Week Seven - Tuesday

What a difference a day makes. Today I was on... The parallel parking was much better today. I had a road trip into the city, and it was great. Shifting was much better. My trip report was good across the board with the following statement in the comments section; "Good job around City turns".

I am feeling much better than yesterday. I want to summarize what we are up to:

Maneuvers:
1. Pre Trip Inspections
2. Drop & Hook
3. Straight Line Backing
4. See Side Backing
5. Blind Side Backing
6. Off Set Backing
7. Parallel Parking

City Driving

1. Close Intersection turns
2. Abrupt Stops
3. Anticipating city hazards
4. Hillside starts
5. Tight lanes/parked cars/unloading cars-trucks etc.

So, we have learned everything that we are supposed to in the 10-week program. We now face mastering and increasing our confidence in handling the trucks in various city and highway situations. In addition, we need to perfect our backing maneuvers. We have three more weeks till graduation. We should be in good shape by the second week of June when we have our School Final Road test. We must pass one of two school road tests to graduate from NTTS. Once we graduate we will then go to the Department of Motor Vehicles for our New York State road test.

Now, once I graduate from NTTS and pass my NYS road test, I will be off to Allentown, PA for my orientation with Werner Enterprises Trucking Co. My orientation will include another physical and drug test. Testing of my general Trucking knowledge including rules and regulations and log books. I will need to demonstrate knowledge of trip planning and using the Atlas. Then, I will have to pass trucking maneuvers, a pre trip test, and a Company sponsored road test. So, you would think after passing all of this, I would be good to go, but you would be wrong. Once I prove that I can in fact drive the truck, I will then be assigned to a trainer. I will move into the truck with the trainer, and we will head over the road for approximately 6 weeks. Then, based on the trainer's recommendation, I will be assigned a truck. I will be routed back near my home and get to take a few days off, before heading back over the road.

Take Care,
Don