KyTrucking.net 25 to reach the key. I wish there were a video of this incident because it must have looked hilarious. My instructor is telling me to restart the truck, and I’m saying, “I can’t!” He is asking, “What do you mean? Just start the truck.” And again, I cannot reach the key because of the seatbelt tensioner. Finally, I unbuckled it at an extremely low speed to reach the darn key and explained what had happened. For the record, I did get the truck restarted and back in gear before we stopped forward motion, and I did not hit anything. That should count for something! We both laughed and went on like it was just another day. I am certain I was not the first student to stall the truck during instruction, but likely the first that couldn’t reach the key because of the seatbelt! JD was an excellent instructor, and even with my novice shifting, he put me at ease and was very reassuring. So, after a truly brief time of actual driving on the road and not much more on the range, Jason came to me and said, “We might have a problem with your test date.” He explained they may not have enough trucks available for the date in question and asked if I could change my test date. I made another call to see if any other dates were available. Lucky for me, there was a cancellation for the following day. I took it hoping to get this testing thing out of the way. Armed with limited experience, as happens with every new commercial driver, I took the CDL skills test. I passed! Barely, but according to everyone, “a pass” is “a pass,” whether it is horseshoes, hand grenades, or CDL tests! The main reason for this “semihumorous” story (get it? “semihumorous”), is this: I wanted to see the process from the other side. I wanted to feel what it was like to drive a big truck. I cannot emphasize enough what you already know: what these drivers do every day and what they put up with regarding all the traffic, construction, and other “nondriving” individuals on the road. With my adventure, I reinforced a few things I already knew but had never experienced. The first: we should not forget this is a tough job, and driving a truck cannot be taken lightly. Things can change in less than an instant, and the consequences could be catastrophic. Secondly, I cannot express my respect for the men and women who drive professionally every day. You rock! Thanks for doing what you do. Lastly, I would like to thank Jason Staker and all the instructors at Truck America Training for being so friendly and helpful. I could not have accomplished this adventure without your help. Until next time from “Under the Truck to Behind the Wheel.” Tristan Truesdell is the Staff Assistant for the KTA and is a retired Captain from the Kentucky State Policewith 24 years of CMV enforcement experience. MATCHED DIAMETER AcuTread® tires are cured in a segmented mold which produces a fixed diameter every time — just like new tires. Each tire — regardless of brand — is within 1/32” in diameter. This important feature allows even distribution of load extending mileage and reducing heat build-up. A simple tread depth measurement is all that is required to match AcuTread® retreading tires in dual wheel positions.
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