Christopher Potts: Big Rig Training

My Training Experience

Sun, 14 Nov 2004 13:53:11 GMT

Ever consider driving a big rig? If so, you too could be a professional truck driver in as little as 30-60 days (let us now pause for a few solemn moments of silence for the experienced truckers out there who are rolling their eyes and are commenting none to favorably on that last statement). Obviously, it takes years to become a truly experienced over-the-road truck driver. However, you can be on the road with a big rig sooner than you might think provided that you are inclined towards a nomadic lifestyle, aren't afraid to steer up to 80,000 lbs across America (and even Canada), and be away from your loved ones for up to one week or more at-a-time (there's much more but I'll stop there; why spoil the fun and surprises!)

Ever since I was a kid growing up, I've wanted to drive a semi-tractor trailer truck. I loved playing with trucks in the dirt, sandbox, and concrete ledges of the house where I grew up. I recall my brother and I playing a game on one trip of the annual 2-week family vacation. Each of us chose one national transportation carrier (or more) and we counted how many times we saw a trailer with the carrier's name on it (I think the primary contestants were Yellow Freight Lines and Consolidated Freight Lines). I forget who won, but it certainly helped pass the time.

In the early 80's I got the chance to pursue my dream and drove straight-truck (2-axle) and semi-tractor trailer truck (5-axle) for roughly 250,000 miles over a 4-5 years. However, I drove locally which meant I was home most every day I drove. Then I moved on to other things. 20-years later, I'm back at it only this time I'm driving interstate rather than local. I like it (with the big exception of being away from the family). It's certainly a change of pace from what most people experience in their day-to-day jobs. At any rate, here's my story on being trained to drive the big rigs. Enjoy!

Day #0 Day #9 Day #15 Day #22

Day #1 Day #10 Day #16 Day #23

Day #2 Day #11 Day #17 Day #24

Day #3 Day #12 Day #18 Day #25

Day #4 Day #13 Day #19

Day #5 Day #14 Day #20-21

Day #6-8

Life on the Road -- The Early Sessions (Days #26+)

Day #0 - 06272004 - Sunday

Sun, 14 Nov 2004 13:52:25 GMT

The day has arrived. I bade farewell to my wife and kids and hit the road around 7:15PM. It's raining. I have a chance to put my mind in part for the 3-hour and forty-five minute drive to Marshfield, WI from Milwaukee, WI. Nice ride – less than forty miles of two-lane highway. Had a worship tune that our church played this morning going through my head for the first two hours – wish I could remember the name of it – I'm drawing a blank right now. Heidi called and we chatted a bit. She placed an order for one of our home business partners as well as an order for our customers. After making sure I would stay awake for the rest of the journey, we said our goodbyes. Just before entering Marshfield, I saw a shooting star! (I now know why they call it "Marshfield" – lots of marshes and fields) It was a bit foggy after the rain. I arrived shortly after midnight at Roehl's Driver Headquarters. According to the directions, I was to find my apartment key outside door #3 in a mailbox. Hmm…the "G" building (where we would meet first thing tomorrow morning) had a door #3 except it was a garage door and had a trailer parked in it. No sign of a mailbox either. After circling building "G" twice, I decided the key would be located at one of the other numerous buildings around. Ah, I spied a building in the distance that looked like administration. Sure enough, the key was outside door #3 in the mailbox.

From there it was 5-minutes to the apartment. However, I circled the block a few times trying to find the exact location (the directions were somewhat challenging if you didn't keep track of which was North, South, etc.). Then I realized I was on the wrong side of the street. That's a sure sign that I'm getting tired! I found the apartment in no time at all and lugged my belongings into the apartment (it was better than what I expected) and parked the car a few blocks away per the directions.

Well, unpacked now (rats – I forgot my belt and I need a belt! I'll have to get one tomorrow) and hitting the hay (yawn). 6:00 AM will be here soon enough. I've set two alarms just to make sure I'm there at Roehl's facility at 7:00 AM.

Day #1 - 06282004 - Monday

Sun, 14 Nov 2004 13:52:07 GMT

I woke up around 5:00 AM. Mother Nature called. I answered. Then I dozed off again until the appointed hour. (Definition of annoying: 2 alarm clocks by different manufacturers "encouraging" you to wake up!) I jumped into the shower after taking OPC-3 and ORAC (Note to self: be prepared to dodge either scalding or ice-cold water when someone elsewhere in the hotel flushes the toilet while taking a shower). After a delicious cup of MochaTonix, I'm out the door towards the car.

I arrive at RDTC (Roehl Driving Transport Center) shortly before class begins. There are 4 students total in my class. That's a switch. I remember back in 1980 when I took a 3-week tractor-training course where we had between 15-20 students. Back then there was a plenteous supply of truckers to meet the nation's transportation needs. Today, however, there is roughly one driver for every 12 loads needing delivery (per my training instructor). Because of rising/fluctuating fuel prices, many carriers over the last 2 years have gone belly-up due to a lack of financial planning and management.

Mr. R, our training instructor, is a down-to-earth and likeable guy who prepares people to drive the big rigs (Thought your job was tough?!). By the way, all names (besides mine) used in this adventure are fictitious. This prevents embarrassment, preserves dignity, and also avoids lawsuits (*grin*). Mr. R has years of experience – both in truck driving and training wannabe tractor-trailer drivers. He is still sane (at least as far as we can tell!)

Mr. B will be turning 25-years old this Thursday. He's married with a very small child and lives in western Wisconsin. He likes Mountain Dew (a lot), smokes, and much prefers hands-on training as opposed to classroom training (don't we all!). The reason he is getting into trucking is that it is possible to make good money and it sure beats a factory job such as welding.

Mr. J (late 40's??) has recent experience driving a straight truck for a national freight delivery company. He's married and recently had a new arrival – a puppy – their 3^rd pooch (the first two are no longer). Mr. J is located approximately 30-miles away and gets to go home every night! Mr. J's comment on walking around the tractors in the yard later in the day went something like "I never drove something this big." (Like public speaking, people would rather die than think about driving an 18-wheeler). Actually, Mr. J. is looking forward to learning how to drive a tractor/trailer combination.

Ms. J (not related to Mr. J) hails from Michigan. Her fiancée has been driving tractor-trailer trucks for roughly 2-years. Their plan is to drive "team" across the country (share driving duties) and sock away the $$ for retirement. All she needs to do is learn how to drive stick and double-clutch. Piece-a-cake – right?!

First things first: all the necessary paper work is signed (tuition, housing, licensing fees, etc.), we're all given a physical (for most of us that includes DETHAC (Drop 'Em, Turn Head And Cough), and then pee into a cup for the drug test (Note to self: For my next DOT physical exam in two years, avoiding voiding until after receiving the cup).

After all of the formalities were out of the way, Mr. R explained how the next 4-weeks of training would take place. Then it was lunch. We each went our own separate ways (I hightailed it get a belt for my pants!) The afternoon was spent reviewing chapters we read about in the morning and taking a brief tour around the facilities. Oh yeah, almost forgot about the logs. All OTR (over-the-road) truckers are mandated to fill out daily logs of the amount of hours they spend 1) Driving, (2) On Duty – but not driving, (3) Sleeping, and (4) Off Duty. So starting today, we're now logging our daily lives – 24/7/365.

Mr. R assigned us homework for tomorrow's agenda (coupling and uncoupling) and called it a day while reminding us to bring work gloves for tomorrow. Gloves – oh yeah, what I forgot to get at Wal-Mart when I purchased my belt at lunch. Guess where I'm going before headin' back to the apartment? *sigh*

So, it's study time for a while back at the apartment. Heidi called and we had a good extended conversation about the basement remodeling project, the kids, and a possible tenant for our upstairs duplex. God is good. Always. Well, before I sack out for the evening, I'll be installing WordPress on my notebook that I downloaded on Sunday from home. WordPress is a blog (web log) software tool that allows anyone to write about anything and everything and publish it inexpensively on the 'Net. At the moment I wouldn't recommend it for e-commerce purposes (I've found an excellent Internet
software platform containing an easy-to-use content management system with live toll-free support for life that hands-down beats anything else out there). I'm actually typing these notes into Microsoft Word and then will in the future port these notes over to WordPress. In other words, if you're reading this, I've been successful! Well, before I use up all my brain cells, I'd better get going on WordPress.

Day #2 - 06292004 - Tuesday

Sun, 14 Nov 2004 13:51:55 GMT

This week and next week we begin our day in the classroom and then move to the range for practice hands-on exercises. Then in weeks 3 and 4, we perform exercises on the range as well as the road in the morning with any classroom activities in the afternoon. I discovered that Ms. J suffers from the occasional migraine headache (and possibly Mr. J). Next week I'll bring up an isotonic solution of B vitamins for Ms. J to try the next time she feels a migraine coming on. This stuff actually clears the symptoms of a migraine within 10-15 minutes!

