Saturday 24th January 2015
An early start at 3am and this time we are off to El Paso. We picked up our trailer at Riverside DC and hit the road around 4am. I drove the my full 11 hours and got as far as Deming NM, where Victor took over and ran in to El Paso for the delivery. There was snow on the hills there and it was close to freezing. I slept on the way back to Colton as far as Buckeye AZ, where we fueled and then I brought us back to Colton CA arriving around 11am on the 25th.
Sunday 25th January 2015
The next load was ready for us at 4pm so it was a quick shower and food then off again to Clark NV. We delivered to Sacramento CA and then picked up another trailer at Clark NV around lunchtime.
Monday 26th January 2015
This load was destined for Manteca CA, Modesto CA and Patterson CA. These were all completed by 9pm and we stopped for dinner at Panda Express. Then Victor drove the 6 hours back to Colton CA.
Wednesday 28th January 2015
Another
early start, 3am departure to El Paso with 3 drops in the city. Have
been in the Colton yard all day catching up on things and resting. I am
starting to appreciate the sights along the route more now. The desert
hills at sunrise are amazing, and I get paid to see it.
Thursday 29th January 2015
Arrived back in the yard at Colton around 6pm and after a shower, food and some sleep we set off for El Paso once more. This time Victor drove the first half of the journey to New Mexico and I did the rest of the journey to El Paso. It was a very hard journey as it rained all the way and needed extra concentration. My hours were running low so Victor did a lot of the driving and I filled in while he rested. We arrived back at the Colton yard around 3pm on 31st January and started our 34 hour reset.
Tuesday, January 27, 2015
Friday, January 23, 2015
Phase 1 training - Week 1
16th January 2014
My trainer (Victor) picked me up from the hotel at 130am and we went to the yard to get the truck and load. My first trip was from Colton, CA to El Paso, TX with supplies for Sam's Club. We arrived at the store around 9pm, but had to wait to be unloaded until 930am the next day.
The moon rising over El Paso, TX
The truck still waiting at sunrise.
17th January 2014
After finally departing at 10am we headed to Arlington AZ, to pick up a load of eggs and take them on to Colton CA, arriving there around 2.30am.
Sunset over the desert.
Monday 19th January 2015
After a short break in the depot it was off to pick up another trailer destined for Wal-Mart in Las Cruces, NM. This was a very uneventful drive and we arrived around 10pm and departed back to Colton, CA around 11pm.
Tuesday 20th January 2015
Another day another challenge, this time the Donner Pass in California. We set off from Colton, CA around 6pm and were heading for Clark, NV. My trainer drove until we reached the summit of The Donner Pass at 7227ft. It takes about 50-60 minutes to ascend or descend this pass in a truck.
On the way up (no I wasn't driving)
Views of the snow capped mountains.
Near the summit and 27F with snow
At the summit we had a short break and then I took over driving for the descent, and onward to Reno and the Walmart DC at Clark NV. We hooked up our load and then headed off for our drops at various Walmarts in Northern California, Atwater, Merced, Madera and Fresno. After all the deliveries were made it was back to Colton, CA arriving Wednesday morning for a 34 hour restart break. See you next trip.
My trainer (Victor) picked me up from the hotel at 130am and we went to the yard to get the truck and load. My first trip was from Colton, CA to El Paso, TX with supplies for Sam's Club. We arrived at the store around 9pm, but had to wait to be unloaded until 930am the next day.
17th January 2014
After finally departing at 10am we headed to Arlington AZ, to pick up a load of eggs and take them on to Colton CA, arriving there around 2.30am.
Monday 19th January 2015
After a short break in the depot it was off to pick up another trailer destined for Wal-Mart in Las Cruces, NM. This was a very uneventful drive and we arrived around 10pm and departed back to Colton, CA around 11pm.
