Hey DevilDice
Been following your thread for awhile, good info from school on thru getting your own truck, very informative, very helpful for those of us in the same shoes you had a few months back.
Currently doing the research, but think we have settled on a direction. We (Wife and I will team) have also seen your posts over in CFIDrivers. I would be interested in what got you to Sage and Davis instead of the CFI direction.
Dont want to change this thread any, your daily inputs are great. Couldn't PM you, too much of a noob here, feel free to pm me if you'd rather answer that way.
Even tho your a Navy guy, best wishes from a career FlyBoy! :P
Cheers
Roadie

First off, I will NOT hold it against you being a career fly boy

Um, why did I choose Sage and Davis???? Well there are many little reasons to be honest, but if I were to sum it up, I would simple say that Davis met my needs and wants more than any other company. I have a high regard for CFI but they could not hold a candle to Davis in want I was looking for.

I wish you and the misses the best of luck as you conduct your research and eventually venture off into this vast country of ours.

Test Day 08/06/07
After yesterday’s awesome grilled steak, baked potato, and veggies I fired up the trucked and went on down to the hotel where I got a very restful and re-energizing nights sleep.

I got up at the crack of dawn and after a hot shower, a pot of coffee, and catching up on what’s going on in the world via CNN, I headed back to the terminal for what I knew was going to be a long and grueling day of tests.

The first test was inspecting and lubing of the tractor & trailer. It’s just like a pre-trip but much more extensive. The shop foreman is know for “messing” with new drivers trucks or trailers to see if they find the discrepancy. Well I went over it with a fine tooth comb noted every little thing I could find. I ended up finding 2 brakes out of adjustment on my trailer that I assume the foreman did because when I turned in my list, he was amazed at how thorough I was. That was test #1 and I passed with flying colors.

The next test was on load securement. They had me set up my side kit and then put an old wooden spool (eye to the sky) on my deck. The spool was supposed to weigh 23,000lbs and I had to secure it using Davis’s technique. I successfully passed that as well. 2 test down and only 2 more to go, a driving test (they have a trailer with some concrete blocks on it that will almost gross your weight out) and a written knowledge test.

Well just as I was unsecuring my coil, they told me there was a change in plans. That a driver was coming in with some aluminum coils and they wanted me to look at it. O.K., no problem. Well it turns out that the aluminum was not coils but round stock and it apparently the driver did not secure it properly as it had shifted on the deck. The foreman tells me that he wants me to re-secure the load. Long story short, I had to remove his side kit, un-secure the load, wait until they re-shifted it, then re-secure the load (using Davis’s technique) and then put the side kit back. All this in the hot Montana sun.

Once that was done, I still had to remove my own side kit and put everything away. Needless to say, by the time everything was said and done, I had my share of dealing with those damn side kits and I was exhausted. So tomorrow I will be taking my driving and knowledge tests.

Good Luck DD

Final Test Day 08/07/07
Today was the final test day and I have good news and bad news, where do I start?...... The good news is that I passed all my tests and I am now officially a Davis transport Company Driver!!!!!!!! The bad news is that there are 16 other drivers here in Missoula and very little freight so I may be here a day or two longer than expected.

First thing this morning I hooked up to a training trailer that had some concrete blocks secured to it. It will have you close to gross weight. I was given my “routing” for the test which included a little city, interstate, secondary highway, and mountain driving with a 6% grade. I was doing great until we got to our turn around point. The turn around is in a small gas station/casino parking lot….no problem right? Well when you exit, you are on a short but somewhat steep incline. Well the incline might as well be completely vertical as far as I was concerned because it was kicking my butt. Thing is, I have been in situations like this before while training and back in school and had little to no problems.

Well after 5 freaking attempts and 2 stalls later I got over it. I was PISSED at myself and thought for sure I just failed. My evaluated seems calm, cool and collected and said that everyone has problems there, that’s why they take us to it. On the way back, he decides to take me on a detour from our route that had me back up to a loading dock that was also on a downward incline. He said he was going to smoke a couple of cigarettes while I attempted the maneuver. I am proud to say he did not even get half way down with the first when I not only backed squarely to the dock, but pulled out up that incline the first time with no stalling or trouble. He was surprised and said it usually takes newbie’s several tries. I felt great that I did it. I ended up passing the driving test with flying colors because of that.

Once we got back to the yard, I had to take a general knowledge test that covered mainly Davis policy. I missed one question and that was only because I had a brain fart. From there it was just a matter of taking an inventory of the company issued equipment, signing this and that and Walla…..I was done.

Next I met my truck manager who had an announcement of the PA system to gather up all the Davis employees. That then presented me with a certificate and congratulated me on completing training, passing all the test and officially becoming a Driver.

Now I am sitting here awaiting a load. I am not sure what number I am on the board but I am primed and ready to embark on Phase III of my training. This is the last and yet longest part of training. This is where I will learn things every day for the rest of my career. As it has been said before, the day I think there is nothing more to learn is the day I need to hang up the keys.

Wish me luck!!

p.s......"dewercs2" rolled in today so I got to meet him. He is being released from his trainer and is starting what I just went through these past couple of days. Good luck bro!!!!!!!

Thanks Popeye

:rock: arty: Congrats!!! I didn't think squids had it in them!!!! LOL

Cool beans maynard!

Now you can run with the big dogs. :P Be careful, and keep writing. 8) Best wishes

thats freakin sweet man, glad to hear you now where you wanted to be before you started sage. Man time sure does go by fast.

Underway, shift colors. Good job Chief!