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Ray's School Journal Male, 41 years
Introduction
Needed a change of career that wouldn't require relocating. Did a LOT of research into this, and came up with one company that offered training I could afford, that had a decent reputation. Got my fingers crossed for sure. Being 41, my career change choices were limited at best, so here goes.
June 28, 2002 The REAL first day
Having decided to keep a journal my big adventure, it occurred to me that my first day of "school" wouldn't start when I got there. It would have to start today, BEFORE I leave. Packing, gathering the necessary documentation, fixing everything that wouldn't wait till I got back home, and making the rounds saying my good-byes. It felt like I was leaving Hooterville for the big city, and it took all day. But it's nice to be loved, so I didn't mind.
Before I get too far I will give you the agenda for my training, as put to me by Sam, the driver development recruiter for CRST. I will ride the bus to Cedar Rapids, Iowa, then cab ride to the terminal where I will stay for the schooling portion of training, then after two weeks a company orientation, then 25,000 miles (my time driving) with a trainer, then road test, after which I will be assigned a truck (providing I've made the grade ).
I have to admit that I really don't expect to make a lot of money my first year, I am really just focusing on getting the experience needed to make better money with this company, or another if need be. At this point I feel good about choosing CRST, as I investigated as much as I could. That being said, we'll see if how I feel by the time this journal ends. My fingers AND toes are crossed. Nuff said, on with the program.
If you are going to attend training, take only the essential stuff. Personally, I broke it down into functions, like so; going naked is a no-no, so I will need clothes, and enough for as long as I will be on the road between laundry stops. Driving a truck in not especially dirty, but inspecting the truck and hooking/unhooking can be, so jeans and tee-shirts will do me right. Alternatively, one could take clothes that will be comfortable to drive in and put on cover-alls for the dirty work. Your choice there. Keep in mind that after schooling, I will be hitting the road for 25000 miles, and I don't plan on getting home till that part is over, so in my case 7 to 10 days worth of duds is needed. Don't forget to take closed toe shoes either, because you will feel really stupid if you get to the terminal and realize you only have the flip-flops you wore on the bus ride. Odor control; I will be in a box with another person for long hours on end, and since I don't want to gag on someone's pit funk or toe jam, I shouldn't be "funky" myself, so of course I'll need to take soap, tooth paste and brush, floss, Q-tips, pit wax, foot powder to fight stink foot, and maybe some Bean-o to protect against " Air Biscuits". I won't bother with a comb, cuz I'm gonna buzz my head when I get off this computer. I will be dealing with the general public, customers, and the occasional trooper, which will be easier if I don't look like Charles Manson. (or his cousin Marilyn )
Sleeping; sheets, blanket, pillow(s). Most sleeper mattresses are twin size. If it smells funny, I'll find some Lysol and give the mattress the once-over. (I want the top bunk!) Heavy gloves, self explanatory. Calculator for.......calculating! A journal of my own. It might come in handy later. Log the miles I drive, times, dates, fuel info, damage to a equipment BEFORE I take it, where I go, trainer issues, where I've been, etc. I like to take a few basic tools when I drive anywhere, in anything. I like to think I am smarter than a burned out headlamp. A prepaid phone card. I won't rely on my cell phone because they don't always co-operate, and I don't own one anyway. A picture of my loved one(s). Makes me smile, or keeps me out of the dog house, too. Hopefully I have everything I need, and I hope this list helps you. If I have forgotten anything, I'll be sure to let you know. Bye for now.
Arrival at CRST
Due to computer access difficulties, this entry will cover the first days of school. I will update as often as possible. I will skip the bus trip to CRST's terminal in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, let's just say that we could eliminate crime by sentencing offenders to 5 or 10 years riding around in a Greyhound bus. Arriving a day before class, I was greeted by a lot full of tractors and trailers in good condition, which tells you a little about a company. This company also has a good record regarding breakdowns, according to the DOT database contained elsewhere in this website. I spent the day talking to drivers and mechanics, and they all had positive things to say about this company. Believe me, this helped take a lot of weight off my mind. You can research all you want (which is good), but seeing is believing.