After our morning classroom learning and discussion session focusing on coupling/uncoupling, we broke for lunch. I headed back to the apartment for a short lunch, a brief nap, and then to the range. I teamed up with Mr. B while Mr. J and Ms. J were in the adjacent rig. Our equipment for this exercise is a late model Freightliner conventional tractor and a flatbed trailer. To couple a tractor and trailer you basically:

Position the tractor in a straight line with the trailer.
After setting the parking brake, get out of the cab and inspect your 5^th Wheel (the part where the trailer rests on the tractor) and perform an initial trailer inspection (is the trailer in a roadworthy condition?).
Get back in the cab. Put on the 4-way flashers, tap the horn (to let others know you're backing up), and back the tractor until the kingpin kisses the trailer nose.
Apply parking brake, shut the vehicle off, take the key with you, and inspect the level of the trailer (will it overshoot the 5^th wheel and hit the tractor?) and then get underneath the trailer to see if the path from the kingpin to the 5^th wheel is on target.
Start the tractor and back gently until the 5^th wheel "jaws" snap shut around the shank of the kingpin. In 1^st gear, gently nudge forward to check the connection. Do it again. Then apply the parking brake, shut the vehicle off, and take the key with you.
PAL:
    a. PIN - examine the coupling connection by going under the trailer to see the slider lock in the proper locked position (secure kingpin and 5^th wheel connection).
    b. AIR LINES AND ELECTRICAL LINES – hook them up so that the trailer has compressed air for braking and lights.
    c. LANDING GEAR – raise the trailer supports all the way up.
With the 4-way flashers still on, turn the lights on and inspect the entire rig to see if all the lights are working properly (clean and wipe the lights and reflectors and reflective tape with a rag as you go). Make a small chalk mark on the both sets of trailer duals (outside tires on rear double trailer axles).
Start the engine, release the tractor and trailer brakes and pull forward a short distance then stop using the brake petal (Tests the brakes). Then repeat only using the trailer hand brake to check if the trailer brakes are working. Turn the lights and 4-way flashers off, turn the left turn signal on, and then with the trailer hand brake partway down, get out of the vehicle and inspect to see if the trailer brakes are on and the left turn signal is working on the tractor and trailer. In addition, inspect the chalk marks on the trailer tires. Did the tires turn? Or did they remain locked and did not roll forward? Check to see if there are any flat spots where the tires were resting in the parked position.
Activate the right turn signal and make sure it working properly.
That's it.

After successfully coupling the trailer, we then practiced uncoupling it using the LAP. (Basically you reverse the process).
LAP =

a. Landing Gear (Raise them)

b. Air Lines and Electrical Lines (Unhook them)
c. PIN (Unlock it and then pull away (carefully!) from the trailer.
Then we repeated the coupling exercise, then the uncoupling exercise again. Then again. Wash, rinse, and repeat.

By the end of the day, all of us felt comfortable (some more than others) with the process. Tomorrow is double-clutching gears 1-5 around the range (or as Mr. R fondly says, "it's hamburger helper day" since that's when us students tend to "grind" the most gears in the learning process).

Well, I'm bushwackered. The last few days finally is catching up with me. After eating supper, resting, doing my homework assignment for tomorrow, I'm turning in for the night.

Day #3 - 06302004 - Wednesday

Sun, 14 Nov 2004 13:51:16 GMT

It appears as though we will have a third day of beautiful, sunny weather. Wisconsinites have a saying about weather in these parts: If you don't like the weather, wait 5-minutes—it's bound to change. Hopefully, this weather won't! Last year we had a wet spring and then a rather dry summer. It has been a wetter season so far this year. Perhaps now we're in for a dry spell at least for a while.

Ms. J gave us all a good chuckle this morning. Yesterday, we had completed exercises for coupling and uncoupling. Her fiancée had notified her last evening while they were talking on the phone that another trucker and entered the truck stop where he was staying in Canada. He then informed Ms. J that the trucker was going to drop his trailer which he did…literally. Seems in his haste to bobtail (drive without a trailer), he neglected to follow the basics of uncoupling 101. Of course the driver may have never been trained properly in the finer points of how to correctly unhook a trailer. I'm sure he will be doing some reviewing when he gets back to his home terminal (if he still has a job)!

This morning's classroom training consisted of going over yesterday's assigned homework on the typical components of a big rig diesel engine as well as upshifting and downshifting the first 5-gears. Then off we went to the driving range to hit some balls…er…shift some gears.

I coupled the trailer to the tractor and then Mr. R showed Mr. B and me how to navigate the quarter mile rectangular track. Basically, we upshifted and downshifted down a straightaway until we hit a stop sign. Then we turned left carefully watching our mirrors (especially the left one) to see if our trailer missed the tires on the course. I'm proud to say I missed all the tires this first day although I had to do some fancy maneuvering to narrowly avoid a nasty trailer-tire incident. After the first lap around the dusty grounds, it was Mr. B's turn to take the controls. He did OK all things considered. He only ground a few pounds of hamburger (grinding the gears!). Seriously, he caught on rather quickly to double-clutching the gears.

Here are some simple steps for double-clutching:

1. Proper speed (RPM)

2. Off fuel (ease back on the accelerator)

3. Clutch in

4. Gear in

5. Clutch out

6. RPM drop (wait a brief moment or two for the RPM's to fall)

7. Clutch in

8. Gear in

9. Clutch out

10. On fuel (accelerate)

Then it was my turn. I was a little rocky the first lap around (we went 4-laps before turning the wheel over to our driving partner). Shifting came back to me rather easily although I did grind some hamburger! By the afternoon, all four of us were doing much better each time we went around the track. Another training instructor, Mr. D, came and sat in our rig to watch us and provide helpful tips on how to improve the shifting process. The main thing is to be in control of the vehicle at all times. Although that's rather obvious, you need to demonstrate that fact to the person at the DOT who will decide if you've got what it takes to be a professional truck driver. This means in part that both hands are on the wheel whenever possible – especially when approaching a stop sign as well as turning left or right at an intersection (Note to self: kick the bad driving habits I've picked up over the years ASAP!).

The day went by quickly. Tomorrow we focus on the air brake system and see a working model of it in action as well continue shifting and perhaps some basic backing up. All turns with the trailer on the course from now on will be right-hand turns. In other words, we will be turning to the side where we can't stick our head out the window to see where the trailer is. Should be fun—well maybe not for the tires *grin*.

Ms. J, Mr. B, and I stopped in at an all-you-can-eat China buffet place. Sweet! I love Chinese food (Come to think of it, I love Italian food, German food, etc.) We shared some laughs and then back to the apartments where we all stayed to complete our homework for the next day.

Heidi called (as she does daily) and we chatted a bit. The kids and I also spoke—the first time since Sunday. I miss my family. It was good to hear their voices. Everyone seems to be adjusting OK so far. Thank you God!

Day #4 - 07012004 - Thursday

Sun, 14 Nov 2004 13:51:02 GMT

It's yea or nay day. Roehl allows you 3 business days to decide if trucking is not for you. If not, you get your money back. Everyone (students) is on board and willing to endure more punishment…er…instructions from Mr. R (*grin*).

Today, we covered air brakes and backing in the class room. Then we went to see a mechanical working demonstration on how air brakes work. Very helpful. Since we are largely a visual society (E.G. we learn by seeing rather than by hearing). On the range, we began shifting into the upper gears and then did some straight line backing. In 5^th gear, you can reach 15 mph with the tach (tachometer) on 15 (1500 rpm). The trucks today are different than when I was driving in the early 80's. One difference is that there is a lot more torque in the lower gears. Thus you don't need to have a higher rpm to shift into the next gear. I remember having to get well above 15 rpm in order to get into the next gear. With the newer trucks, you don't need to go above 15 rpm.

Mr. B and I are settling into a good driving partnership on the range. He's a good guy and will make a great professional truck driver. We took turns throughout the afternoon shifting around a different driving track than we had been practicing on. This one is where Roehl parks the trailers. In other words, we need to be on the lookout for drivers hooking and unhooking to trailers in the lot. Guess Roehl has confidence in the students they accept (not to mention their instructors!). In 7^th gear, we were able to get the tractor up to 25 mph. I wince as Mr. B and I go down the dusty gravel range when Roehl employees (office workers) are out for some exercise in the same vicinity. They get a good dusting if the wind is right as we go by.

I did pretty good backing in a straight line with the trailer on. The trailer's landing gear rest on a 4-foot concrete apron that extends for some distance in the yard. Truckers drop their land gear on the concrete apron since that is very sturdy and supportive of loaded/unloaded trailers. It is a rather embarrassing moment when the trailer you just uncoupled nose-dives onto the ground because the ground could not hold the wait of the trailer's landing gear. Of course this will never happen if you follow proper uncoupling procedures! The goal of straight-line backing procedures is to keep the tractor and trailer in a straight line. In this exercise, we pulled one side of the tractor and trailer's tires onto the 4-foot wide concrete ribbon in a straight line. Then we backed up and attempted to keep the 2-foot wide duals (trailer tires) on the concrete at all times. It really isn't that difficult provided you anticipate in advance how to keep the vehicle straight at all times. Otherwise if you misjudge the next 8-12 feet where you want to the trailer to go (or where the trailer will go), it is easiest to pull-up and begin again with the tractor/trailer in a straight line. By the way, the longer the trailer, the easier it is to back where you need it to go.

Tomorrow we have a 25 question quiz that will test us on what we learned so far as well as continued shifting and backing exercises. Then, after the day is done, it's time to head home and see the family!

Day #5 - 07022004 - Friday

Sun, 14 Nov 2004 13:50:50 GMT

Groan…I received a $151 fine today for not having my log book correct.
Actually, it was a "paper" fine. Mr. R is coaching us on what to expect when our log books are not up to date when the DOT inspects them (E.G. at a weigh station). Every time you get behind the wheel, your log must reflect that. In other words, every change of duty status must be instantly recorded. Later on in the day, I'd get another $151 fine for failing to record that Mr. R was in the truck as a co-driver (even though he didn't drive at that point). Hmm…if a trucker gets nailed with a $300 fine and if he receives .30/mile, and if he drives 500 miles/day, then it would take roughly a day and one-half of driving to pay for the fine. Ouch! It's important to keep the log book accurate and up-to-date.

