Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Crowder College
Today was an awesome day. The day started with everyone having a lot of anxiety about how they were going to do and wondering whether they would be on a bus home before the end of the day. We left the hotel at 7:00 AM and taken to the college to a class room. We had a couple of quick classes. One was on shifting a 13 speed transmission and the other on logging. Of the fourteen people in class none had driven a 13 speed and most had very little knowledge of logging. Some had none. Most were getting pretty stressed by now. After the classes we had lunch at the college cafeteria paid for by CWTL and then to the driving range. We get three meals a day here on CWTL. This is some driving range. It is an old military base with roads everywhere that no one uses except the school. Lined up was a bunch of KenWorth T2000’s, old (2002-2004) CFI trucks. We had three instructors here. We had had two back at the class room. They went with each of us once around the course showing us how to up shift, down shift, and do gear recoveries then they let us go on our own. We switched off on three trucks driving till 5:00. We always have at least two in the truck in case we need to back excreta. By the end of the day the confidence level has risen tremendous and everyone believed that they would make it. Everyone was happy, working hard and having a good time.
Tomorrow we are scheduled to go out driving on a verbalization drive. What that means is that we talk the whole time we are driving about what is around us, what we see, potential hazards, road signs, excreta. It teaches us to get it into our mind instead of just seeing and forgetting it.
Thursday we are picked up at the hotel in the trucks at 3:30 AM to go driving down town on a night drive and then to breakfast at the college and then more driving.
Friday – Fun Day - We hit the skid pad. They have a large slick concrete pad that they flood with water. We practice skidding out and recovering from the skid. We are all excited about getting to do this.
Saturday driving test: Enough said for now.
Sunday: We do an obstacle course and finish by noon. We have the rest of the day off.
Monday: We go back to Con-Way for our finial orientation and to get with our trainers. We do 7500 miles with the trainer and we drive them all. The trainer does no driving but is their just to train us. After that we come back to get our own truck, KenWorth T600.
This is a great company. We have been treated really great here and the training that they give a new driver is second to none. I am excited about this opportunity to be here. Even if I were not to make it I would highly recommend to any student to come here. This week of training is something that will stay with me forever regardless of whom I might drive for but if I can make it I will be with CWTL.
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Monday, April 28, 2008
First day of orientation at CWTL
Monday, April 28, 2008
First day of orientation at CWTL
Today was okay but very busy. The bus picked us up at 6:15 to take us to headquarters. We did paper work and then went for drug test and physicals. I had a problem with my physical. My blood sugar was too high so I didn’t pass. I get to take it again. I didn’t know that there was going to be a problem or I could have eaten better. I had eaten all the wrong stuff just before the test. I am cutting out all bread, starches, and sugars to get it down. I was just barely over so it should be okay but it does mean that I am going to have to watch what I eat. I have gone on a diet and lost 15 lbs but gained 5 of it back. I have to lose weight and get more exercise.
We move to Booneslick Lodge that is close to Crowder. Tomorrow we start training there for a week before going with a trainer. I am sure that it is going to be full days.
First day of orientation at CWTL
Today was okay but very busy. The bus picked us up at 6:15 to take us to headquarters. We did paper work and then went for drug test and physicals. I had a problem with my physical. My blood sugar was too high so I didn’t pass. I get to take it again. I didn’t know that there was going to be a problem or I could have eaten better. I had eaten all the wrong stuff just before the test. I am cutting out all bread, starches, and sugars to get it down. I was just barely over so it should be okay but it does mean that I am going to have to watch what I eat. I have gone on a diet and lost 15 lbs but gained 5 of it back. I have to lose weight and get more exercise.
We move to Booneslick Lodge that is close to Crowder. Tomorrow we start training there for a week before going with a trainer. I am sure that it is going to be full days.
Sunday, April 27, 2008
The Gray Dog to Joplin
Sunday, April 27, 2008
The Gray Dog to Joplin
I left Saturday at 7:05 PM from Cookeville, TN for a scheduled 19 ½ hours to Joplin, Missouri. I hadn’t realized how many people that use the buses for travel. Every leg of the trip has been filled to capacitive except the last. Here are a few pointers for making the bus trip: First they are not reliable so give your self plenty of extra time. I have lucked out and not had any major delays but I met several people that have. Their bus has been late for a connection and then they get stuck for hours waiting for the next ride. Don’t plan it too close. Second: They don’t transfer you luggage, you do it so make it easy on yourself and don’t take too much. The overhead compartments are smaller that on a plane. A pillow comes in handy while traveling on a long trip. Third: Bring food and water, it isn’t easy to get what you need and the costs in the bus depots are a rip off. I brought 3 bottles of water and I ran out. Overall it was a rough trip.
