Went to bed early last night, about 9pm and found myself awake at 5:30. Went into the store to get some coffee and Dallia was on the Qualcomm. She said Werner had asked if we could drive the truck back to the terminal and I said that beats just sitting here. We drove back and only had to stop three times. Its noon now as I'm writing and Dallia is telling me that she has put a call into another company who has already done her background check and is ready to hire her. She says is fed up with not having made any money this past month and I see her point. For me though, I suppose I will be asking for another trainer and I'm not happy about that because for one, non-smoking female trainers are hard to come by (I think I got lucky) and I've already been sitting a week and, two, what are the chances I would find someone who prefers to eat healthier. I don't really feel like going back to the motel and waiting some more although I would have internet. But I also have the chance of sharing the bed with some lady I don't even know. That's what happened Saturday morning. My phone would ring a couple of times, I'd go answer it but there would only be the dial tone. This happened a couple of times so I called the front desk and they told me I was getting a room-mate. I was already packing up to leave so I knew that wasn't happening but still I asked, "Even if I have a double bed?" "Yes, it's in the contract you signed (that I didn't read because I had a room-mate already)". But what, really, are my choices now? I think the right thing for Werner to do is give us a truck that works and put us on the road. I want to get going, too, because Joe is driving and the time we should be getting back together is getting further along. I had already figured it wouldn't actually be two months but more like two and a half months until we met again because of where we would be when we qualified and when we would each qualify. Also, if the trainer thinks you're a safe driver and you've got it then they can qualify you at 210 hours instead of 275 hours.
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
August 25, 2008, Monday ~ We’re back in Omaha
August 24, 2008
I'm starting to lose track of days but today should be the big day, the day I drive the rig for real. But let me go back to Wednesday.
On Wednesday Joe and I were in limbo, so to speak because we were done with orientation and now we were just waiting to get assigned to our respective trainers. We decided to go take a look at the terminal and see what it had to offer. It's a nice place. It has a beauty shop, an arcade room, a game room with a couple of pool tables, an area with a number of recliners in front of a TV, a gym, a laundry room, and a store. There is also a machine to check your blood pressure; mine was up a bit but not bad (yesterday I checked again and my diastolic, the low number, was 77 but my pulse was 104! What was that about?). Anyway, we popped some clothes into a washer, went to eat breakfast at their cafeteria which I was told was "good" but I beg to differ, not good. They had your basic cafeteria fare; I had a bagel, melon, and tomato juice.
We were told to go by and meet our Student Driver Managers (SDM) so we could all put a face to our names so we did that and that was when Joe was assigned his trainer. He looked at me and stuck out his bottom lip in a pout. It was so cute but my world rocked at that moment. So he got the name of his trainer, Octavio, and we went back to the room to pack. It took about two hours for Octavio to get there and I had a good cry, actually a lot of them. I'm much more stable now but that was hard. It's been about fifteen years since I've been apart from Joe for any length of time and you just get used to things. But, like I said, I'm OK now. I walked out with him to the truck, took a peak, and then he was gone.
And then he called me a little while later and that brightened up my day. I didn't think I would be talking to him very much but he calls me frequently throughout the day so that's nice, too. I decided I needed to get some good food. I didn't want leftovers from restaurants, I wanted some real food. Before Joe had left, we dug up all our money and split it evenly between us. I promptly found a Whole Foods Market and spent the majority of my money there. Good going, Ali but now I had some vegetables to make a salad and some fruit and yoghurt to make a fruit salad in the morning. I tried to be wise about my spending but unfortunately I passed by a cart that had barbequed meats and since I trusted these meats were from animals fed a natural diet, I couldn't resist the smell, my mouth started watering and my feet got stuck and my mind got focused and the little good angel and the little bad devil started arguing and the devil won. I bought a small amount of each at ten dollars a pound! Oh, but did it taste sooooo good! It was worth it, though! But now I was basically broke and a bit worried because I wasn't sure where I was going to get some more cash. I certainly wasn't going to tell Joe I just blew my money. Oh, no, that wouldn't work at all.
I went to the room, put my groceries away, and decided to check out the lake. So I took my barbequed meat down there and my school stuff. I didn't think to bring a fork or a napkin though, stupid. So I ate with my fingers and tried to read but it was too windy. Trying to keep the pages down with barbeque sauce on my fingers was not working so I went back to the room. I decided to call my SDM and find out if he'd heard anything. Well, lo and behold, I too, now had a trainer. Yahoo! Her name I was told, was Dallia …and that's all I was told. Based on what happened with Joe, I figured I would be outta there in a couple of hours so I got everything packed up, fretted about what to do with my food cuz I didn't know if she had a fridge or any room in that fridge. And then I waited…and waited…and got pissed. What the hell? By the time I went to bed she still hadn't called.