I scored 2-wrong out of 25 questions. One of was subject to interpretation (my opinion). The other one had to do with whether the clutch is engaged or disengaged when the clutch is pressed to the floor. (It is disengaged so that the engine and transmission are momentarily separated so that the desired gear can be obtained. Then the clutch is engaged so that the power from the engine flows to the transmission which in turn goes to the driveshaft, differential/axle, and wheel.)

After the quiz, we reviewed backing procedures as well as tips for being aware of what is going on all round you. Whether driving an automobile, race car, or tractor-trailer, the environment ahead, behind, and on the sides of you (even under and above you) is constantly changing. You must be alert and aware of what's happening as well as anticipating what may happen for to make driving safe for you and those around you.

Each student is given a pass/fail card on activities that must be mastered in the driving course. If you are unable to obtain a "pass" on any given activity, you most likely won't be able to pass the same activity when it comes time to take the actual CDL skills test (road test). Today, I decided to test my coupling/uncoupling skills. I performed my coupling procedures flawlessly with one major mistake. When you exit the tractor and look either underneath it or the trailer, it is wise to shut the engine off and take the key with you. Common sense dictates that you don't want anyone moving the vehicle when you are underneath it! Well, I forgot to shut the engine down and take the key with me when I was checking under the trailer to see if the trailer kingpin and the tractor 5^th wheel connection were secure. Oops! Or as Mr. R would say "you're dead." In uncoupling the trailer, I pulled the tractor about a foot too far forward after uncoupling the trailer. You only want a sliver of space showing between the tractor 5^th wheel and the trailer nose so that if there is something out-of-whack (E.G. landing gear fails), the trailer will still have the tractor underneath the trailer. Since I pointed out my mistakes before Mr. R graded me, he allowed me to pass the exercises. That's cool. I expect I won't be making those mistakes again!

We continued to practice shifting, and straight line backing. Later in the afternoon, we began learning 45-degree backing. This is one of the backing maneuvers to learn when you are unable to back in a straight line. I was not too satisfied on my skills in this area. I'll cut me some slack since it's been over 15-years since I backed a tractor/trailer combination using a 45-degree maneuver.

Mr. R took us on the road with our vehicle near the end of the day. He showed us what it will be like driving a big rig in city traffic. He talked to us as he drove so that we could understand everything he was watching for and everything he was doing. Next week we'll be on the road (look out Marshfield! *grin*). In addition, each of us will be given the keys to the truck so that either before or after class, we can continue practicing on the range (not on the road). It's a good feeling when a company has enough confidence in you to entrust an expensive vehicle to you (when you treat adults as adults, you tend to receive adult-like behavior. When you treat adults like children, you tend to receive either childish behavior or irritated and frustrated adult-like behavior). With one week down and three to go, I'm very satisfied on the training experience I'm receiving with Roehl Transport.

We were able to leave class an hour early (4:00 PM) for the 4^th of July weekend. Yeah! It will be great to see my family again.

Day #6-8 - Home!

Sun, 14 Nov 2004 13:50:38 GMT

Alright!

Day #9 - 07062004 - Tuesday

Sun, 14 Nov 2004 13:49:58 GMT

The weekend was mostly a blur of home remodeling. Heidi and I continued working on the basement and preparing it for our new sleeping quarters by September 1^st. Heidi measured and cut the insulation and I glued it to the wall. Next we stapled sheets of plastic to walls over the installation. Finally we started cutting and putting together the 2x4 framework which the wall board will be tacked onto. My hat's off to Heidi – she's putting her heart, soul, and sweat into this project. I'm not much into home remodeling and the like. So, she is the forewoman and general contractor rolled into one (I'm like a hired hand who assists as need be). Sunday morning worship was a great reminder of the freedom we have in this country as well as the blessings of God upon this nation. I pray that we—all of us—can draw near to the reality of God and His goodness in the coming decades; that we can truly acknowledge His magnificent mercy and grace, love and compassion, justice and forgiveness.

Saying goodbye to the kids before leaving for Marshfield was tough for me. An hour before I left, my feelings were of intense sadness. When the time came for our goodbyes, they seemed OK. However, I certainly had a lump in my throat as I headed out the door. I'm very proud of them for making the best of it (even though they are most likely perplexed as daddy won't be around nearly as much as he used to—especially once I'm on the job).

I arrived in Marshfield shortly before 8:00 PM. As I pulled up the apartment, there was Mr. B pulling up as well. We shared some moments about our weekend (it was tough leaving his family as well. In fact, his daughter wanted to accompany him back to school!). I unpacked and then completed my homework for tomorrow before retiring for the night.

This morning I got up early, showered and then spent some quiet time before God reflecting on His greatness. Then I packed my lunch and headed to class. Today we reviewed what we needed to examine in the tractor cab before and after driving the vehicle. For example, doors, windows, horns, gauges, clutch, break, etc. Another way to remember part of the inspection routine is BBHF+LAB (Button-Emergency, Button-Service, Hand brake, Foot brake + Leaks, Alarms, and Buttons) which deals specifically with the braking of the vehicle.

Then we were on the range for continued practice. We were all a bit rusty after 3-days off. However, we seemed to come back to us fairly quickly. It had rained the night before and would continue raining intermittently, throughout the day. The range was needless to say a bit messy. At least the reddish clay gravel mixture wasn't as bad as mud! Mr. R introduced us to Mr. SB—another Roehl instructor. He would accompany Mr. B and me into portions of Marshfield for our first day on the road with the big rig! Mr. B drove first. He did pretty well—even surprised himself. Then it was my turn. Everything went fairly smooth until I nearly took out a light pole when turning the vehicle. Other than that, I felt good about my driving! The "light pole" incident happened when I got a little flustered when crossing a rail road track and then entering into an intersection immediately adjacent to the tracks. A driver who was approaching the intersection in the opposite direction and turning the way we were going took pity on me and waved me on to turn first. So turn I did—just a tad before I should have started turning (Alright it was more than a "tad"). I knew I was in trouble when my instructor yelled "stop." I cranked the wheel to the right so that the trailer would miss the pole (but go over the curb) and off we went. By then the light had turned green for the folks on the other side of the intersection who then quickly caught up to me but cautiously gave me a wide berth as they passed me on the divided highway. A few minutes later we went through the same intersection the same way and I'm proud to report that the turn went much better than before. (I.E. the light pole stands tall for another day!)

Then it was back to the range for more practice. My 45-degree backing is still sorely lacking. That is something I need to practice. We called it a day after Mr. SB showed us a step-by-step in-cab inspection. Starting tomorrow, we will be given keys to the vehicles we are assigned to so that we can come in early or stay late to continue practicing without an instructor present (but only on the range). I'll be taking advantage of that!

Day #10 - 07072004 - Wednesday

Sun, 14 Nov 2004 13:49:46 GMT

Today was a good day – no light poles were in danger! In the morning we addressed trip planning techniques and received our very own 158-page, 11x15 ½ inch Rand McNally Motor Carriers' Road Atlas '04 for the United States, Canada & Mexico. Although it is designed for drivers of commercial vehicles, it is also comes in handy for any type of driving excursion. For example, family vacations by automobile would be more enjoyable using such a tool (no more map bickering between parental units!).

On the range, we continued practicing shifting and 45-degree angle backing. A 45-degree angle backing procedure is used when you are unable to set up to back up the tractor-trailer in a straight line into the loading dock (or whatever). Therefore you position yourself perpendicular to the loading dock about a trailer's length (your trailer length) away from the dock. To back into the dock from the driver's side, you position the center of the tractor's left rear duals at the outside edge of where you want the left side of the trailer to be once in the dock. For the purposes of illustration, you are now pointing to "12:00". Then turn the wheel all the way to right and move forward until you have reached a 3:00 or 3:30 position. At that point crank the wheel all the way to the left while continuing to move forward. At about 1:00 or 1:30 stop the vehicle. Get Out And Look (GOAL) to see how you're lined up. There should be a relatively short distance for you to continue backing the trailer into the "hole." All that remains is to continue backing and guiding the trailer into the exact spot you need it to be without going beyond parallel to the dock. Otherwise, if there is a trailer parked on the passenger side of your vehicle, you may put a crease into that trailer (as well as yours) since it is in your blind spot. The CDL (Commercial Driver's License) skills tests allows for 3 attempts (pull-ups) before backing completely into the test docking area. I've still got plenty of practice ahead of me before I'm satisfied with my 45-degree angle backing. Mr. SB helped me realize better 45-degree angle procedures later in the day by providing me with the above instructions. I was able to try it out once and it worked well. I'll need to continue practicing this tomorrow!

After lunch, Mr. B and I has some extended drive time with Mr. SB in the "real" world. We drove through the same basic area of Marshfield as yesterday and then expanded our horizons a bit. Today we got our big-rig up to 10^th gear (55-mph) on the state highway. Do you realize that it is possible to take an individual who has never drove a tractor-trailer vehicle and within 7-days of their attending a professional truck driving training school, he/she is driving in the streets and highways around where you might live?! Believe it! Of course there is an instructor aboard at all times when a student is learning how to drive (except in designated practice range training areas on school property). Even so…7-days to go from zero to 55-mph in a semi-tractor-trailer vehicle on public transportation routes. Incredible! By the way, it's a unique feeling when you are driving 55-mph on a two-lane highway and one of your fellow students is coming toward you in the other lane also at 55-mph! Part of me wants to rejoice in the moment – we're driving the big rigs in the real world. However, another part of wonders if it is such a good idea to have two student truck drivers traveling towards each other at 55-mph. In the end, common sense tells me that none of us would be out on the roads if we weren't ready (Our instructors have over a million miles of safe driving each—they know a thing or two about whether a student is ready or not for the open road).