Monday morning started right out with drug screen, physical, and vision test. Two things need mentioning here: Get a physical and vision test before you go, just so you know there will be no problems. Be sure to take the long form from your physical, cuz the card alone will not be enough. Also, the scales the doctor used must have been broken, because I can't actually weight 233 pounds. And before I mention it, take your I.D. and a social security card. In Iowa, nothing less will be accepted when getting your CDL or CDL learners permit. We lost a couple of people from this. We started out with 14, now we have 12 after just two days The rest of Monday consisted of tests at the school to prepare us for the state learners permit tests. There are four I took: Combination Vehicles (meaning trailers), Air Brakes, Hazardous Materials (hazmat) and General Knowledge. I failed two of four, but fortunately these were practice tests. Get a manual from your local DMV and study. You may or may not get the chance to study in school. Testing is a big part of becoming a driver, so you should keep this in mind. Tuesday was the real test for our learners permits. I passed all four, and got my Iowa CDL learners license, which also has a terrible picture of me on it. I hope the final CDL picture is better. Tomorrow we will start the pre-trip inspection lessons. See ya then.
Entries for the next week of classes
I have only limited access to a computer, and haven't been able to update this in a timely manner, so here is a rundown of the past week since I left off. A lot has gone by, so hopefully I won't leave out anything important. Also, I am presenting this from a CRST student point of view, as I don't think most driving schools are like this one.
Having received my CDL permit, Wednesday was all about the Pre-Trip inspection. PTI ( as its referred to) is stressed here AND at the company, because it will be an everyday activity. The truck will weigh upwards of 80,000 pounds, and at highway speeds will do a lot of damage if it gets away from you. We were also advised that after today, PTI study was entirely our own responsibility due to time constraints. This was somewhat unnerving as there are a LOT of items on a PTI test.
No school on Thursday, as it is America's birthday. Cedar Rapids, Iowa had a neat fireworks display, and we watched it from the dorms at the terminal.
On Friday we were introduced to the trucks. Some of us went on short drives, while others got to try maneuvering around the school's practice yard (called "skills") I did o.k. driving, but my shifting was pretty ugly. I feel sorry for those poor trucks. As far as the skills practice was concerned, I have experience with a small trailer, so the behavior of a trailer when backing or cornering was nothing new. However, the timing and distances involved are as different as apples and oranges. We were using 53 foot trailers, and in the mirror it looks like a block long. I suppose an experienced driver would laugh at this statement, but hey, everybody had to learn it somewhere. I was pleased that this school had the proper facilities and decent equipment. The instructors are very patient as well.
Saturday thru Monday consisted of maneuvering and skills practice. My driving was getting better, and the skills practice came together fairly soon. At first it all seemed too much to learn in a two week course, but each day brought more confidence, and better understanding. The instructors here are excellent. They are real patient, and know their stuff as well. It takes more than knowledge to be a teacher. It takes an ability to communicate in a way that the student can understand, and these guys had that. We lost a couple of students due to frustration. At least that's the impression I got. But for whatever reason, we were now down to ten students.
We were advised that Wednesday would be PTI testing by the Iowa DOT. I figured we would all pass, as we practiced our PTI tests on the trucks in CRST's terminal.
Tuesday, surprise! Our instructor informs us that the DOT examiners will be here, and that we will go ahead and do our official PTI tests today. As our class had been split into two shifts, only half of us would test today. I didn't feel I was ready. I tend to read everything once or twice, then brush up before the actual test. It helps me keep from doing the "anxiety flop" which I tend to do to myself on occasion. Well, the first guy to take the test blew it. He said the examiner wasn't giving him credit for answering questions properly, and among other things suggested she was being......a brat, so to speak. After hearing this, I thought I was doomed. So I took the test, and only missed one. So it just goes to show you that you should always consider the source when you hear a person complaining. That DOT examiner was very courteous and helpful to me. I though she was very professional. I also ended up taking the skills test on the range as well. I was confident I would at least pass, but ended up doing better than all the previous practices. I think knowing that the examiner was fair made me relax. Unfortunately, I was the only one that passed the tests that day, but the rest would retest tomorrow, so our class performance "average" may still turn out all right.
