Almost Back in the Saddle

Having recently been medically certified by the medical examiner after a mandatory Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) three-month wait following a pulmonary embolism, I returned to work yesterday for some testing/training.

It was an opportunity to get back behind the wheel of a truck and to practice performing the safe coupling and uncoupling of a trailer, as well as backing a trailer into a spot. Fortunately, it appears that I haven’t forgotten too much, although I certainly felt rusty. The trainer/safety person was complimentary of my performance. It was reassuring to do OK after a long layoff.

I hope to ease back into the grind with shorter routes that don’t include a ton of Chicagoland driving. We shall see. My Driver Business Leader (DBL) cautioned me to be particularly cautious when I return to driving. I certainly intend to do just that.

I have a couple more days “off”, although I need to finish some online training, before I return to work on Monday evening. Driving an 18-wheeler seems like it was part of my distant past. Oh well. Nothing to it but to do it, I guess. See you down the road! 😁👍