Tuesday 20th January 2015
Another day another challenge, this time the Donner Pass in California. We set off from Colton, CA around 6pm and were heading for Clark, NV. My trainer drove until we reached the summit of The Donner Pass at 7227ft. It takes about 50-60 minutes to ascend or descend this pass in a truck.
At the summit we had a short break and then I took over driving for the descent, and onward to Reno and the Walmart DC at Clark NV. We hooked up our load and then headed off for our drops at various Walmarts in Northern California, Atwater, Merced, Madera and Fresno. After all the deliveries were made it was back to Colton, CA arriving Wednesday morning for a 34 hour restart break. See you next trip.
Texas to California on the Greyhound
14th January 2015
After a brief wait at the hotel I got the call to go to the Colton depot in California for training. This meant a 31 hour Greyhound bus ride from Waxahachie, Texas to San Bernardino, California. At least I had the company of some fellow students on the bus. The bus trip was full of strange and interesting people, and I actually got to chat with a true Native American who lived in Casa Grande AZ. We left Texas at 1140am and arrived at the hotel in California around 6pm on 15th January.
Sunrise in the desert from the coach, notice the mist trying to envelope the hills.
Downtown in Benson, New Mexico
Desert mountains in Arizona
After a brief wait at the hotel I got the call to go to the Colton depot in California for training. This meant a 31 hour Greyhound bus ride from Waxahachie, Texas to San Bernardino, California. At least I had the company of some fellow students on the bus. The bus trip was full of strange and interesting people, and I actually got to chat with a true Native American who lived in Casa Grande AZ. We left Texas at 1140am and arrived at the hotel in California around 6pm on 15th January.
Back to School
Hi I am going to try to document my travels as a truck driver in the USA. My name is Derek and I started with the CR England school in Cedar Hill, Texas on 30th December 2014.
30th December 2014.
My first task was to pass the 5 written tests which would allow me to proceed to the driving part of the test. These first 2 were General Knowledge and Permit and these had to be passed before going on to the next 3 (Air Brakes, Tractor/Trailer and Pre-Trip). These tests were taken on 31st December 2014 and passed first time. After this was achieved I set about learning to drive the truck both forward and backward (with a 53ft trailer attached).
After lots of practice with Dan and some very good on-road training by Juan, I felt that the transition from coaches and buses shouldn't be too hard. I finally reached my driving test appointment on 8th January 2015.
8th January 2015
My test started well with the Static Air Brake test, and this was passed. Then came the drive, and nerves kicked in, I made a stupid error as I left the test center and was failed. A retest was scheduled for the next morning.
9th January 2015
This time I felt more confident and went through all the turns and reversing moves well. I was out on the road about 30-40 minutes and did a variety of left and right turns, as well as reversing and highway driving. This time I passed and felt ecstatic.
The next few day were spent finalizing the paperwork and finally I got hired on 13th January 2015.
Now on to Phase 1 of training .....
30th December 2014.
My first task was to pass the 5 written tests which would allow me to proceed to the driving part of the test. These first 2 were General Knowledge and Permit and these had to be passed before going on to the next 3 (Air Brakes, Tractor/Trailer and Pre-Trip). These tests were taken on 31st December 2014 and passed first time. After this was achieved I set about learning to drive the truck both forward and backward (with a 53ft trailer attached).
After lots of practice with Dan and some very good on-road training by Juan, I felt that the transition from coaches and buses shouldn't be too hard. I finally reached my driving test appointment on 8th January 2015.
8th January 2015
My test started well with the Static Air Brake test, and this was passed. Then came the drive, and nerves kicked in, I made a stupid error as I left the test center and was failed. A retest was scheduled for the next morning.
9th January 2015
This time I felt more confident and went through all the turns and reversing moves well. I was out on the road about 30-40 minutes and did a variety of left and right turns, as well as reversing and highway driving. This time I passed and felt ecstatic.
The next few day were spent finalizing the paperwork and finally I got hired on 13th January 2015.
Now on to Phase 1 of training .....
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