Profile For Moe

Hope it’s been good for everyone and you can find sometime or someway to celebrate it today!

Moe

Double what Banks said about a hobby! I’m a gamer so I have my Switch (Nintendo) with me. I’ve also started cooking on my truck as I love to do that as versus remaking a freezing everything at home etc. I also listen to ebooks and catch up on novels I missed as I drive or relax at night!

Can’t say enough about a hobby, this job can be boring and frustrating at times. We need something we enjoy to unwind and remind us we are human!

Fedex freight will require a year experience, unless you get hired as a driver apprentice and you go through their program. FedEx may also require dock work, depending on the position and the building.

Like others have said, stick it out. Find a hobby to occupy your mind while you're not driving so you're not fixated on a bad day and you can leave work at work.

Marten Transport (marten.com) offers minimum weekly guarantees.

One thing I didn’t notice is how much experience you have? Many companies that offer a guarantee will only take you if you have one or two years experience.

I've been looking to go back on the road, but am only interested in a pay structure that ensure that I will make over $1k/week. If I'm going to be gone for days or weeks at a time, and work 55-70 hours per week, I really don't think that's a lot to ask. It looks like companies across the board are offering lower pay, longer trips, and fewer (or no) guarantees. When I talk to them, they swear I can easily make $1600/week, but they're not willing to back that up with a guarantee. They want to offer mileage pay and a governed truck.

I see a lot of "Top earners make $X", "Earn up to $X", and "average pay is $x", but no $x/hour, day, or week.

I have too many bad experiences, being on short runs, spending long hours in docks, and not making any money on mileage pay. If I can't get a driving job that is not based on mileage pay, I'm going to get rid of my CDL.

Lastly I would like to personally re iterate what a few have said - FORGIVE yourself , have grace on yourself , if you are able to find some time to laugh a bit humor is the best medicine.

I like to ask myself when in a touch spot “What’s the worst that can happen?” When you stop to do that, you will oftentimes find that things are not as bad as you make it out to be in your head.

I also want to wish you and your family the very best! When I replied to you it was about 6 am and I had been up since 3 AM so I perhaps was a little too salty (meaning not as encouraging) in my reply - mornings aren’t my finest hour so I tend to be more direct.

Seriously though, good on you for not giving up on trucking and getting with WE, you CAN turn this around with commitment, dedication and the right attitude man.

You got this!

Little background about me before i get started, I’m a 22 year old male born & raised on the east coast by a rather low income family. I also have 1 son who’s coming up on 3 years old ina few months.

I’m making this post to document my experience thus far, to seek advice, and to just let out a lot of built up frustration i have. I don’t have anyone in my life to confide in so hopefully just laying it all out here will help me in someway.

Man where do i even start… I graduated 2020 and instantly went to work in warehouses, saves up and got my first set of wheels. Instantly feel in love with being behind the wheel and driving, it was my “me time”. Fast forward to April 2023, Was working a decent paying warehouse gig bringing in about $800 after taxes weekly as a 21 y/o and got caught up in some workplace mess that got me fired. Told myself i’d never work ina warehouse again and started researching how to obtain a CDL.

While researching and being on unemployment i met a female whom i feel in love with (1st mistake) i put my research on the back burner like an idiot for about 5 months. August i finally get back on track with it and obtain my permit, attend a private paid school ($3500 i had saved from warehouse work) and get my license.

I was SO stuck on staying local i made a list of companies who offered to hire me that i would never attend. every single local job denied me, no clue why cause my record was spotless. I run my unemployment benefits out in december and realize i won’t get what i want so i jump on with a regional flatbed company called PGT January 2nd.

Their “Training” was so all over the place. I got sent with a new guy every week for 3 weeks who wanted me to do things his way and not the way i was shown the week prior. My last trainer tells the company that i basically don’t know what im doing at all and im not focused on learning (blatant lies) the guy ran like a dog and wouldn’t even let me stop to shower or grab some food. Didn’t shower for a week straight with him.

Training finishes and the company lets me go because of the remarks from my last trainer. They fly me back home and i start calling jobs on the same day, stupidly telling them i got “Fired” while in training, nobody even gave me the chance to explain what happened, instead they just slammed doors in my face. So i get home and i tell myself I’ll take a week to just relax before i start job hunting again as i was away from home for a month already. (Second mistake)

The LAST day of this week i gave myself literally sunday night i get into a bad at fault accident driving my Audi like a retard. That whole week i was making bad decisions just because of how angry i was with myself, but this took the cake. That car was my happy place, my home outside of home.

