The New Guys Story

As of Friday December 23 I've completed all of the classroom work and 8 of the 11 four hour driving sessions. I drove the Kenworth which shifts easily for two hours on the range practicing shifting and backing, backing, backing! I can consistently hit the two alley dock slots on our course. The concept of "steering the trailer tandems with the tractor drives" seems to be sinking in for me.

I asked my fellow student Thomas to switch trucks with me so that I could practice backing the Freightliner with the 48 foot van trailer. The first few times I drove the Freightliner my shifts were pretty rough. When I drove it on Friday it seemed like a different truck, not hard to shift at all. what a difference a few weeks make.

I went to Asheville for a drug test and full physical for Schneider. The doctor was this sweet and funny young lady who was explaining all of the things that she was checking on me. When the assistant first checked my blood pressure it came out 146! Then she tried a large cuff and it came out 138, passing but borderline. The doctor told me tosit in a chair and RELAX for five minutes. She came back and checked my pressure...126!! So I've got a clean bill of health and a new two year DOT medical certificate.

I've been prehired by Mcelroy (flatbed), Colonial (reefer), Schneider (tanker), and I'm waiting on Averitt Express who actually came to school to interview me, US Xpress who flaked out on getting some required form to me, and Roehl who is taking their sweet time.

I'll make my final decision next week. I'm really leaning toward Schneider because I want to drive tankers. I've read comments about not starting out with tankers but I know that Schneider has an excellent training program and coupled with the training I've received at Sage, I think I'll be OK.

Merry Christmas to everyone!!!

Category: General