Thanks for the update, best of luck. Congrats on getting to this point and on doing well in your road test.

 

103?!?! sweet jesus!

 

I heard about how huge those classes are in TN. I went to SWIFT's school in Kansas City. My class was REALLY small. We started off with 23 people and ended with 9. Anyhoooo.... congrats and good luck.

 

Ok, checking in here from swift academy in Richmond, i am in my 3rd week, today was my 3rd day on the road, 9 am, i just stopped at a red light, and a second later, thump, and a small jolt, "what the hell was that", my instructor goes, i dunno, then there is a guy on the side of the road pointing at my trailer, so i put on the 4ways, we get out to look, a guy in a honda with his 2 small kids decided to use my DOT bumper as his brakes, his car was totalled. Here i am, in school, on my permit, and an accident. Not how i wanted to learn accident procedure, but ultimately HE got a ticket, and no fault to me. 3 days learning and i get my first non preventable. Oh, and down shifting is a pain in the .... but i am getting there.

 

Glad no one was hurt. Better to get that accident out of the way now Matcat, so you are good for a few years now.

 

WHoooooo Hooooooo! orientation is over!!!

Matcat - I feel your pain. While yours was not of your doing, be prepared to be "that guy" for quite a while!

On thursday of orientation it was mostly paperwork and videos. NOTHING exciting. Yesterday was more videos and waiting around to actually get our CDL. Finally everyhting is done. And here's where it gets interesting.

People out of the memphis terminal ALL got menotrs right away. 27 of them (or so). The others all get bussed home, and given co-oridinators to contact to set-up their mentor pairings.

Then there is me ( and 7 others) who decided to go Flatbed. This is a little different. We got bussed back to Millington (where the school is) to go through flatbed training on Monday and Tuesday. We get pain $50. a day for this training, and we will have to change our home terminal as i was originally out of atlanta which is not a Flatbed terminal, so now i go to Greer SC.

I am kinda excited about going flatbed, even though everyone thinks i'm crazy. We'll see how it goes.

Team linehaul (48 states) flatbed..... hopefully this will help on the mileage side of things. Especially when we add HAZMAT. So from this point on, my experience will prob. differ from van drivers.

This time we're being treated a little nicer here at the hotel. We get the continental breakfast. Lunch on monday and tuesday. Nicer rooms, only 2 people to a room.
i was really surprised we got lunch weds thurs and friday AND breakfast on friday (at orientation) it was pretty good food too!

I'll check in again monday night b=guys. I'm gonna watch some nascar and football over the weekend and just chill out.

 

Hey Guys. We started flatbed training today, nothng really hard or complicated. We're just learning the tie down methods and what deviced to use when. We did get a footlong sub combo of our choosing for lunch today. Which was realy cool. Spent some time on the range, and a bunch in the class room. Tomorrow we will be back in the classroom going over everything and taking our test.

I did get my driver code today. I also found out i will be based out of the Greer SC terminal. Other info i found out: We get a pair of steel toe work boots (@ 1/2 price) from the company. Hardhat, saftey goggles and all tie downs materials paid for by the company.

We are getting paid $100 for the 2 days of training. Which we wont be getting till our first or second check, but hey extra money is extra money no matter how you cut it!

Havent been told anything about a mentor yet though. We should get some info tomorrow, but as it stands right now i dont know whether i'm going home or to meet a mentor yet.

I'll check in as soon as i know.

 

Southernpride:
Good luck and keep us informed. I am also thinking of their flatbed division.
Any ideas yet as to the equipment, or details on what you will primarily might be hauling. Also do they have a "comfort zone" or is flatbed strickly 48.
Best of luck.

 

Nope they have "comfort zones" and lots of coils., chasis, depending on what terminal you're out of. We also will be moving Bus and truck chassis, trailers and dodge sprinters.

From what i've been told:
Unfinished goods from - Gary, IN
Finished goods - From Greer SC.
Pheonix - a mixture.

I am running team, so 48 states doesnt seem so bad to me.

Thanks for the question... keep-em coming!

 

Finished flatbed class and scored a 100 on the test today. I leave tonight for Greer, SC where my mentor is waiting for me!

Finally, lets get some seat time!

I am packing now, as we leave here in like 30 mins.

Will check in soon guys. Hopefully my mentor is an understanding person, because i've realised i went nutso and brought WAY too much stuff with me!

Later.