One Way - New Career

Wow, lots happening! Got to Dallas for Orientation 1 a few days ago (Sat). Began O1 Sunday and will be finishing up tomorrow (Wed.). Glad to be making this progress! Been road testing, skill training, etc as well as lots of classroom and paperwork. Almost feels like the military, again!

Today, we were given fuel cards, road maps and log books, filled out lots of insurance and finance paperwork. Nice to think I'll have insurance again, after so long. Praise the Lord.

Tomorrow is the day we begin to see some of us matched up and sent out with trainer on the road for 5 weeks. It might be Friday before we are all gone, but, that's the plan. After the 5 weeks, we'll attend O2 (Orientation 2) here in Dallas, are matched up with another new driver for 3 weeks on the road, then, after coming back to the terminal, assigned a truck and given our first load, home. I'm planning to take the week in ID, and maybe hit the slopes with my son... Dan the man!

You know, sometimes people are a challenge to just get along with. I had one of those little episodes, this evening. Not to bore yu all with it, but, it just makes me angry to see someone so self absorbed that no one elses needs or emergencies matter. I hope everyone who reads this site, will think of ways we can all just be a little more kind with one another. Like Jesus tells us, "Do unto others as you would have others do unto you". It'd sure make this world a lot better place to be.

Hey, I hope you're all having a blessed 2007! I'll be back with more info. The internet access is very weak, here at the hotel, so, been having a hard time getting to the site, lately.

Thanks for your prayers, folks. God rocks!

til later, Mark

Category: General

Just wanted to share this pic with everyone. Nice set of wheels, I think. I'll be in Dallas, Saturday, LORD willing! I'm looking forward to getting to orientation. Keep me in prayer, folks.

Have a great and Godly new year. Be safe. LORD bless

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Hey,

Back, again. Just waiting on transportation from ID to Dallas, TX. I'm set to leave Thursday. It'll be TWO DAYS on a greyhound! Man! If I had the cash I'd fly, and be reimbursed, but, no mon... no fun! Here's a picture of a Steven's truck in an effort to dress up my blog. Hope you're all doing well. I'll check back with you all, soon.

Thanks for writing, guys. I'm excited to hear from everyone. Happy New Year to you all!



Bye for now, Mark!

Category: General

Well, I did it. Class A is mine! Tested this morning and passed! Thank the LORD. It's always nice to make progress and especially to get the testing over. Now, on to the real world. I know enough about life to know there's lots more to learn and that learning is never over. (sorry to steal anyone's thunder - Ha).

I did my skills test and driving test, today. Skills was great, and when we started the drive, I was suprised how nervous I became. I knew I could pass, but, the nervousness came up and just took over. I suppose it's to be expected any time I go under inspection.

Now it's on to Dallas. I'll be there by sometime next week and go through orientation. After that on the road.

By the way, a fellow student is wanting info: What do lumpers charge?

LORD bless, folks. I'll be writing.

Category: General

Hey,

Just a quick note. Had a good day of driving. Went downtown and covered parts of the DMV course. Lots of tricky areas to know about. I'm still nervous about the upcoming test, but, lots more confident, now that I've seen it.

We drove for several hours, switching drivers after about 30 minutes in the seat. I got 4 drives in, I think. Felt good to get some miles in.

Hope to test Wednesday. Keep me in prayer. I think I'll be ready!

Merry Christmas, all. Jesus loves you, too.

Category: General

My roomate is asking if anyone knows a good company to take care of taxes, bills, or bookkeeping, etc. for an o/o trucker.

Well, things are going ok. Great day, yesterday, but, today was somewhat a dud. Didn't get any drive time, today, except for skills training on the course at the school lot. I'll have lots of time, tomorrow, anyway, I expect.

My plan is to get as much driving as I can Saturday and Tuesday, then, test on Wednesday. That'll leave me with Thursday, if I need to test, again.

I'll keep you folks posted. LORD bless!

Category: General

Well, had an interesting day, today.

