from video games to reality

[R3AP3R]

Time to brag 

Ok, 5 years ago, I discovered this server which pretty much kept me occupied during my last high-school years. Back than I was still dreaming about getting my car license and a car; trucks were present in my life only in CT. Real trucks were something far, far away. I was still in high-school (not even the last year). 5 years later, here I am, in the same room, with the same desk, same chair, same PC and same server. But with one big difference, I'm now legally allowed to drive trucks. I had my last truck driving school related exam last Thursday (truck+trailer) which ended successfully. I waited for this moment all my life and now it has finally come.

The hard part comes now, the truck driving school is over but now I'm required to get my transport license so that I'll be allowed to work as a truck driver. So 2 more exams for me at the end of August. Hopefully I'll be done with everything at the beginning of September.

[Quotary]

Congratulations on your truck license and good luck on your coming exams.
I got my car license on the same date you got your truck license and the same road is ahead, I want to get all my licenses, especially the truck and motorbike one.
If my carreer in the IT industry doesn't work out I'll become a truck driver.

[TheSandman]

Wow congrats! One day ill do mine, but with an extension just to say i can only do it for mechanic/testing/delivery purposes and not delivering actual goods. Easier exams and license renewals

[Spekter]

Congratulations! I'm hoping to start classes for C by the end of August, and when done take CE too. 

[Google]

Congratulations dude and i wish you safe roads when you'll finish with the transport licenses.

[R3AP3R]

Thanks guys. I've been to the office which deals with the transport licenses today, got my shit for studying (only have like 700 questions to know and answer and a shittone of other crap).

Good news is that they're collaborating with some transport companies and they made me some good work offers. The paycheck is pretty big considering I'll be a newbie with no experience, however, I'll have to drive from Austria to the UK and back on and on. Not really looking forward to driving on the wrong side of the road thru constant rain. But hey, muneh iz muneh!

[Eurobeat]

Not really looking forward to driving on the wrong correct side of the road

fixed it for you

will you post pictures and keep us updated on your journeys?

[Ethan]

Thanks guys. I've been to the office which deals with the transport licenses today, got my shit for studying (only have like 700 questions to know and answer and a shittone of other crap).

you could try and find them on the internet like some people here at CT did  (if people know what I am referring to)  but playing a game involving trucks and trailers and other shizzle sure helps, but the steering wheel is not a keyboard.... oh well

[R3AP3R]

@Fish sure, and if everything goes well, I'll start the YouTube project by January.

[R3AP3R]

well, just an update: on Saturday, I passed the hardest exam that I had to go thru (120 questions to answer), they scheduled me on the 9th of September for the practical exam. This one will be the last exam. From what I've heard, the examiner in this case, won't really care about how you're driving, he's interested more in how you're handling the tachograph.

So yeah, theoretically, in 10 days I should be ready to finally start working...well, not really...need to wait 3-4 weeks for the papers to arrive after that. But anyway...

[UncleDrew]

R3AP, Just a reminder. If you saw a cop, dont stop just RUN! okno xD btw gz and dont drive on the wrong side of the road

[Eurobeat]

If you see animals or something on the road that isnt another person, dont swerve. Isnt worth rolling the truck for something like that - my old merc truck had the front left suspension overcompress and part of it broke when i swerved away from a dogerino on the motorway, needless to say i almost shit myself

[R3AP3R]

that's easier said than done xD. Got close to wrecking the car twice after avoiding a cat and a dog. It will take some time to get used to a completely new driving style but it ain't so bad.

By far the best thing that will make my life a lot easier and enjoyable is that 90% of the trucks here are automatic.

[Ethan]

real men (or women) drive stick!!

[Eurobeat]

Did you just assume R3AP's gender?

[Ethan]

Did you just assume R3AP's gender?

It's a generalized statement. and I changed it.

[Hobo]

Did you just assume R3AP's gender?

Thanks for keeping it PC 

[R3AP3R]

well, after almost 6 months, it has finally come to an end. Ended my last exam some hours ago, got lucky because the examiner could've failed me for a mistake I did but in the end, it turned out to be well.

Papers will arrive in 4 weeks, apparently I'm allowed to work until they arrive but only in my country...not sure if I'll do that or not.

Anyway, I'm finally a truck driver...on paper...

[Dr_dog]

Now the real learning begins..
Enjoy... hehe

[R3AP3R]

Well, I'll keep this topic for future updates (photos from trips mostly since some of you asked for that; if I'll survive of course) instead of opening a different one.

Anyway, I'm officially hired, I'll be driving only in Romania from Monday to Friday. Truck is an ancientass 380bhp Scania which despite its looks, it actually drives pretty sweet (has 910.000km)...and it's a manual too...

Not much else to say....I've never been more terrified in my entire life then I am right now. If I could run in a cave and never come back out, I'd do it. It's not really hard to drive trucks but it's insanely easy to make a mistake. And mistakes in a 40 tone truck are a serious thing.

