October 12, 2001

I arrive at the designated office September the 26th and write my check for rental of an apartment for the duration of my school. They place me with a couple of other students from Texas that are a week ahead of me. Nice apartment, 2 bedrooms, bath, washer/dryer, and a fully equipped kitchen. I'm excited and ready to get the school thing going. That afternoon the 1st week students show up at the Driver Institute at the Arkansas State University for the urine test. I always hate these since I have bashful kidneys. But hey, at least they don't stand there and stare at you like they always did in the military. After making our deposit in the plastic glass we go back to our designated apartments and wait for the first day of class on Thursday.

Thursday morning we all arrive and receive orientation, packets, welcomes etc. I'm a cash student, unlike 98% of the class, so I write out a check for $1110. They tell us the rules of the range, the rules of the apartments and other needed information. We're told we'll be driving the trucks Friday afternoon. Friday morning we have another class and finally the afternoon arrives. For the CDL test you have to be able to back a tractor/trailer rig for 100 ft. So this school has barrels lined up 3 times that distance. You must be able to back straight for 300 feet before moving on to the rest of the range. For 3 days we pull up, back up, pull up, back up, pull up, back up, pull...........   well, you get the idea.

We also have more classes to get ready for the CDL written test which is Monday morning. Once the written test is out of the way, we're evaluated on our straight line backing and then it's on to the range. It's laid out so that you perform a right hand turn, a dock back, a straight back, and finally a serpentine. There's one particular outstanding instructor, named Eddie, that grabs your mirror, walks along side your tractor, tells you how to turn your vehicle, and puts it right into that hole every time. If only it went that well when Eddie wasn't holding on to your mirror. And gee, it was just like Rachelle outlined it in her book for 90 degree dock backing.

After the instructors show you how to maneuver the different challenges on the range they leave you alone to practice. If you need their help, they are always close by. That's the way I like it. Show me how it's done, then go away. I spent the next two days on the range yelling at myself, yelling at God and calling myself every name in the book. I couldn't get the back of the trailer to drift into that barrel lined dock to save my life. I'd scream at myself, "You suck Yelverton! You're a rock! No, you're stupider than a rock! No, you're dumber than the dirt below the rock! You're never going to get this!" I'd pull the parking brakes, get out of the truck and walk out to the middle of the field next to the range attempting to cool off and calm down. Okay, I feel better now. Let's try it again. "Geez, you suck Yelverton..............." and I stayed frustrated for two days. The instructors would smile and say, "It'll come to you." Yeah right. It'll come to me. What if I rip your throat out and drop kick it across the range. I know I'd feel better. Turns out the majority of my classmates were going through the same frustration. One gentleman from Alabama got out of the truck with his backpack and left the range. He was quitting and catching the next Greyhound bus to Alabama. One of the instructors brought him back and put him back in the truck. (He graduated today : ) By the third day on the range, guess what, the instructors weren't lying after all. It was starting to work. You really could see the trailer drifting into the dock. I finally started feeling pretty good about myself again. I could even get the serpentine with no more than one pull-up. Cool! I'm a god. Outta my way. I'm a natural born truck driver. Heh heh. I'm cocky as heck now.

Between ranges and classes they squeezed in road trips. The 1st road trip was driving highway 67 out of Newport and exiting the highway, then immediately entering the highway, exiting, entering, exiting, entering, grind, grind, double clutch......hmm let's see, downshifting to neutral at 1000 rpm, revving up to 1700, down shift at about 1500 to the next gear.....no wait, I'm shifting up this time, uh, shift up at about 1500 rpm............sheesh! Double clutch, double clutch, double clutch. At the end of the day my left leg resembles Jell-O. Wobble, wobble, wobble.

Next road trip we go down this itty bitty two lane for a couple of hours, through these itty bitty towns. Well, it all looks itty bitty to a student anyway. Next trip we go through windy roads and mountains. Okay, the instructor said it was a hill. But to me, on my third road trip, in the rain, that sucker was a mountain. I had to put shades on because the glare off my white knuckles was blinding me. The instructors would teach us different techniques on the road trip, things like, when you get in the real world, don't blow your horn when you're backing at the truck stop. Your fellow drivers are trying to sleep. Wow, just like Rachelle said in her book!

Then there's the Pretrip. The instructor, Duane, starts the instruction by saying, "Do it just like I do it and you'll ace this test." Heh heh, I turned on my micro cassette recorder and taped the whole thing. My little tape player and I spent several mornings before sunup at the range walking around the rigs with a flashlight. When it came time for the test I got 106 out of 108. Of all the things to miss.............the air compressor. Geez, what a dope. That's what I get for always studying a Freightliner and then getting an International for the test. When I came from the windshield wiper down to the engine, on the driver side, my mind went blank. My subconscious starts talking, "Something belongs here, something belongs here...........oh well, next we have the power steering fluid level." Sigh. Oh well, I passed.