I went to DMV to take my Air Brake Systems Test and my Pre-trip Inspection Test. To make this short, I passed the Air Brake Test with no problem, but, missed several points on my Pre-trip Inspection. Overall, I missed a passing grade, by ONE!

That's the way it is, sometime, I guess. Miss by 1. No big. I told the examiner I'd be back, tomorrow to finish up. So, that's the plan. I'm going back in the morning, to get those tests finished up and out of the way.

Hey, VM and Road, thanks so much for your info and comments. I think it was Road who was asking me about the Steven's training. Here's basically how it works. Steven's pays about $4800 to put us through 160 hours of training at one of their contracted schools. We cover the basics to get licensed and once the license is obtained and training finished, are off to Dallas for a 4 day orientation. After this, we are lined up with a trainer to begin 5 weeks of driving/training. Once this is done, I'll get matched up with a fellow 'trainee' and the two of us will drive together for 3 weeks, which brings us to the end of the training program and we are given our trucks. There is a 1 year contract I signed which allows Steven's the security of recouping their investment in my training. I figure I'm not going into this like most people enter marriage, today, with the intention to divorce at the first opportunity they get, so, I'm ok for at least a year. LORD willing, of course. That's about it.

I had the chance to talk with one of the company drivers who stopped by, yesterday. Lots of great info and questions were answered for all of us, here. He has been with Steven's 2 years and has been driving his NEW (Built 6/2006) KW T2000 for 5 months. Nice outfit. I'm glad he stopped by.

Getting late, so, I'm cutting it short, here. I'll write again, soon. Have a great day and I'll get back after I pass these tests, tomorrow!

Bye for now.

Category: General

Hey, thanks for all your quick comments. You folks are pretty fast in responding. Thanks, again.

I had another great day, today. Got there a little late, but, made up for lost time. I spent the whole day, driving. Well, except for awhile in the morning, just reviewing pre-trip inspection, etc. Leo, our instructor had me in the seat of a 1998 KW T2000 Stevens has supplied to the school, doing skills training on the lot course. What was really cool, is... I can handle it. I didn't really have much of a problem, there. It involved driving forward, stopping at given points (with bumper within a 2 foot box), backing the length of the course, forward again, to a given point and hard right to bring the rear axles of the trailer across a given mark, then set myself up for an alley dock from an angle of about 45 degrees, then, forward to set up for a parallel park. It's cool to see progress.

You know, it's just like life. Like knowing Jesus. When I first walked into the place, I had no idea what I was gonna experience or learn, but, I'm seeing the pieces fall into place. When I first learned about Jesus, I had no idea. I just saw Him as an excuse for Christmas. Then, through trial and error (many errors) I've learned to trust Him. He always has held up to His promises, and even helps me hold up to my end of the deal. In this training, I'm learning to trust what the instructor says, and just do it. It's working out.

So, again. I got behind the wheel before lunch, and drove for about an hour. I told the instructor, Angel, about the problem I was having with downshifting. After we got in the truck, Angel made it simple for me. He said, "look, I'm going to tell you how to downshift. Let your RPM's drop to 1300 and pul it into neutral, then, accelerate to 1700 and drop it into gear, that's it." You know what? It was so cool! It worked, just as advertised. I spent the next hour upshifting to 9th or 10th gear and back to 4th, over and over. Felt great!

What's funny, is just a few minutes after he told me that, he sat and watched me and said, "you don't need any help, I'm gonna just sit here and not say anything." After making a phone call, he said, "you know you must be doing good for me to make a phone call!"

In the afternoon, after hitting the skills course 8-10 times, I heard Leo tell Angel, "We need to get Mark out of here, next week, he's ready. He's been hitting everything I've thrown at him out here, with all 3 trucks! How'd he do on the drive?" I didn't hear Angel's answer, but, Leo took me out again, later on.

