Road Test

Three rentals from Penske, and all were the same truck.

Road test day? Different truck. ~sigh~

And this one, of course, was the toughest bitch to shift yet.

The clutch grab was nearly at the top and the brakes were very touchy, all easily surmountable with a little time getting used to them. And I had exactly that - a little time to get used to them. The pre-trip had to be modified, too, as it was a completely different make.

We headed to our McYuppie's practice area and ran through a few pre-trips. I've been forgetting the parking brake stress and the fifty foot brake test as of late, so we played with the routine to fit them in where I'd be sure to not forget them. As is always the case, there was one item I consistently forgot: pointing out the reflectors on the rear of the truck (but in my defense, these were unique to the truck model and I wasn't used to them being there). I solved that by picturing the number 4 as I looked at the back of the truck - four items to be pointed out. And to ensure I didn't forget the fifty foot brake test, I purposely kept my gloves in my lap until it had been done. Stupid little tricks, but for me they work, and that's all that counts.

We again hopped 481 down to 690 and practiced call-outs, then got in line at the testing area. After only a few minutes, we saw a tiny woman wearing the latest in dreary DMV fashion approach. She abruptly motioned us both down from the cab and demanded our licenses. Joy. She's one of those. She rapped the passenger side fender and barked "Start your pre-trip from here."

I think Hoss felt a twinge of panic at that point, because we'd worked so hard to stick to two pre-trip routines - a full and a curbside - so I wouldn't freeze up or forget anything.

I said "Sure. Let me go back and get my gloves," and I started back toward the cab.

"No, you won't need them. Just talk through it."

I hesitated for half a second. "Er, okay." I was in front of the truck, and started by pointing out the box lights ---

"No, here. Start it here." She again rapped on the fender.

Dammit. She hates me already.

So I started under the fender, pointing and talking, while she walked down the length of the truck and disappeared behind the rear end. I kept talking, but looked at Hoss with WTF expression on my face. He answered with his own WTF expression and shrugged. I dogged on. She met me at the back and ordered me back to the cab to do my lights tests. Sheesh, it felt like being sent to my room.

Lights checked, she climbed in the cab, and instructed me to start my in-cab pretrip, during which she set up her handheld unit and reviewed the registration and insurance paperwork. Watching her fumble between the seat cushions to retrieve the seatbelt buckle that Hoss obviously hadn't used on the drive down seemed to stretch into an epic that would require an intermission.

"Ok, pull out."

A phrase she's used innumerable times, I have no doubt.

She directed me with disturbingly vague instructions ("take a left up there" - "at the stop sign?" - "no, the one after that") and told me to point out hazards I saw along the way. Lady, the most imminent hazard to my safety is sitting to my right. Sheesh.

Heading toward the first overpass, I started my call out: "Approaching overpass, no height restrictions poste---" when she interrupted with "So what's the maximum height you could drive under it?"

"Fourteen feet."

"Correct. Continue."

This woman could curdle vinegar.

She directed me to the Bear Street onramp of 690 West, a 2 laner that quickly merges into one just prior to the main highway. Upon turning left onto the ramp, I hit my right turn signal to move into the right lane when she began jabbing her handheld at the right lane and announced "You should be in THAT lane."

Yes, Dearest. That's why my right turn signal is on and I'm turning the steering wheel. Thank you.

After a few bridges and overpasses, she told me I could stop announcing them. I took a chance and commented that it probably got on her nerves after hearing it for a while, but she replied with "No, I'm just trying to make it easy on you guys." What's this? An unexpected thaw?

After a few minutes of driving, she asked who I was going to work for. When I told her we were looking at expediting as a husband / wife team, she got downright perky. We discussed relationships in close quarters, what we planned to do with our house, and the ability to take pets with you on the road (including a rather lengthy description of a truckdriver with his "cute little white dog" that she met on the road once in Pennsylvania). Meanwhile, she directed me to a quiet area of Van Rensselaer Street for the straight back and parallel. She had become so casual that I wasn't sure how formal to be with this portion of the test. I stopped the truck and put on my hazards, then said "At this point, I would jump down and walk around the truck before I back." She nodded and said "Yes, go ahead with that." Okey doke. I did my walkaround, took a good look at the distance to the curb, then climbed back in. I did a ten foot straight back and a nice tight parallel. She didn't even unbuckle her seat belt, roll down her window, or open her door, let alone get out to inspect the results. "Okay," she said "Drive us down to Spring Street."

Huh. This was difficult?

At the stop sign at West Kirkpatrick, I struggled with getting into a gear. No luck with third. Second wasn't cooperating, either. I told her that despite using the same truck in the past for practice, my luck ran out and they'd given me an unfamiliar one for the test. She said "Oh, don't worry. You're doing fine."

