As said I’ll try and keep a diary of how I find it so anyone else thinking of coming out can see first hand instead of my mate told me.
Only landed yesterday so down to The Sandman in Lethbridge an d settled in. Rest of the week will be filled of admin such as social security number drugs test air brake test etc so hope to be behind the wheel doing lessons next week. Speaking to some boys here already they use a couple of old volvos and cascadias for the lessons so back to crash gearbox and no power steering thats gonna be different.
First thing I noticed when got on the freeway was just the sheer size of everything, its so open and wide and can see for bout 30 miles in any direction dont think anything can prepare you for that, if you come out with H&R then Hans picks you up from the airport he hell of a guy and been here for 14 yrs now so not a great deal he not know about he also takes you rouund to get settled in and helps you sort everything out.
Thats about it for now will jump on every now and and then and try and keep it upto date.
Glad you’ve arrived safely. Thats one of the biggest hurdles out of the way, actually coming here. Once you get through all the admin and official nonsense and get behind the wheel you’ll soon get in to the swing of things.
Best of luck and I look forward to reading more about how you’re getting on!
H&R use gateway training to get the ticket so old battered units. As a company though I got told we got another 40 new cascadias coming in next month or so the way I look at it is that gives you a bit of experience in the older units so if aanything does happen and you end up in a old unit at least you got some sort of idea and not used to just the new auto box.
All admin done yesterday so good to go now bank account opened up got my SIN so I can get paid once get going Canadian class 1 applied for which takes about 10 days to be precessed so if all goes well I’ll have my test end of next week/begining of the following just after the bank holiday which means I’ll be good to go on my mental runs which atm longest I have heard is 11 days long but at least you get paid for them. Got today off as waiting for chunk to arrive here today so that will be 3 of us going through PPIC and air brake lessons and tests together so hope to be on driving lessons around tues/weds next week so keep off the roads in the Lethbridge area guys.
No power steering I know they’re more redneck the further west you go, but jeez
Good luck with the training, the pre trip and air brake tests are the most important parts of the test, the driving will come easy, the trucks are bigger and less manouverable than you’re used to, but as you’ve seen, the roads are a lot bigger, so it balances out. My advice on the pre trip is to go over the top, tell the examiner what you’re doing and why you’re doing it and physically touch everything that you’re talking about. The air brake, first seems like a nightmare, but all of a sudden it clicks and you could recite in your sleep.
Keep us posted and get some pictures up (naked cowgirls would be nice, but trucks will do )
Welcome to Canada, As a family we,ve been here just short of 5 yrs . I know i don,t drive but i have to say i won,t go back to the UK my kids all have jobs and thats the most important thing, My dad god rest him always said " You owe your kids everything you can give them" and for us Canada does it . I,m not saying for a minute it doesn,t have it faults over here it does but i didn,t see a future for the Kids back in Sunny Warrington Sad as it sounds Canada and more so Calgary offered this family more. So hopefully for you enjoy your new life and i hope all goes well
The guy that was using that unit made a mistake it does have power steering but unless you blip the throttle then it dont work so that sounds like maybe the pump is gone. Talking bout the tests 2 of the guys who been here for couple weeks had their tests yesterday one failed before he made it out the yard, he forgot to remove the chocks from the trailer from hitching up and the walk round and the other one had a few minor infringments but still passed but because of the 10 day waiting period to change for Canadian ticket he cant do and register it till Saturday now.
Be going up the training company this mornig so I’ll take my cam up with me but not a clue how to post photo’s on here and trust me I been trying to find the naked cowgirl mud wrestling place but no luck yet was hoping someone on here would point me in the right direction lol
Bloody wheel chocks They were the thing that tripped me up, I had the pre trip down after the first time, the air brake was ok’ish, like I said, it suddenly clicked, but I kept forgetting the poxy chocks, in the end I tied them together with a bright orange rope so I couldn’t miss them before climbing into the cab at the end of the test
PDIC and log book tests done and passed today thought was gonna be hard as I have tgrouble learning from a book but if I can pass first time anyone can. I managed to get 100% on both tests think more by fluke then anything else so now I know how to bodge my log book lol onto air brakes tomorrow mornig and the theory and practical exam monday morning.
Off up the ten ten place tonight 1lb bucket of wings for $5 thank you very much all washed down with a few shandy
Those wheel chock laws are just stupid. On the Mass pike service areas they have the rule where you must chock the wheels, nobody does and even the DOT cops think it’s a riddiculous law
right ok so did the air brake test today breezed straight through the practical but flunked the theory big time. the way the questions are worded in both the question and the answer really do ■■■■ but the guys at the training school have no idea what the tests include they have a slide show and books from the AB government but thats it so cant really blame them. you get 30 questions and gotta get 25 of them right if not then back you go in 24 hrs time to try again. All I can say is IF you are thinking of coming out then study study study and you shouldn’t find it so hard it is mind blowing. They allow you 6 1/2 hours in a classroom to be taught it and thats it.
