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coldbrewzz
Joined: 30 Mar 2008
Posts: 12
Location: ohio
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| Posted: Thu Apr 03, 2008 7:31 pm Post subject: Transport America? |
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| Hello everyone, i was just curious as to what kind of information i could get from current or past trans. drivers.................i am a student grad who waited too long after my graduation date to get hired by roeh, schneider, crete..................so i ended up choosing trans.........over usexpress, werner, swift and usa truck............i know they are all what some of you call "coolie carriers" but i have to get me experiance somewhere. Questions i have about trans is..........will i get my miles? or at least the same as i would at other companies...........hometime will that be decent..........equipment? ............thank you for any information..........by the way i start orientation this sunday and i live in ohio. |
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ohio joe
Joined: 24 Nov 2007
Posts: 49
Location: ohio
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| Posted: Mon Apr 07, 2008 2:49 pm Post subject: |
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| Hey Cold brewzz im in ohio also i just did an appl. w/TA i will need a refresher i think, but 1st i want them 2 tell me yes or no on appl.. good luck! :D |
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coldbrewzz
Joined: 30 Mar 2008
Posts: 12
Location: ohio
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| Posted: Wed Apr 09, 2008 5:22 pm Post subject: tans am |
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| ok i have read so many diaries on here and find them so helpfull and iteresting i am gonna give it a try myself and hopefully someone will benefit from it........day 1 sunday night i drove myself to orientation in indiana (scottsburg) checked into my room and roomate was not there yet. I have to say the motel is a nice and clean motel with an outdoor pool.........Roomate arrived at about 8 pm we introduced ourselves and started to talk. He told me he use to drive a greyhound bus and was gonna give trucking a truy. Much different story for me my company (norwalk furniture) is starting to move jobs south and mine was one. So as we kept talking we were discussing some of our fears when he .proceeded to pull out a few weapons he brought with him to protect himself.........tire thumper....knife sssss...and i was thinking hmmmmmmmmm. didnt give it a whole lot more thought... then about 12 midnight we had just went to sleep and he starts talking to himself and i dont mean just talking it was a nightmare he was having and his voice was very terrified now i am starting to think please dont do this all night. Then he wakes up and thinks i am sleeping and calls someone on his cell phone from his bed, and asks them what his dream was about telling them he didnt know if he was in a bad place or what ......so needless to say it was a very long night for me.....not a good begining. |
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coldbrewzz
Joined: 30 Mar 2008
Posts: 12
Location: ohio
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| Posted: Wed Apr 09, 2008 5:35 pm Post subject: Day 2 |
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| We awake at 5:30 get a shower and before we leave roomate asks me if i heard him last night talking in his sleep i said yes but didnt make out what he was saying.... he told me he was dreaming he was trapped in his owne body and couldnt get out and his g/f was on top of him and he was reaching out for me ? i said what? me? he tried to explain but to be honest by now i am just aggrevated......so anyway bus letaves at a6:45 for the terminal we get there and start to fill out paperwork. LOTS.then next thing you know they split us up for the pee test and phys......well i got to the pee test and couldnt go so they gave me the physical and about 3 glasses of water so i could pee and it worked.....the physical was very general the main thing is blood pressure.......then they put you through a mild workout lift a crait with weight in it move a 2 wheel dolly about 10 feet and back and then step up and down on a set of steps for 3 minutes.........nothing bad at all and i am a big guy myself and had no problem and i know the women all did well with the weights nobody failed..then back to class for lunch and some more paper work.........get on the bus at 5:45 back to motel. get back and the best part no roomy........yes seems like he was sent packing because of some felony problems..........so hopefully tonight will be a better night sleep i feel much more comfortable already. |
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coldbrewzz
Joined: 30 Mar 2008
Posts: 12
Location: ohio
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| Posted: Wed Apr 09, 2008 5:54 pm Post subject: |
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| Day 2 of class........up and shower and load the bus at 6:45 i can tell you dont be late it wont wait.....Started day 1 with 12 in the class left yesterday with 10 my roomy and another guy who i think he had some past issues also were let go start day 2 with 8 2 guys left because they felt money wasnt gonna be there. I talked to the one and he honestly to me seemed like one of those guys who just didnt wanna work and will be on here bad mouthing TA.........anyway the 8 of us were split up into a morning and afternoon class morning class in the yard/road.......then we switch.........did some more paper work then got to go to the simulator first time in simulator all we did was go through the gears to 10 then back down.........next time we did a serpentine then a simulated skid on ice...............was realy neat i thought.........then we get back and lunch that is brought by a caterer and very good in my opinion.........after lunch