. I think monday is supposed to be my last day here. My advice is bring plenty of bottled water, or at least cash to buy some from walmart. The water here has an odd taste. I dont know much about thier cdl school but the facalities are the same ones ive been useing and they are pretty nice.
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.
I hear Roehl does hair folical testing? How does that work out? Interested to know how far back they look. I hear a lot of people saying that companies will automatically disqualify you if you take any anit-depressants.
Thanks for the headsup JakeBreak. Maybe see you Monday. Good luck on your next phase!
Alright my friends, time for the beginning of the Roehl Transport School diary. I forst want to apologize for being a few days behind in posting, it's been a crazy few days and very busy. So, here we go!
Day One: Monday July, 27th, 2015: Our first day was pretty simple, we went through all our hiring paperwork and tax forms, took photos for ID's and took our drug tests (urine and hair folicle which goes back about 90 days). There's three of us in our group and all first time drivers.
That's all I'm going to say about Dat One because our actual trainer wasn't in yet and we really didn't discuss anything to do with trucking.
Day Two: Tuesday July 28th, 2015 So for Day Two, we actually started. We began by going over the Log Books and how important they are, well, for now because we don't have E-Logs yet. After an hiur or so on that, we went out to our temporary truck, a 2007 Freightliner Columbia. Our actual trainer truck is going to be an International ProStar Plus, but for some reason we don't have it yet.
Went over a basic pre-trip inspection. Seems like so much to learn in four weeks, but it gets easier everyday he assures us. We were told we wouldn't be driving until our drug tests were cleared, but lo and behold our trainer (Guillermo) had us in it and showing us how to double clutch and up/down shift while managing RPM's and our load.
We got to practice going up to 5th, back down to first and turning the truck in the yard. It was surprisingly easier than I was afraid of, but I need a lot more down shift practice.
After awhile, he had us do straight line backing. Now I don't want to spund arrogant or ****y or any of that, but I nailed it fairly easily. I've had a lot of trailer backing with pickups and car trailers, so anticipatimg and correcting drift is something I consider myself fairly proficient at. Unfortunately for me I did so well, I had to park the truck for the day between to van trailers.
Little nervous but I got it in in the second try, I missed the pull up pretty bad haha.
Day Three: Wednesday July 29th, 2015
So, today only two of us were there, no idea where the third guy was. So we started the day updating our log, then out to the truck to do a pre-trip inspection. He's going easy on us so far, using our packets and helping us along the way. Split it in half, each doing one side of the engine bay. I lucked out and got the driver side which was much easier.
We did the whole inspection, but we each had a chance to do the brake check. Then came offset backing. I am having a terribly hard time with it so far. Failed two out of three times, finally managed it on my third try.
After lunch came the part I was completely unprepared for; we got to drive on the real road. We did a quick 15 mile loop, left and right turns, up to 50 MPH, straight runs and some curves. I had a hard time downshifting the entire time because of my nerves. But, I made it through the whole trip with no accidents and no curb hits, so I'll consider that a victory.
We switched drivers and the other guy drove the loop and did very good. We're all improving everyday and learning more and getting more confident; well until we get to the beginning of our loop and I get told to drive back to the terminal. Made it there with no issues and no curb hits, so I'm feeling better about my driving ability.
Sorry about how short this wound up being, but I'm on my phone. I forgot my laptop down at home. Feel free to ask any questions and I'll answer as best I can and I'll keep posting as I go.
Thank you all for taking the time to read my progress and I hope you're enjoying it.
Pre-trip Inspection:
A pre-trip inspection is a thorough inspection of the truck completed before driving for the first time each day.
Federal and state laws require that drivers inspect their vehicles. Federal and state inspectors also may inspect your vehicles. If they judge a vehicle to be unsafe, they will put it “out of service” until it is repaired.
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.
Double Clutch:
To engage and then disengage the clutch twice for every gear change.
When double clutching you will push in the clutch, take the gearshift out of gear, release the clutch, press the clutch in again, shift the gearshift into the next gear, then release the clutch.
This is done on standard transmissions which do not have synchronizers in them, like those found in almost all Class A trucks.
OWI:
Operating While Intoxicated
Nice job Donnie, best of luck. I'm in week 2 up in Marshfield, really busy also. I'll be reading.
Nice writeup, thanks! Are the trailers you're getting to practice with dry vans and are they loaded or completely empty?
Dry Van:
A trailer or truck that that requires no special attention, such as refrigeration, that hauls regular palletted, boxed, or floor-loaded freight. The most common type of trailer in trucking.
Nice writeup, thanks! Are the trailers you're getting to practice with dry vans and are they loaded or completely empty?
I'm actually going into the flatbed division so I can't tell you what the dry van guys are using. We've got a flatbed with approximately 7,000 lbs loaded on it. First day of driving we were hooked up to a 30,000 lb load because they were a little unprepared for us haha.
Dry Van:
A trailer or truck that that requires no special attention, such as refrigeration, that hauls regular palletted, boxed, or floor-loaded freight. The most common type of trailer in trucking.New Reply:
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AND the SWIFT terminal and school shares space with the LCSC college truck driving range. All of it is right in the middle of the perfect storm of aromatic Hell!
LOL
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.