Times Can Be So Trying

Sorry for not posting the past 2 days folks, I really wanted to post but I was simply too tired at the end of the day to do anything. But I will cover both days right now.

Thursday: Things are starting to get a bit crowded on the Keller Driving Range as there are 6 new straight truck students with the new Phase 1 group. The strait truck program is only 4 weeks long and 2 folks from our class will graduate on Friday. Unfortunately, the congestion of the driving range will only get worse by middle of next week when the students in the Semi program from Phase 1 get their trucks and start learning to drive.

Today I had another road test/evaluation. It went pretty good, although I did rub a curb with my trailer tires on 1 turn. I just didn't stay in the far lane quite long enough before turning back into my lane on a 90 degree turn. The other problem I was still doing at the start was rushing. I was rushing my shifting, turning, hell basically everything. My instructor made me aware of this and and coached me a bit and told me to do everything at HALF the speed I was trying to do it at. Man do these instructors know their stuff. I kidd you not, the second I simply slowed everything I was doing down by half, everything got a 100X easier. My turns were smoother, my shifting was much better, and I was much more relaxed and focused.

I think a big part of my problem was I was constantly trying to keep up with the car traffic. Which I just can't do. There is just no way to move that big 70+foot long truck that quickly nor should I even try to. Once I stopped trying to do that, things were much easier.


Friday:Today I got a bit of a surprise at morning dispatch, the instructors are changing things up on us. They have paired everyone with a new co-drivers, my new driving partner for today is Dick Turner, A.K.A. Mr. Casual, or Casual Dick. (yea, some of you already get the joke) He got this nickname because he want to be a casual driver. These are folks that basically drive when and where they want, and are normally owner-operators. Anyway, I got pulled from my truck and assigned to Dick's truck, #9256 with trailer #4838. This truck has a sleeper cab on it that adds about 5 feet to the wheelbase. Now let me tell you, that extra 5 feet makes a world of difference to the way that truck handles. This truck does not turn on a dime like my past 2 trucks have, this truck takes its good sweet time turning.

I was told after dispatch that I was going to be checked on with this new truck right after dispatch. (a check is where an instructor takes out, kinda like a road evaluation, basically to make sure you can handle the truck) Well, needless to say I was not thrilled about this, as I have never driven the truck before. It shifts different and acts TOTALLY different. So I picked up my trailer from the trailer yard and drover over to the Keller Driving Course to learn this new truck. Everyday on the Keller the direction of traffic is different. Some days it goes in a clockwise pattern, other days counter-clockwise. Today was counter-clockwise. What makes it this direction of travel a little more difficult is that to get on the course you have to make a sharp, hard right hand turn to clear the 2 stop and go signal lights.

Well, not really knowing how this truck would handle that turn, and knowing that my vehicle is now 5 feet longer I tried to compensate. What I didn't account for was the extremely slow and wide turning radius that this truck has. So my first attempt at making this turn with this truck, failed!! I had pulled too far forward before starting my turn, added to the fact that this truck does not turn on a dime like my old one, I had to back up a bit or run over the stop light. Yup, a little embarrassing but no harm done, that is the important thing. After only 1 lap around the Keller the instructor called on the radio for me to take my check on, which I refused. I explained that I didn't have the mechanics of this new vehicle down yet and would not go out on the public roads with it till I could at least know when to start my turns, shift properly, and back the vehicle up. He scoffed at that, but I held adamant. About 2 hrs later I felt I had the basic mechanics of the vehicle down well enough to go for my check on, and I was right. Passed my check on with no problems. When I got back to the school, one of the CDL holding Phase 3 students was willing to ride along with me, so I went and drove one of my 3 approved driving routes. YEA! This was my first road trip without an instructor, and it went great! The only thing that happened was I missed 1 down shift coming to stop.

I am finally starting to feel like I am getting a handle on my driving, and am becoming more confident in my abilities. I still need LOTS of practice, but it is starting to feel more natural and easier as I learn to work with the truck, not against it.