Western Express

I got here on Sunday night and I was told I would be bunking with a roommate at the hotel, and I did but he got sent home and I’ve been by myself the last few days. Monday morning the hotel serves breakfast, and the shuttle driver says they would be here at 5:30 but they don’t get here until 6:00. You get to the school, and they take your long form & CDL and make copies. You’re then sent to wait in the lunch room waiting for an email that has a bunch of training videos they want you to complete before the end of the day, but not everyone finished them that day & nothing was said. Make sure you’re long form is completely filled out in every section, otherwise they’ll make you do another physical/drug screen, and then because of TN’s decision, you have to upload the digital copy Western sends you to the TDOT website. Be careful with that because it’s easy to get locked out of your account, at least in my experience. Second day was same time, 6:00, and then they had you sit in a classroom and a guy go over a bunch of stuff (he’s pretty fucking funny). Then you go outside and he asks you some questions about weight on front and rear tires, how to move the 5th wheel, how much weight on each slot on the 5th wheel, and has you show him if you know how to open the hood (their deer guards have to move first). Then you’re given off to another dude to go over pre-trip on a trailer, and then you’re sent to another classroom where a guy goes over safety and how to use the electronic logbook. After him you’re sent back to another classroom where a woman teaches you a lot of safety again. At some point during First, Second, or Third day you would take a road test (try and get Lisa, she’s great). Usually it’s supposed to take 2 days, but for me it’s been a week. My first days went smooth, but I’ve had a few problems not necessarily their fault. First, I didn’t get my drug test back until Wednesday because the company that does them was behind for some reason, and I didn’t get my road test until my 3rd day because Lisa has 60 people to get through on Monday, and Tuesday was no different. Now, I’m waiting on Monday to come because I have to contact Nashville’s DMV or whoever to get my account unlocked so I can upload my long form and med card. I don’t know how long it takes to get a trainer/own truck, I haven’t gotten that far. I do know some said they double bunk two guys with one trainer, I’ve heard the trainers can be dirty, only stopped for a shower once in a week, and doesn’t actually “teach you”. So come knowing a bit about driving a semi, and when you get a trainer press on him to teach you the logbook otherwise once you get to the destination he’ll just grab it and do it for you.