Proud Dad

I would like to tell everyone I am a very happy man. My 19 year old son Blake, today obtained his HR truck license!
He did a 2 day competency based assessment on a DAF 3300 with a 13 speed Roadranger transmission
He could have done it with another driving school on a near new Hino with a ten speed RR, but I decided to 'throw him in at the deep end ' in the DAF.
In comparison his Dad got his in a Dodge 300 (petrol) with a 4speed trans and only a crash first gear, I take my hat off to him!
I'll have to take lessons off him when I finally get the Dodge going
regards Harleigh

JimmyDodge
GuddayM8

Well Dun
on Jnrs part

Wotz next?

'B' Double licence

Must B sum ordeal to get liecence nowa days
I can remember way back when
I got mine in the weetiez pkt
LOL


cya

Thanks Swishy, on Blakes behalf, I must admit he came home absolutely knackered after the first day out doing battle with the DAF and the road ranger. He even made an inference that my parents weren't married when I was born for putting him in to a truck like that!
It was a big eye opener for him to see the stupid things car drivers do to make a truck drivers life difficult .
Mission accomplished I say.
The "B double"license will be at his expense!
regards Harleigh

Harleigh, when i went for my HR i went in a Acco 5x2 but wern't allowed to use the 2sd as they had a lot blown up.

When i got my licence the officer said he thought i might have been driving for few years before and he was right (about 5 yrs ) under the belt.

My problem was the qeustions 2 goes and the 2 one learnt parrot fashion, so 31 years later have driven 2 speeds and RR's etc. Dave

Hi Dave
At least you went in a proper truck like my son, The dodge d5n 300 i went in was really like a big ute with dual wheels on the back!
In case you are wondering what a DAF 3300 looks like here 'tis



Regards
Harleigh

Harleigh whats the "P" stand for on the the front bumper . Dave

P for Professional after 2 days training! lol Just joking P for Provisional driver.
Blake had to have them on despite being a learner according to the instructor.
He goes off his p plates September next year

regards
Harleigh

`First off, good on him for getting his license, well done.

Now have you told him about the FULL and HONEST TRUTH-FULL facts of life, regarding what truck driving is really all about.

Like the terribly long hours, 18 - 20 hr days, very low pay rates, piece rates/milage rates while your sitting idle, then what about ALL the shonks, that are going to try and rip him off.

What about having to change a flat tyre while it's pouring rain, or the temp is up around 110 Fahrenheit, the ground so bloody hot you can't even touch it with your bare hand, let alone pick up that bloody hot wheel-brace.
Then again if he ever gets around to carting live-stock, whilst changing that never ending saga of the flat tyre, once again, one of the animals decides to piss all over him.

So it's great to be rolling down the road without a care in the world, being your own master of whatever happens to you, like, where's the next cop hiding and is he going to ask for another donation to the cops retirement fund, or, IS that bloody scaly ready to pounce once again, or, how do I dodge that next weigh-bridge.
Then again, what about ALL the other ABSOLUTE IDIOTS driving around out there, trying their very best to kill or maim him.

Wow, great life if you can hack it, glad I aint doing it any more.

Good luck to your son and may he never run into any of the above.

Please show him this, then have a bloody good conversation about the above details, and any others GORY details that you might think of as well.

regards greenie

Hi Greenie, I have indeed shown him your post, and he admitted the points you made don't sound much fun at all.
Where I am lucky is that he doesn't want to be a full time truck driver.
Blake has just completed a year long horse husbandry course at Tocal Ag College near Maitland NSW. He is hoping to get a job with one of the big horse studs in the upper Hunter valley.
It was my idea to pay for his truck license as I thought it would be another "ace" for him to throw on the table when applying for a job.
When his Pop ( A retired Truckie) heard of this, his advice to Blake was much like yours,
" Stay away from them things, there's no money in' em"
thanks for your advice, as I said before the last two days have been quite a revelation to him.
regards Harleigh

No advice as such, just general knowledge for him to know about.

Please make sure your son DOES heed his Pops words, they are very true, just ask Swishy, he's been around 'em too long now, so he can't change.

Keep pushing him towards the horse husbandry, lots better hours and even better pay.

regards greenie