Week 6 - Professional Truck Driver Training
Shew! Week 6 was exhausting! On Saturday, we got to the school and sat for about 15 minutes before getting the day started. Then it was out to the range to do a pre-trip inspection. I'm getting the hang of it more I think. We'll see come test day. But after that we all loaded up into the truck, one of the other students in the drivers seat and the instructor in the passenger seat and off we went. We took a nice route out of town eventually ending up on Rt. 62 which is a nice gently winding road. Our first stop of the day was a truck stop about 26 miles away for an early lunch. And it was tasty!
Then it was my turn. I hopped in the drivers seat and adjusted it to fit and then we were off once again. My ending destination was about 24 miles away in my old stomping grounds of St. Albans. I just got to pull off the side of the road and let the next driver take over though. No treats for Gi-Gi! haha
Then it was on to Kanawha City's Go-Mart truckstop on the upper end of town. We got to stop, get drinks, use the restroom, and stretch our legs while talking to a "real truck driver". He was nasty... was wearing the dirtiest sweat suit I've ever seen, smelled like kitty litter and ham too. WTF is up with that?! After about half hour we loaded up once again and headed back towards the school.
I think I did pretty good that day. I wish I'd gotten more time to drive though. But I'm sure next weekend we'll get more time and I know for sure the weekend after next, test weekend, we will at least run the test route two or three times each the day before the actual test.
Sunday it was all day at the range practicing our backup maneuvers. I was knocking the straight line outta the park every time. But I was having much more difficulty with the 45 degree backing. I don't know if it was because I was over analyzing or if I was just honestly screwing it up and finding out too late to correct it. But it was taking me two and three pull-up's to get that sucker in the hole. I hope I get better at that before test day. Man... it was rough yesterday.
So now I'm sitting here sore as all hell, feeling a little discouraged, but still in the game. I know I will get this stuff down pat, but man it's definitly a work in progress that needs to progress. haha!
But hey... I'm two weeks closer to getting my license and just about a month out from leaving for Green Bay, WI!!! Holy crap!
Then it was my turn. I hopped in the drivers seat and adjusted it to fit and then we were off once again. My ending destination was about 24 miles away in my old stomping grounds of St. Albans. I just got to pull off the side of the road and let the next driver take over though. No treats for Gi-Gi! haha
Then it was on to Kanawha City's Go-Mart truckstop on the upper end of town. We got to stop, get drinks, use the restroom, and stretch our legs while talking to a "real truck driver". He was nasty... was wearing the dirtiest sweat suit I've ever seen, smelled like kitty litter and ham too. WTF is up with that?! After about half hour we loaded up once again and headed back towards the school.
I think I did pretty good that day. I wish I'd gotten more time to drive though. But I'm sure next weekend we'll get more time and I know for sure the weekend after next, test weekend, we will at least run the test route two or three times each the day before the actual test.
Sunday it was all day at the range practicing our backup maneuvers. I was knocking the straight line outta the park every time. But I was having much more difficulty with the 45 degree backing. I don't know if it was because I was over analyzing or if I was just honestly screwing it up and finding out too late to correct it. But it was taking me two and three pull-up's to get that sucker in the hole. I hope I get better at that before test day. Man... it was rough yesterday.
So now I'm sitting here sore as all hell, feeling a little discouraged, but still in the game. I know I will get this stuff down pat, but man it's definitly a work in progress that needs to progress. haha!
But hey... I'm two weeks closer to getting my license and just about a month out from leaving for Green Bay, WI!!! Holy crap!
Comments
Pictures are worth a thousand words.
Which is good for those who suck at writing i suppose (like me).
I'm gonna try to take it with me today (big test day) so that when I get that piece of paper that says I passed I can have my foto-op! haha