I am? Oh. Good.

I think.

Back to Plum, where we'd started. Hossman was just down the street, hands in his pockets, kicking snow boogers. She printed off the results from her handheld, turned it over, and proceeded to draw a diagram on the back with purple ink. "Look, when you're in a two laner, you need to move to that right lane. Got it?" Yes. Yes, I do. Got it. "Okay. Sign this. Wait seven days, then take it to DMV to get your license. Good luck."

Huh. I passed with only one violation: Improper Lane of Traffic. I guess I can live with that.

Fourth Drive

I stand corrected. According to Tammy, our friendly rental agent at Penske, we've used the same truck for the last three drives. I suspect that Hoss thought I was full of it when I thought the 2nd rental was a different truck than our 1st ("Well, it's kinda odd that the side steps are bent in exactly the same manner as the last truck, don't you think?"), but he was gentlemanly and didn't challenge me on it. Thanks, Hossdaddy. Why, then, did I have trouble with 3rd on our 2nd drive with that truck? I dunno, but it's obviously an issue between my ears and not the gears. ~sigh~

Anyway, our fourth drive went spectacularly well. I didn't freeze during the pre-trip and missed calling out only one thing during the first run-through ("nothing between the duals" on the passenger side). My first parallel park was too far from the curb - not by much, but enough to likely fail. Several subsequent attempts were perfectly nailed. Straight backing, no problem.

We again drove 690 and practiced call-outs, then doubled back a few exits so Hoss could show me a couple of odd off-ramp and lane change setups, in case they were included on the road test. We skipped the tight turn practice entirely, as I seem to be fine with that.

It was cold and snowing, and the roads were potentially slippery in some spots. I kept my speed down and made sure to leave plenty of space between me and the cars in front. There's construction on a section of 690 downtown, on a curved overpass, where cement barriers are up, leaving no shoulders and very little wiggle room. As we drove through that section, a Wegman's truck passed me on the left. Hoss complimented me for holding my lane and not moving closer to the cement barriers, which could have resulted in accidentally sideswiping them. I'm pretty comfortable with my lane space, though. As long as I stay centered in my lane and they stay centered in theirs, there is plenty of room for us both. He chuckled and concurred, but reminded me how many times he's had close calls in the bus. It's true; not all drivers stay centered in their lane, and some situations will make doing so tricky for even the best drivers (such as wind gusts and road hazards, but that's all part of being aware of your surroundings).

Hoss is very pleased with my progress, and said so a few times. It feels good to know he thinks I'm doing well. I'm a very confident driver, and have never doubted that there's nothing I can't drive and drive well, but my progress is as much an indicator of his ability to teach as my inherent skills. He lets NOTHING slip, whether it's a pre-trip component, a call-out, a traffic infraction, a technique, or a bad habit. He knows exactly how to handle me to make sure I'm the best I can be, and I love him for that.

As it gets closer to becoming reality, we're both getting more excited about driving together. Yes, it'll be a big adjustment in our lifestyle. Yes, it'll be very hard work with long hours and numerous frustrations. But we'll be together, we'll be making decent coin, and our successes (and failures) will be ours alone, not due to the whims and cerebral limitations of others. Hoss is, quite frankly, fed up with his current employer, who mis-manages the business to the extent that I don't know how they expect to survive much longer. Yet he works hard for them and continues to represent them well, and I love him for that, too.

I'm having dreams about driving together. Two nights ago, I dreamed that I'd found the perfect place for the cat's litter box in our sleeper - in the stairwell of the rear RV door. And I was putting away two weeks' worth of socks and underwear each, in case we had a very busy period and couldn't take time to do laundry. I guess I'm nesting in my head. It's kinda fun.

The fleet owner we'd talked with a month ago remains "very interested" in hiring us on when we're ready, and at our current pace, we're planning for mid-January. Hoss likes her and from their conversations, thinks she's good to her teams. She's based in Binghamton, only an hour south, so the logistics work out well, too. We'll meet with her after the holidays.

The road test looms less than two weeks away. Christmas week will be busier than usual this year, since Hoss has business in Scranton on the 23rd, and that will take all day. The 24th is the Big Annual Christmas Eve Party for the family, which takes a full day of preparation. If he's going to work at all that week, it'll have to be Sunday through Tuesday -- if there's work. It's slow for motorcoach drivers then since school is out. We haven't yet made a reservation for another drive prior to the road test, but we'll try to work one in somehow.

Almost there.

Third Drive

I can't think of a better motivator for nailing the pre-trip than 45 mph wind gusts on a cold December day.