That's pretty much all, not sure when I'll start, most likely next Wednesday.

[TheFoxman]

Do you really like trucks in real life ? ;o   

[Lucca]

Damn Reap really nice, good luck with that

[Dr_dog]

Whats with those tapes everywhere around the cab? Just slap some filler between the passenger side section, a toolbox or something and it'll instantly look prettier.. If you have a chance.

40 tons yeah it'll feel heavy for starters.. Now to think about it.. Finland just the truck alone is almost 40 tons.. Totaling to combination weight of 76 tons at best. And they are already testing heavier log trains up to 105 tons..

380hp with 910,000km isnt bad. is good enough for the 40 tons. I'm actually suprised how little its been driven. my R500 is about 50,000km away from 2,000,000km and its begging for new piston rings.

Either way. Have fun and drive safe. You are still a new driver for the heavier stuff, so take things slow and carefully.. When you pick up routine, things start to go faster. Just focus on doing it safe, speed will come on its own eventually.
You dont need 700hp for that. Those clowns burn it all in fuel and never even work the engine hard.

[R3AP3R]

Well, even better news. Not going anywhere anymore (story of my life). Without going into details, I started understanding after a couple of days what was being asked from me in reality and it's something I'll never agree to do :cough: drive without rest :cough: use magnets :cough:

So, took advantage of the fact that I didn't sign any papers yet and backed off. The search for a job continues.

@Dr_dog, that's what I call 1 man transport company. Romania's full of them, there are basically old drivers (40-60 years old) who had enough driving for others, so they buy a 5.000E piece of shit and earn their living with it. They way they do that, that's a completely different story. Let's just say everybody drives by their own rules. BUT, it's getting harder for them since more and more new/young drivers like myself refuse working like that.
That truck is a wreck that's meant to work for 1 week without repairs. So that on weekends, the owners can fix em up to survive another week...and so on.

PS - I couldn't understand what you're talking about. That's not tape all over the cab, those are lights xD. Truck lights up like a Christmas tree at night

[Dr_dog]

So the things are there like things were here like 20 years ago. There were rules about driving times, But nobody really followed them because you couldnt afford to work nice 15 hour shifts, also police didnt watch them.. You just made the old tacho disc dissapear and put a new one in the bay and went off for another pickup. 30-40 hour drives were absolutely normal. Then go for max of like 8 hour rest, and off to drive again. I can say I done it too, now that the crime has expired long time ago. Either you used magnets just put new disc once old one runs out of time. Thankfully there is laws here in place now that you must pay atleast the minimal wage for the driver, otherwise would probably still be common to drive several 10 hour shifts in row without rest. and ofc it dangers the rest of the traffic.. I remember going through rail crossing gates with train coming.. But thats a story for some other day.

While the digital tacho machines put a stop to this, since the truck nows how long its been driven in a day, also it keeps track of how long the driver has been driving. You cant fool it so easily. But i guess such machines arent a thing in the south yet..

Yeah. Dont fall for those slavers.. They just get you in trouble with police at best, and probably doesnt even pay your wage properly.

Surely there is some legit transport companies around. Bigger the house is, most likely they actually pay their drivers and take care of them. Because if word gets around that they aint paying some driver.. Soon all of their drivers might refuse to work.

Good luck with your job hunting.

[R3AP3R]

Promised to keep this topic up to date. Here's the latest update,

I'm leaving tomorrow to Waberer's in Hungary (yes, those yellow trucks you see in every ditch around Europe) for some medical exams, papers, more medical exams, more papers...this shit will take around 3 days. Wednesday night or Thursday morning is the departure day, I'll be driving for 4 weeks with an experienced driver.

The schedule, at least for the next 3-6 months, will be 4 weeks on the road, 1 week home.
We drive across the entire Middle East western Europe, UK, Scandinavia etc...

That's about it, I'll post pictures every now and then.

[Doc.]

Promised to keep this topic up to date. Here's the latest update,

I'm leaving tomorrow to Waberer's in Hungary (yes, those yellow trucks you see in every ditch around Europe) for some medical exams, papers, more medical exams, more papers...this shit will take around 3 days. Wednesday night or Thursday morning is the departure day, I'll be driving for 4 weeks with an experienced driver.

The schedule, at least for the next 3-6 months, will be 4 weeks on the road, 1 week home.
We drive across the entire Middle East western Europe, UK, Scandinavia etc...

That's about it, I'll post pictures every now and then.

Drive safe, we wish you the best in your trucking carreer!

[Martin]

Good luck Unkle.

[R3AP3R]

Hi



And no, it's not my truck, I'm leaving only tomorrow (I hope)

[R3AP3R]

As promised, le truck

[Shock]

As promised, le truck

looks nice where was this taken

[Ethan]

looks nice where was this taken

in the parking lot
 

[Shock]

looks nice where was this taken

in the parking lot
 

i ment the country   

[R3AP3R]

1st in Italy, 2nd in Spain (no idea where), 3rd also in Spain, near Guadalajara.