My husband is spending the night in PA. They drop a load of orange juice at a Walmart DC in Ohio tomorrow afternoon. Only 250 miles from where they are now. After that they have a load they are taking to Olathe to swap out there, and my husband will stay there. They're figuring they'll be into Olathe sometime on Saturday.

[quote="madii'swife"] Hi madii'swife, just want to say that I been enjoying reading since the beginning of your diary of your husband. I just want to know how long is required with a trainer at transam :?: And how is there home time :?: Thank you and good luck for u and ur husband :)

Thank you! I'm glad people are finding it helpful. It is 3 weeks with a trainer, one of the shortest in the industry that we found. Hometime is 4 days a month, driver sets them but has to give the company 8 days notice. According to everybody my husband has talked to they are real good about getting you home when you requested, to the hour, or usually before.

I am so glad you got to spend some time with your husband! I know that is a good feeling especially when they first go out.

And I know how excited you will be about him getting his truck when the time comes.

Did the trainer work with him more and let him back more? I hope so!

Take Care,
Goin Fer It's Wife

Goin Fer It's Wife the trainer did give in and let him do more. My husband says he feels confident in backing, and driving in varied situations.

Devildice, you had mentioned in my poll that most companies allow them hometime once they have their own truck. I talked to my contact in their training department today and she said they typically do not do that, but rather send them out for at least 8 days with their own truck before allowing them hometime. She said that even if they bring them by home to pick up things it will be for a very short time (like 20 minutes or so) and only IF they had a load available to them going the proper direction.

That said, my church is planning on helping cover the hotel for me to spend some time with him in Olathe. This allows it to work out financially for us :) So I am planning on spending the beginning of next week up there to be with him.

That's wonderful.....glad everything will work out.

My husband drove most of his allowed hours today, and his trainer will finish taking them into Olathe, which they should reach around midnight tonight.
Presuming all goes well this will be my last update for several days. My husband will be spending most of his tomorrow in a hotel. I will update regarding his testing out to go solo when I get back, unless I get internet access before that.

That is awesome it sounds like you belong to a great church. I hope you enjoy! :)

Goin Fer It's Wife

We are back home. We had a wonderful visit with my husband and a mini vacation at the same time.
My husband finished with testing on Wednesday afternoon. The only problem he had at all was a 90 degree back, as his school didn't teach them and he had never done one. He spent the majority of the day on Wednesday working on that until he had it down enough the instructor cleared him. Things we learned that the trainer didn't teach:
1. Anything at all about the reefer. Trainer aparantly said "we don't do anything with those things"...well, the company doesn't seem to agree.
2. My husband just said "several things about the paperwork", most of which he had learned other ways previously
3. How to submit and organize hometime, although this can't really be faulted to him as its not the same for the company drivers.

My husband filled out a survey saying whether or not his trainer taught him this, that and the other. Anything he said the trainer did not teach he was immediately walked through/taught at the yard.

My husband had his truck as of Thursday morning. Its a Freightliner Classic XL, 2003, 400k+ miles. He wanted black, but got white (TransAm runs all different colors), but he's just excited he has his own truck. They have some newer trucks, but those are mostly lease op trucks.
He picked up his first load in the Olathe yard this morning, as he had some final paperwork/setting up to wrap up Thursday. He drops in Cheyenne, WY tomorrow noon, and isn't sure what it will look like from there with Christmas right around the corner.
I'm sure there are things I have forgotten, and will probably update more tomorrow. It was a great trip, but its good to be home.

Glad to hear your visit with the hubby went well and that he is now on his own......hopefully all will be right in the world now.

CONGRATS to the both of you. :D