Comments By EngineeringMother

Brett,

It seems I can't switch between the forums unless I have a thread open. Can we have all three titles listed at top of the page? Perhaps with current one in the center and larger than other two? The other two being links.

Thanks for changing the font and getting rid of shadow effects.

Hello girlfriend! So glad to see you made it. I will be checking in on the Trucker's Wife/Female Driver forum you are moderating, too. And no, I do not think you are narly. Refreshingly honest, practical and upbeat, yes. And I love you for it.

You must take the written test again and get another background check every time you renew HAZMAT. I just did it the first time two weeks ago. Had to go to State Police to get fingerprinted after passing test at DMV. Check their schedule, it is only done on certain days/hours and it cost me $127.50 (in PA). Renewals don't cost quite as much.

Do all the endorsements when you get your permit, while you're in the test taking mode. I passed them all easily after using the training on this site. Thank you, Brett!

TWIC card (allows you unescorted access to every port in the country) cost another $130. Good for five years. No test, just fingerprinting and background check. That's what the fee pays for in both these cases.

Best of luck, Britton. You've come to the right place to get started in your new career.

This was in our company newsletter and I thought drivers might find it useful.

DOT Launches Free App Featuring Emergency Response Guidebook - Delivers Hazmat Safety Info into the Hands of Emergency Responders

The U.S. Department of Transportation's Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration has created a free, mobile web app of its Emergency Response Guidebook 2012 (ERG). The new safety tool will provide the nation's emergency responders with fast, easily accessible information to help them manage hazardous material incidents. The mobile ERG will make it easier for firefighters, police and other emergency first responders to quickly locate the information they need, thanks to an electronic word search function, and will ensure easy reading even during nighttime emergencies. The 2012 version of the ERG includes new evacuation tables for large toxic gas spills and standard response procedures for gas and liquid pipeline incidents. Links to download this software are available from the Apple iTunes website (ERG 2012 for iPhone) and from the Google Play website (ERG 2012 for Android). Click here for complete press release & links

Hi Old School. Thanks for the encouragement. So glad to hear your recovery is going well. TWIC wasn't so hard, just time consuming. I know you're anxious to get back out there. Keep us updated.

Brett, I'll do my best to post frequently. I got my new phone last week, Galaxy 2 with Android. It's puuurty and I like it. I enabled wi-fi so it's a mobile hot spot to which I will connect my laptop. I did not want to count on Motel 6 having decent internet access.

That's right. Motel 6. But they do have new microwaves and fridges in the rooms. Apparently just for us.

I'll let you know what I think after check in Sunday evening.

Brett,

How can I get my old user name back? Thx.

I’m leaving Sunday (in 4 days) for Swift’s Richmond VA training facility. This has been a long time coming and I’m really excited! Three weeks ago I got my permit along with Air Brakes endorsement (required by Swift). A few days later I went back to DMV and got the rest of my endorsements, Doubles-Triples, Tanker, HAZMAT. The following week I went to the State Police to be fingerprinted and start the background check for HAZMAT. Thanks to the Online CDL training Brett has set up on this site, I passed all these tests the first time. Hooray! Earlier this week I went to the port of Baltimore and applied for my TWIC card. That will be ready by the time I finish the three week course for Swift. The school is only 3.5 hours drive so I’m taking my own vehicle. Once that is done a third party tester – that I pay $220 for – will drive me back to my home state DMV for the driving test. Then I wait for a female trainer and ride/live with her 4-6 weeks. After all that I will get my own truck! I requested a female trainer so there will probably be a wait and so far I’m the only female in the class. That means I get a hotel room all to myself. Woo hoo!

It’s been very hectic because I am not only leaving my home; I am moving out and renting it. For this final week my younger son and I have moved in with another family that has agreed to let my son live with them until he leaves for his 2 year mission in October. When he returns he will start his college career going for a degree in Civil Engineering. My oldest son is finishing his sophomore year in college going for a degree in Mechanical Engineering. Once he’s done this year he is also going on a 2 year mission. When he returns he will continue his schooling. Both boys will be attending the same school. I am only 20 credits shy of my degree in Electro-Mechanical Engineering. My remaining classes are all online so I will be completing that program once I am settled in my own truck. So you see where I got my username

I figured everyone else is leaving, I’m leaving too. No way am I going to stay home alone. Driving a truck is something I wanted to do when I was 20 and never did. Now it’s my turn to live my dream.

Hi Brett,

This new forum looks cleaner already. I've noticed the background color is shaded light to dark, top to bottom. That looks good but as you get closer to the bottom the text has a white shadow. It's creating some eye strain for me and feels a bit painful to read. Perhaps eliminate the shadow effect?