The next day, Thursday, I went downstairs to get some new clothes to wear out of my duffle bag in the trunk, took a shower, ate my fruit salad, answered my emails, complained to my mom, Joe, my friends. Around 10am I decided to call my SDM and find out what was going on. He gave me Dallia's cell and I called her but all she told me was that her truck had been being repaired and she was on another phone call. I waited for her to call me back but after about another 4 hrs I called her again and she told me she would call me when she knew something. I didn't hear from her for the rest of the day.
I decided I needed to get some more food but not at Whole Foods. This time I went to Super Saver. I don't like those stores. It was a carbon copy of Food 4 Less in California that I would go to when I was poor. I couldn't even get my loaf of bread at this store but one thing I did appreciate…I got to buy a mangosteen. Apparently the store features exotic fruits, a different one every month. This month it was the mangosteen which I have never had an opportunity to even consider trying. I am glad I did. It was tasty, very sweet but didn't last too long and it cost me $2. I was going to get two but $4 for some fruit?
Friday, I just stayed in the room, worked on the computer, and waited. I decided that if I did not hear from her by Saturday morning I would call my SDM and ask for another trainer. I was thinking, "How rude not to just call and let me know what's going on." But then I would remind myself that I don't know her situation so I made myself be patient and calm. At 6:30 she called and asked me to meet her at the terminal by 8am. OK, now things were rolling.
Well, let's just say that first, we get along just fine and we even desire to eat the same kinds of foods, in other words, eat as healthy as possible given the lifestyle we have. I transferred my gear into her rather small cab and then we went to go pick up a trailer. Well, it was red-tagged and we couldn't take it. That meant they had to do something with the trailer but it should be ready around ten in the morning.
Sunday we get up and discover that we have a message on the Qualcomm informing us that we have had a new trailer to pick up since 4:30 that morning! What the heck? So we pick up this new trailer and now have a new destination, too; Grand Junction, Colorado. Yesterday was Helena, Montana. Finally we are actually on the road, yippee! Over the mountains we go. This is gonna be great! Well, I'd say about 10 miles out I start smelling some kinda smell you don't wanna smell when you're driving. And then, some lights on the dash started coming on but all of our gauges were showing normal. We drove maybe another 10 miles and the lights on the dash came on again but by the time Dallia could look they were out. Finally, one of them started blinking and I lost power and had to pull over. Dallia climbed into the driver's seat, turned the key on and off we went. She said she knew the drill by now about breaking down, that they would ask, "Did you try starting the engine?" Hmmm. So we drove to a rest stop and took a look to see if we could find a problem. Couldn't find anything wrong but did smell that smell by the catwalk area, behind the tractor. Off we went again, this time me driving…until lights started blinking and I didn't have any power again. I pulled over, Dallia took the driver's seat and we drove to the Petro truck stop in York, about 90 miles out of Omaha. According to what Werner could see by the Qualcomm, we were low on coolant. So we popped the hood but no, we weren't low on coolant. We had a mechanic take a look at things just to be sure but he couldn't find anything wrong either. So, here we sit. And now we just got word that we are going to be swapped out; someone is coming to get our trailer and we're to stay here to get the truck fixed tomorrow morning. Apparently there is a dealership across the way.
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
August 20, 08 Waiting...alone.
As students, we have been assigned what are called SDMs, student driver managers, to help us with any issues we might have including issues with our trainers. I called my SDM around 4:00 to ask how late at night should I expect to get a call from someone about a trainer for me. He didn't answer that question, instead he told me that I had a trainer assigned to me and I should be expecting a call from her. Well, it is now 9pm and I am thinking sleep would be a good thing. At this point, I think I will get a call tomorrow but, funny, I packed everything 'cept my 'puter and put it in the car already and I've already been back down to bring some stuff back up (second floor, of course).
I've been kinda of tense about getting this phone call that is going to send me on my way. There have been a few times today when someone has called me but my phone didn't ring and also did not show that I missed the call. I don't want to be considered missing in action and fired before I even start. But they said they would call the room, too and there is no message waiting. OK, tomorrow then, I'm resigned.
Joe and I went over to Werner today to check out their facilities, do some laundry, and meet our SDMs. That was when Joe was told that his time was up. Two hours later he was gone. I kinda thought that's how it would happen for me too but, no. I'm still here. Well, that's OK, too, cuz I had just come back from Whole Foods Market and had dinner and breakfast in a bag. When I was told I had been assigned to a trainer my first thought was, "is all of this food going to fit in her cooler?" So I ate my salad and I will have my fruit salad in the morning and that should reduce the amount of "stuff" I bring on her truck. I do not want to impose.
