July 2002

Frank's School Journal

Male, 30 years

Introduction

I have decided on trucking for a few reasons. Do it while I am young enough to stay awake on the road and while I am still a night owl. Now that I am married with children I will not be concerned about a girlfriend at home wandering off (I keep my wife too busy with kids). I had wanted to do it when I was younger, but had decided to wait until I was a bit more settled. My job was getting stale also, I had been there for 7 years and it was time to move on. My wife also works there and if the company ever folded we would both be out of work. I am also a motor head and love to drive. One thing I had noticed is that many of the other journal authors were over 40 and male. I am wondering if it becoming a common practice to lay off men over 40 in the corporate world. And lets face it. With women at the same level it makes more competition for the men. But it also makes it more difficult for a man to support a traditional family...That's just my opinion though. I start school July 22, 2002 it is a 4 week course.

Beginning
07/18/2002

Yesterday was my last day at my old job. I passes the DOT physical today without any problems. I start class Monday 7/22.

Week One
07/24/02

I have started class Monday and it is now Wednesday. I did successfully acquired my permit and and went ahead and tried for the endorsements with success on Tuesday. Today and tomorrow we will be doing log book and trip planning. This is very boring to me. I can read an atlas very well and I have got the log book down. Only one more day and then Friday we are in the truck. And that is what I really need. Some hands on.

This school is a very good school. They take the time to answer your questions and to make sure you can keep up. I would highly recommend this school, including Missouri residents. If you are an Illinois resident, your test will be taken on the school property and neighborhood. If you are from Missouri the instructor will drive you and the truck to Missouri to do the final test. If you are here in Illinois you have more of an advantage with the final test being on your own turf. these instructors will train you by the book and the laws, no bull.

Week 2
7/31/2002

Today is the middle of second week. The school has been going well. There are 4 students, originally 5, but one was unable to pass the written permit tests. We have a good rotation now. There are two trucks. One is a "yard" truck and the other is the highway truck, which is a very nice truck that we enjoy driving. The yard truck is bare bones, but runs good. Our rotation is 2 students in each truck in the morning, and then switch after lunch.

Today was the first day we took the highway truck on the road with the 53' trailer. It was a new experience for me, but I made it well. Downshifting is starting to catch with me. I am better a double downshifting. If you don't drive a truck, or never have. Upshifting is not too bad. In school and for testing purposes you have to double clutch, and the RPM ranges are very important. Downshifting is very complicated at first. A double shift from 8th gear to 6th involves slowing the truck RPM to 800RPM in gear. push the clutch in to take out of gear. release the clutch. Rev to 1500RPM and then engage clutch and put in 6th gear. Between 5th and 4th there is a switch you have to use for upper and lower gears. on the way up and down. Oh, and by the way, never press the clutch to the floor, only half way while in motion shifting. Only when stopped (first or reverse) do you put it all the way down.

I hope I don't scare anyone away, it only sounds complicated. A lot of trucks are coming out automatics now. But you need to learn to shift just in case.