Destruction for Tests (I kicked their ass!!!!)

July 21, 2008

So great news.  Today I passed the final two tests (backing and road) at Roadmaster Driving School.  Once I go the DMV, I will be the proud new owner of a Class A Commerial Driver's License.  It was a lot of work, but unlike a lot of my classmates I put in the time and the effort.  In fact, I am the only one of my class to graduate on time.  The rest of them kept missing days, and fell behind on hours, tests, and homework.  I stayed focused, and made sure I completed the program, and completed it on time.  My classmates will graduate later this week.

Not that it was a piece of cake.  It was not easy by any means.  There was so much to learn in just a short amount of time.  Even though I was critical of Roadmaster in a previous post, I am thankful for some of the instructors there.  In fact, today I got to meet two instructors who I had never met before, and they were both very helpful.  I hated that I didn't get to meet them until my very last day.  I am also very thankful for my main instructor who kept my spirits up when I would get down on myself.  Especially, my first few times backing. 

Now comes the profit part.  Which company do I work for?  Well, I have put out a bunch of applications, and on Monday I will check in with two of them.  Once I get one year of over the road driving, a couple of things happen.  One, I will have all my debts paid off.  Two, I can get hired for Union jobs since I will have had plenty of driving experience.

Looking back on it, there's something funny that happened to my class.  We all started the morning by practicing our backing manuvers.  Then came the test.  Every single one of us made stupid mistakes during our tests, and actually drove better during practice.  But you know what?  All of us passed our backing test.  Considering that the last class had 12 of 16 fail their backing test, going 5 for 5 (there's five of us in our class) is just outstanding.  I was so happy for my classmates when they knocked out the backing test.  We've been pals for four weeks now, and have seen each other through good and bad while driving.

In fact, here's an amazing tale.  While we were out on the road, my classmate/ pal Will was stopped at a red light at Orient Road waiting to turn right.  Right as the light turned green some suicidal dumbass came around the left, cut in front of the truck, and turned right, right in front of the truck and went down Orient.  He must have turned that corner doing 35 at least.  Will managed to slam on the breaks with amazing reaction time, and avoid hitting the guy.  He must have missed the guy by inches.  Literally inches.  These are the types of people you would like to blow your horn at, but he was done by, and down the road.  I wonder if the dumbass was that bad of a driver, or a drunk driver.  As fast as he went around that corner, he almost flipped that truck.  I'm thankful Will was able to stop, and avoid the accident.  Will is a really great guy/ classmate/ pal.

Anyway, now that I have this CDL so many new roads are open to me.  It's a completely new phase in my life.  I am giddy and overly excited.  Now, I have to make a choice of what company I would like to work for.  It feels good to finally get life moving along.