Long time from blog

Why has it been so long since I last posted on this blog? Well it is because I haven't been able to log into my account almost the last two years. I finally downloaded this app from blogger and it logged me right in.
In the last two years with had been great. I still love my job add a truck driver. We work long hours but it is worth it. We must of the time go to California and back. Aaron it's now working on the dock up there and Jessica got married to Travis Wright almost a year ago and he is now a truck driver at old dominion too. It it's funny cause when we all are having dinner together Jessica is left out of the conversation at times cause we are talking trucking.

Snow, snow, snow

Well it has been 3 weeks now since we started driving long distance. Our first run sent us to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania to New York, to Illinois, to Texas, to Utah, back to Dallas to Illinois, to Tennessee, and then back home. We did this in about 5 days total. The second run we went to Tennessee to California to Texas to Tennessee to home. We are enjoying it. We have seen plenty of snow. I think that every time I drove the first week we were always in snow. I didn't think I would ever see anything besides the color white. It just kept going on and on.

We haven't had any problems except for a flat tire on one of our trailers. Another truck driver had to signal us about it cause we never felt a thing.

This week we will not be gone long at all. We will be home for a few days for Christmas vacation.

Done with Training

Well, I finished my last day of training with Old Domionion on Tuesday. Actually, I didnt even get to drive on Tuesday because right when I was getting on the highway my air brakes locked up on me and the truck came to a halt. One of my brake chambers was broken which caused my brakes to lose air. When that happens, the brakes will lock up to stop the truck. Luckily I was only going about 25 mph and wasnt in the middle of the freeway yet cause once the breaks lock up it will not move over.

Now, tonight we are on call. Which means, we don't know when they are going to call us to take a load and where we are going. But, we are ready and excited.

Week 3

I finished my third week of training at Old Dominion. I have one more week and then we will begin going to new places. I received my first full week paycheck this past Friday and it was more than what it took me two weeks earn at Eagles Landing. In another week, I get a raise so it will be even better. I am so thankful to be bringing in money again. It has been a tough couple of months without a paycheck.

Shane has been a wonderful trainer to me. I have gotten frustrated a few times but that is just my own defense system going up when he corrects me. I have been trying hard to work on that. I really enjoy working with him so far. He keeps me laughing. I dont think he realized how little I acutally talk till now.

Yesterday, I was driving and an SUV in front of us ran off the road, jumped a hill, went through the forest and then flipped back onto the road. I quickly stopped the truck and jumped out to help the couple in the car while Shane tried to call 911. Luckily the couple only came away with some cuts and bruises, and pretty shaken up. The wife said he husband started coughing and couldn't breath. We think he also got the gas and the brake pedal mixed up cause we never saw brake lights and he seemed to get faster as the wreck was happening. Shane and I had felt like we had just watched a movie after it was over.

First Week of Work

I finished my first week of work at Old Dominion. I love it. Shane is a great teacher and patient for the most part. I enjoy working with him. Right now we are just working his route during my training period. We go up to Millersville, TN each day. All my training at the school was with an empty trailer so, I never relized how much work it takes to pull over 50,000 pounds of frieght up over a mountain it would be. It is about 4 miles up Mount Eagle. By the time I get up it, my butt and theighs hurt from keeping the pedal to the floor and down shifting. But I have a great time.

Job

I got a call from Dewey today. He officially told me that I have a job and can start working tomorrow. I hope I do well. I pray I can be patient. I have a tendency to get frustrated easily if I am not doing something well. I then get defensive. During my training at the school, I had to keep telling myself, "Listen, they are just trying to teach me; not getting on to me." I know that Shane is just trying to teach me when I am doing something wrong. I just need to remember to not get defensive and listen and learn.

Interview

Today, I went and met with Dewey. He is the hiring manager at Old Dominion. I had to fill out paperwork, go get my drug test, and do a driving exam. Luckily, Shane did my driving test with me. I think I did pretty good. My main problem was down-shifting. I was taught a little different at my training school. But, Shane reasured me that everyone he trains has trouble with shifting and that will come with time. Hopefully, I will start work with Shane by Tuesday.