my group hist the road 2 people in a truck we drove for about 2 and a half hours each..... i went first and started out a little rough mising gears not looking far enough ahead and mirror checks but i started to get much better by the end........then we switch. and other guy drives.........head back to school and leave at 5:45 i have to say so far everything is great with the school and trainers all very professional and very helpful........so head back to motel and call my wife and son who i am missing so much i cant explain..........i told my wife how nice it was and that it would be nice to go golfing for the first time she said well why dont you go and relax a little so i took her up on it.....and went, i have to say she is being extremely helpfull in this situation she is so supportive and that is NEEDED sooooooo much...........so i get back from golf at about 8 and now i am gonna head out grab dinner which the spring for in a meal ticket worth 7.50 the get back and hit the sack......i will update tomorrow all in all everything is good so far couldnt be happier |
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coldbrewzz
Joined: 30 Mar 2008
Posts: 12
Location: ohio
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| Posted: Wed Apr 09, 2008 6:01 pm Post subject: |
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| Ok day 3 which will bring my post up to date.......yes the marianne which i am at has wireless internet but its not so good and i couldnt get on line till today...........so anyway up and shower and out the door on the bus at 6:45.............get to class and go of logs and trip planning and qualcom which all isnt too bad you just gotta pay attention it dosent come the first time just ask questions they will help dont feel like its just you not getting it it is everyone, well almost everyone...........catch lunch then hit the yard yard work is 45 degree dock 90 degree dock and a couple other all stuff we went thru in school just not between two trailers......instructors all helpfull and friendly i cant say enough about them.........in the class and in the yard and on the road. kudos.....journal is gonna be kinda short tonight i am very tired long days and i havent been getting the rest i should so tonight i am gonna make sure i do and to be truthfull i have updated all entries just now so i am tired of typing...........will get a better detailed entry tomorrow.......... |
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hitman
Joined: 28 Oct 2005
Posts: 231
Location: Clayton, Delaware
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| Posted: Thu Apr 10, 2008 5:04 pm Post subject: |
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| Keep up the journal coldbrewzz...looking forward to it since Transport America is one of the 3 companies on my short list. Thank God they got rid of that psycho roommate. I wouldn't had been able to sleep. The shower scene from the movie Psycho would had been stuck in my head :shock: |
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coldbrewzz
Joined: 30 Mar 2008
Posts: 12
Location: ohio
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| Posted: Sat Apr 12, 2008 1:56 pm Post subject: |
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| sorry so long since a post but like i had said the internet access at the motel TA puts you in isnt very good so i was unable to get back online. So anyway here is how the week ended......Friday morning watched some movies about safety and had a safety class.....then went over some more paper work it seems as it is never ending. Did some more trip planning which you will do every day and log books of course. We all found out who our trainers were going to be and i got to talk with mine for a few minutes to arrange when we could hook up to get out sunday for me was hoping for monday so i could get some things done but sunday will be fine. He seems like a nice guy so gonna have my fingers crossed because i have heard all the horror stories but mostly with other companies. Saturday morning we go in for our final day and fill out an evaluation form on the orientation process....... i have to say mine was nothing but compliments i thought everyone was freindly and helpfull and all the trainers very knowlegable. I know a couple people in the class had some complaints but in my opinion they were just being a little ticky tacky. Anyway to each their owne. I am learning in this business there are alot of people who just dont do enough research before they jump in and then it seems they have alot to complain about when expectations were not met. So anyway then we take our final test which is a 30 minute road ride nothing real serious just like any other ride and you get graded. Actualy i thought it was even more laid back today than anyother day. Then you are free to leave i was out of there by 8:30 a.m. Now after a 5.5 hour trip i back for a little home time to see the wife and son which i have missed and back out tomrrow to meet up with my trainner and on the road for my first day. I will try to update as often as possible i dont have an air card yet (money is tight you know) so will do what i can for now. |
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Bengalman
Joined: 03 Sep 2007
Posts: 58
Location: Reynoldsburg, Ohio
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| Posted: Sat Apr 12, 2008 7:37 pm Post subject: |
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| good luck I just quit after 10 days with my trainer the last run we did we left indiana fri morning at 8.00 drove to north jackson oh got there about 1.00 sat there for 3 hours gave us 2 runs had to be at first place at 9.00 fri night then had to be at 2nd stop 8.00 am sat morning we were up on duty for 27 hours they are not a safe company all crap in orintation about safety and logs is a joke . im going back to the factory |
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YoungZ.W.