I have heard from Joe a couple of times since he left (thank goodness) and sooner than I had thought I would, so that was nice. He said it was much better driving a fully loaded tractor/trailer, much smoother. I asked him if it was quiet in the cab and he told me, "yes, much quieter than the trucks we used to train in". He also said the AC worked just fine as I sit in the room with no AC on, just the windows open and the fresh air coming in.
I guess I'll go down to the car and get my comfies and turn in for the night. I need to be refreshed and I'm actually relieved that I am not (I think) going to be asked to drive tonight. Students can't drive between midnight and 6am for the first two weeks. I'm relieved but I wished I had had more of a head's up, ya know. Will post when I can~~~
Monday, August 18, 2008
Orientation; day one
Well, other than a huge amount of paperwork along with a significant amount of information packed into a very long, 12 hour day, day one was fairly insignificant. However, I have been wanting to find out more about the training period and my trainer. As it happens, I get the sneaking suspicion that I'm not being told everything outright.
This is some of what I understand "could" happen. Tomorrow is the second day of orientation and for some people that could mean they start their training. In fact, we were given computer-based-training modules to compete after class today. We were told we would want to complete the majority of the modules today so as to be more available tomorrow should a trainer be ready to take you away.
As for me starting training tomorrow, I understand my chances have been reduced greatly by my having asked for a non-smoking female given the fact that most drivers are smoking males. This means that Joe has a much greater chance of leaving me tomorrow or the next day and starting his 275 hours ahead of me. I also asked if I can complete my training all in one shot and was told, yes. I was also told that they try to arrange for a trainer in my geographic location so if they would want some time off I might get some time off as well but to my way of thinking that conflicts with what I was told about the completing the training all in one shot. But here is the worrisome part. Joe could possibly finish his training before I do and, in that case, instead of him sitting around waiting for me, he would likely go do a solo run. And I (and Joe, too) will likely finish our training anywhere in the US. So, on top of finishing our training at different times, we will probably finish them in different locations. And I did not anticipate doing a run by myself. No, I will not like that. The training is already going to be 6-8 weeks long, how much longer then, are we going to be doing solo's trying to get back to Omaha so that we can get home? Remember, we drove our car here and one of us needs to get that car back home. I am not going to relish the idea of driving 500 miles home by myself. Then again...my music, my temperature setting, windows open if I want...or not. Hmmmm. But no, way too boring.
I did find out something good, though. I learned that because of the increase in fuel costs that the tractors are being outfitted with APU's. I think that stands for "auxillary power units" and that means that I can plug my laptop into an actual plug. Yeah.
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Post test revelations
Hi,
Yeah, that's me; I did it. I passed my CDL exam! Nurse gone trucker. What's the matter with me anyway, huh? Well, if you knew me you would understand. Not gonna be a degreed drug pusher for Big Pharma anymore.
I guess I would have to say that I really wasn't too worried about taking the exam. I knew I wouldn't be perfect but I didn't think I would fail and I didn't. BTW the old gent I was talking about in a previous blog didn't turn out to be old and crotchety like I had thought; he was actually pretty nice (especially since he passed me ;).
I think the most difficult thing about driving a truck is the shifting. But while you are shifting you also need to be double-clutching (NOT putting the clutch pedal all the way to the floor like my leg would do all on its own as if I were driving a car), holding onto the steering wheel, and looking in ALL your mirrors all at the same time. Funny but, yeah, important.
"D" day seems to Monday, our day of orientation, actually, Monday and Tuesday and then, Wednesday, we are supposed to go our separate ways with our respective trainers, for, OMG, 6-8 weeks!!!
We’re on our way back home, for just a moment. Due to a glitch in the state’s examiner’s system (an examiner got fired) we now have two days downtime instead of none. We will be taking our test on Sunday, the 10th. We have to show up at the ungodly hour of 5:30 am. Then we wait, either for our turn or for each other, whoever goes first.
I am not worried. I have been told by my instructor that I will pass. I am not nervous as there is nothing to be nervous about. It is just a test and the examiner is just an unsmiling, 80 year old gent, who does not appear to like his job anymore but hey, the weather is great and there is nothing to worry about, right? Just a test…and I will not fail.