Today I took my test drive. I was so keyed up that I decided failing might be a good thing. That way, the stress of that moment would be gone, and I would better understand what the inspector would be looking for. I could also retest tomorrow if I failed. Frankly, I just wanted some relief from the anxiety. I had a lot riding on this test. Well, as it turns out I passed with a very good score. The examiners just want to make sure you know what you are supposed to be doing. Primarily, they look to see if you maintain control of the vehicle. Everybody is nervous, most people make mistakes, and they realize this. I just let the pressure work on me too much. Well, I now have my CDL, and will be going thru the company orientation next. That is where I will get the specific info on CRST's policies and procedures. Stay tuned............
Today I took my company road test, and although I still need to work on shifting smoothly, I passed. I've been hearing a lot of negative stuff about this test, but it wasn't as bad as a lot of people said. Anyway, I now have to kill time till Monday when we start learning company specific policy, log books, and do paperwork. At this point I think I am an officially a " truck driver ," but won't be comfortable till I am in a truck and hauling a load. However, things are looking better.
One thing I am learning fast, is that people who complain are either covering their own problems, or are not very realistic. Here is a list of complaints that I keep hearing, along with my opinion of those complaints:
"The school doesn't spend enough time on each student". This is both true, and not true. If you have the aptitude to be a driver, and you apply yourself you will make it. The key is to listen to what the instructors say, and always evaluate your own performance. These instructors are good, but they cant pour the information into your head. YOU have to make the effort to use the info they give you. Also, the ratio of students to instructors is fairly high so don't expect constant personal attention, as it is just not possible. If you feel the need for intense personal instruction, this program is not for you. It may sound cold, but some people don't have what it takes to be a truck driver no matter how much time the instructors spend with them. In the case of CRST's driver program, a lot of training is compressed into a minimum of time. Each potential student needs to really ask themselves if this is what they want to do. Maybe the recruiters need to be more selective, but the whole program worked good for me and a lot of others, so I can only say good things about the school and CRST's overall program.
"They don't pay as much as other companies", or "They don't give you enough miles" I hear these comments and just shake my head. For starters, NOBODY starts a new job with little experience and makes the big bucks. Like any occupation, one has to pay one's "dues". And no company will treat you like gold until you have proven yourself. That is just the way it is. As far as pay scales go, there are other companies that offer more cents per mile for rookie drivers, but do they keep you rolling? And how long till your next raise? I know of some companies offering a little more money, but go a lot longer between raises. From what I am seeing here, I could have done a LOT worse.
So from my point of view, I am heading in the right direction. Time (and this journal) will soon tell, but so far I am satisfied. Next will be orientation and then the road training. See you then.
Final Stretch!
Today was the first day of company orientation. My class had divided into two groups, a few of us at the terminal and the rest at a nearby motel. Since finishing class last Wednesday I hadn't seen too much of my class mates till today. We have had a few "casualties" since the last time we were together. One gave up from mirror frustration (that's what I call it) and the other just wasn't able to get used to shifting. He had very little time even driving a car. He tried hard, but just didn't have it. We also lost one who got too caught up partying at the motel. One condition of our schooling is to not drink, and stay out of bars. This sounds kind of over-kill, but the fact is that we are here to learn trucking, not play. In fact, one of the CRST safety personnel equated this program to a three week long job interview. I am fine with that, because my only purpose for coming here is to be a driver for this company. Maybe that sounds a little "gung-ho", but I can't afford to take these people half serious. I truly believe that if I keep the companies best interests in mind, they will do the same for me.
Tomorrow will be more class time. We have been getting a basic dose of DOT info, but most of that information should come from our trainers. I have been told by those in the know that if I feel my trainer is not teaching me what I feel I need, they will be happy to get me another. They seem genuinely concerned that I get quality training which is a real load off my mind. So tomorrow we are in orientation from 7am till late in the evening. I'm glad too, cuz I am ready to roll. I looks like we will be getting our training rides Thursday, but before this journal wraps up I will give you my unbiased and objective evaluation of this experience. For now it's bed time. See ya.