Penske again. Another 26-footer, but a different beast than the last drive. How do I know? Because again, I had trouble with 3rd. I've got no problem finding it when upshifting, but downshifting? Nope. Hoss says my right arm must be deformed somehow. ~sigh~

We drove to our street behind McYuppies (in the interest of full disclosure, it's actually an Outback nestled behind a Chili's and a Barnes & Noble) and went through an amazingly fast pre-trip. I'm getting better, but still missing a few things here and there, and mainly the in-cab portion, for some odd reason. I need to practice it in my head more often.

Although I've done pretty well with parallel parking, Hoss gave me a different perspective to use. Rather than drop it in like you would a car, he suggested cranking then adjusting the angle as necessary while continuing to back. It feels like you're taking a mile to get parked, but it can be done in less than a truck length. That worked very well, and once we adjusted the mirrors so I could see the lower corner of the box, I was good. Straight backing is a cinch. In fact, at one point I'd parked very close to the curb and Hoss warned me that doing so means I'd have less leeway on the straight back and it would have to be done perfectly. So I backed straight as an arrow and with the thickest self-congratulatory sneer asked "Do you mean more perfect than this?"

Once again, we headed south on 481 and picked up 690 west. Traffic wasn't as heavy as our prior drive, but with stiff wind gusts bashing us, I had to concentrate. I was 15 when I had my last road test. You can pick up an awful lot of bad habits in 35 years - driving one-handed, letting the wheel slip under your palms after you turn, speeding, etc. I need to be aware of them and make sure I don't use them during the test.

We got off at Jones Road and practiced more tight turns in Seneca Knolls. I'm sure the neighborhood is wondering why that big yellow truck shows up every few days and aimlessly lumbers around, but so far no one has come out of their house with a shotgun to chase us off. I seem to have turning down pretty well, so we drove back up 57 to our McYuppie street and pre-tripped some more. Pointing out the obvious is tedious and takes concentration. Yes, I'm quite sure I'd notice if lug nuts were missing or my hood latch had popped open or a leaf spring had broken, but the objective is to prove to the tester that you're looking for and making note of their status. You can glance at a wheel and note several things at once - the condition of the tire, the depth of the tread, the condition of the wheel, whether the hub is leaking, if all the nuts are present and secure, if the valve stem is centered - but you have to verbally point each one out or points are deducted. Hence, the never ending pre-trip practice.

After only three hours, we topped off the fuel and took the truck back. Hoss shmoozed the rental agent and she knocked fifty bucks off the rental bill because we'd brought it back so early. He's such a character.

So, drive number three was another success!

Second Drive

Practical driving? No problem. I ran a bit close to the curb on a few corners, and rolled back twice while waiting at lights ("YOU'RE ROLLING! ROLLING! STOP ROLLING!! ~Hoss ;) I love to hear him panic).

This time, we rented from Penske. Considerably less expensive. This truck is easier to nail 3rd and shift. Higher gear ratio.

We hit our unused street behind McYuppies and practiced parallel parking several times. It's tough to judge when to start cranking the wheel to nose in, but I did make good progress. Hoss then directed me to the McYuppie parking lot to practice tight turns around parking islands and pretend rows of restaurant patrons' cars. I did pretty well.

We then headed down 481 toward the Eastmost 690 on ramp. More calling of bridges, overpasses, hazards, work zones, speed limit changes, on ramps, and merging. Once again, Hossman enjoyed hearing my frantic call outs.

We ran up to the Seneca Knolls neighborhood in Baldwinsville to practice tight turns and narrow streets. Again, I did well. Although I need more finesse, the practical portion of driving seems to come fairly easily.

We took a break at home for a short while, then drove up to Sam's Club parking lot to practice more pre-tripping. It was too dark to pre-trip at home, and since we planned to top off the tank at Sam's, it made sense to park there and practice.

For some odd reason, I seem to freeze up at the beginning of the practice pre-trip, during the air pressure testing. There's no difference between engine off / key on / watch gauges / release spring brakes / press pedal / etc etc etc and the logical, physical steps required with a front end check, yet when Hoss, my pretend road tester, sits in the cab and tells me to begin, I blank out. I stumbled through the first two or three pre-trips, and when Hoss laughingly asked me WTF was wrong, well, I got pissed. Really pissed. Not at him, but at myself. I'm not a rocket scientist, but jeez louise, I should be gliding right through this crap by now.

