Today was a rainy, windy, nasty day, so it was decided that we did not need to do any outdoor activities. We spent the morning discussing more of the truck's systems and reading the next chapter on pre-trip inspection. After lunch we discussed the chapter then went out to the shop where the instructor demonstrated and explained the inspection on the tractor. Tomorrow, weather permitting, we should be outside again, hopefully beginning our coupling/uncoupling checkoffs and learning the trailer portion of the pre-trip. There is also a video on tap about the importance of oil to a big rig.

Wow! Am I behind.

Well, we have now covered the chapter on the Pre-Trip Inspection. We have been out this week on the track (we call it the driving range) practicing shifting. The first truck I was in we were warned it would be an SOB because it was old and the shifter was vague and sloppy. Also, when you put in in 4th or 5th gear, the shift knob is almost on the passenger's knee. Yikes! Well, it wasn't so bad. My upshifts were pretty smooth, but my downshifts need work. Remember, big trucks don't have synchromesh, like a car does. The driver has to match RPM, road speed, and load and select the proper gear. It may or may not be the next one in sequence. Yesterday I was back on the rodeo course for more coupling/uncoupling and backing practice, since we can't ALL be on the driving range at the same time. Today I was back on the range in a much newer and nicer truck. This one was better and worse. I felt the grinding through the gearshift, but NEVER heard anything from the gearbox. This is good, I suppose. But the timing on this one was altogether different. On the first truck, as soon as you press the clutch, the revs would just drop. The truck today retained revs longer, which means it took longer to get down to the shift point. I'm sure that will come with practice, and there is plenty of time for that.

Tomorrow and Friday, or lead instructor is gone for a conference so the assistant will be there. We should be spending most, if not all of the day practicing. I think he is also going to start checking us off on coupling/uncoupling and straight backing.

Our lead instructor has been gone yesterday and today to a meeting of some sort so we have had 2 days of practice driving.

Yesterday was out on the range practicing shifting. I got the assistant instructor to ride along for a while and he gave some good one-on-one instruction. The upshifting is coming along pretty well. The downshifting is improving but still has a way to go. BTW, it was a rainy, nasty day today. We really made a mess of some trucks on the dirt track.

Today was a pretty nice day, but a little chilly. I passed my first test today, coupling/uncoupling. Spent the remainder of the day practicing backing with another student. By the luck of the draw, we got a rig parked between a flatbed and a drop-nose trailer. Up to this point, we have been backing between cones. Having hard steel on both sides added a whole new dimension. Add to that the fact that the two trailers were not quite parallel, and it made it quite a challenge sometimes because your frame of reference was skewed. At the end of the day, we sprayed yesterday's muck off of some of the tractors. WOW! What a mess. We'll have more to clean on Monday.

We have recently been going through the Minnesota CDL manual. We have also begun work on the rodeo course. I continue to work on my downshifting. It is improving.

Today I passed six knowledge tests. I took Pre-trip Inspection, Air Brakes, General Knowledge, Combinations, Doubles and Triples, and Tankers. So I now officially have my CDL Learner's Permit and two of my endorsements. I will be getting Haz-Mat later on and I would like to get Passenger also. That one is not offered this semester, so I will have to come back at the end of the spring semester if I still want it by then.

Well, it has been over a month. Does that give you an indication of how busy I have been?

Things are progressing. I can now get through the rodeo course, but it isn't always pretty. After my first attempt, I was about ready to throw in the towel, but perseverance pays and a solid week of staying after school for practice has reaped it's rewards.

We have completed defensive driving. Learned a lot there. We are, as of November 1st, keeping a driver's logbook. What a pain. Better get used to it.

Went out on the road for the first time yesterday. Back roads, very narrow. All the things I thought I knew ran away and hid. Actually, I didn't do too bad. We came back with no marks and the instructor didn't yell at me. He actually commended me for recognizing my mistakes before he had a chance to mention them. Recognizing them is the first step in correcting them. My biggest downfall was downshifting (no surprise there).

My co-driver was not so fortunate. He has some serious work to do or he may be dropped from the program. The instructor, at one point, even reached over and used the Johnny bar (trailer brake) to stop the truck.

This is definitely NOT a cakewalk. Serious work is required.

Coming up next week will be forklift check-off. Shouldn't be a problem as I have operated forklift before.

We have been visited by several recruiters and all make their companies look very good. They are somewhat hand picked as there isn't time for every recruiter that wants to come in. And nobody gets in whose company is not what teir recruiters represent them to be.

At this point, I have a job with a start date, but I am not burning any bridges. I am still talking to the recruiters and hearing what they have to say. But, so far, I am still very comfortable with the company I have lined up. So if I can just get through the rodeo course and the road test, I'll be good to go.

Glenn