DAY 5
We get to go out and terrorize the good citizens of Neosho. Can you believe it? Less then one week and they let me out on public roads in this big black monster! Granted, they did not let me go very far and I think I had only one left hand turn in the planned route that we were directed to take. We even got on the highway and brought to beast up to 55-60 mph! A big step up from the 25mph cap we have out on our private range to practice our up and down shifting. It is all beginning to fall together now. Watch the RPM's, check the mirrors every 6 to 7 seconds. Check gauges for air pressure and temps also every 6 to 7 seconds. Know every vehicle that sneaks into your blind spots and where they are at all times. Keep an eye out for possible hazards. Plan how you will handle each turn well in advance so that you know what gear will work for the degree of turn and time your merge to keep yourself and other drivers safe. I think there is more involved in truck driving then in piloting a commercial airliner. You sure don't just jump in one of these things and cruise off down town. Each move must be planned well in advance and then executed all the while keeping your eyes scanning for a way out in case you get into trouble.
After our brief encounter with the good citizens we then went back to our private range to practice more. But now we have a new found respect for the truck and listen more closely to her telling us what gear she wants and how to plan our turns and stops. At 55 miles per hour, we need over a football field length to get this baby stopped. So ya'll think about that the next time you are merging onto the interstate and gun your car knowing that you can beat the big slow truck before he runs over you. What happens if you have a blowout or engine stall just as you maneuver in front of me and no longer can gun it and get away from me?

Making the dream happen.


DAY 4
11-02-2006
Today brought more class time on the HOS. These regulations are written with more leagalize then a lot of legal documents and it is so easy to mess up and not comply with the regulations. If we do, it is money out of our pocket to pay the fines and could end up causing us to lose our CDL wich is our lively hood. It is really boring to keep going over the different rules, but I do see where we must get this right. There is just no room for error in trucking. That goes for both the paper work and the actual driving of the beast.
Two hours of class, and then out to the range to practice, practice, practice. We got to throw in straight line backing and drop and hook operations today. I can back the big rig a solid mile now if I have too. Actually, our backing roads are about a 1/4 mile long and we start at one end and back to the other end as we learn to control the thing using only the mirrors.

It won't be long now before I'm in a town near you. hahaha