We got a job offer from Werner Enterprises and so far we have decided to accept this position. I am aware that Werner is just a starter company and that there are much better ones out there. But we are very low on the totem pole and understand that we have to take what we can get right now. We can start as early as Wednesday but will probably start on Monday, the 18th . Here is the breakdown as I know it.
Pack…leave Sunday afternoon…unpack in my new room. Hmmm, it seems my life will, from now on, be a series of packing and unpacking or in various states thereof but, not to worry, I have been exposed to this lifestyle in my formative years when I lived with my grandparents who owned a town house and a beach house. I am aware I probably did little of the actual packing then but I only claimed exposure. Monday we attend orientation which, I think, lasts two days and includes yet another drug test/physical. Then, apparently, we join our respective trainers for about 3 weeks of training. Gratefully, we get to come home for a week and be with each other. I don’t really see this idea as coinciding too smoothly as, to my way of thinking, we will each have different runs and one of us might get in a day sooner than the other. Also, I see us being called back to Werner when one of the trainers has to go out again (oh, did I mention the training facility is in Indianapolis, Indiana? This is an update; in the mean time I have received our orientation packet from Werner telling us to head to Nebraska! I called our recruiter to inquire about this minor change of plans. According to her, either place is fine but if we want to leave our car when we go out on the road we need to go to the Nebraska facility as there is no place to leave our car in Indianapolis. Of course, we could also take Greyhound, not!). Then we go out for another 3 weeks or so. I understand we are supposed to have 6 to 8 weeks of training! That’s a long time! I hope I get a nice trainer and that this experience is a pleasant one. I am, though, more scared of doing something stupid in front of the trainer than I am of doing something stupid in front of the examiner. Joe thinks that is an exceptionally long time to train and I have to agree. Should be able to get it within a four-week period of time, at least! Joe says let’s just get the training over and done with since we will each be making half of what we were at our former jobs. This training period is cutting into our ability to pay bills, a low for sure but it should get much better once we have our own truck.
Anyway, I can only assume some things and have many questions at this point. Joe says I have to stuff all of my possessions into one duffle bag. Sure! I am already starting off this job with a slightly more than a slight case of separation anxiety. Now I have to suffer from “possessional deficit” as well?
Then there is the issue of what to eat. What if she is a true trucker (whatever that is) who actually likes to eat at truck stops? Or will she have a fridge in the truck? Will she be amenable to stopping at grocery stores so I can,…what? Store a bunch of my salad makings in her fridge? How much space in the truck will I get? My duffle bag and bunk and a seat to sit on? Lots of uncertainty here.
The driving school experience was better than what I had thought it was going to be. I can’t believe I learned as much as I did in only 8 ½ days. I know I have a lot to learn still but that last day went SOOOO slow. Get this; after learning all that shifting, which is a mighty complicated set of movements, Werner, apparently, has automatics. My instructor called us sissies but, coming from him, it was funny. All in all, I hope to someday be able to stop in at Diesel Driving School and say hi. I know plenty of former students say “hi” because I heard many horns honked while waiting in the yard for my turn to back up the truck.
Just heard from one of the guys who was able to take his test today. He passed (yeah!) but told Joe that 3 out of about 15 people had failed theirs. We were hoping the odds were better than that. But! I shall not fail! I know what I am doing (another instructor told me I was being too negative so I am practicing positive self-talk).
Well, I should have a bit more to say when I come home next week. After that I figure I won’t have computer access for…6-8 weeks? God. No email, no music from Pandora or Broadjam, no surfin’. Oy.
August 10, 2008 Sunday
Today was a beautiful day spent riding the hog. We went up to the Wisconsin Dells and took a couple of pictures of Lake Delton. Can’t believe the whole lake bed is covered in grass, almost like a lake was never there.
Now it’s almost time to close my eyes and ready myself for… THE TEST, tomorrow. Since we must check out before we go there is also the packing to think about. I figure 2:30 should give me enough time to get us out the door. No, I just changed my mind. I’m setting the alarm for 3 am; I’ll just have to move a little faster. Most things are packed anyway. No worries…deep, cleansing breaths…uuussaaaahh.
I asked the recruiter some more questions today and found out that I can bring my laptop so perhaps I will get the occasional hookup to the internet. This is comforting. Oh wow. It’s already 9:30. Update tomorrow. Wish me luck.
Saturday, August 2, 2008
I just might be getting the hang of this now.
So far I have driven a 9-speed 18-wheeler up and down the freeway, up and down the ramps on and off the freeway, through a small town and in and around an industrial park. I have also backed up this beast. I am doing very well, I think, but let me be the first to say that it is so easy to forget "where you are" in your shifting pattern; there are so many things to think about.