Today was similar to yesterday, regulations, paperwork, pay issues, company specific info, etc. This company is really impressing me by it's apparent commitment to customer and driver. I have no doubt that CRST will be around for a long time so I don't have to worry about getting laid off. And they have a lot of good stuff for drivers AND their families. Long haul trucking is hard on a driver and his or her family, so this company has a good number of support services available. Getting home regularly is something this company wants its drivers to do. In fact, when I asked how long I could stay on the road, the answer was " you can stay out as long as you want, but we don't recommend it because it isn't healthy". WOW. I never thought I would hear this from a truck company.
One thing I have learned since getting here, is that driving the truck is only about half of being a professional driver. The rest is paperwork, trip planning and navigating, customer service, customer relations, and a list of associated tasks. Some people think trucking is "freedom from bosses, stress, and boredom". Not hardly. A driver has to deal with the authorities regularly, a dispatcher constantly, and will have an appointment to keep nearly 98% of the time. Romantic is not a term I would apply to it.
Anyway, tomorrow will be our final day of orientation. Hopefully I will get a driver trainer assigned and then find out where my first run will take me. I can hardly wait! Bye for now.
Here comes the butterflies!
Well, today was the last day of orientation. We got all our paperwork out of the way, and received our credentials. I don't know whether to take a nap or celebrate. I am still a trainee, but at least I have my foot in the door. One cheek on the seat would probably be a better way of putting it.
We went to the operations center to meet our dispatcher. I have been assigned a trainer, but he will be making a delivery before getting here to pick me up. If he is scheduled for a rest, I will won't hit the road till Early Friday morning. For the first five days we won't roll a lot of miles because the trainer will have to ride passenger and get me broken in. I am confident of my ability to drive this truck safely, I just need to get a little smoother with the transmission. The fact that this company insists on safe, professional operation has really made me comfortable about doing this. One of my biggest fears was to be thrown to the lions before getting any kind of mileage under my belt, or find myself having to do anything illegal ( log book monkey business ). I don't have to worry about it because the trainers duties are spelled out on paper, and I have been given a guide to follow which will tell me if I am getting the info and hands on lessons I need. This really impresses me, and frankly my opinion of this company is sky high right now.
I need to jump on the soap box for a minute. When you read these entries it may help you to understand that my opinions result from my attitude toward driving professionally, and the kind of career I want to have. I am no "cowboy". I believe the success of this company will directly benefit me and mine. I will give them 100 percent, and will ask the same. I would also like to move up in this company and think there is opportunity here to do that. If Joe Schmoe thinks that's corny, well too bad. I am responsible for my future, nobody else. My dad told me long ago that a company needs good people to survive and prosper, and I would like to be seen as one of those "good people". I would like the respect of my co-workers. And of course, I would like to make good money. This job won't be my life, but it will be my livelihood and I will spend a large portion of my time doing it. This industry can provide me with a pretty good future, so I might as well make the most of it and go for the gold (pun intended). 'nuff said.
I will try to make another entry before I roll with the trainer, but right now I have to get organized and round up a couple things I'm lacking. I plan on maintaining this journal after I hit the road, webmaster permitting, so stay tuned........
ROAD TRIP !
I wasn't able to get to a computer till today, as I just got home from my training on the road. But I kept a written journal while out on the road, so I will enter it here. Let me tell you, the last few weeks have been an emotional roller coaster. As I pointed out earlier, I am in the CRST driver training program, so your experience will probably differ somewhat, but a lot of what I went through will apply to you to. I wrote the journal in weekly installments, as daily journal keeping was not practical. Comments I make that are current will be in italics.
Thursday, July 18 WOO-HOO! Orientation is done. WE got our company I.D. cards, drivers guides and handbooks and other paperwork. We spent time on route planning and map reading, but I can read a map and plan a trip like nobody's business, so that part was kind of boring. But I get my trainer tomorrow, so I feel pretty good right now. I have met my dispatcher, Aneas Schmitz, and with 7 years on the job, he should know his stuff, so that is good enough for me. He seems to be a good guy so I don't anticipate any BS. I won't give him any, so he won't need to give me any. During my stay here at Cedar Rapids, I would go to the dispatch office on occasion to check my E-mail and update this journal. I had a good chance to watch these folks working, and to get a little taste of what they go through in an average day. Although I was only in a position of outside observer, I saw and heard enough to realize that they have a tough time with quite a few drivers. I don't think I could do their job for long. I have endless patience, except when it comes to verbal abuse. I have no tolerance for that crap. So I promised myself that I wouldn't contribute to the list of problem drivers they have to deal with. And I sure won't give MY dispatcher a bad time!