And so, adrenaline kicked in. I'm mad. Air pressure testing, the very start of the pre-trip. 1st run through, screwed it up. Dammit. Restart. Another stumble. Double dammit. Start again. After 3 or 4 restarts, I finally get it right without freezing. I jump down from the cab and start the outside pre-trip, angrily rattling off the check points and going through the physical motions, rapidly, aggressively. I missed only one or two steps in the pre-trip, and only one consistently (why can't I seem to remember the rear license plate??).

We ran through the entire pre-trip several times, and although I wanted to continue until I'd had it perfected, I had to agree with Hoss that it was time to quit. We were both exhausted and ready to fuel up and return the truck. We were spent.

Today was very beneficial in many ways, but perhaps the most useful discovery was that getting pissed increases my ability to concentrate and recall. This could be very helpful, indeed.

God help the Brownie that tests me.

Road Test Scheduled

This morning, Hoss scheduled my road test online:

30 December 2009 @ 13:00

A good time choice, as this gives us a few hours in the morning to practice with the truck I'll be tested in.

Although daunted, I'm very excited. :)

First Drive

Our original plan called for me to attend a trucking school to prepare for my road test. We've been in contact with an owner-operator, however, who doesn't believe that's necessary, and who will be content with Hoss training me on our own. The tuition we'd planned to spend will now simply be spent on renting a truck to train in.

Today, we rented a 26' from Ryder. Hoss drove it home, and we parked it on the street in front of the house. It was raining quite heavily, so while we waited for the rain to let up a bit, I studied my pre-trip list.

After 90 minutes, the rain had lessened enough for us to venture out. We climbed into the cab and Hoss demonstrated air pressure testing for me. And then? He set me loose on the pre-trip.

Pre-tripping is common sense: test and point out the obvious. Leaks. Loose. Damaged. Illegal. Or more accurately, pointing out what's NOT leaking, loose, damaged, or illegal regarding the vehicle you're about to drive. The challenge is in remembering all of the parts and systems that need to be checked, and in the proper order.

My first pre-trip went pretty well. Starting at the driver's cab door and working clockwise around the truck, always from top to bottom, provides a common sense framework to the process. Glass? Okay, can you see through it? Is it broken? Something that latches - a door, a hood - is it latched and secure? Is there ample tread on the tires? Is anything leaking? Are any light lenses broken, or any bulbs burned out?

But there's much more, of course. Suspension components must be checked. Slack adjusters must be manually tested for excess play. Piston rod indicators must be checked. As you pre-trip during your road test, you must call out each item you're checking, and you lose points for each one you miss or fail to point out.

The braking system is thoroughly checked, by intentionally dropping air pressure and calling out the PSI when the alarm sounds and when the spring brakes engage. The brake pedal is depressed for a full minute to check for pressure loss. The driver's window is rolled down to listen for air leaks. The parking brake is tested by engaging the clutch and stressing the brake.

Gauges are checked. The defroster must be demonstrated. Ditto the wipers and washers, as well as the horns. You must point out the fire extinguisher and the fact that it's charged and ready for use; you must point out the three reflective triangles; you must point out the extra fuses you have on board, unless your truck uses breakers.

It's a lot to remember. And I've only touched on the complete list.

We went through the pre-trip several times, and then it was finally time for me to drive. Unloaded, first and second gears are overkill. To save time and aggravation when driving an unloaded 6-speed, start in 3rd gear. This, I learned straight away. :)

I knew of a rarely used street nearby, situated behind a few McYuppie restaurants. We headed there first, to practice parallel parking and straight backing. I did fairly well with both. Parallel parking in a truck is completely different than that in a car, of course; according to Hoss, you're allowed craploads of space to perform the maneuver and adjust as you go. If that turns out to be true with the person that road tests me, I should be okay.

We headed out toward 690, practicing L-turns, lane centering, and distanced stopping. Although it had been 10 to 12 years since I'd driven a manual transmission, the only issue I seemed to have with shifting was slipping the bitch into 3rd when I wanted it. For some reason, it required considerable fiddling and force. Other than that, all went well shifting-wise.

We hit 690 and Hoss informed me it was time to start calling out hazards. "Approaching overpass; no height restrictions posted; 14 feet or higher." "Approaching bridge; no weight restrictions posted; 40 tons or better." "Congested intersection ahead." "Speed limit change; now 45 mph." "Approaching on-ramp; merging traffic."

Anyone who has driven 690 through town knows this exercise required constant attention.

It sucked.

I missed a handful, which Hoss gleefully pointed out. He thoroughly enjoyed the experience. I suspect we'll be driving 690 more in coming days.

At the end of the day, I was exhausted. Although there was a good deal of physical activity required, I suspect the exhaustion is more from concentration and stress than anything.