You spend a lot of time on the bus so you meet the people around you. I met several truck drivers on the trip. Some were going to Fort Smith, Arkansas for USA Trucks. I met some that were headed to Conway in Joplin, and some going on to TMC in Des Moines Iowa. In the short time that I have been involved with trucking I have met some very nice people.
When we got to the bus station in Joplin we were picked up in vans by a local cab company. We were then taken to Quality Inn and given rooms. We share 2 to a room. Conway has shuttles that run regular routes around Joplin that you can take for free. Also if you need to go somewhere that is not on the route you can take the cab company for free. Tomorrow we get picked up by a shuttle at 6:15 and taken to the CFI/Conway offices to do our paper work, do our drug test, and get checked into the hotel were we will be staying during the week orientation. It seems that everyone has different information but all that should be clearer tomorrow. They are about 20 of us here.
We will be doing driving test this week also. Clutch to neutral, …….???? There is more to that but at 60 the memories get short!!!! HEEEELP!!! hold to 1000RPM, clutch and do gear recovery. Yes that’s it.
The Gray Dog to Joplin
I left Saturday at 7:05 PM from Cookeville, TN for a scheduled 19 ½ hours to Joplin, Missouri. I hadn’t realized how many people that use the buses for travel. Every leg of the trip has been filled to capacitive except the last. Here are a few pointers for making the bus trip: First they are not reliable so give your self plenty of extra time. I have lucked out and not had any major delays but I met several people that have. Their bus has been late for a connection and then they get stuck for hours waiting for the next ride. Don’t plan it too close. Second: They don’t transfer you luggage, you do it so make it easy on yourself and don’t take too much. The overhead compartments are smaller that on a plane. A pillow comes in handy while traveling on a long trip. Third: Bring food and water, it isn’t easy to get what you need and the costs in the bus depots are a rip off. I brought 3 bottles of water and I ran out. Overall it was a rough trip.
You spend a lot of time on the bus so you meet the people around you. I met several truck drivers on the trip. Some were going to Fort Smith, Arkansas for USA Trucks. I met some that were headed to Conway in Joplin, and some going on to TMC in Des Moines Iowa. In the short time that I have been involved with trucking I have met some very nice people.
When we got to the bus station in Joplin we were picked up in vans by a local cab company. We were then taken to Quality Inn and given rooms. We share 2 to a room. Conway has shuttles that run regular routes around Joplin that you can take for free. Also if you need to go somewhere that is not on the route you can take the cab company for free. Tomorrow we get picked up by a shuttle at 6:15 and taken to the CFI/Conway offices to do our paper work, do our drug test, and get checked into the hotel were we will be staying during the week orientation. It seems that everyone has different information but all that should be clearer tomorrow. They are about 20 of us here.
We will be doing driving test this week also. Clutch to neutral, …….???? There is more to that but at 60 the memories get short!!!! HEEEELP!!! hold to 1000RPM, clutch and do gear recovery. Yes that’s it.
Saturday, April 26, 2008
My Last Day at Home
Saturday, April 26, 2008
My Last Day at Home
I leave this afternoon for my bus ride. I feel like I am heading to boot camp. Anxious is an understatement of how I feel. I am anxious for many reasons. For one: leaving home and leaving my wife here alone, she isn’t one to resolve problems on her own. Second: I am anxious about how I will do. I wished that I could have had much more driving time.
I got me a new laptop computer that I am taking so I will try to keep my blog up to date. It has WI-FI but I don’t know how much I will be connected. When I get my own truck I am going to get the Verizon Wireless. I am still on a budget and trying to save what I can till I get some income started. I will update at my next connection about the trip.
My Last Day at Home
I leave this afternoon for my bus ride. I feel like I am heading to boot camp. Anxious is an understatement of how I feel. I am anxious for many reasons. For one: leaving home and leaving my wife here alone, she isn’t one to resolve problems on her own. Second: I am anxious about how I will do. I wished that I could have had much more driving time.