Every day that goes by, we're all gaining more confidence in driving our 60-foot vehicles and our skills show it. Back at the ranch…er…range, I complete an in-cab inspection and then we call it a day. At the apartment, I complete two more chapters of homework, talk to Heidi (she and two friends moved our piano up from the basement to the first floor around a tricky staircase (yes—the piano still works!), and then called it a night shortly after 10:00 PM.

Day #11 - 07082004 - Thursday

Sun, 14 Nov 2004 13:49:34 GMT

There's no classroom today! All of our time will be spent in the trucks today—either on the range or on the road. We meet on the practice range where our tractors and trailers are parked at 7:00 AM. After a tractor inspection, we start 'em up and connect to the trailers at which time we perform a tractor-trailer inspection. Then we commence practicing the 45-degree angle backing procedure.

But first two of us are "reassigned" to another driving partner and tractor. This mixes things up a bit as we can learn from each other as well as learn the nuances of different tractor-trailer equipment. I'm assigned to ride in tractor #2468. The tractor I've been assigned to from the beginning is #2436. Both units are "conventionals" (the engine compartment sits in front of the driver much like an automobile's engine area under the hood as opposed to a "cab-over" model in which the driver sits over the engine—no hood). However, #2468 is a conventional "condo" unit. In other words, it houses a double-bunk arrangement that allows a person to stand up in the area between the driving section and the sleeper section of the truck (I'm 6'3" and can't touch the ceiling!). I prefer the condo style as I could exercise in such a vehicle using my portable stair climbing exercise machine. However, I suspect that a condo is assigned to team drivers (those who share driving duties and can keep the truck rolling for longer periods of time than a solo driver). Still, I'll certainly ask if a condo unit would be available once I'm assigned my own vehicle (never hurts to ask).

So for today, I'm partnered with Mr. J. and Mr. SB. We go for a spin around Marshfield with Mr. J and me sharing driving duties and arrive back in time for lunch. I stay on the range and practice backing maneuvers while Mr. J goes to the driver's lounge and eats lunch. Then we switch. After lunch, off we go for a tour of the countryside. Wisconsin is really a beautiful state—rolling hills, pastoral setting, four seasons (winter, summer, winter, and winter) *grin* -- there really is something for everyone to enjoy. Mr. SB shared some of his wisdom with us over the 35-years he has driven the big rigs and we wisely apply it to our driving skills. Every day all of us are seeing steady improvement. Today, for example, I continued to refine my down-shifting techniques. Instead of going down one gear at a time, we can go 2 gears at a time. In time, we will be able to judge exactly what gear we need to be in given the situation we're in and get there simply by looking at what speed we're at.

The day flew by—very enjoyable. I personally drove for just under 90 miles! By the time we got back to the range, we had missed Mr. R's under the vehicle inspection (seems Mr. R and Mr. SB had a communication misfire on when Mr. J and me should be back for the inspection). By the looks of things, it was a successful (All 3 of their backsides were covered in dirt and dust!). You literally crawl under the vehicle on your backside and look at the vehicle beginning with the front and working your way all the way to the trailer end (65-feet total). Mr. R will have the privilege of crawling under the vehicle again tomorrow and showing Mr. J and me how to properly inspect a big rig from the bottom up. I hope it doesn't rain!

Heidi left a message that she was off to the business meeting this evening. So, it's homework time and then I'll be counting zzz's.

Day #12 - 07092004 - Friday

Sun, 14 Nov 2004 13:49:23 GMT

Whether you are taking a vacation, going overseas, or trucking interstate, trip planning is so crucial to your overall success and peace-of-mind. This morning we reviewed the various aspects of preparing to get a load of freight from point "A" to point "B".
There's more to it than you think. First you have to make sure that the freight is loaded properly and securely. Next, you have to adjust (slide) your trailer tandem's to the appropriate setting for the most restrictive state in terms of length of vehicle as well as the distance between the trailer kingpin and the center of the trailer duals (exact specifications vary from state-to-state). Then, you take the loaded tractor-trailer to the nearest scale to be weighed. If need be, you can fine-tune the weight distribution resting on the tractor axles IF you have a sliding 5^th wheel connection on the tractor. If everything is OK, then you can start your trip per your trip planning. If not, call your dispatcher and inform them of your weight problem. You may have to go back to the shipper and either have them (and you) redistribute the weight or take some freight off so that you can drive legal. And you thought a professional truck driver had life easy!

Later on, Mr. R informed us that we graduated from the "outside" practice range (primary used for shifting and 45-degree angle backing to the "inside" range. The inside range has a number of exercises to complete. First you begin pulling your rig up to two orange cones and stopping so that the front of your vehicle is even with the cones. Then you maneuver your rig around some orange cones in an "S" shape. Forward and then backwards! Next, you go through a set of orange cones. Once through them, you back in a straight line through them. From there, you practice driving your rig through two trailers having a spot between them to park your rig (E.G. at a truck stop). You approach first from the drive side, go through the space (without hitting the trailers!) and then do a loop to the right and enter the same spot from the passenger side (your blind side). Then you position the park as though you were going to be shutting it down. From there, you proceed to a "Y-back." This is where you back your rig in from the road to a 90-degree dock. It's similar to a 45-degree backing process except you are starting at 90-degrees from the dock. Finally, you go to the 45-degree angle-back dock. Then you do it all over again. Practice makes you better and better! (I've ran over 3 orange cones yesterday. Drats!) Later on next week, we'll practice one more backing exercise—parallel parking!

The inside practice range is fun and challenging. Mr. B is picking things up well. Mr. J and Ms. J are progressing well – Mr. has them backing up their rigs on the outside practice lap (straight-a-way, corner, and another straight-a-way) to help them master backing up a tractor-trailer combination. During the afternoon we each went on a short road trip with an instructor. That completed our progress report (due every Friday) on how each student is doing. From the looks of it, we'll all be here next week.

I had a nice chat with Mr. B back at the apartment. He told tales of his farming days helping his grandfather out with his farm. There is no doubt about it—farming is hard work! His wife's birthday is tomorrow, so he won't be staying here for the weekend although he will be here for Saturday's training session (makes up for the 4^th of July holiday day off we all had on Monday).

Day #13 - 07102004 - Saturday

Sun, 14 Nov 2004 13:49:06 GMT

After a week of cloudy weather, the sun appeared in force today. We are glad the trucks are air-conditioned as it was in the 80's today. Today we worked on the inside range all day. It was fun playing dodge-the-truck as we meandered about the course (just kidding! One doesn't mess around with a tractor-trailer combination weighing in the neighborhood of 28K lbs.). Every day, we are all feeling more and more confident about all of driving skills. I think I've finally figured out how to successfully back the truck up with no more than one pull-up for both the 45-degree and "Y-back" backing procedures (Thank you God!) Of course, I'll have to tweak my findings depending on the specific location/situation/and vehicle length. Later in the afternoon, Mr. R, Mr. J and I crawled underneath a tractor-trailer from front to back. It's a whole 'nuther view looking up. It was interesting to see and hear how trucks are put together today as well as how they were put to together 20-30 years ago (Mr. R is a wealth of information about components on the truck). It's also a bit weird (spooky?) being under a big rig (there's a reason you shut the truck off, remove the key from the ignition, and take it with you!).

Today was a bit draining. The sun, heat, humidity, and climbing in and out of the truck cab every time you needed to back up took its toll (If I was in top shape, it wouldn't have been so bad!) Back at the apartment, I relaxed and got caught up on the news (nothing much new), ate supper, did some additional homework for next week, and then watched a couple of movie reruns. After going to bed, as tired as I was, I found myself not being able to sleep which is usually very odd for me. So, rather than squirming around, I figured I'd get up and do something. Well, that didn't exactly work because my mind wasn't really functioning, so I turned on the TV. I watched two more movie reruns. The second one (Born on the 4^th of July) which I'd never seen was disappointing. It told the story how a young man (Tom Cruise) went to fight in Vietnam on the premise that it was the right thing to do (God and country, etc.). He came back a changed man—physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. To a certain degree, I believe the film accurately portrayed the horrors of war, and specifically, the confusion surrounding the rationale of committing United States forces to fighting against the principles and ideals of communism in a foreign land. However, I get rather disgusted when I see Hollywood blame the political party slanted to the right for everything from soup-to-nuts. That is so yesterday antiquated thinking. Who believes that anymore?? (For example, if memory serves correct, it was President Johnson who gave the "OK" for America to go fight in Vietnam in the first place). I guess that's why I now get my TV news from the FOX News Network group. At least they present the story based on the facts and let's the viewer decide what is going on rather than the other networks (ABC, NBC, CBS, CNN, etc.) who slant the news to make you think a certain way rather than thinking for yourself. Of course, that's one of the challenges facing America. Fewer and fewer people actually think for themselves. We'd rather be entertained than face reality and sift through facts that happen on the international, national, state, and local level. It's far easier be spoon-fed information on how certain entities want us to think than make our own minds up about issues and events in the world today. Isn't it ironic that in 50-years, we've gone from questioning everything to accepting everything. Does anything really disturb us anymore? Yes—9/11 forever changed the landscape here and abroad. But, nearly 3-years later, it seems that we all want the war on terror to end—get our men and women out of Iraq (and all the countless other places around the world where our military presence is). I'm all for that. But the common sense dictates that ain't gonna happen anytime soon. I think this is due to the fact that our attention span is about as long as it takes for us to watch a movie. It seems that we live for the moment rather than preparing a decent place in America as well as around the world for our children's children to live in. But I digress….When the movie was done at 3:30 AM, I stumbled into bed and fell asleep.