I took the T2000 out again, with Leo, just before heading home. As I exited the lot, I felt a grind, and heard Leo go, "Hmmm". I kept on going, and shifted through 8th, before coming to the light, backing it down to 5th. I heard Leo say "Man", "Hmmmm" and finally, "Maaaaaan". I almost hit the brake, to ask what I hit, because I didn't see anything in the mirror, or anywhere. I looked at him trying to figure out what the problem was. He just looked at me and said. "How many times have you been out?" I told him this was my 4th trip and he busted up laughing. "Maaa-haaaaan" was his response. "You're a natural, I'm gonna just sit here and shut up" Ha! That was so cool to hear him say. So, again, I spent an hour shifting to 9th or 10th and back to 4th. I missed a couple, but, a whooolllle bunch better than yesterday. Just Angel's simple explanation about 1300/1700 did it for me. Until then, I was following another instructors idea of shifting by using the speedometer. His thing was; at 50mph shift to 9th, 40 to 8th, 30 to 7th, 20 to 6th, 15 to 5th and 10 to 4th, etc. Just never worked for me. Maybe, some, but, not very well.

Well, enough for today. Folks, pray for me. I pray for you. By the way. I'm excited to say... the LORD is faithful and has provided a fellow believer for a roomate. No riff-raff, etc. Seems to be a great brother. Praise the LORD.

Category: General

So, anyway. today was another learning experience. This morning I had to hit DMV to take them my medical certificate. A simple little task, right? Well, apparently, the lady at window #8 decided that the form I had was not going to suffice, even though it's the same form all other students have used, for years, without a problem. Well, to make my day a little more eventful, she had me run back to the doctor's office for a new form. Yeah, a hassle, but, the Lord has reasons for all these things coming up.

So, after getting the correct form, I return to window #8 and everything went fine, until...

Ha! No big, but, a previous ticket came up and she said she couldn't let me take my driving test until taking care of that. Well, fortunately, she had a phone number. I called, paid another $50 to the DMV and took care of that obstacle. Felt good to get all that done.

After noon, I had a chance to hit the road with an instructor for an hour or so. I started out alright, but, pretty rough in the shifting. After a few pointers and direction from the instructor, things got a lot smoother. Still not great, but 'do'able. I'm doing alright on the upshift, but, down shifting is still a pain. I even get confused about where I am, in the shifting, at times. I still have some time, and will be working on all that for awhile, yet.

I hope everyone is ready for CHRISTmas. You know, it's a really cool time of year. Just knowing that Jesus came and why He came makes all the difference. It is so good to know, that God loves you, and me enough to make His only Son suffer as He did, to remove our sin. What a great thing.

LORD bless you, folks. Have a great weekend!

Category: General

Hey, folks. How's everyone? I appreciate your visit to my blog.

We've finally been making some progress with the trucks. Yesterday, was a cool day. Most of my day was rather confusing. It seems this school is not really the best at organization, nor at instruction, but, it's getting better. After lunch, one of the instructors loaded a few of us into the Kenworth and gave us about 30 minutes of drive time out in the sticks. The first attempt at driving one of these rigs will give you a whole new respect for truck drivers! I didn't do too bad, but, it wasn't real smooth, either. I got along alright, I think.

Later in the afternoon, I was able to talk with some folks in Dallas, about the company, and what to expect. Asked a few questions, etc. Looks like I'm expected t head out 12/29, to Dallas, and meet with a trainer, there. 5 weeks of on the road training with him and start earning a few bucks, and another 3 weeks on the road with a fellow rookie and I'll pick up my own rig, near the beginning of March. My son, Dan's birthday! We'll see how things go.

Today, we worked on pre-trip inspection and drove, some. Mainly just some skills driving, in the lot. I need to practice my pre-trip inspection, since that will be my next test at DMV, soon. I took the time to rewrite a more accurate checklist than what the school provided for us. It has helped a bunch. I just need to perform the inspection several times to become familiar with just what to say, and what not to say. They make it sound like the DMV is quite pickey about how you word things and all. I hope it's not too bad.

Had a chance to get to know some of the guys, there, today. Had a few discussions about the Lord. I can see most folks are actually pretty unfamiliar with what the Gospel, really is. It seems they have heard lots about religeous things, but, not much about the Lord!

I have some pictures, but, not sure how to load them, here. I'm working on it.

Well, enough, for now. I'll be back, Lord willing!

Category: General