Getting assigned a truck and starting to drive

We were assigned a truck that was a POS, so my trainer asked to search the yard for another truck. We got a better truck, but the batteries were dead.

Two days in the shop to fix the batteries, and some other things, and to get the Pre-Passes and Toll passes sent overnight.

Load #1
7/18/07
Ontario, CA to Prescott, AZ (Sears)
My trainer drove for most of the time. But that was OK with me. I was a little nervous to start.
I eventually got to drive, and tried to back in (Sears in Prescott), but couldn't get it.... so my trainer back it in. It was a tight space, but I tried.

Load #2
7/19/07
Flagstaff, AZ to El Paso, Tx (Purina)
I got to back in the empty trailer, and pick up the loaded trailer at Purina. The trailer was too low, so we had to let out the air in the suspension to hook it up. OK. I drove on/off for about 5 hours.

Load #3
7/20/07
El Paso, TX to Phoenix, AZ (Werner-split)
I got to drive about 5 hours..... Yea!
Something is wrong.... My left shoulder is killing me, and there is a pinching sensation between my shoulder blades. Hope this goes away soon. I have asked for prayer, and will rest it.
My trainer has some home time coming up in a few days (7/26/07), so we are trying to make sure we get loads that will make that happen.
IT IS SOOOO HOT!!! I'm melting.... the A/C is only working about 1/2 way.
But in the Phoenix terminal.... to get the A/C fixed will take 4 Days!!! Not right now...

Load #4
7/21/07 - 7/22/07
Phoenix, AZ to El Paso, TX (Werner Ladders)
After Prayer....some rest, and taking some Ibuprofen... I didn't have any pain in my shoulder!!! Praise God!!
We got this load assigned to us at about 8pm.... It took 45 mins to find the right trailer in the Phoenix yard. I can only drive until 12-midnight because I am a student, so I drove from 9pm til 11:30pm. My trainer's 14-hour clock went from 7:30am - 9:30pm. So we had to stop for the night in New Mexico. We delivered the load in the am. I got to back in. !!
Straight line back. easy. Good.

7/23/07
They tried to give us a load to San Antonio, TX.... 550 miles in the opposite direction that we need to be going (to Utah).... we finally got taken off that load.

7/24/07
We waited all day for a load. It finally came through.
It should be available about 8:30pm. Guess where it is going...
El Paso, TX back to Phoenix, AZ.
I think we can drive this stretch in our sleep. :)
My trainer will take the night shift... 9pm - 9am.
I'll be driving the next load (hopefully)... to Salt Lake City, UT. 9am - 9pm.
This will be my first time sleeping while the truck is in motion...... we'll see how that goes....
God is Good!!

Days 4 - 8

Day 4 Wed. 7/11. (Day 1 of waiting)
Waiting for a trainer to be assigned to me. I already knew this would take a little while because I requested a Female/Non-smoker..... Female trainers are rare... Female/Non-smokers are even more rare...... That's OK. I will wait.


Day 5 Thurs. 7/12 (Day 2 of waiting)
Waiting for a trainer to be assigned to me.
Did laundry at the terminal.
I get approved for an EFS check to get an advance on my pay. $40. But $44 will be charged to my account when I get me first paycheck.
I walk down to the nearest truck stop to cash the check. They charge $3 to cash it (standard).

But at least I have $37 to live on for a few days.
At about 6pm, I get assigned a Roommate.
She is 3/4 the way through her 275 training hours. She has had 5 different trainers so far, and is waiting for a trainer to complete her final 70 hours.


Day 6 Fri. 7/13 (Day 3 of waiting)
Waiting for a trainer, and taking it easy.


Day 7 Sat. 7/14 (Day 4 of waiting)
A friend of the family, James, (who also happens to be my Truck Driving school instructor) is driving his motorcycle north from San Diego, CA to the hotel in San Bernardino, CA to have dinner with me. I like that... a friendly face, instead of just looking at the walls of the hotel room. He takes me to El Toritos. Yum! and gives me $40. He is such a wonderful friend.

Finally I get THE call!!! I get assigned a trainer. Yea!!
I am her first student, and she is my first trainer. (Hopefully, my only trainer.)
We meet and talk for a while and really hit it off.
I go to dinner with James, and she goes to dinner with a friend of hers.

We (me & the trainer) meet afterwards to do some shopping at Wal-Mart & Food 4 Less to get set up for when we need to leave... probably on Monday.

They assigned her (us) a truck, but she is going to try to get a different truck, hopefully a better truck. We'll see how it plays out Monday.


Day 8 Sunday 7/15.
The room I'm in develops a problem with the toilet, so we (me & roommate) get assigned to another room, but my roommate decides she wants a room with a refer & micro, so she asked to be moved again. My trainer offers to share her room with me.... so I move in with my trainer. I figure... I might as well get used to it, since we will be in close quarters in the truck very soon.
Hanging out and relaxing....
We also get to read some scripture. Psalms 23 & 100. Nice.
God is Good!

Day 3 - Day 2 of Orientation

Day 3
(Day 2 of Orientation)
5:30 am Breakfast in lobby of hotel
6:00 am Shuttle to Werner Terminal in Fontana, CA
6:30 am Class Starts
Go over homework, more paperwork, more videos, ... and finishing up the computer-based training videos.... some people didn't finish because we had a large class (18-20) and not enough computers to go around. They will finish theirs tomorrow morning.

Day 2 - Day 1 of Orientation

Day 2
(Day 1 of Orientation)
5:30 am Breakfast in Lobby of hotel
6:00 am shuttle to Werner Terminal in Fontana, CA.
6:30 am Start orientation class
Lots of paperwork... a DOT physical (Yes, they will do their own DOT physical. So you will be getting a new Medical Card... even if you already have one previously issued)... photo taken for company badge.... safety videos... going over company policies...
They provided lunch. (Yum, spaghetti)
More paperwork.... more videos.... assigned some homework regarding map reading, trip planning & getting to know your employee handbook.... then more computer-based training videos. (You do these at your own pace. Each video has a minimum time limit you must spend viewing it.)
7:15 pm catch suttle back to hotel
7:40 pm Arrive back at hotel..... Long Day... Lots of Info. Brain is tired.
Talk to Leroy, talk to Mom.
9:30 pm Try to do homework -- did some.... but am really tired, so...

11:00 pm I head for bed.

Getting Started with Werner

After some advice and phone calls for comparisons, I decided to start my trucking career with Werner Enterprises. I got to pick my start date Monday, (7/9/07), and they offered to bus me to the hotel (La Quinta Inn) location in San Bernardino, CA. the night before orientation started. But I opted to have my husband drive me north from San Diego, CA on Sunday, 7/8/07. That way I could be with my husband, Leroy, for a few extra minutes.
I will be gone for 6 to 8 weeks.

As it turned out... After I had told them I would get there on my own.... we found out that Leroy was assigned a run by his company, and would have to leave on Sunday morning. So, at 6am, Leroy drove me up to my brother, Jon's, apartment in Fullerton, (arriving at 8am), and a few hours later, Jon drove me the rest of the way to the hotel.

This way.... I got to have a nice drive up with Leroy,.... got to spend some quality time with my bro Jon, and since he knows the area... he knew exactly how to get me to the hotel. Jon stayed with me while I checked in, (they were going to have me share a room-no problem, but she was a smoker and I'm not... so they gave me my own room!! God is sooo good), then Jon helped me take my luggage up to my room, and get all squared away. Brothers are wonderful.

Now do a little blogging, then I'll get some sleep, and be in the lobby - ready for the shuttle to Werner by 6am.
Nighty-Night.