Day #14 - 07112004 - Sunday

Sun, 14 Nov 2004 13:48:52 GMT

I surprised myself and got up shortly after 8:00 AM (less than 4-hours of sleep). Earlier in the week I had thought about attending a local church service this morning, but then decided I had better refine my driving skills instead. The weather channel indicated that Marshfield could see rain this afternoon so I decided practice on the range in the morning. I had it all to myself. Mr. J and Ms. J had planned to be here as well but when I left at 12:00 PM, they hadn't yet arrived).

After parking the car at the apartment, sure enough it started to sprinkle. However, that's all it did. The sun came out later in the day! So much for planning your day by the weather! The afternoon I caught up on trucking journal (what you are reading) and then did the rest of my homework for the entire course. The rest of the evening will be to begin reviewing my notes over the past two weeks, eating supper, and watching a mindless movie rerun—one that hopefully will put me to sleep early!

Day #15 - 07122004 - Monday

Sun, 14 Nov 2004 13:48:41 GMT

A new class began today for 3 individuals embarking on a trucking career. Two weeks ago I was in at the exact starting point as they are now. They are down to 2—one didn't pass the physical (medical) requirements. The class I'm in continued to refine our skills on the inside range. Mr. R took us out one-by-one. (Mr. B and I went together since the company borrowed temporarily the truck I've been "assigned" in hiring new experienced drivers. They do a road test to see just how well the "experienced" drivers really are.) The 25-minute route we took went through the heart of Marshfield. All of us did fine—no "incidents!"

After lunch, we were introduced to "The Roehl Way", a 7-step safety course that Roehl Transport introduced in March of 2003. I like it. The focus is two-fold: safety is a value—not a priority and the focus is on protecting other drivers first (Driven to Protect Others). If you drive in such a way to protect other drivers, then you of course will be protected as well (similar to the Golden Rule – treat others the way you want to be treated). The safety course is starting to be recognized—another school out East is now using it.

We finished the day on the range (it was hot and humid this afternoon!) and called it a day.

Day #16 - 07132004 - Tuesday

Sun, 14 Nov 2004 13:46:12 GMT

We dodged a couple of raindrops on the range before Mr. R took us into Marshfield. Mr. J and I were teamed up this time. Every new day that arrives, Mr. R challenges us with new routes, twists, and turns. Today we experienced turning the rig into all kinds of different traffic routes. Fun! It's interesting to see how various drivers react when you're making a right hand turn and they are approaching the stop sign in the direction you will be going. Some drivers are courteous and stop well advance of the stop sign so that you can make the wide swing into their lane in order to get the trailer successfully around the corner. Other drivers will drive up to the stop sign and ignore our attempt to make the turn. When that happens, we have to wait it out until the coast is clear. If we start making the turn, and a vehicle approaches and stops to close for us to make the turn, we then play a waiting game until the vehicle(s) back up and let us by. Marshfield is a nice town. We went by the world renowned Marshfield Clinic – truly a first class medical facility.

Back at the range, we continued our backing exercises. I feel fairly confident in my abilities to back a big rig into typical spots a trucker will encounter out in the "real" world. At 3:00 PM, it was time for one of our last classroom times. We discussed the importance of cargo and making sure it was properly secured as well as the paperwork aspect of freight transportation (bill of lading).

Tomorrow is a good test of our skills—seeing how well we've integrated everything we've learned over the past 2 1/2 weeks. We're delivering a load (OK, a small load of 1,000 lbs. or so) to one of Roehl's terminals in Kaukauna, WI. Mr. R, Mr. B, Ms. J, and I will be in one truck and Mr. S, Mr. J, and a newer experienced student who needs some drive time will be in the other truck. Our assignment tonight is to figure out the best way to get there using the trucker's map book we received. In addition, we are to plan on locations along the way and back to exchange drivers so that all of us have a turn behind the wheel. Tomorrow will be a fun day!

Mr. R handed out more "fines" regarding our log books (inaccurate log books results in fines from the DOT). We've much improved our skills in logging our time spent on duty and off. After making hasty corrections, Mr. R collected the books again and threw them into the trash can! Oh well, at least we are on the right path in logging our activities. When we are assigned our individual trainers, we will commence logging once again although this time, we won't be throwing the books away!

Later on at the apartment complex where Mr. B, Ms. J, and I are staying, we figured out the details for the trip. Afterwards, I studied/reviewed a bit and then went to bed to get a good night's sleep for tomorrow.

Day #17 - 07142004 - Wednesday

Sun, 14 Nov 2004 13:45:53 GMT

Our load consists of new truck tires, steel, steel paper roll, barrel of corrosive material (under 1,000 lbs. so we can haul it without having a HazMat endorsement), and a pallet of misc. items. Mr. JR (another driving instructor) and Mr. R show us how to properly secure loose cargo. Then we jump into the truck and weigh the entire truck on the scale. The tractor-trailer, cargo, 3-students, and 1 instructor weigh just over 34K lbs. After checking to make sure our brake systems and lighting system operates correctly, Mr. B steers us out of the yard towards our destination. Mr. JR, Mr. J, and Mr. D (newer student who has his CDL but needs a refresher course) follows shortly in one of the other trucks hauling an empty flatbed trailer. Mr. B drives the largely 2-lane highway to the city of Steven's Point. From there, Ms. J assumes the controls and takes us to Fremont on a mostly divided highway. I bring up the tail and take us into the Kaukauna terminal on mostly a divided highway. Each of us drives approximately 30 miles.

All of us did well on our individual legs of the journey. Mr. R had hoped to arrive in Kaukauna by 11:00 AM before the terminal employees took their lunch break. We arrived at 11:07 AM due to a ten-minute wait in Junction City for a train to pass through the rail road crossing. Once there, I pulled into their garage and then toured the terminal. In a short while, our trailer was unloaded (we gave the truck tires a push from the nose of the trailer and watched them roll all the way to the end of the trailer where they plopped and bounced onto the pavement!) Then, we watched as freight was loaded onto the trailer headed back to Marshfield's terminal. Our load consisted of double the amount of tires we had just delivered (only these tires were destined for the scrap heap/recycled), an empty barrel of corrosive material, and 3 pallets of miscellaneous items (one including about 800 lbs. of truck batteries. Then Mr. B began our journey back the way we had come.

We stopped in Fremont for lunch at a local gas station/truck stop/eating place. I was starving! I then took the controls heading back to Steven's Point. On the way there, I encountered a road hazard. In the distance of our side of the divided highway, there appeared to be a somewhat large branch in the right-hand lane we were traveling in. I turned on my left turn signal and moved in the left-hand lane to avoid the branch (we could have easily run it over but why bother and risk any damage to the truck?). I signaled to return to the right-hand lane only to discover a man walking back towards the branch in the gravel shoulder area. So I put on my left-hand signal and moved over so that I didn't blast the guy as we zoomed by at 65-mph. Once again I put my right-hand turn signal only to then observe some sort of small truck ahead full of green branches that appeared stopped dead ahead straddling the right-hand lane and shoulder area. Back we went into the left-hand lane. Here's where it got rather interesting. The vehicle ahead was a short truck and trailer combination. As we got closer, to my shock, it appeared to be moving. The first thought in my mind was that the guy had forgot to set the parking brake. The whole vehicle was moving backwards—unattended—on this divided highway! However, that was not the case. Rather, there actually was a driver in the vehicle attempting to back it up. I kid you not! This guy was backing his vehicle mostly in the right-hand lane of a two-lane divided highway! What an idiot. By this time, we had greatly reduced our speed from 65 mph. Needless to say Mr. R was incredulous (as we all were) as we passed the vehicle. There were a number of automobiles following us and they must have thought the truck driver ahead of them was not to sharp—switching lanes a number of times in a short distance. However, because of my "erratic" driving, their alert levels were probably higher and they were all able to avoid an accident with the imbecile driver of the branch mobile (although I did see one driver further back swerve to avoid the vehicle). I would expect to see goofy driving patterns in a 3^rd world country, but here in Wisconsin?! The rest of my journey happened without any road hazards.

Ms. J brought us from Stevens Point back to Marshfield. We had just enough time left in the day to complete our post-trip inspection before heading home. It was a great trip for all of us and we were understandably proud of our accomplishment. We had a lot of fun talking and joking with one another on our journey. Good stuff!

Day #18 - 07152004 - Thursday

Sun, 14 Nov 2004 13:45:42 GMT

sooner than you usually would to avoid hitting the opposite curb, stop light, etc., as well as the vehicle stopped in the street where you are turning. All-in-all, not a bad day's driving.

Tomorrow, we will get a road test from Roehl Transport to see if we're worthy of becoming drivers for Roehl. In other words, Roehl tests us first before the actually CDL test! Assuming we pass their driving test, what a shot of confidence that gives us for the CDL test next Tuesday! I am really impressed how Roehl has structured the hands-on driver's program. They go from the known to the unknown and build confidence upon confidence until you really believe in yourself and your ability to drive the big rigs.

