I made it ... and just in time

It's been a while since I've been able to do a proper update here, and I confess, I forgot where it was that I last updated from.  My update tonight is because I am home once again, out enjoying a glass of wine and some wonderful wood-oven baked pizza.  Tonight is a celebration, for a couple of reasons.  Allow me to elaborate:

For the past six months, I have been in the "training" phase of my job.  I spent five weeks with a regular trainer, who showed me a little more of what the job was about, and allowed me to develop my skills of driving, backing, and dealing with various shippers and receivers under different types of loads.  Following that, there was a week of classroom work, more practice on the truck yard, and then it was off for three weeks with a fellow student.  In this phase, we would be reinforcing what we had learned previously while relying on each other to make it through the more difficult situations.

The final phase is three months of solo driving, essentially doing the job on your own.  You were responsible for getting things done in the proper order, getting them done on time, and keeping everything compliant with company rules and federal regulations.

So, now let's backtrack a bit to the New Jersey load.  I had made it as far as Ohio when they gave me another load to deliver in Pennsylvania, reason being I had more time to make the delivery than the person the load was assigned to.  This happens for a lot of reasons, and I made the delivery as scheduled.  I was low on hours, both for the day and overall, and I wondered about thins as I received my next assignment: picking up in Ohio and heading to Houston.  I would pick up Saturday afternoon for a Monday delivery.

Had I sufficient hours, I may have been able to make it.  Unfortunately, I ran short on delivery day, and as I was doing my trip plan, I made this fact known and asked for someone else to take the load so it wouldn't be late.  I repeated this request on Sunday.  It wasn't until Monday that I was finally able to swap loads, with my load going to Terrell, Texas on Tuesday, giving me time to sit and gain a few hours so I could make delivery.

I opted (with some minor prodding from Ms. Darkstar) to see if I could take my home time after I dropped off in Terrell.  My truck had some mechanical problems that needed attention, the trailer I was hauling was due for it's annual state/DOT inspection, and Dallas was only about 25 miles away.  I was glad to see that my request was approved, and I began packing.  Not to mention the fact that I still had a shot at that local job that I was called about the week previous.

I got a message later on Tuesday telling me that I had successfully completed my training and would now be made part of the regular fleet.  That made me happy, in that at least I knew all the hard work paid off.  I was also about to mark six months with the company, and could pick up my award the next time I was at the yard.

I made the delivery, headed back to Dallas, and today I had the second interview.  After about fifteen minutes, I was conditionally offered the job, pending the results of a background check and urine screening.

I know, since I hold a hazardous materials endorsement, that there is nothing in my background that is cause for alarm, and I know the urine test will be clear, so it appears I have a new job.  All I need to know is my starting date.  Once I know that, I can go back and process out from the company I now work for.

I wonder if I should wait and get my service award before I tell them?