I got me a new laptop computer that I am taking so I will try to keep my blog up to date. It has WI-FI but I don’t know how much I will be connected. When I get my own truck I am going to get the Verizon Wireless. I am still on a budget and trying to save what I can till I get some income started. I will update at my next connection about the trip.
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Last Day of Engineering
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Last Day of Engineering
I am finishing up a design for the company that I have been with for the last 18 months and I am ready for it to be my last. It is a large complicated part that I do not want to do. It needs to have a lot more time to do it right than the company wants to spend on it. I hate to do a crappy job but that is what they are getting. It sure makes me glad to be getting out of here.
Saturday I will be on a bus on my way to Joplin, Missouri. It is a 17 hour ride. I am sure that is going to suck. I have only taken one bus ride and it was short and not very enjoyable. Every time the bus stopped it would empty of passengers for a smoke break. Then when they got back on the bus the smell was horrible. I am sure that it will be an experience that I won’t soon forget.
Monday is orientation and then with a trainer. This is something that I have dreaded. You always hope that you get a good trainer but living in a truck with a stranger is not something that I care to do.
One of the reasons that I chose CWTL (ConWay Truck Loads) was that they have a short trainer time. The other reasons, besides being one of the best companies out there to work for, are that they travel all 48 states and I can take my wife Stormy and dog Sweet Pea. No, I did not name him and the name doesn’t fit. Stormy, her grandfather called her that as a child and it stuck. He started with Windy but probable decided that that was an understatement. Saylor and Stormy, I am sure that you can see the issues here but then again my favorite time for sailing was when we had weather advisories. We want to see the country. I plan on being out as long as we can between home times.
Last Day of Engineering
I am finishing up a design for the company that I have been with for the last 18 months and I am ready for it to be my last. It is a large complicated part that I do not want to do. It needs to have a lot more time to do it right than the company wants to spend on it. I hate to do a crappy job but that is what they are getting. It sure makes me glad to be getting out of here.
Saturday I will be on a bus on my way to Joplin, Missouri. It is a 17 hour ride. I am sure that is going to suck. I have only taken one bus ride and it was short and not very enjoyable. Every time the bus stopped it would empty of passengers for a smoke break. Then when they got back on the bus the smell was horrible. I am sure that it will be an experience that I won’t soon forget.
Monday is orientation and then with a trainer. This is something that I have dreaded. You always hope that you get a good trainer but living in a truck with a stranger is not something that I care to do.
One of the reasons that I chose CWTL (ConWay Truck Loads) was that they have a short trainer time. The other reasons, besides being one of the best companies out there to work for, are that they travel all 48 states and I can take my wife Stormy and dog Sweet Pea. No, I did not name him and the name doesn’t fit. Stormy, her grandfather called her that as a child and it stuck. He started with Windy but probable decided that that was an understatement. Saylor and Stormy, I am sure that you can see the issues here but then again my favorite time for sailing was when we had weather advisories. We want to see the country. I plan on being out as long as we can between home times.
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
I am Going to CFI/Conway
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
I am Going to CFI/Conway
I have been accepted by CFI/Conway and will be in Joplin, Missouri on Sunday to start Monday’s orientation. I am proud to have been accepted by them. It has been my goal to work for them since I had started this process.
I am Going to CFI/Conway
I have been accepted by CFI/Conway and will be in Joplin, Missouri on Sunday to start Monday’s orientation. I am proud to have been accepted by them. It has been my goal to work for them since I had started this process.
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
I am Finished with School
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
I am Finished with School
I got my certificates today from the school. I am looking forward to starting with a company and get that training behind me. I am still unsure with whom I will be going with but I plan on deciding by Thursday. I am still hoping to go with CFI/ConWay but I am not going to wait pass Thursday for them to get it together and let me know. If they say yes by then that is where I will go.
I am Finished with School
I got my certificates today from the school. I am looking forward to starting with a company and get that training behind me. I am still unsure with whom I will be going with but I plan on deciding by Thursday. I am still hoping to go with CFI/ConWay but I am not going to wait pass Thursday for them to get it together and let me know. If they say yes by then that is where I will go.
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