But I'm closer. :)

The Written

I once again went to the Fulton DMV office, this time with physical exam paperwork in hand. I was 21st in line when I arrived at mid-morning. Ugh! With only two windows open, it took the better part of an hour to get to the window.

The testing area at that office is a tiny table set up along one wall of the room. If you can't concentrate in noisy, busy areas, don't bother taking your tests at Fulton.

I completed three written tests - the General Knowledge exam, the Air Brakes exam, and the Passenger endorsement exam. The questions were all, surprisingly, almost exactly the same as I'd found here. I took my time, went over the questions twice, and double checked that I'd selected the answers I'd intended to. After a half hour, I was ready to have my answers reviewed. The problem? I had to get back in line, which was now even longer by a dozen people. Grayyt.

After nearly an hour, I made it to the window and asked that my tests be scored. The result? Four of fifty wrong on General Knowledge, two of 25 wrong on Air Brakes, and one of 20 wrong on the Passenger endorsement. Yay, me!

So, I walked out with a CDL Class B learner's permit and a whole lotta smiling. :) :) :)

DOT Physical

The waiting room was quite busy, and I overheard a good deal of talk about being called back from a layoff. Perhaps things are picking up locally? I did have to wait considerably longer than I'd expected, but with nothing else to do, it wasn't an issue. There were a couple of other women in the room besides me.

The testing was pretty standard stuff, really. Height, weight, read line 5 on the eye chart, pee in a cup, etc. I once again managed to pass the eye exam without wearing my glasses, so that restriction won't appear on my license. They tested my coordination and balance, my hearing (by whispering behind my back while I faced a corner of the room), made sure I could bend over and squat, etc. The only thing they brought to my attention was that they'd found traces of blood in my urine, which is likely a very mild UTI. Hoss wants me to take antibiotics, but I don't see the need. I'll pay attention to it, but it'll probably resolve on its own.

So, I'm healthy enough to drive truck. Let's see if I'm smart enough.

DMV Visit #1

After months of casually reading and studying the New York State Commercial Driver's Manual with the idea that perhaps I'd drive motorcoach or obtain a similar job, Hoss has convinced me that expedited freight is the way for us to go. And it makes sense. We're empty nesters, with no ongoing responsibilities at home; we both love to travel and experience new adventures; we thoroughly enjoy each other's company and have very rarely gotten on the other's nerves; and neither of us is tied to a daily shower, a king-sized bed, and three course meals. By team expediting, we'd be together, we'd travel the country, we'd enjoy the potential to make a good living, and we'd have fun at it.

So I drove North to the Fulton DMV to take my written CDL. Alas, it's Friday, and with the Taft Road office closed, the line is much longer than expected. After a 20 minute wait in line, the cashier informs me that I need a DOT physical before I can take the written exam. Hmm, a new procedure.

Okie doke. I bought a physical exam packet for three bucks (no idea if I needed to or not, but I didn't want to be unprepared), thanked her, and went out to my car, where I called my regular physician. I was politely informed that they don't do DOT exams, and gave me the number for a site near downtown Syracuse. I called and made an appointment for the following Wednesday.

After returning home I hit the book, yet again. Just in case. ;)

Welcome!

Welcome to the Proper Expediting blog. Following are a few questions and answers that synopsize this little corner of the web.

Who are we?
Steve (aka "Hossman") - mid-fifties, ardent husband, with a long resume detailing management, transportation, and sales.

Paulette - early fifties, devoted wife, who spent 27 years working for a ginormous insurance company's IT department and would rather live in a cardboard box than go back to the cubicles and suits and endless, fruitless meetings.

Together, we share six (mostly) wonderful kids and five grandkids, two cats, and a flaccid bank account. We both love new adventures, new people, travel, local customs and foods; we value hard work, honesty, and above all, each other's attention and company.

What is the purpose of this blog?
To document the launch of a new career and lifestyle, and the adventures - both good and bad - resulting from that choice.

For whom are we blogging?
Primarily, for ourselves; I expect this new career will lead us to many new places and faces that can be documented well via this medium. Secondarily, for family and friends who want to share these adventures with us. And finally, for anyone interested in this career and the successes and pitfalls we encounter along the way.

What do we want to achieve via this blog?
Our blog will journal our new venture into expedited freight as a husband / wife driving team.

How much of our lives will we disclose?
We will be forthright about our successes and failures, with the expectation that a reader may well benefit from our mistakes. After we hit the road, we'll document where our travels take us and who we meet on the way.

How much time will we commit to it?
Posts will be published at milestones during our journey, with updates provided minimally every week.

What is our exit criteria?
The framework of our blog is our foray into expedited trucking. When that ends, so does the blog.