I spiral into a spiral into a bad depression that i’m honestly nowhere near over yet, but i pull myself together once i realize i only have $300 to my name and once again start my job search.

The only place willing to hire me was western express, where i’m at right now. I’ve been here for a month and i’m making less than i was making at any of my previous warehouse jobs and i can’t take it. I have goals, priorities, and a child to care for but the way i went about a career change ruined everything.

I’m sitting in this truck with $500 in my account and anger in my soul. What advice would you give me? I’m honestly thinking about totally dropping this CDL stuff but have no clue what other career path i could take. Any kind words are appreciated also. Thank you for reading.

Hello Dre,

It sounds like you have been through a lot in a short period of time. There is no other way to say this other than this - YOU, not trucking, YOU are the source of your life’s griefs. This is a hard pill for many to swallow (at any age, trust me) - but the sooner you learn it the better off you will be.

Trucking didn’t get your baby mama pregnant, trucking didn’t wreck your car, trucking didn’t force you to spend any money that you were or weren’t willing to spend. Trucking also did not get you fired from your warehouse(s) jobs - DRE did those things,and so we eliminate trucking as being the cause of your life being a wreck.

WE is a second chance company they work with folks who have less than perfect records, if you wash out there- there ain’t much hope for you elsewhere - FACT. My best advice is you own your choices, swallow the pride and humble yourself to learn whatever WE has to offer or teach you. From the class room to the trainer your attitude will determine if you fail or not.

As for goals and priorities, young man- you have a child- your goals,dreams and priorities are off the table. So forget about them. All that you do now is for your kid, it’s not about YOU anymore.

I have to get going to my next stop. I’ll check back later when I can.

Moe

Little background about me before i get started, I’m a 22 year old male born & raised on the east coast by a rather low income family. I also have 1 son who’s coming up on 3 years old ina few months.

I’m making this post to document my experience thus far, to seek advice, and to just let out a lot of built up frustration i have. I don’t have anyone in my life to confide in so hopefully just laying it all out here will help me in someway.

Man where do i even start… I graduated 2020 and instantly went to work in warehouses, saves up and got my first set of wheels. Instantly feel in love with being behind the wheel and driving, it was my “me time”. Fast forward to April 2023, Was working a decent paying warehouse gig bringing in about $800 after taxes weekly as a 21 y/o and got caught up in some workplace mess that got me fired. Told myself i’d never work ina warehouse again and started researching how to obtain a CDL.

While researching and being on unemployment i met a female whom i feel in love with (1st mistake) i put my research on the back burner like an idiot for about 5 months. August i finally get back on track with it and obtain my permit, attend a private paid school ($3500 i had saved from warehouse work) and get my license.

I was SO stuck on staying local i made a list of companies who offered to hire me that i would never attend. every single local job denied me, no clue why cause my record was spotless. I run my unemployment benefits out in december and realize i won’t get what i want so i jump on with a regional flatbed company called PGT January 2nd.

Their “Training” was so all over the place. I got sent with a new guy every week for 3 weeks who wanted me to do things his way and not the way i was shown the week prior. My last trainer tells the company that i basically don’t know what im doing at all and im not focused on learning (blatant lies) the guy ran like a dog and wouldn’t even let me stop to shower or grab some food. Didn’t shower for a week straight with him.

Training finishes and the company lets me go because of the remarks from my last trainer. They fly me back home and i start calling jobs on the same day, stupidly telling them i got “Fired” while in training, nobody even gave me the chance to explain what happened, instead they just slammed doors in my face. So i get home and i tell myself I’ll take a week to just relax before i start job hunting again as i was away from home for a month already. (Second mistake)

The LAST day of this week i gave myself literally sunday night i get into a bad at fault accident driving my Audi like a retard. That whole week i was making bad decisions just because of how angry i was with myself, but this took the cake. That car was my happy place, my home outside of home.

I spiral into a spiral into a bad depression that i’m honestly nowhere near over yet, but i pull myself together once i realize i only have $300 to my name and once again start my job search.

