Profile For Jason D.

Hey folks,

I apologize about not finishing my other post of the challenges I had to face to get into this industry. I did not have a laptop at the time and writing all that from my phone sucked.

Anyways, I figured it's about time I checked in with the people who have helped me so much on my journey to get where I am at today. On February 1st, 2021, I got my truck and started my career with TransAm. Now I know a lot of you guys (hell, everyone of you) is going to yell at me for the choice I made, but that's ok. I've always had to learn things the hard way. I decided to go lease. I made this decision because I wanted to learn trip planning, fuel management, and the trucking industry as a whole, and I just felt I couldn't learn those things as a company driver. I am in no way saying that my decision was right or that what I did is recommended, but I made the decision and I have to deal with that.

I am currently still with TransAm as a lease operator, and I'm making ok money. My lease is up in August and I plan on moving over to Melton to learn flatbed.

So that is what is currently going on with me. I have learned a whole lot and I will always be in TransAm's debt for giving me my start. You guys stay safe out there.

Thank you all for the replies. That answers my question

Hey guys. I've been driving for a little over a month now.

My question to you is how do you switch shifts? What is the most effective way?

Say I've been dropping in the late morning and now I need to drop in the evening to early morning. Or I simply want to change to night shift. What do you guys do?

So the training starts, it is 6am, and I am ready for the breakfast :-) I believe the learning will be intense - I have already received 17 emails with all kind of homework.

Good luck buddy. You got this.

Thanks Andrey.

Hey guys,

Let me start off by saying I’ve never been too great at writing (especially writing this off of my phone), but here it goes...

For a number of years now I’ve dreamt of becoming a truck driver. Back in 2017 I had my whole life come crashing down on me in one month. I woke up one day and my whole left leg was swelled up like a bowling pin. I was literally crippled. I could not walk. I went to the ER and was diagnosed with DVT (blood clots). I would remain in that hospital for a whole month.

I worked as a professional mover locally and drove straight trucks on a daily basis. No cdl required. As you can imagine, because of my “condition,” I was no longer able to perform at my job and was let go. I thought my blood clots was a nightmare. Little did I know, the nightmare is just beginning.

After losing my job, I lost my house because I could no longer afford the rent, and my girlfriend of 10 years went right with it. In 2017 I lost my identity.

At that time I was 35 years old. For the first time in over a decade, I was living with family.

I started researching the trucking industry and stumbled on this site. I never signed up. I guess you could say I was just a trucking truth stalker. I tried relentlessly to get hired on with any carrier. I called them all, and I used this site as a phone book.

Back in 2009, on two different occasions, I was arrested. The first time was a DUI, and the second time was a felony. Damn, to be young and stupid. Anyways, no carrier would touch me. So I gave up my search (maybe to easily).

I landed a construction job and was making decent money for the past three years. I got a new girl and a new house. I was back on my feet. Then COVID hit. Damn...

I was laid off in August, and have been collecting unemployment to this day. I wasn’t about to go down the same road I was on 3 years ago. Hell no. Then it hit me. All those carriers that rejected me in 2017 might give me a chance now!

So I made all the same phone calls, and got the same results. No carrier would take me. Either because of my background or MVR. Except for 2 of them. Transam and PAM.

To be continued. Thanks for reading

G-Town,

Unfortunately, that’s the kind of people driving these 80,000 lb trucks nowadays. He’s also probably someone that would skate by another truck in the parking lot while they are trying to back into a parking spot. Or the same guy that does his 30 parked at the fuel island.

I’ve been watching TONS of YouTube videos for the past year trying to figure out “the best company” to go to work for and also get a feel for the lifestyle. One common thing I noticed is that these truckers complain how much they are treated like crap from the carriers, from dispatch, and from the shippers and receivers. Yet they turn around and treat their fellow drivers the same way. I’ve seen countless videos of drivers sitting in their cab and recording a new guy having troubles backing into a parking spot. Not one of them offer to help.

...Absolutely disgusting.

Jammer a,

I’ve been looking around since August. Prime, Swift, CRST, Pam... all the major carriers will not accept me for reasons I mentioned above.

Yeah guys. I am completely at a loss. I see all these people making at Transam without their training program, but it scares the hell out of me.

I have read old school’s posts and he is an inspiration for me, which is why I applied last night. Also, flat bed intrigues me because I don’t want to get lazy driving van.

Right now, I’m in a catch 22 position. A bird in one hand is better than two in a bush. I know I can go to transam and not get kicked out of their orientation, but I feel I am at a high risk of getting the boot with Western. Even though I feel Western is the better option.

I guess I should just wait till I hear from the recruiter at Western before I start fretting. Lol.

Thanks PackRat. I have applied to every major carrier that I know of, and they all denied me for various reasons. Some of the were because of my felony in 2009 and the other were because of my careless driving in 2006.

I would also like to state that I avoided carriers that require hair follicle tests. I can do urine test just fine. I’m choosing not to wait the 3 to 6 months for the hair test because I’ve already been out of work for a month waiting to go to CDL school, and I simply cannot afford it.