The Rest of Orientation

The point of this orientation is, as I mentioned earlier, to fulfill the requirements of the FMCSR Sec.380.500-380.513 which typically takes about a day and a half. Topics covered included: Safety, Logging, Hours of Service (the number of hours you are allowed to work in a day, week, etc..) Benefits, and so on and so on. The safety section was especially memorable with lots of pictures of horrible accidents. Then we learned that flatbed trucking is, in fact, after Alaskan Crabbing and Logging, the third most dangerous job in the country and to go with that many pictures of people horribly mangled by not using the proper safety equipment. Lots of compound fractures and bungee hooks in eyeballs.
The second half of the week consisted of load securement training. Learning how to use straps and chains to attach things to the truck bed so that they do not fall off and get damaged (or hurt people.) We also learned how to cover things with tarps so that they do not get wet or dirty in transit. All pretty basic. After many weeks of inactivity the five of us were exhausted after this first day of pulling chains and throwing straps and crawling up onto and under trailers. This is great, it is exactly what I wanted.
On Friday, after being given an assignment to tarp a large and bizarrely shaped piece of machinery on a truck bed out on the backlot, we were taken over to the main building where we got paid for the week (in cash!) and were taken to our trucks. They were all spiffy and cleaned and had all the paperwork we would need sitting on the front seat. This was pretty sweet. Melton's trucks are mostly late model Kenworth T-600s. Mine is a 2007 with about 135,000 miles on it. (it's a baby) here:














and the interior. (leather baby)











After getting settled in my truck I headed over to Lowe's to pick up some of the things I would need like a few hand tools an extension ladder and nails and whatnot. Sometimes securing freight can be a bit of a puzzle, another plus in my opinion.
Then I settled in and waited for a load.