CDL

Well I got my cdl. I passed with -3 (up to 20) pretrip, -0 (up to 12 ) manuvers, -6 (up to 30) driving part. Basically I passed and got one of the best scores ever. Well then with that said umma go celebrate. On my way to Topeka Kansas with a new friend. He’s gunna give me a ride out there and from there I’ll grey hound it to davenport. This will be the last blog in driver training. Now the real fun begins. I’ll be starting a new blog here so be sure to look for it and I’ll have lots of pics and stuff if u care to see all the things I do and see. Thanks for support everyone and now y’all can call WHENEVER you want.

Test on friday

Got my test date. I go on Friday at 11:30 I believe. Things are getting a bit easier, and I stayed till 8:00p.m. Last night and got a few more manuvers in. I’ll probly be staying until 8:00 every nigh. That along with homework will make it near impossible more than ever to talk but by all means email me an I’ll try and get back to you. I’ll probly have some time to talk Friday morning while I’m waiting to test. Wish me luck and pray for me.

Pre-trip Pre-trip Pre-trip

Woke up to thunder this morning at 6:00a.m, loosing any chance for sleeping in. Weather is definitly foreign to me here in MO. It’s a definite change compared to what I’m used to, being a Californian. I find myself watching weather channel and news about it more. Something I definitly took for granite back in California.
Words we hear every night before leaving school, if your in any week in school is, “what we gonna study tonight/ this weekend?” “pre-trip pre-trip pre-trip!” It’s something that we have to study ourselves. It is getting Easier to memorize with each passing day I study on it. I am getting close to knowing it cover to cover. As far as my backing skills part of the test I’m getting better. What about driving? Well I’m doing fantastic. By wendsday I should have it good 100%. I did pass the schools test which is sapposetly tougher that the D.O.T test. So my main focus is Pre-trip. That’s why there’s not really any time to screw around. Every second of every day other then driving I’m pretty much studying it. Well gatta go study on my trailor pre-trip.

Down town springfield

Well, been stressed last few days pretty hardcore, lots of underlining reasons though. A talk with mom and a little reasurance from newfound friends and I’m back on my way. I been doing really good driving, never stalled, never skid(locked up brakes, only a few “oh shit syndrome” the first couple days but good to go. Pretrip is coming togeather slowly. I am getting better with my manuvers.( still need lots of help on back alley dock. Would u believe I’m one of the ones schedualed for dot test this wendsday! Some are on Friday and some on Thursday but they think I’ll be ready before others cause I’m good listener and I do my hw. Well I’ll make new blog later tomarrow. Hope y’all understand I only call maybe one person a day if even that but this weekend if you’d like to call me go ahead I may not be able to answer. But I’m gonna take easy this weekend.

First time driving/shifting

Welcome. Today I off-set backed left and right side and drove on roads with bobtail(just tractor/ no trailor).it was fun. My instructor was very blunt and thourogh. He was on my every shift pattern and helped so much. I was very good on my first day of shifting up/down. Though we had the best road truck, it was still alot of fun. I even got to drive out of the industrial area and on open road with real traffic. One thing to look up is double clutching if your intersted in learning how It all actually works. I’m sure sites will explain it better. You’ll privly learn that no one does it. Does what u ask? Most never use clutch to even shift out of anything sept it starting gear and back in( usually 3rd gear – 4th). Why we even have to learn it? Well missoury DOT requires us to do it for test. See this process is similar to your manual transmission cars at home sept on down shift you have to brake to 1000 rpm, clutch out of gear, Release clutch,( now in neutral) gas pedal pump to ground for half second, this rises your rpm. To toughly1300-1500 rpm matching your transmission to the road speed, then clutch imidiatly, shifting into lower gear all while never pushing clutch down mor then 1-2 inches from the released position, and not loosing too much rpm, and finding gears with 2 set of gears shift patturns( ie: 1-5 and 6-10 seperates only by a device known as a splitter). So basically all this stuff happens in 1-3 seconds. I know it might not make sense, unless you have experience. Up shift being a little more basic but u clutch out of gear release then clutchin to higher gear, this ahift happena at 1500rpm. Very complecated. Especially with all the stuff boggled in your head from the classes the week before. My mind is so boggled, I’m starting to randomly figure stuff out on my own I though otherwise wouldn’t know or understand, or even remember learning. It’s all slowly comeing togeather though. Hope all are enjoying my blog as I take you through a real trucking experience. Tell all you fam and friends about me.

Long weekend

Hey guys. Was a good weekend. Lots of studying. I got alot done. I’m not so stressed, anymore. Workin on pre-trip inspection. I’m half way done and can now name almost all things accuratly. Let me tell you this, I’ve said “securely mounted, not cracked or broken, no missing nuts or bolts” so many times I can say it backwards. There’s much more than that though. If you don’t understand what I’m talking about, give me a call or message and I’ll explain. I’m confident with my new knowladge and have better understand about confidence in ones self. I believe I’m better in touch with my self and believe in myself more now than ever. Trucking school isn’t for the faint heart. It is very fast paced. The schooling is so tough, the class is actually a 6-8 week program crunched in to 3. Think of it like boot camp with out the drill seargents. And the push-ups of chorse. Sure some people drop out and some just can’t do it but it’s a lot of responsibility. You need to understand that we are hauling 80k and it’s nothing like driving a car. We have to know more. Respond to so many types of scenarios, know how to drive and operate the vehical, plan and operate routes, learn about every vital part in and out of vehicals and function, ensure we are safer than class a drivers, and keep log books updates everytime we change type of shift we are on, and time management. Just to name a few things. Well with all this said all I ask is that knowing what you now know, trucking isn’t just rednecks with pot bellys(no offense) but all responsible drivers with much more knowladge and responsibility and safty than you class c drivers. So all I ask is to have a little respect for them because I’m gonna be one of them. Yawn, tomarrow I drive bob-tail on road for first time.

First time behind wheel

Hey everyone. drove for first time on Friday. All I did was straight line backing, and I did really good and didn’t stall. That was fun. I know that now I’m sappost to have fun but I’m really stressed. I’m staying strong though. 80% of out class went home this weekend. Not smart cause we have alot of studying to do and h.w. There is a cook that’s in a week ahead of our class that is going to do a turkey cookout today. I am working on my pre-trip later today. And I cannot stress enough how important this is on d.o.t test. But I am studying hard and Its starting to get a bit easier. I hope you all are having good weekends and please don’t call me! I will call you when I have time. E-mail if u have any Qs. I get distracted easily but it’s only 2 more weeks left, hopefully! Bye y’all.

Recieved Permit

Hey y’all. Day 3 here at C1 trucking school. Yesterday my class and I all got our CDL permits. I even passed all my endorsment tests: hazmat, doubles/triples, and tankers. My roomate is real nice. we both come to hotel after school and study, and not screw around like other students do. My class mates and teachers are all nice. Things are going real good. Tomarrow we get behind the wheel for first time. It is nice to know that a young ( youngest in my class at 23 year and oldest being I believe 60) Californian such as my self can get along with all these mid westurners and southern. I give alot of credit to our teachers for helping us ALL pass our permits test.

Leaving Oceanside, CA

Hey all. Justin here. Welcome to my first blog! Today, May 31, 2009, I leave for Springfield, MO. As most of you already know I am becoming a truck driver for USA Trucking. I will be attending school for apprx. 3-5 weeks. Then I will drive with a mentor for apprx. 4-6 weeks. Only then will I become a First Seat, Solo driver. I have a contract with USA for 1 year. Hope you guys enjoy my blog as I will try and update it with new things every day/week.