Week Two - Professional Truck Driver Training
Week two is done. Man it was a little bit more intense this weekend. Yesterday we had a fill in instructor who is very spunky, to say the least. My head was crammed so full of information yesterday I thought it would explode! Not to mention the fact that we took not one or two or three, but FOUR tests! EEK!
Thankfully only two of the four count towards our classroom grade and I got a 96% on one and a 100% on the other! Go Gi-Gi!
It was a long day but it was exciting. We finally got our first taste of the training rig we'll be driving in a few more weeks. We took the field trip pretty early in the day, before lunch and before the rains came. We walked out to the one truck which was parked at the other end of the range and the instructor was showing us bits and pieces we had been learning about on the outside of the rig. We were standing front and center staring straight at the cab of the rig when the instructor said, "Hey open that up!"
I turned to look at him and he said, "Yeah, Gi-Gi... you open 'er up so we can take a look under the hood."
Now mind you I've never done this before and I didn't want to look like a fool. I was a little hesitant at first but then I put my foot on the front bumper on what looked like a foot hold and gave the top a firm pull. It came right open. Thankfully, he'd unlatched the clamps during the walk around we did prior to this.
I was surprised at how light it actually was. I was expecting a struggle, and was glad I realized early that it was lighter than anticipated because otherwise I'd have yanked the hell out of it and ended up on my butt on the ground.
So after a quick look around and some instruction, we shut 'er up and was instructed how to climb inside, three point stance at all times, coming and going butt first. We climb up into the rig and take our seats. There are three along the back wall of the cab and two in the front.
The instructor then drove us in circles around the range showing us how the brake system worked and such. It was nice to be able to put actual function to all those confusing words we'd been reading in the manual.
After we were done with the rig the instructor took us to some of the other trailors that were parked at the end of the range to show us some various aspects of them that we would need to know later on. All in all it was a very educational field trip. haha
The rest of the day was spent reading and taking tests. We got out early again... a whole 5 minutes early, which made me very late for Mass.
After church I came home and vegetated for the rest of the evening. I felt terrible that I bailed out on my friends wedding reception but I didn't want to drive half way across the county to go to a bar where I couldn't even drink because I'd have to drive home. So I just sat on the couch until 9:30pm when I promptly went to sleep.
Today our regular instructor was back and it was the same ol' same ol'. He's not thrilled about being there it seems, well ok... he says he's not thrilled about being there. But he guides us through the final section of the handbook and we take one last test. It was tough, and thankfully it doesn't count towards our classroom grade because I only got an 86% on that one.
After the test we sat around and chewed the fat, telling stories and such until about 2:45 pm. At which point he told us to get the heck outta there. Don't have to tell me twice... I was out the door fairly quickly.
Next weekend we're going to be learning the FMCSR (Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations) and Log Books. Then the weekend after that should be more Log Books and Maps. Then we have a break over Memorial Day weekend!
Once we come back from that break it's time to hop in the truck and start learning the really fun stuff!!!! I can't wait!
I've gotta go back this week and retake the "Tankers" portion of my Permit test so I can get that taken care of. So I'll be ready to roll come Week Five! Woo hoo!
Thankfully only two of the four count towards our classroom grade and I got a 96% on one and a 100% on the other! Go Gi-Gi!
It was a long day but it was exciting. We finally got our first taste of the training rig we'll be driving in a few more weeks. We took the field trip pretty early in the day, before lunch and before the rains came. We walked out to the one truck which was parked at the other end of the range and the instructor was showing us bits and pieces we had been learning about on the outside of the rig. We were standing front and center staring straight at the cab of the rig when the instructor said, "Hey open that up!"
I turned to look at him and he said, "Yeah, Gi-Gi... you open 'er up so we can take a look under the hood."
Now mind you I've never done this before and I didn't want to look like a fool. I was a little hesitant at first but then I put my foot on the front bumper on what looked like a foot hold and gave the top a firm pull. It came right open. Thankfully, he'd unlatched the clamps during the walk around we did prior to this.
I was surprised at how light it actually was. I was expecting a struggle, and was glad I realized early that it was lighter than anticipated because otherwise I'd have yanked the hell out of it and ended up on my butt on the ground.
So after a quick look around and some instruction, we shut 'er up and was instructed how to climb inside, three point stance at all times, coming and going butt first. We climb up into the rig and take our seats. There are three along the back wall of the cab and two in the front.
The instructor then drove us in circles around the range showing us how the brake system worked and such. It was nice to be able to put actual function to all those confusing words we'd been reading in the manual.
After we were done with the rig the instructor took us to some of the other trailors that were parked at the end of the range to show us some various aspects of them that we would need to know later on. All in all it was a very educational field trip. haha
The rest of the day was spent reading and taking tests. We got out early again... a whole 5 minutes early, which made me very late for Mass.
After church I came home and vegetated for the rest of the evening. I felt terrible that I bailed out on my friends wedding reception but I didn't want to drive half way across the county to go to a bar where I couldn't even drink because I'd have to drive home. So I just sat on the couch until 9:30pm when I promptly went to sleep.
Today our regular instructor was back and it was the same ol' same ol'. He's not thrilled about being there it seems, well ok... he says he's not thrilled about being there. But he guides us through the final section of the handbook and we take one last test. It was tough, and thankfully it doesn't count towards our classroom grade because I only got an 86% on that one.
After the test we sat around and chewed the fat, telling stories and such until about 2:45 pm. At which point he told us to get the heck outta there. Don't have to tell me twice... I was out the door fairly quickly.
Next weekend we're going to be learning the FMCSR (Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations) and Log Books. Then the weekend after that should be more Log Books and Maps. Then we have a break over Memorial Day weekend!
Once we come back from that break it's time to hop in the truck and start learning the really fun stuff!!!! I can't wait!
I've gotta go back this week and retake the "Tankers" portion of my Permit test so I can get that taken care of. So I'll be ready to roll come Week Five! Woo hoo!
Comments
Here is the first MAJOR failing (in my opinion) of a "fast track" system - but equally it is the only way they can do it.
With that many students, together in the cab, it is near on impossible for even the best instruction to stick.
The students are placed under all sorts of pressure and so is the instructor, that will most certainly result in information not "gelling".
Unfortunately, I doubt there is an alternative method.