Mr. B and I dined out at one of the Chinese restaurants today. He's thinking seriously of driving nationally with a van instead of a flatbed. Tomorrow is when Recruiting comes over and answers our questions regarding driving for Roehl. At that time we will need to let the company know our intentions: drive national or regional; drive van, flatbed, or curtain-side (flatbed protected with a curtain-like structure which protects the freight from the elements—so no strapping tarps over the load); and the length of time we want to be away from home and families. I'm planning on driving a van and going national. I believe I'll get home time every 10-14 days. I'll find out tomorrow.

Well, I'll do some packing in preparation for heading home tomorrow. The kids have handled their daddy being away for 2-weeks very well. I am eager to see them (as well as Heidi!) and they are eager to see me. It will be great to be back home again!

Day #19 - 07162004 - Friday

Sun, 14 Nov 2004 13:44:14 GMT

Mr. D (a member of Roehl's recruitment department) gave us information regarding the various driving opportunities with Roehl. I'm still committed to start driving a van nationally and being out for up to two weeks at a time. Mr. B has decided that he will be driving flatbed regionally and being home every weekend. Ms. J will be team driving with her fiancée. Mr. J will most likely be driving van regionally.

Afterwards, we all continued honing our maneuvering skills on the range. I tested out on the rest of the yard exercises students are required to complete before the end of the course. Then Mr. R showed me how to parallel park a tractor-trailer. Of course you need 4 or 5 consecutive car spaces to do so. (*grin*) Seriously, some docks can only be backed into by parallel parking the tractor-trailer. It isn't all that difficult once you get the hang of it. After lunch, it was my turn to have Mr. JR examine my driving skills to see if I had the right stuff in not only being a safe big rig driver, but being employable by Roehl Transport. I was a little nervous (for obvious reasons!) but the "butterflies" flew in formation and my road test went well. Mr. JR was very complementary how I drove and took a few minutes to document the road trip that will go in my permanent file with Roehl Transport. That was a real confidence booster!

Back on the range, I immediately tried parallel parking and botched it 2-times before doing it correctly (Mr. R gave me the "business" for figuratively putting a nice-sized dent in an adjacently vehicle "parked" just outside of the perimeter of orange cones. Oh well, after doing so well on my road test, I had to come back to earth sooner or later.)

Then Mr. J and I went driving out in the countryside with Mr. R. We visited a small town (Colby?) where we stopped at a coffee shop. Mr. J and I like our coffees (Iced Latte is one of my favorites in the summertime). Mr. J isn't a specialty coffee drinker. He tried an iced Latte. I believe he enjoyed it. He talked nearly non-stop on the rest of our trip. (*grin*) We had a great time shooting the breeze and driving around the greater Marshfield area. We arrived back in the yard just before Mr. B, Ms. J, and Mr. JR returned from their driving excursion. Mr. R is leaving for vacation next week (Colorado) and Mr. JR will be finishing up on instructing us for the coming week. Since Mr. R is (was) our primary instructor, we'll miss him (He'll check in with us via telephone to see how things are going with us). We wished him a great vacation and then we all headed our separate ways for the weekend.

Day #20-21 - Home!

Sun, 14 Nov 2004 13:43:53 GMT

Yee-Haw!

Day #22 - 07192004 - Monday

Sun, 14 Nov 2004 13:43:16 GMT

The weekend went by all too quickly. With the help of neighborhood friends and business partners, Heidi made significant progress on the home remodeling process. She was able to finish getting the wall board up by the time I arrived Friday evening. Saturday we spent some time transferring rugs and bookcases from the garage (temporary storage facility!) to the basement as well as rearranging stuff in the remodeling area. Afterwards, the kids and I tossed a football out in the front yard with a neighbor friend of theirs. There's heaviness in my heart during the weekend. I know I'll be leaving them again. Kids grow up so quickly. Sometimes it seems that in a blink-of-an-eye, another year has sped by. They are older, more mature, and growing up fast. For dads or moms who are away for days-on-end—it matters not if you in the corporate world or the transportation industry—time away from home is time lost at home.

Worship at church on Sunday morning was fantastic. The members of the 10-day Amsterdam short-term missions trip shared highlights of God working amongst the down-and-outs of society—prostitutes and drug addicts. We heard some amazing testimonies of how God ministered to people in the streets and red light district as well as to the people who went on the trip. Having gone last year, I missed witnessing firsthand the greatness and goodness of God moving in the hearts of people.

Later at home, Heidi and the kids packed for a 3-day summer church camp that some neighbor friends and their kids attend. Heidi will be helping out in the camp which will in turn help defray the camp costs. Our kids are so excited—it will be their kids-camp experience. I look forward to hearing their stories later in the week! Heidi and I had a spat. Life transitions tend to be stressful and involve challenges and change. Usually we can talk through our differences of opinions. This was not one of those times. I ended up working out my frustration by mowing our lawn and our neighbor's lawn. Then I loaded up the car, said my goodbyes and off I went. Not exactly what I would call a successful resolution of communication differences. Sigh. We will talk it out later in the week.

Today we continued to refine our range maneuver skills as well as our driving skills. It was hot and humid and getting in and out of the air-conditioned truck took its toll. By the end-of-the-day, I was tired! Mr. JR worked with all of us to refine what we needed to improve upon for tomorrow's CDL test. At the end of the day, Ms. J and Mr. B decided that they were going to come back to the range for some more practice after supper. I thought to myself that it was probably better to rest and relax instead before the big day tomorrow. It later turned out that Mr. S (Ms. J's fiancée) "grounded" Ms. J and Mr. B over the telephone. He voiced his opinion over the phone that they needed rest and relaxation before tomorrow's test.

After arriving back at the apartment, I ape supper, turned on the TV, and promptly fell asleep for a 45-minute nap. Before retiring for the evening, I studied a bit more without overdoing it.

Day #23 - 07202004 - Tuesday

Sun, 14 Nov 2004 13:42:49 GMT

T-day (Test Day) has arrived. Mr. JR gave us strict instructions to have the trucks that we will be using for the road test ready for a short trip to warm us up before the CDL instructor(s) arrived. At 6:15 AM, I stepped out of our apartment building into a foggy street. Great—this will be an interesting road test! But then I figured that the sun would quickly dissipate the fog. Still, it was foggy enough that I missed the entrance into Roehl Transport and entered the neighboring truck dealer and drove the back way into Roehl's lot. I grabbed my gear and headed off into the fog. Ms. J and Mr. B had decided to get their earlier. They had their truck out on the range. It was a strange (and somewhat funny) sight to see a barely visible truck attempting to complete backing exercises in the fog.

Around 7:00 AM, we headed out into the fog in two trucks: Mr. JR, Mr. B, and Ms. J in one truck, and Mr. S (another driving instructor) with Mr. J and me in another truck. What could be scarier than driving to work in the fog knowing that you will encounter 2 trucks carrying student drivers who have been driving big-rigs for less than 4-weeks?!

Back at the range, our 3^rd party CDL tester showed up. Mr. T had a pleasant disposition and nerves of steel. Ms. J was first up, then Mr. J, followed by Mr. B, and myself. Each of us completed most of the pre-trip part of the CDL test before going out on the road. My truck was chosen as the pre-trip inspection vehicle. After we all completed the pre-trip inspection, Ms. J was up for the road test portion. Since I was last, I had roughly 3 hours before I was "batter-up." I practiced range exercises until Mr. J arrived back in the yard with the vehicle I would be using for the test. Then I found out that his truck's air conditioning unit was malfunctioning. Oh well, now the CDL tester could now see me sweat—literally!

Finally, it was my turn. I completed the in-cab inspection, the brake system, and the light system check. Then I performed two backing maneuvers on the range and away we went onto the highways and byways of Marshfield, WI. Aside from grinding some gears and other non-disqualification blunders, I did OK…and…passed! Yahoo! In fact, we all had passed! Mr. T pointed out areas that I needed to improve upon as well as congratulated me for a job well done. Then Mr. JR extended his congrats as well as well as the rest of my fellow new-CDL holders. After picking up my CDL at the local DOT office, we went over some more assigned homework in the classroom (we all were yawning by this time!) and then were told what we would be doing tomorrow. Then Mr. JR handed us supper certificates at a local restaurant for a job well done. Class dismissed!

Ms. J, Mr. B, Ms. J, and I all gathered at the restaurant and had a great time. Then we all headed back to our respective dwellings. I turned on the TV and relaxed. I decided that I would not study for the final 100-question exam tomorrow morning. I figured if I didn't know it now….

Day #24 - 07212004 - Wednesday

Sun, 14 Nov 2004 13:41:43 GMT

Mr. J brought some delicious Americano coffee for us to share. We were so glad that he did because the free coffee was very weak this morning. We took the 100-question exam. All of us did very well.

Afterwards, we cleaned out the tractors we used for the past 4-weeks inside and out for the next group of students entering into the program. We pulled the trucks 2-at-a-time into a truck bay and used a power washer to hose the grease and grime away.

We were given a 90-minute lunch. I went back to the apartment, ate lunch, and took a 30-minute nap (All of us were a bit weary from the events of the previous day). Back at the training center, we were greeted with a "Congratulations" cake for a job well done. Many of the instructors stopped in and joined the celebration (Mr. R even called in from his Colorado vacation to send us his congrats!). Ms. J also gave her fellow classmates a small dustpan along with a sweeper brush as graduation gift. That will definitely come in handy!

