Graduation Tomorrow

[Pots&Pans]

Well, I managed to do it. I've passed the training, gotten my CDL, and I am scheduled for my physical/initial training/driving-backing test at Crete Carrier a week from Monday. Then I get assigned my training on 4 Jan.

I'm not a trucker yet, still a N.U.G. in Training for now (and the 8-week training period with the trainer), but at least I know where the gear shifter is.

Drove solo today at school for the first time. Nearly nailed a 4-wheeler who looked right at me and decided to take off with me less than 50' away and doing 45. Think I scared the living s**t out of her. I know she scared me.:ducttape:

 

[lunachic]

congrat's and good-luck......

 

[Tn. Truckers Wife]

Congrat's!!!!!!!!.....What a way to start your first driving experience...lol.....

 

[Mike]

Congratulations. Learn all you can in training.

 

[coachman]

Congrats and be safe out there

 

[patriciajnsn]

Congratulations u couldnt have picked a better company and that 8 weeks training will fly by i just have 1 questiong whats a n.u.g lol
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[Pots&Pans]

Congratulations u couldnt have picked a better company and that 8 weeks training will fly by i just have 1 questiong whats a n.u.g lol
Posted via Mobile Device

patriciajnsn: N.U.G. = New Useless Guy (or Gal).
​

Everyone: Thank you so much for the best wishes. I'm hoping to stack up to your level someday. But, then, you'll be levels ahead of me again. Such a vicious cycle.:runningaround:

 

[Pots&Pans]

Tomorrow's the big day; I report to Crete. Of course, this isn't orientation (so much), just me having to have a new DOT Physical, Drug/Alcohol screen, and initial Road Test before I am assigned to a trainer. Of course, there's the briefing on how to fill-out their paperwork and on their expectations for my training period.

I do so hope, unlike the facility that did the physical before I started class, that they take my blood pressure BEFORE the have me do the physical exertion test.

 

[Grinder]

Congrats!

This is a good time of year to train. You wont develop bad habits that will get you in trouble during summer.

Just watch for the 4wheelers that pass you on bad roads, cut in front of you and then slow down...

You'll be fine.

 

[Jmurman]

Tomorrow's the big day; I report to Crete. Of course, this isn't orientation (so much), just me having to have a new DOT Physical, Drug/Alcohol screen, and initial Road Test before I am assigned to a trainer. Of course, there's the briefing on how to fill-out their paperwork and on their expectations for my training period.

I do so hope, unlike the facility that did the physical before I started class, that they take my blood pressure BEFORE the have me do the physical exertion test.

Good luck to you on your first day. Are you going to PA for your orientation?


Crete is a good company from everything I've read. Let us know how it goes.

 

[Pots&Pans]

Congrats!

This is a good time of year to train. You wont develop bad habits that will get you in trouble during summer.

Just watch for the 4wheelers that pass you on bad roads, cut in front of you and then slow down...

You'll be fine.

Thank you very much. I did learn in school to watch out for that time of driver on good roads, realizing how much of a butt I'd been at times. As to the time of year I'll be training, I agree. Better to learn to deal with wintry conditions driving a rig with a trainer present than on my own.

Good luck to you on your first day. Are you going to PA for your orientation?


Crete is a good company from everything I've read. Let us know how it goes.

Naw. Nebraska. I live less that 3 miles due east of their corporate headquarters. If it weren't for the sub-freezing temperatures, gusts to 40 mph, and 20+ inches of snow on the ground, I might have walked out there.
​

The only real concern at this point is that my blood pressure is still a little elevated as it was back in September. However since I started driving school back in October, I've lost some weight largely due to not snacking all the time and having to haul my big behind up and down the truck. That's a lot more exercise than I got sitting at a desk.

 

[Pots&Pans]

Graduation Update

Today went smoothly enough. The roads weren't to Safety's liking, so we're doing our road test/backing test tomorrow. Only problem I had was filling the cup for the drug screen immediately ("...and I don't mean tea"). That's the first time in nearly 40 years of having to provide a specimen for such tests. Pis... Irritated me no end.

On a positive note, I'm 20 pounds lighter (though still pushing 300) and my blood pressure is 14 points lower than just three months ago, so I'm now on a 24-month cycle instead of 12-month. Now if I can keep this up... :yippee2:

 

[patriciajnsn]

I had to take a random drug test just be4 xmas i never hav any trouble going to the bathroom but the time i had to i couldnt sat in the waiting room half hr while drinking 20 cups of water i counted lol
Posted via Mobile Device

 

[Pots&Pans]

Progress was made:

1. Road test passed (though I still suck at down shifting).
2. Backing test passed (though I did have to take a pull up as I was on the stall line).
3. Finished pre-screening orientation, theHAZMAT training, and met with my Fleet Manager.

Now all that's left is to get the drug screening test back, marry up with my trainer, and "...get to gettin'..." (quoting my late father now).

 

[Grinder]

#1 will be taken care of soon enough.

What kind of tranny are you using? I drove a straight 10 and downshifting to 5th gear can be hard to hit sometimes, even after driving for some years. But downshifting all the way down to 5th didnt happen too often.

#2, I'm not sure what you mean by "stall line", but having to take a pull up is common in the Real World. You'll luck out sometimes, but not often.

 

[Pots&Pans]

#1 will be taken care of soon enough.

What kind of tranny are you using? I drove a straight 10 and downshifting to 5th gear can be hard to hit sometimes, even after driving for some years. But downshifting all the way down to 5th didnt happen too often.

Straight 10. The situation was coming up on a red light, downshifting, and when I dropped below 15 mph and the engine started to lug, I tried to slip into 5th and missed the gear. Of course, the light changed on me and I had to go for 4th to maintain movement, which worked.

#2, I'm not sure what you mean by "stall line", but having to take a pull up is common in the Real World. You'll luck out sometimes, but not often.

I mean the painted lines on the parking lot. We gotten over 20" of snow (10" on Christmas Eve) and then heavy winds and drifts. The removal crew had only gotten one half of the dock bays cleared by today, so the tester had me back between a trailer and where they'd piled the snow for the entire south lot. I overshot the slot coming in and wasn't aligned very well at first. Once I got the end of the trailer where I liked it, I pulled up to straighten up, then just back straight in.