Friday. I met my trainer in Minneapolis. His name is Jerry, and has 4 years with the company. He is very safety minded, which is good for me. I didn't want to end up in a position of having to break any laws or do anything unsafe. Since Jerry was nearly out of hours, we rolled to a nearby truck stop and laid over for the night. I'm not supposed to drive at night for the first week, by company policy. While at the truck stop, we noticed a chunk of tread missing from a trailer tire. We sent a message to the dispatcher and maintenance requesting a new tire, and had it approved very quickly. jerry told me the company was real good about fixing problems like that, and usually did it in a minimum of time. Good, I am happy to know that. Look at some of the trucks on the road and you will see a lot of junk. Not with this company.
Saturday. We have a load to Portland Oregon, heavy at 42500 pounds. I drive the first part of the trip. Jerry sat up front with me for a couple of hours before concluding that I was "obviously capable of driving this truck safely" and since he was short of hours and we had delivery schedule to meet, he went to bed. I was completely at ease with driving this truck at full load. I have a lot of miles under my belt, and even if not in a big-rig, its all common sense. Proper look out, anticipating road and traffic conditions, driving at a speed reasonable for those conditions, and knowing when to ask for help. I knew I was born to do this.
One of the first things you learn is that truck stops will wipe you out financially. 7 bucks for a shower, Around 10 bucks for any kind of meal, A buck and a half for a 32 cent stamp, 5 bucks for a pack of smokes, 3 bucks for a quart of milk, 8 bucks for a small can of foot powder, etc. Stock up at K-mart or Wally World before you hit the road. Anyway, the trip to Virginia was uneventful, and since we only had about 15000 pounds on I decided to use the opportunity to practice mountain driving with and with out the engine brake. Its a nice item to have, but like anything else mechanical it can fail, so it is wise to practice coming down a mountain without it. And it is unwise to use the engine brake in slipper situations as it can cause a jack knife. Going thru Wyoming was a real experience. The wind was so strong that a lot of trucks I saw looked like sailboats leaning way over in the wind. These fancy tractors with the hi-rise sleepers tend to lean way more than the trailers, and more than a few looked like they would blow over at any minute. Climbing the mountain out of Laramie, we had the wind at our backs, and the truck went up the hills with barely any throttle. I must have been getting twenty miles per gallon for a short time. One thing you will notice if you drive a big rig thru Wyoming is the poor condition of the roads. There are bumps everywhere, but when you see a sign that says "bump" you are in for a good beating. I hit one of these "bumps" and nearly hit the ceiling of the cab. I managed to glance in the mirror to see if my trailer was still attached and I kid you not, the trailer wheels were just coming back to earth. I ended up stopping to inspect the truck. No problems found. Whoever designs these vehicles is a magician or something. The Cumberland Mountains were steep, but nothing like I had envisioned from reading about them. I'm getting to enjoy mountain driving. I like the feeling of accomplishment one gets by getting over them without getting into trouble or hurting the truck. Anyway, we got to Suffolk on time on Friday, then got a short haul to Philadelphia where we dropped the trailer. Having grown up out west, I was surprise at how small East Coast states are. We went thru parts of three states in a matter of hours. We were to take an empty trailer to south New Jersey for a load to Laredo, Texas. Unfortunately Jerry had some disagreement with the week-end dispatchers, so we lost the load and got grounded till Monday morning. I felt like we were being punished and all the bad stuff I heard about the dispatchers started to hit me. We also had some turmoil over an oil leak which did not help matters. I will skip the details about the hassle we had, lets just say I was getting very discouraged. I started to wonder if I had made a bad choice after all. I did as much investigating as I could, but sometimes you find out the hard way. The whole situation really affected my outlook on things. I was wondering how I could get myself in such a mess. I got to the point where I was heading for the phone to give my notice, cuz I didn't feel a trainee should be dealing with these kinds of avoidable problems. But I stopped myself and decided to ride it out. Two and a half days of twiddling my thumbs. By Sunday I was calm. Still frustrated, but calm.