We then started on some training material experienced drivers receive during their orientation at Roehl Transport such as setting up our voice mail as well as eating properly and tips on identifying and responding correctly to hazards faced while driving. Later on we received our graduation certificates. We all did very well overall on our course "grades". Mr. B won the highest score for our class earning him the President's award. The rest of us earned an Outstanding award for our work performed. Tomorrow will be our last day together before returning to our respective homes and then heading out with a Trainer as early as Sunday, Monday, or Tuesday. We'll begin at 7:30 AM and hopefully head for home around 12:30 PM.

Day #25 - 07222004 - Thursday

Sun, 14 Nov 2004 13:41:08 GMT

Whoo-hoo! It's get-a-way day. This morning we gathered for a final time and attended orientation with some other new drivers. After being officially signed-up, we received all of the materials we needed to begin our new careers with Roehl. We had a delicious meal catered in for us at lunchtime. Then we received our driver assignments. Mr. B would be leaving Sunday evening. Mr. J as well as I were instructed to call in at 10:00 AM next Monday to see who our instructor would be as well as where we would be picked up at. Ms. J would call in on Tuesday for her instructions. Then it was time to say our goodbyes as we went our separate ways. We bid Mr. JR farewell and thanked him for his part of the final days of our training at RTDC. Then Ms. J (with misty eyes), Mr. J, Mr. B, and I promised to keep in touch with one another.

My 4-week training experience was completed and I definitely received my money's worth. For anyone considering a trucking career, I highly recommend RDTC as a training facility to attend.

Well…thanks for reading this "mini" tome on my experience with obtaining my CDL July of 2004!

Life on the Road - the Early Sessions (God help the drivers around me!)

Sun, 14 Nov 2004 13:40:43 GMT

Monday, August 23, 2004

Well, I'm on my own. That is to say, I'm solo! So far so good! After completing Evolution 1 & 2 (going with 2 different trainers on the road for approximately 10-days each), I've been assigned my own truck. It's a condo! In other words, I can stand up in it! She has over 550,000 miles on her, but she still runs very well. At least one former driver(s) was a smoker. Still, it isn't too bad. Heidi and the kids helped me clean her up a bit yesterday. Our SOS product really helped to cut down the smell.

I'm writing this just South of Indianapolis, IN in a truck stop on my way to my first official freight drop/unload. The trip down here was uneventful (thank God!) aside from the to-be-expected Chicago traffic. I'm listening to a symphony of Diesel engines, diesel refrigerated units, and the occasional hiss of air as air governors do their job to prevent the air tanks from getting too much air into the air tank. In a few moments, I'll hit the sack for the evening.

But first, a few thoughts on Evo (Evolution) One and Two. This is a program that pairs inexperienced drivers with experienced drivers (Evo One makes sure you can drive the truck and Evo Two makes sure you can perform proper trip planning). I learned much from my trainers Mr. W (Evo One) and Mr. E (Evo Two). Time did not permit me to record my experiences on a day-to-day basis throughout the training periods. We were busy driving, eating, or sleeping! I also wanted to thoroughly concentrate on learning as much as I could. Therefore, even though I brought my laptop with me, I only used it on rare occasions to see how the mapping software and GPS unit functioned (It did OK and was pleased with where the technology is for the moment). Mr. W was in his mid-thirties and loved to converse. Mr. E was in his mid-sixties and preferred to be silent much of the time. In fact, he played electronic solitaire much of the time (while still closely observing my driving skills). Mr. W was approaching one-million safe driving miles with Roehl (he had over one-million safe driving miles total in his driving career). Mr. E had over one million miles of safe driving with Roehl (and had over four-million miles of safe driving in his driving career! In fact, he's never even hit a deer!) I learned much from both of these professional drivers and will strive to apply their training to my driving habits and skills.

All-in-all, the Evo One and Two training periods were well worth the time and experience. I know I'll be a better driver because Mr. W and Mr. E.

It was great to be able to be home for my son's 6^th birthday yesterday! It made his day (and mine!). I am not looking forward to the days where I will not be able to attend an important event in my daughter's, son's and wife's lives. Sigh. 'Tis part of the job of being a professional irregular-route intrastate truck driver. On the brighter side, the kids seem to be adjusting fairly well to their father being gone so much. I know they are disappointed I'm gone as much as I am, but, Heidi is doing a great job in helping them understand why daddy is away so much. Hmmm…starting to get homesick already! I better call it a night and get some sleep.

Monday, August 30, 2004

I'm at one of the truck stops where I-55 and I-40 intersect in West Memphis, AR. I'm watching the first night of the 2004 Republican Convention--very stirring speeches from various dignitaries such as Rudy G. and John McC. While watching/listening to the convention unfold, I planned on connecting wirelessly to the Internet via my notebook. HA! I parked too far away from the transmitter on the building as well pointed my rig away from the source of the signal. Sigh. But I did manage to engage the wireless network from a competing truck stop not too far away (at least for a few seconds at a time!). Oh well, live and learn....As an aside, if I were a truck stop mogul, I'd saturate the parking lot with transmitters. That way, it don't matter beans which way I park in order to conveniently and easily access the Internet wirelessly. Speaking about parking, I'm watching one guy back his rig into a spot directly across from me. After 5-minutes, he's finally got it backed in! (must have been a long day)

Well, without going into too much detail, before I started watching the convention, a bold driver-recruiter from another trucking company struck up a conversation with me while I was sitting in the truck eating supper. He flat-out encouraged me to consider driving for his company and gave me the cliff-notes version of the benefits of not only driving for his company, but leasing a truck from his company. I'd be willing to bet that Mr. S (the driver recruiter) is successful at what he does in that he approaches (a) drivers that are new (newer drivers drive older company trucks), (b) drivers who work for reputable, safety conscious trucking companies, and (c) drivers whose appearance indicates responsibility and physical fitness. Is there any doubt that the trucking industry is a growth area for jobs?! Mr. S will contact me in 3-6 months to see how things are going. We'll see what happens….

Well, the eyelids are growing heavy. I'll watch a bit more of the convention before retiring.

Wednesday, September 01, 2004

I've got a great view of hundreds of shipping container trailers in Bedford Park (Chicago), IL. I'm at my first drop early so I have time to record some thoughts.

I was so pissed off yesterday. After getting an "OUTSTANDING THERE EARLY" from my Developmental Fleet Manager Mr. B for arriving early at my destination, the day gradually turned into a nightmare. I followed the instructions both via my Qualcomm (electronic satellite system) as well as my trucking map book to get to my shipper's destination in Kentucky. The instructions were fine. The road signs where I traversed through Tennessee and Kentucky were horrendous. I got lost (took wrong turns) multiple times both before and after getting loaded (the trailer—not the bottle!) at the shipper's destination. Arrggh! One thing's for sure, I'm now going to rely on my notebook and trucking software much more extensively! That way, I'll get step-by-step GPS instructions along the way (and if I space out and miss a turn, the GPS will get me back on track. Oh, and it's not like you can turn a 60-foot vehicle around in the local parking lot. On one of my wrong-way adventures tooling down a road barely big enough for two kid's big wheels, I managed to spot a farm with a truck in the driveway. Score! I pulled into the driveway and turned around (with the trailer wheels going through some sort of manure puddle) and managed to only mess up his neatly manicured lawn a little bit (at least that's how it looked in the side-view mirror. Sorry dude!). Then after getting on the right road I discovered that it really was the wrong road. Double-Arrggh! I'm so glad once I hit the interstate road!

What salvaged the day was getting to see Arnold and Mrs. Bush give absolutely excellent presentations on the 2^nd day of the Republican National Convention. They were great!

I had smooth sailing until getting here (my first stop), and because I was here early, I was told to wait a while. Oh well, I'm able to type these thoughts as well as hear an interview with Jarrod (Subway commercial) on radio station WLS. The plan (provided I can get unloaded today) is to get to the Gary, IN terminal where I can pick up an extra log book, wash my truck, and catch another evening of the Republican convention!

Friday, September 03, 2004

It's morning—the dawn is arriving—in a small diesel/gas station in the vicinity of Indianapolis, IN. I woke up before the alarm went off so I've got some time to kill before hitting the road. (In long-distance trucking, once your day starts [specified as whether you are driving or on duty—but not driving], your work day is done 14-hours later. Within those 14-hours, you can drive no more than 11-hours. I'm waiting for my 10-hours of off-time to be completed before I start my next 14-hour work/drive period of time)

I pulled off yesterday in time to catch W's plan for the next 4-years. He had a wonderful, encouraging message. Afterwards, CBS (and probably ABC & NBC) had their usual "hate critique" of Bush, conservatives, Republicans, etc. (PBS wasn't much better). You'd think it would be obvious to them (and all liberal media) how bigoted they truly are when it comes to spinning news as it happens to fit their liberal agenda. Then again, perhaps they realize they don't have the influential clout they used to have in brainwashing America—we report and you believe what we report no matter what. [In fact how dare anyone even question the integrity (ahem) of the facts as we want them to be!] Anyway, Bush had a great message of hope for America.

Well it's that time to begin my pre-trip inspection and then I'm outta here.

