First Day Riding Solo....Forget Something
by John
(MA)
I was fresh out of Tractor Trailer school when I landed My first CDL job. It was a local job hauling tankers, flatbeds,and dump trailers.
I was really nervous and exited about getting the job. I trained with a few drivers for about a week. I was still timid behind the wheel of a truck, but they thought i was ready to drive on my own.
That night i could not sleep i was exited nervous over thinking on what was going to happen on the next day.
My alarm went off at 3:30 in the morning. I was already awake. I had to be at work at five Am, and it takes me a hour and a half to get there.
I arrive on time Walk into the office to get my paper work and to find out what truck that's going to be assigned to me. They give me my paper work and tell me which truck. I leave the office and am practically running towards the truck. It was a old eight speed mac tractor I did not care it was great. I did a pre trip inspection and hopped in nervous as hell,and exited at the same time.
I turned the key and while i was waiting for the air to build up i looked at my first stop. I had to pick up a trailer from a roof shingle yard that loads the trailers, and we pick them up and drive them to building suppliers. So i started driving there. It took me about an hour.
I finally pull into the yard there is a bunch of flatbeds that are being loaded, and some that already are. I look at my paper work for the trailers number so i can pick the right one. Im not seeing it at all in the yard. I drive around looking for it for another 5 minutes. Still cant find it. confused i decided to call dispatch. They pick up, and i start telling them that im at the Norwood shingle yard.
Immediately He says "your not supposed to be there."
My heart jumps I'm thinking crap crap crap. Crap was not the exact word i was thinking.
I timidly answer back "umm I'm Not?"
"look at your paperwork, and look at the bottom left hand corner."
I nervously glance down to the paperwork that was shaking in my hands, And saw it It read pre loaded in the W Bridegwater yard. which was the yard i work out of. The yard I just came from. He starts telling me that a driver picked it up late yesterday brought it to Bridgewater so It could get to were it was going EARLY, and i wasted an hour going to the wrong place. I still had to drive back an hour to pick it up.
Once i got back to my yard, and started hooking up the flat bed as fast as i could so i could get it to were it was going. One of the supervisors came out, and started yelling at me. saying i need to pay more attention. I apologized, and dropped off the load.
Moral of the story i guess for new drivers even if your really exited to get out on the road double check the paper work, and ask questions.