Monday morning we got in touch with our normal dispatcher and get things squared away. Then we get a load from New Jersey to.....SURPRISE! Laredo Texas. I was so mad I was seeing stars. All that B-S for nothing. We get a load to Laredo when we should have already been to Laredo. This was ridiculous. OH WELL. By the time we arrived in south Jersey, we were too late to pick up a load til next A.M. So we spent the night, then picked up Tuesday morning and headed southwest. We had a full load and I could feel it. We went thru Baltimore and Washington D.C. during rush hour, but it wasn't very difficult. Those cities are smaller than one would think. I was reminded of driving 35 miles in San Francisco traffic and taking two and a half hours to do it. This trip was fairly easy, except for the interstate thru Arkansas. That was a hundred plus miles of torture. I hit a joint between the road and a bridge and nearly bit my tongue in half. I wanted to slap whoever was wasting my tax dollars. This was Bill Clintons state too. How that guy got elected is beyond me. He sure didn't know anything about roads. The seat in this truck has air suspension, and is designed to float back and forth as well. A $500 dollar seat. This stretch of road put a hurtin' on it, and me too. Arkansas needs to pluck a bunch more chickens and get it fixed. Then we get to Texas. Smooooth as a babies butt soon as you cross the state line. I like Texas. We got to Laredo early Thursday A.M., took a nap then delivered our trailer. I couldn't stand that town. 40 gazillion flies. So many flies you couldn't drink a pop without tasting one. A donut wouldn't last ten seconds outdoors in Laredo. We spent the night and got a load to Pamona New York. Just in time as Thursday was a cold spell for Laredo, it only hit 96 degrees. By 10 am Friday it was already nearly 100. I don't like Texas.
The run to Pamona New York was easy, as our load only weighed about 8000 pounds. Easy to make good time over mountains with a load like that. The only problem was squeezing thru the town of Pamona do make our delivery. Old cities were laid out in the horse and buggy days, and you come to understand this when you are driving a 71 foot truck thru them. Your head has to be on a swivel, as the bridges and wires overhead can give you the blues in a hurry. I still find myself ducking my head when driving under some bridges. Arch bridges are a pain also. When the sign says 14 feet, that usually means the middle. You have to time it so you can straddle the line without squishing other cars. The police are fine with this, as long as you don't hit anything. Probably because wedging a trailer under a bridge creates a lot of paperwork for everybody. If you have to do it, do it. But be smart about it.
From Pamona we run empty to Bayonne New Jersey to swap trailers. That part of Jersey was real cool, lots of ports with lots of ships. That streets in the port areas are not marked, so asking directions is generally required. If you are a stereotypical male and won't ask for directions, trucking will cure that in a hurry. Time is money Dude. I also found myself turning the truck around in spaces you wouldn't think possible. I love it. I should have done this years ago. This load went to Winchester, West Virginia to a retail store warehouse the size of an airport. 100 plus dock doors. There are bigger warehouses though. These distribution warehouses are measured in acres under the roof. These retail businesses are also good customers to have, since they do a lot of business in the winter months when trucking is traditionally slow. CRST has a good number of these accounts. I am happy about that. From Winchester we bobtailed (no trailer) to CRST's terminal at Carlisle Pa. Jerry left for home time, so I spent the next two days at a motel waiting for another trainer. I got layover pay for these two days so it wasn't too bad.