Wednesday, September 8^th

Ran into Frances (the hurricane) today (what's left of her). Experienced lots of rain and windy conditions. Got a chunk of metal in one of my trailer tires (2^nd trailer in a row where I've experienced a flat!). Have to get it fixed tomorrow AM as I ran out of driving hours today.

miles driven = 605

Thursday, September 9^th

The tire was replaced. I've got to lug the old one back with me on my catwalk. The trailer nudges it a bit when making turns—so far it hasn't fallen off (grin!). I can see why truckers don't really care for running the East Coast. It's nuts! Take a look at a state/city map of New Jersey, New York, Massachusetts, etc. I started seeing cross-eyed after a few minutes! Tomorrow, the fun really begins as I drive through more of New Jersey and then New York, Connecticut, and Massachusetts. Well it's looking like I won't get home this weekend. That makes me a wee-bit irritated as I requested every other weekend home. If this trend continues, I'll request home every weekend. It that doesn't work, I'll find another carrier who will make it happen. Life is too short to miss seeing your family more than 2 weeks-at-a-time. Well off to la-la land before my 4:00 AM wake-up call.

miles driven = 297

Saturday, September 11^th

Pause with me for a moment of silence in memory of the 911 victims. May God continue to bring comfort, strength, and peace to those who survive without their loved one(s).

Wow! Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, and upstate New York have some absolutely beautiful scenery. I'll definitely have to take the family to those locations for vacation some time. Well, I was routed through Canada to deliver my current load to Bedford Park, IL. However, I neglected to bring either my Passport or a certified copy of my birth certificate along to cross the border. Therefore, I won't be going into Canada. Therefore, I will now drive more miles through the States to deliver the load on time. However, I can't do that because I don't have the hours available (So being routed through Canada was a moot point anyway.) I accepted the load after questioning the hours with my fleet manager (he seemed to think it would be OK). Sigh….Sometimes things go great and sometimes not-so-great. It is really heart-wrenching to learn that my son started crying and saying "I miss my daddy." I spoke with him the other day and said that I'd be home Saturday. Today is Saturday and I'm in New York. So, I called him up and said I'd be home on Monday. That won't happen either since I'll be out of hours (and unable to drive). So, now I'll get to call him and say that I'll be home on Tuesday. I don't like the fact that I've broken my word twice in a few days to him. I can almost feel the trust he has in me beginning to slowly ebb away. No wonder our families are in trouble today. All it takes is for trust to erode bit-by-bit and the family unit's fabric slowly comes undone. It's no wonder there is so much "disconnect" between parents and kids now-a-days. Well, I'm going to do everything I can to prevent a trust snafu from coming between my son (as well as my daughter and wife) and I. Well time to sign-off. Tomorrow AM I'll call the after-hours fleet manager department and they will see if they can reschedule the appointment for later in the day on Monday or sometime on Tuesday. If it's Monday, a driver will need to come and pick up the trailer from me in Indiana and deliver the load himself/herself. In any event, I'll be able to take a long-awaited shower at a truck stop tomorrow. I'm looking forward to that!

miles driven = 576

Tuesday, September 14^th

Well, it is yet another day that I will not spend time with my family. I've been routed to Madison, WI to deliver a shipment since it is cost inefficient to send me home to Milwaukee, WI from Chicago, IL without my next load. This is getting old fast. My developmental fleet manager again told me that I should have enough time to make it there before running out of hours (this too is getting very old). Since I started my day at 1:00 AM in the morning, I ran out of hours at 3:00 PM in the afternoon—about the time I arrived in Madison, WI. To put a "nice" finishing touch to the day, instead of dropping (leaving) the trailer at the customer's warehouse and picking up an empty trailer to go to the next shipper for the next load (which happens frequently), this trailer must be first unloaded. Unfortunately, they don't begin unloading trailers until 10:00 PM. Fortunately, I do not have to unload this trailer. My company will pay an individual to unload the trailer for the customer (and for me). Unfortunately, the process of using a "lumper" (an individual who unloads a trailer) usually takes between 4-5 hours. Fortunately, my developmental fleet manager said that I could take a minimum of 2-hours of time in the sleeper berth of the truck. Then, when I am done unloading, I'll be able to use those two hours to get back to Milwaukee in the wee hours of the morning. Unfortunately, I've got $3.90 to grab a meal somewhere before heading back to Milwaukee. Fortunately, I'm not that hungry…yet. Unfortunately, I've broken my promise to my son (and family) to be home for the 4^th time within one week. Fortunately, I will see my family in the morning (I think) before the kids go off to school and my wife does whatever she has planned. All "fortune" (or lack thereof) aside, I believe everything happens for a reason. As such, I'll be looking forward to just why this all came about this way (grin)! My wife on the other hand…let's just says she is developing an "attitude" towards my company. Actually, she is starting to get a wee-bit snippy about how events have been transpiring over the past few days.

Ya know, if the trucking industry would hire an outside professional consulting firm and pay them BIG $$ to analyze what they need to do better, I can save them a lot of money and summarize it up as such. First, there is a shortage of drivers—quality drivers—which means that a lot of the men and women who have been in the industry for years are retiring, the new blood pressure regulations are going to thin the ranks of experienced, professional drivers if they can't get manage their blood pressure through natural means or meds, not enough new drivers are replacing them, and with the advent of technology in overdrive (Internet, online shopping, etc.), more stuff is being shipped via truck than ever before. Second, finding and retaining quality drivers will be paramount for small and mid-size trucking firms to survive (the really big trucking companies will probably survive no matter what since they are firmly entrenched in the industry and have deeper pockets than smaller-sized transportation companies). So, the $64K question is how do you get quality drivers and make them stay? Simple—ask them!

In any organization you have essentially three groups of people having different responsibilities and roles. The Corporate team gets paid the big bucks to make the big decisions (Your wallet reflects your ability to make tough decisions within the economy of the business you run or are employed at). The primary team (or those on the "front lines") makes it happen—these are the sales force (get the sale), truck drivers (deliver the sale), and mechanics (maintain the equipment that delivers the sale). The secondary team is everyone else—fleet managers, customer service, etc. They support the people on the front line. Now—this is very crucial to understand—no one group is more important than any other group. Everyone has a very important role to play to ensure the long-term survival of the organization. With that being said, the lynch pin within any company is the people on the front lines (aside from the leadership, vision-casting, and management of the Corporate team). Therefore, if an organization fails to take care of the needs of the people in the primary group, it's only a short matter of time until the organization becomes unglued, morale becomes a de-motivating force, and/or people leave to pursue better-run companies. So, how do you get quality people to stay in an organization? Make sure you get feedback often on what they are thinking! In order to do that, somebody has to take the time to get to know each and every driver. (Hey—would you tell a stranger what your needs/perceptions are about life issues? Of course not. You would tell someone whom you've developed a friendship relationship with). In the case of retaining quality drivers—an essential ingredient to the lifeblood of a trucking company—the 21^st century demands better ways to manage change that is happening at the speed of blur. A trucking company better make sure it knows what it is doing in this regard or it will be left in the dust.

As I see it, successful trucking companies will need to do a much better job in managing their driver's needs. For example, does a trucker prefer to put in a 11-12 hour day or a 7-9 hour day? How often does a trucker want to be home? What are the needs of trucker who is 6'5" vs. the needs of a trucker who is 5'6"? (Hint – truck manufacturers pay attention to this as well!). Truck drivers are paid to deliver the cargo from the shipper to the buyer of the shipment. If a trucking company can eliminate as much of the other "noise" that truckers experience (E.g. not enough home time, unreasonable delivery times, etc.), that company(s) is on the way to leading a revolution within the trucking industry. There are two ways to accomplish this successfully. The first is through the people who manage the drivers (fleet managers AKA dispatchers). The second is through technology. Why do kids (and adults) learn better when they are grouped in smaller learning environments (classrooms)? They are able to interact with one another and get one-on-one time with the instructor. Why are fleet managers typically assigned 40-70 drivers at-a-time? That's insane! No wonder there are a lot of unhappy drivers out there. No one is really paying attention to their needs! Consequently, stuff that should be learning as they go may fall by the wayside. Technology can help here (but will not replace the person-to-person interaction that is vital to everyone's mental health). Any trucking company not devoting a chunk of revenue to improving their technology pertaining to taking care of their driver's needs is frankly nuts. It is possible to match driver's needs, load deliveries, planned truck maintenance, etc., into a properly designed computer software system. There are trucking companies out there who are just bringing technology (albeit kicking and screaming) into their core-way of doing things. Good for them! I do hope they don't go the cheap route and waste hundreds/thousands of dollars in the process. There are also trucking companies out there who have an antiquated software/database system and honestly believe they don't need to improve/upgrade anything since everything "seems" to be working just fine (Hint—rude awakening is right around the corner). In addition, there are those companies who possess some sort of technology system but will not upgrade (nor plan to upgrade) because of the enormous costs associated with such a process. That's a valid point. However, how costly will it be for the company overall if they fail to keep pace with the changes in technology? Answer, they won't survive (at least the way their goal statements are written). Bottom line: the trucking companies that lower the ratio of fleet managers-to-drivers and constantly introduce/upgrade new technology into the mix at the appropriate time will be the companies that provide the leadership and thrive over the coming years of industry upheaval in the trucking industry. In summary, lower the fleet manager-to-driver ratio and have a healthy yearly budget that includes needed technology refinements that enhance people relationships within the company.

Hmmm…maybe I should start a trucking company. Not! I have a very health respect for all the trucking companies in existence today. It's a lot of work to run any business endeavor profitably nowadays. However, the smart companies who plan on being around for another 10-years will be addressing the issues I've outlined above.

Well, it's almost 9:00 PM. Then I can officially register with the customer that I'm here and am ready to be unloaded at 10:00 PM. Hooray!

miles driven = 490