On a plus side start driving lessons tomorrow and test on friday got an old volvo vn with crash box should be fun
Here’s a bit of Duck psychology for you if your struggling with the test…
Try having a conversation in your own head…!! “Hey up Dave, how is “brake lag” minimised to the rear wheels then??.. You thick [zb] Brian, all you gotta do is install a relay valve near the rear brake chambers you div…”
It sounds more than a bit whacky but actually it’s an easier way of remembering things… It’s difficult for your brain to pick an exact piece of information out from a lengthy study list at any given time especially if your feeling a bit of pressure under exam conditions… This way each relevant piece of information has it’s own “signature” in your head… I learned several foreign languages without studying or anything whilst living overseas… It’s virtually impossible to remember what every word means in each language but if you start to piece together all these little “mental notes” it just comes naturally…
Cue the arrival of men in white coats and revoking of heavy goods licence by the DVLA…
When you get on the crash box just take your time and “feel” it in to the next cog, once you’ve worked out how many revs she likes to change at you’ll be laughing… Good luck…
Duck:
Here’s a bit of Duck psychology for you if your struggling with the test…
Try having a conversation in your own head…!! “Hey up Dave, how is “brake lag” minimised to the rear wheels then??.. You thick [zb] Brian, all you gotta do is install a relay valve near the rear brake chambers you div…”
Good idea, but what if your name is not Dave or Brian
Don’t worry Taff, the theory part is no big deal, it doesn’t go against you, it ■■■■■■ you off, but just do it again until you pass it. I did the same as you, passed the airbrake with no revision at all, it all seemed logical, then did the driving theory and got a load of questions about School Buses, which I knew SFA about, so I failed that I had the right hump, I had practiced on line and got everything right, had over twenty years driving lorries and I failed the bloody driving theory test. Next day I took it again and got every question right My mate who I was training with ripped the arse out of me, he passed both first time, but I had the last laugh, I passed my driving test first go, he didn’t, so I made him feel a lot better by returning the ■■■■ taking
Duck:
Here’s a bit of Duck psychology for you if your struggling with the test…
Try having a conversation in your own head…!! “Hey up Dave, how is “brake lag” minimised to the rear wheels then??.. You thick [zb] Brian, all you gotta do is install a relay valve near the rear brake chambers you div…”
Good idea, but what if your name is not Dave or Brian
Don’t worry Taff, the theory part is no big deal, it doesn’t go against you, it ■■■■■■ you off, but just do it again until you pass it. I did the same as you, passed the airbrake with no revision at all, it all seemed logical, then did the driving theory and got a load of questions about School Buses, which I knew SFA about, so I failed that I had the right hump, I had practiced on line and got everything right, had over twenty years driving lorries and I failed the bloody driving theory test. Next day I took it again and got every question right My mate who I was training with ripped the arse out of me, he passed both first time, but I had the last laugh, I passed my driving test first go, he didn’t, so I made him feel a lot better by returning the ■■■■ taking
well i think it would have been rude old chap if you didnt lol I know what you are saying the just bugged the life out of because it is all set by the knobs who run AB and not got a clue, I know once I get going its second nature and will get there in the end may take a few attempts but hey ho lets give it a go. As for Mr Duck thats not a bad idea at all but the men in wight coats are probs still running round NZ trying to find you
■■■■ me,get blasted for driving a T800 on the so called Pro Drivers Forum,now lambasted on here for having the SA endorsement
Always err on the side of caution for your theory test,as the government run the insurance etc,but now you’ve got the A part the rest will be a breeze.If you should ■■■■ up a certain part of the driving test then only the part you messed up do you have to retake .
I’ve come across this link via a friend it gives some of the questions 30 in all from a possible 120 the computer can choose from its a shame i didnt get thease questions I would have flown it no problem.
So bit of study tonight alsoo ill run through both tests and see if that helps me out. Might go back down and do a retake tomorrow then its a case of full steam ahead with the driving then. Been informed the knowledge test its more common sense as a lot of the signs near on the same as back in the UK. One of the boys just back in from mentor runs and said he had a great time down to chicago and and seen some great sights cant wait to get out and earn some cash instead of spending it.
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I know they’re more redneck the further west you go, but jeez 
They were the thing that tripped me up, I had the pre trip down after the first time, the air brake was ok’ish, like I said, it suddenly clicked, but I kept forgetting the poxy chocks, in the end I tied them together with a bright orange rope so I couldn’t miss them before climbing into the cab at the end of the test 
My mate who I was training with ripped the arse out of me, he passed both first time, but I had the last laugh, I passed my driving test first go, he didn’t, so I made him feel a lot better by returning the ■■■■ taking 