By now it is late Wednesday night, and my next trainer arrives. He has already picked up a load to Pittsburgh, but is tired so I take the wheel for the remainder of the trip. His name is Scott, 23 with 9 months experience. The run to Pittsburgh is nice, but nothing like arriving there. I am a huge Steeler fan so for me it was like going to the holy land. The freeway went right next to Heinz Field. I could even see the seats thru the giant glass windows. I had a big ol' smile! For a minute, anyway. The freeways were under construction, and of course I ended up on the wrong off ramp. No problem. Just another amazing U-turn and find my way back to the proper road. If these trucks get any longer they will have to put TV. cameras on the back of them, and restrict us from most of the roads we now use. Doing that U-turn must have been a sight 'cuz a couple of motorists got out of their cars to watch. 10 pounds of junk in a 5 pound bag. I even got a little applause when I got headed the other way. A lot better than the big finger I was expecting. I probably don't have the best eyesight in the world, but I do have awesome depth perception and dimensional judgment. Times like those it comes in real handy.
We got to our destination about 3 am, and waited an hour to get unloaded. My trainer was asleep, but didn't appreciate me trying to wake him up, so I docked the trailer myself. Not too hard when you have decent room to work with. We swapped trailers for an empty, then slept till daylight. Leaving Pittsburgh we went to Washington, West Virginia and picked up a multiple stop load. We delivered part to St.Louis, then Kansas City, after which my honey met me at our fuel stop west of K.C. I was within about an hour of the house, so she came up and had dinner with me. It was good to see her. Without her support none of this would have been possible. After a bit we went to Oklahoma City and caught I-40 to Southern California. It was Sunday by this time and our next stop was not till Monday morning so I got the opportunity to visit my brother and his family for a couple hours. Was good to see them too. It had been a long while. This company is good about letting you do things like that so long as its not too far out of route, and the customer is properly taken care of.
Monday morning came and we made our next stop in Fontana Ca., then another stop in Commerce City, then our last stop in Santa Anna. Good thing we were empty because the truck seemed to be way down on power, and was turning into a real dog. We get extra pay for each additional stop, which helps compensate for the time spent swimming thru traffic. L.A. traffic isn't so bad. The freeway signs are hard to read sometimes because the white letters have turned dirty brown, kind of like the air that surrounds them. Sure are a lot of weird looking people in L.A. though. One thing you will notice when driving around that area is the barbed wire wrapped around the freeway sign poles. This is meant to keep spray paint artists (called "taggers") from painting the signs. A few of these taggers fell onto the roadway and got splattered, so the Cal DOT. started using barbed wire to save them from themselves. California is a different kind of place.
Next load was back to Pennsylvania, but I got dropped off at home since my road training was pretty much done. I'm sure Scott found his way out of my little town, or else I would have heard about it. Now I have a week to spend at home, and get caught up on chores and honey-doo's. All totaled, I got about 14000 miles in three and a half weeks. Most of those in the first two weeks. I feel real comfortable in the truck, and will get even more so as time progresses. I already have a co-driver picked out, and we both have the same goals; drive, excel, and make money. I will go back to Cedar Rapids to meet him and pick up our truck. Then it is on the road officially. I can barely wait.
This whole experience has been an emotional roller coaster. Happy one day, miserable the next. But I am glad I did it. I have pretty much come to the conclusion that I did pick a good company to work for, and most of my fears were unfounded. I will do a good job for this company, and they will do a good job for me. I believe this because I have met a lot of others who prove it. In these tough economic times this company is one of few that made money last year, due primarily to a good customer base and a lot of dedicated people. Is truck driving for you? I can't answer that but I will say that a person can do a lot worse. I think the big question would be is driving truck for your family. If you are single and want to do it, go for it. If your family life won't suffer, then it can be a good thing. I will be on the road for 4 weeks at a time, with a week off in between. Different companies have different arrangements. Check them out. But keep one thing in mind. You will hear a lot of talk, good and bad. Make up your own mind. There area lot of companies out there, good and bad. Starting pay is not the only issue. They have to keep you rolling as well. Do your homework as best as you can. And if you do it, make the best of it. Try to be the best at what you do. You will have a better time, and will be rewarded for your efforts. Just make sure you take care of your health. Strap a bike to the back of your truck, or get some kind of exercise. Once you chub-out its tough to loose it. Anyway, I'm outta here. Lots of things to see, and I hope you're one of them.
Best of Luck and God Bless America!
Raymond W. Jones, CRST Van Expedited
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