The only place willing to hire me was western express, where i’m at right now. I’ve been here for a month and i’m making less than i was making at any of my previous warehouse jobs and i can’t take it. I have goals, priorities, and a child to care for but the way i went about a career change ruined everything.

I’m sitting in this truck with $500 in my account and anger in my soul. What advice would you give me? I’m honestly thinking about totally dropping this CDL stuff but have no clue what other career path i could take. Any kind words are appreciated also. Thank you for reading.

This winter was the coldest I can sure remember. -10 in January and I spent most of a week in Wisconsin, had never been there when it was that cold and sure don’t want to repeat the experience. Had five trailers with gummed fuel (reefer) because other drivers didn’t bother to put anti gel (I call it anti hell - prevents a lot of hell) even after thrice daily fleet wides on the QUALCOMM.

This was all during that mega storm we had a couple months back - I was in Ohio before WI and at the bright hour of 0300 I was preparing to leave and I noticed my mirrors were iced, like the unknowing dummy I was I grabbed my windex and the spray turned into blue crystals on the first shot. Spent the better part of 20 minutes using a scraper to get the stuff off. Will never do that again!

There was also the customary once a winter fall on my rump. I’m sticking to FL and the south during the months of Nov to March…..winter is not my finest hour!

I take it that you fall asleep listening to The Sound of Silence? Hmmm

Some maybe will find this creepy, but most of my overnight runs anymore I park at my customer. The cemetary. Always nice and quiet.

Seriously dude you over think and gripe too much.

If it bothers you so much use some of that nice $5K bonus to buy a set of quality ear plugs or perhaps a nice set of sound cancellation headsets (Bose or Beats perhaps) and fall asleep to some classical music or perhaps nature sounds.

It ain’t that hard……smh

At 50 it can be a bit cold for some to sleep comfortably. Some owner ops do not have APUs either.

If the noise of the idling trucks or reefers bother you so much, why do you park where they do?

Why do owner ops feel the need to leave their truck running all night when the temp is only 50-60 outside??? I drive a company truck and I don't leave my truck running... Owner ops are actively draining their bottom line and polluting at the same time. Some of them sound poorly maintained too, no wonder there's so many jokers parked on highway shoulders, and it's like being next to a pesky annoying reefer.

My message to these ppl: "Cut that btch off!"

I DON'T park next to reefers and I avoid rest areas and busy truck stops as much as I can. I'll park at the furthest end of a truck stop with a huge lot and some reefer will still manage to park next to me by the end of the night.

How will they survive if their truck or heater doesn't work and they're stuck in -40F weather? I have an electric heater and I'll only use it as long as the battery lasts. I have 2 comforters, a sleeping bag and warm pajamas to sleep in that still keep me comfortable. I also bought insulation for all my windows to help keep my truck cool during the summer.

I'll take the $5K bonus per quarter over being comfortable 100% of the time. If I invested those bonuses over 20 years, it would add up to over one million by the end. And the $5K is only part of the fuel savings since I'm a driver, owner ops get 100% of that. I don't know, I'll take retiring early over spending my nights in grungy and noisy truck stops.

And yes, I will continue to fight against the idea that truck stops NEED to be noisy and filthy places. A couple of decades ago, most people thought the average trucker was a plaid-wearing, chain-smoking, redneck that had to be on the road for months and months at a time.

At 50 it can be a bit cold for some to sleep comfortably. Some owner ops do not have APUs either.

If the noise of the idling trucks or reefers bother you so much, why do you park where they do?

Why do owner ops feel the need to leave their truck running all night when the temp is only 50-60 outside??? I drive a company truck and I don't leave my truck running... Owner ops are actively draining their bottom line and polluting at the same time. Some of them sound poorly maintained too, no wonder there's so many jokers parked on highway shoulders, and it's like being next to a pesky annoying reefer.

My message to these ppl: "Cut that btch off!"

Marten keeps us moving with reefer work. I average between 2500 to 3000 a week. It’s definitely been slower and we aren’t getting the holiday bonuses that we used to get.

There will always be some work in Reefer, we gotta eat in good times and bad! lol

I'd like to find out from more of you how well they're keeping you moving. Spring is upon us, so hopefully we'll get a little freight action, but I'm not confident we'll see much of a pickup.