Anyway, after many, many hours of range driving and many, many miles of road driving it's time for the tests. First it's the range. You can loose up to 14 points and pass the CDL. I'm not taking any chances. I've given myself two rules:  don't hit barrels and do whatever it takes in pull-ups to not hit barrels. They have lines drawn out from the barrel on the right hand turn. The object is to cross the line nearest the barrel. Screw that. I just want to miss the friggin' barrel. Lost 2 points. Don't care. I missed the barrel. I did 3 pull-ups to get it in the dock. Don't care. I missed the barrels. One pull-up on the serpentine. Don't care. I missed the barrels. Lost 6 points in all. 7 is the average. I didn't think I was nervous but when I went for a hard left to bring the tractor under the trailer, my hand slipped off the steering wheel. I was sweating like a pig. Do pigs sweat?

They have one more challenge for the school test. A very tight, short approach backing in between two trailers. I hit it on the first try. No, you don't understand. I mean I hit the trailer on the first try, not the hole. Geez. So I have to go around and set up my approach again. The student that is before me carefully backs in.........BAM......heh heh, he hit it, too. I'm redeemed! I put it in on my next try with one pull up. Go figure.

The next morning it's time for the road test. Boom, boom, boom......what the heck is that racket? Oh, my heart is pounding, hands are sweaty, better go to the men's room before I pee on myself. The instructor has said he never gives a 90 or above to students. I step into the cab and say, "You're looking at your first 90!" Okay. I pull out of the truck stop at the Exxon and make a right. Another right at the stop sign where some instructors tell you that you must stop and others say you don't have to because there is no stop line to the lane curving into 67, so all you have to do is yield. The trick here is to find out what your evaluator expects you to do, and do it. Drive down to the first exit and make a right. Watch it! Don't let that rear tire go across that white line. Down to the WalMart and make another left. Careful, this is where a student pulled his trailer across the front of a pickup. Down to the next light, another left. Hmm, speed limit is 35 but the suggested speed on the curve is 40. Weird. Guess I have to speed up for the curve. Heh heh. At the next stop sign, another left back to 67 then back to the Exxon. Oh, and I didn't get a 90, I got an 89. Grumble, grumble. I pick up my brand new Arkansas hardcopy. That looks weird. Arkansas above my picture. Can't wait to get back to Texas and take care of that.

So, here's my advice to those of you headed for truck driving schools. Be patient. When you get frustrated, you ain't the only one. When you think you'll never get it, you ain't the only one. Hang in there. You really will get it, just like the instructors say. So don't rip out any throats and drop kick them across the range. Also, truck driving school is kind of like boot camp. You're thrown in with all walks of life. Treat each other with respect. If you aren't already guaranteed a job with a carrier, get those applications in and FOLLOW UP. Don't wait for them to get back with you. Two of mine claimed they never got the fax. Yeah right. Treat the staff at the school with respect and don't whine. They have enough stress on their plate without a crybaby whining about every little thing that they think isn't going their way. That's for you Katie, Cindy, and Terri.

Last, but not least, for you young folks, dress and act like a professional. Don't look like you stepped out of a street gang, your pants hanging half way down your butt, and thinking you're all that. You're not. Whether you like it or not you are judged by your appearance and your attitude.

For those of you at ASU, thanks for your help. You got me through the baby steps, now I'll see if I can walk on my own. On Monday, the 22nd of October, I go to my orientation in Texarkana with the carrier of my choice for 3 days then I hit the road with my trainer for 3-4 weeks before I get my own truck. So come on back after the 22nd and I'll let you know how things are going. It may be after the 3-4 weeks but I will bring you up to date. Oh, and Rachelle, thanks for an absolutely wonderful website just packed with information. I read your book cover to cover and it has helped prepare me for this new career. I hope to run into you at a truck stop some day (not literally of course) and buy you lunch. Okay, I plugged the book, when do I get my check? (For those of you that don't immediately pick up on sarcasm, I'm kidding. : ) See all of y'all a few weeks down the road.

October 23, 2001

Okay. I have gone through orientation, filled the plastic cup, and taken my road test. Now I'm waiting for my trainer. Had to take my road test in a 10 speed. My trainer will have an automatic. So, after driving an automatic for 4 weeks, they put me back in a 10 speed. Okay. Uh-huh. That makes sense.

I've been commuting from my little town to our terminal in Texarkana but I'll be spending the night in the "bunkhouse" tomorrow night if my trainer hasn't shown up yet. I did learn that I won't be using the in-cab email system. All the carriers advertise it to new students in their brochures but they don't bother telling you it's expensive as heck. They told us at orientation that we're better off using a mobile home to stay in touch with home. So I'll be using that AT&T Wireless, no roam, no long distance, nationwide service.

Thank you for your nice compliments above!  We'll have to negotiate that payment. :)  I tell you, I've been waiting and waiting and waiting to "run into" someone who has been a frequent visitor to the site, a journal keeper, etc, but it hasn't happened as of yet.  I will keep hoping.  If any of you out there ever see a, well, "thirty-ish" brunette with a sky-blue Freightliner, it's probably me.  Can't hurt to ask, anyway.   Heck, maybe I'll buy you lunch!