We'd decided we would sell the Jeep. In theory that sounded great, but what about the consequences of doing so? Would we get enough money from it to cover the downpayment AND last us until I found a job with a trucking company? One can hope. We've listed the Jeep on E-Bay and it has bids, so we've got progress. We've been selling various other things that will bring in enough money to cover some of the additional expenses, the preliminary DOT physical and drug test, the Permit Test, the Hazardous Materials Federal Background check etc.
I'm finding that there is so much more to trucking than I realized. I have been studying Ohio's CDL Permit book daily and already I have learned so much! For example: A Pre-Trip Inspection...this is something that is required before you begin a run....and Hello...there must 90 things that you have to check!! The information is almost overwhelming, if I wasn't so absolutely enthralled with everything I read.
The Jeep auction will be Final on Sunday, but we were able to borrow the downpayment from an alternate source. Assuming the check clears the bank, I will be meeting with Dave again on Friday to provide him with the downpayment as well as the check for my physical and drug test (which I WILL pass, no question). At any rate, as long as I at least have the $110 I can be placed on the roster for the training course beginning on Monday!! Fortunately, Dave is being very kind and patient with me, Friday is sort of pushing the limit. I wonder to myself if they leave an unsoken spot open for a woman because it seems they are all to willing to bend the traditionals to get me through.
The CDL course is 3 weeks in length and required my unbroken attendance Monday thru Friday from 7am-6pm. The Department of Transportation requires that a student have 160 hours of class/driving time. The first week of class, through Thursday will be all classroom time covering everything fro DOT Rules and Regulations to Map Reading. (Thank goodness for the map reading course...while I am certainly capable of finding my way around town, I imagine I will experience some level of difficulty attempting to navigate across the country!!) The following 4 days will be focused on 'backing it up', an important skill to say the least. I suspect that backing up a rig will be the most challenging portion of the training. We will spend one entire day on the road with a trainer and the 4 days after that will be split 1/2 day on the road and 1/2 day honing our skills. The day before graduation will be spent focusing again on our backing skills and the final day of the course will be the offical CDL Test and, assuming you pass...GRADUATION!
It appears that the next three weeks will go by very quickly. I worry sometimes that I will not be able to keep up and will be the butt of the jokes, and yet I am confident in my determination. My personal goal is to be the best of the best in my class and to Graduate at the top of my class. I want to pass my permit test on the first try without missing a question and I want to pass my CDL test with flawless accuracy. I am aware that in reality, that may not be the case, but as long as I keep up the motivation, I will always know that I did my best. I am so excited to track my progress and write a daily report of the classes and hopefully a nightly report once I'm working. I am determined to inform those who are interested about this experience. It's not all Ice Road Truckers, but even without the added dangers of driving on a frozen lake, I bet I will run into my fair share of challenges.
I am not exactly a mechanical expert. I drive my car to the Firestone to get my oiled changed and I'm lucky if I know where to put the windshield washer fluid in my car. (Ok, that is a slight exaggeration.) I am aware of an engine and I have a general understanding of how it works, in fact, this past summer I assisted Michael in changing the shocks on one of our cars, so I'm not a complete moron. But, a big rig? Those things are diesel and you could probably fit three of the Jeep's engines inside one of these things!
The other day I found a trucking forum and I am findng that it is chock full of useful information. I have learned more than I ever thought I could just by reading posts from other truckers. The number of women on this one site is incredible as well. Perhaps we should pay more attention to who is behind the wheel of those giagantic fear machines as we drive.
It is my understanding that the amount of mechanial knowledge I will need will be anything but vast. Chaining tires for winter and knowing when something is wrong so that I can CB into dispatch should be about the extent of it. Although, being the overachiever that I aspire to be, I am hoping to learn a bit more than just that!
For now, that is all I have...thanks for reading!
although there are cons, some of the larger companies train students themselves. payment is taking from your check over a period of time as you work for the company. But like I said, there are cons.
ReplyDeleteYour enthusiasm tough is great!