Joined: 06 Jan 2007
Posts: 335
Location: Coshocton, OH
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| Posted: Sat Apr 12, 2008 8:53 pm Post subject: |
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[quote]good luck I just quit after 10 days with my trainer the last run we did we left indiana fri morning at 8.00 drove to north jackson oh got there about 1.00 sat there for 3 hours gave us 2 runs had to be at first place at 9.00 fri night then had to be at 2nd stop 8.00 am sat morning we were up on duty for 27 hours they are not a safe company all crap in orintation about safety and logs is a joke . im going back to the factory
Last I heard of you, you were going to sit at home and milk the disability system :roll: Talk about a joke. |
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Bengalman
Joined: 03 Sep 2007
Posts: 58
Location: Reynoldsburg, Ohio
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| Posted: Sun Apr 13, 2008 1:39 pm Post subject: |
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| the joke is on you fool |
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coldbrewzz
Joined: 30 Mar 2008
Posts: 12
Location: ohio
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| Posted: Wed Apr 16, 2008 7:45 am Post subject: |
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Ok...so finally get to update.....left sunday at about 2 going to my service center to meet up with my trainer and hit the road......finaly got on the road about 6:30 and left north jackson ohio to south bend
indiana.......i didnt drive my trainer likes to use that first day as a get to know each other type of thing which was fine with me........we got to talk and seems like he is a good guy.......dont smoke and is clean thats a huge plus.....so laid over in south ben indiana till monday and sat monday morning ready to go for 4 hours we werent very happy but finnaly got a load to pick up in holland mich and run down to indianapolis i finally got to drive and did so for about 4 hours did good at first but then got into town hit a bunch of stop lights and traffic and missed a couple gears and grinded doing my down shifting. so then we stayed in indianpolis monday night and go a run for tuesday going to cedar rapids iowa but we couldnt pick the load up until 6 pm and had to deliver by 2 am wed. made our drop and headed about 10 minutes to a TA service plaza. Oh and that is a point i missed is that when i got to my trainer and in the truck it is brand new wow what luck......has only 45 thousand on it and so now were sitting here waiting on an oil change and service then we have a load headed to chicago.........so far everything has gone well......trainer is a nice guy and does a good job..........he runs everything legal and hasnt pushed me at all so other than having to sit and wait for a few hours everything has been very good so far......................well for now gonna sign off take a hot shower and head for chicago.......will update when i can. |
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hitman
Joined: 28 Oct 2005
Posts: 231
Location: Clayton, Delaware
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| Posted: Wed Apr 16, 2008 1:57 pm Post subject: |
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| Good deal...glad to hear that you got a decent trainer. Must feel as good as winning the lottery :wink: |
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wimpy
Joined: 13 Nov 2007
Posts: 164
Location: las vegas,nv
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| Posted: Wed Apr 16, 2008 2:13 pm Post subject: |
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| Coldbrewzz, just wanted to say congratulations on your new job! Personally I love hearing about new drivers getting a long good at their new jobs and it sounds like you are. So BOL to you and hope to see you out there one day!!! |
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coldbrewzz
Joined: 30 Mar 2008
Posts: 12
Location: ohio
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| Posted: Fri Apr 18, 2008 8:20 pm Post subject: |
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| Hello everyone, first off i just want to thank everyone for their support it is greatly appreciated i am sure you all know how tough it is. And for the guy who said good luck they are not a safe driving company well i cant say i completely agree. I truly believe (just from what i have read) that most if not all companies do the things you were upset about. In fact that happend to me this week 2 nights in a row after being up all day waiting on a load finaly getting one and having to drive till 3 in the morning .........not fun at all but i did manage to make it through it and i am sure as time goes on i will adapt to it but i hope it dosent happen on a regular basis......... anyway to update things are still going well trainer and i are still getting along and yes that is like hitting the jackpot......so when i last left off it was a load going to chicago..........WOW what an experiance...........i drove to just outside of downtown (far enough for this rookie) and that was extremely busy with lots of crazy 4 wheelers....then my trainner took over and we got downtown to streets and underpasses made for cars i think.....lol.............anyway dropped off without a hitch then deadheaded about 15 miles to pick up a home depot load that we ended up having to relay.............thurday we woke up to another day of waiting for a load and finaly getting one heading us back home to ohio........made it home safe and sound a little tired and in need of a hot shower and and some family time......man i cant tell you how much i miss them...........i did get alot better this week still have some issues at times with my downshifting mostly because i get too impatient and want to go too fast and keep up with the big boys but all in all did well.............hopefully with a week under my belt i will do better next week...............i have to say i truly did feel much more comfortable with the truck today than i have all week so things are looking up........so i am off until early monday morning then back out for 2 weeks so gonna enjoy the time while i can...........once again thanks to everyone who has shared there kind words of support and i hope you all enjoy this as much as i have enjoyed reading other peoples experiances and hopefully i can help someone out as much as i have been helped by others.........until next time take care and drive safe........ |
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