April 11, 2007: Day 12

THE END IS NEAR! 

 No, I am not some so-called prophet of doom standing on street corner in a handpainted sandwich board.

One more day and a wake up.  We can see the end of the line as far as the training academy goes, and we are all at the same time tired and energized.

We took our QRTs today.  I did mine in the morning with Paul – an excellent trainer from what I could tell in the few hours I was with him.   We started out with me backing the tractor to the trailer and coupling it up.  Paul watched every move to make sure I didn’t leave out any steps, then in the cab and let’s roll.  I was a tiny bit nervous at first, but by the time we got to the end of the first mile, I was completely relaxed.  In fact, about halfway through it he said that I seemed to be quite comfortable driving a truck.  And to think that just 9 days ago I sat at the controls of an 18 wheeler for the very first time in my life.  This program is amazing!

On a different line, we lost another student today, and this one stunned me.  Mike was a cool guy (he’s the one with 11 kids).  After I came in from my QRT just before lunch, I bumped into him in the lunchroom.  He seemed rather nervous.  He was scheduled to test this afternoon and he asked me how mine went and what it was like.  I told him not to worry, it’s really not much different from driving with your own instructor, but he still seemed exceptionally uptight.  During our first break in our afternoon class, someone mentioned he left.   Another student confirmed that, said that he was in the classroom when someone came in and talked to our instructor to gather Mike’s paperwork and he saw Mike get on the shuttle van back to the hotel.

Now I can’t say for certain that he left over fears about his QRT, but I wonder.   With Mike gone my tentative count is a class that started with 48 total is now down to 27.  But I might have missed someone.  As I said in an earlier post, not everyone makes it, but damn, Mike – you were so close, dude!  However, there may be other reasons, and at times personal or family matters pop up that would cause someone to leave early.  My understanding is that in those situations, Schneider will let that student return in the future, but I can’t say for certain.   Whatever the case, I wish you the best Michael!

Oh, was classroom fun today.  We did some more on trip planning and sending satellite messages back to corporate with load delivery info, etc.  It seemed a little puzzling at first, but I think I’ll grasp that pretty easily.   Just learn the jargon and follow your guidesheet and it ought to fall into place quickly.  I do know that one of the students we lost was because of this very issue – he was doing fin with the driving, but was totally and completely in the weeds about the Qualcomm system.

We also watched a video about fatigue, one that from the opening moments you just KNEW how it was going to turn out: top-notch veteran driver with never a missed delivery time takes a hot-shot load against his better wishes – he is tired and would rather catch up on some rest (a hot-shot load is one that has to be there YESTERDAY, if you get the drift).   No, he doesn’t fall asleep at the wheel, as in a dead sleep, but the fatigue finally gets him with only 40 miles to go on a 1,000 mile run and he smacks into the back end of a school bus that is stopped to let kids off.

Although the video was a bit over the top and slightly corny, the message is a critical one.  Who among us has driven at least once when we really know we shouldn’t because we just want to get to our destination?  I know I have before.  However in this new “driver’s ed” I have been going through, we really see things with a different focus and creates an awareness to the point where I will obey my better judgement and rest when needed (on a side note, I have also been know to stop and nap for 15-20 minutes when I have been tired.)

Then once again tonight I got some extra backing practice in preparation for my CDL test.   Part of my QRT with Paul this morning was some backing.  Paul knew beforehand that I was having some struggle with the finer points, so he gave some great advice.  Sometimes it just takes a different instructor with a different point of view to allow the dense rookie see through the fog, and as far as backing, Paul gave me a lot.   So when we hit the range this evening, I did a whole bunch better than I did last night.  Not perfect, still some awkwardness and clumsiness, but much, much improved.  Oh, and did I tell you were were doing our practice in a snowstorm?  Yeah, winds about 15 m.p.h and snow falling and blowing everywhere.  At least that made it easier to see the tire tracks where I goofed up.  Just stay away from those!  See how easy this all is!!!

At any rate, I stayed late at the STA again for another 13 hour day and I think I’ll close the book on today’s adventures.  Tomorrow is a morning drive with John and afternoon HazMat class.  Oh, and I think we’re getting fitted for our graduation caps and gowns too. 

By the way, I passed the QRT.