Well, It’s been about a month since I posted on this blog. I think it’s high time I gave everyone an update.
As I mentioned before, I spent most of the month of September at Central Tech learning to drive the Big Truck. I took some photos while I was there and I’ll post a link to those at the bottom of this post. My class was a good one and we had a good time and learned a lot. I graduated at the top of my class and I felt pretty good about that considering my utter lack of experience with driving manual transmission vehicles.
After a few days at home I was back out on the road headed to Joplin, MO via Greyhound bus. Except for the guy who slept on me from Memphis to Little Rock, it wasn’t a bad trip and was my first experience with interstate bus travel.
In Joplin I have been going through orientation at CFI, A Conway Company. CFI (aka Contract Freighters, Inc.) is a leading trucking company. I chose them because they had a good reputation in the industry and amongst the drivers. I also liked the terms of their student program. They liked me because I had a steady job history, a good driving record, and the willingness to drive a tractor-trailer all over this country.
My orientation consisted of a lot of paperwork, a few classes on the paperwork and other things I’ll be expected to do as a driver, Smith System training, an obstacle course, a backing test, and a road test on the mean streets of Joplin. Since I’ve been here I’ve been treated very well and the people who work here really seem to love it. All of the drivers I have talked to are very satisfied and glad to be working for this company and that really means a lot in the trucking industry.
Tomorrow I head out on the road with my finisher Eduardo. I talked to him on the phone and he seems like a good person so far. A guy at the terminal said he had 17 years at CFI so it’s obvious that he knows how to get things done. I’ll be with him for 7500 miles, then I’ll get my own truck should I prove to be worthy.
See you out there on the open road.
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| From Central Tech … |
