AJ's Truck Driving Journey
Topic 5059 | Page 1
Good luck! Wear that sunscreen while you're hogging them fields, that sun is still putting a hurt on the skin!
ODFL will probably look at you when the busy season starts in April/ May - by which stage you'll have 9 months in.
Greasy side down !
Good luck our there AJ.
Man, I wish I had a field to bush hog. 
Oh well. One day soon. AJ, you know you can bend my ear any time about TDI, and/or Averitt.
Way ta go! Good luck and keep us posted!
-mountain girl
Oh well. One day soon. AJ, you know you can bend my ear any time about TDI, and/or Averitt.
RT ... have you regretted that offer yet !! lol
OK ... I have gathered the $$ for school and I'm down for the 22nd to begin.
Today I drove to Alabama and got a fresh Birth Certificate with the coveted "raised seal" . Came back home and went to the local Social Security office and applied for a replacement SS card. (mine was laminated)
I have also been scanning in 10 years of tax returns to show that a free lance recording engineer used to be able to make a decent living ;)
I should be all good with documentation now.
Nothing left to do but fall farm chores and study for my CDL A.
Wagon's ..... Hooooooo !
CDL:
Commercial Driver's License (CDL)
A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:
- Any combination of vehicles with a gross combined weight rating (GCWR) of 26,001 or more pounds, providing the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of the vehicle being towed is in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any single vehicle with a GVWR of 26,001 or more pounds, or any such vehicle towing another not in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any vehicle, regardless of size, designed to transport 16 or more persons, including the driver.
- Any vehicle required by federal regulations to be placarded while transporting hazardous materials.
Way to go AJ. I have run across alot of Averett drivers when I was running a dedicated account. Many are older, and they all seemed very pleased with the company and equipment.
Oh well. One day soon. AJ, you know you can bend my ear any time about TDI, and/or Averitt.
RT ... have you regretted that offer yet !! lol
OK ... I have gathered the $$ for school and I'm down for the 22nd to begin.
Today I drove to Alabama and got a fresh Birth Certificate with the coveted "raised seal" . Came back home and went to the local Social Security office and applied for a replacement SS card. (mine was laminated)
I have also been scanning in 10 years of tax returns to show that a free lance recording engineer used to be able to make a decent living ;)
I should be all good with documentation now.
Nothing left to do but fall farm chores and study for my CDL A.
Wagon's ..... Hooooooo !
Not at all! I know all too well how stressful getting into this industry can be and will help any way I can.
Still wish I had farm...
CDL:
Commercial Driver's License (CDL)
A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:
- Any combination of vehicles with a gross combined weight rating (GCWR) of 26,001 or more pounds, providing the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of the vehicle being towed is in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any single vehicle with a GVWR of 26,001 or more pounds, or any such vehicle towing another not in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any vehicle, regardless of size, designed to transport 16 or more persons, including the driver.
- Any vehicle required by federal regulations to be placarded while transporting hazardous materials.
Way to go AJ. I have run across alot of Averett drivers when I was running a dedicated account. Many are older, and they all seemed very pleased with the company and equipment.
Thanks, PJ ... Good info to know. Averitt seems like a solid company to start out with so far.
Not at all! I know all too well how stressful getting into this industry can be and will help any way I can.
Still wish I had farm...
RT, You have been a big help.
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Well, It has begun.
This is day one.
I put in my two weeks notice at my 1 month long temp job. lol (Simply out of respect - they gave me a good position, just low pay) I borrowed the tuition $ from my family to attend TDI here in Murfreesboro, TN. The wife's family will help cover bills during this transition time.
Now the planning begins. I am already well into the High Road Program. I can tell that I will be way ahead of the game after that study.
I will read the Program before going to work at 130p and get as far as I can during these two weeks.
Then, I'll take a week or so off to bush hog the fields, put up some winter fire wood and finish the remainder of the High Road study.
It will then be time to enter school and start driving.
The wife is completely on board. She will finally get to enjoy a steady paycheck.! We have never been able to budget, because I have been working freelance for 25 years. Even though I will be gone a lot, I think she will finally be comfortable. That's something to work hard for.
Averitt is looking like my start out company for the moment. They are HQ'd in Cookeville, TN - an hours drive. They have another terminal in Nashville - an hours drive. And, lot's of regional / dedicated runs all over the South East. All I have read about the company indicates that it is a great atmosphere to work in. Also, they have already reached out to me. Not the best pay, but great people - important for starting out, I think.
I will also be applying at Old Dominion , FedEx Freight, Saia, Schneider and Werner.
OD and FedEx don't hire from my school, but they are top paying and I will let them know I'm around.
...And so it begins. Phase 3 and the conclusion of my working life. This career will carry me to retirement, which is not so far away ;)
Thanks for all the help given prior to this point and in the future, as things will start accelerating now. :)
I think I smell diesel ;)
Terminal:
A facility where trucking companies operate out of, or their "home base" if you will. A lot of major companies have multiple terminals around the country which usually consist of the main office building, a drop lot for trailers, and sometimes a repair shop and wash facilities.
Dedicated Run:
A driver or carrier who transports cargo between regular, prescribed routes. Normally it means a driver will be dedicated to working for one particular customer like Walmart or Home Depot and they will only haul freight for that customer. You'll often hear drivers say something like, "I'm on the Walmart dedicated account."
Regional:
Regional Route
Usually refers to a driver hauling freight within one particular region of the country. You might be in the "Southeast Regional Division" or "Midwest Regional". Regional route drivers often get home on the weekends which is one of the main appeals for this type of route.