Profile For Jay B.

I'm shamelessly bumping this again. I bumped it 5 years ago and I reread the whole thing like it was my favorite novel. Going to find Daniels reefer version again too! I really love the viewpoint you guys bring and your story telling is top notch! It also shows some of the tips and tricks for managing your clock that are hard to explain any other way.

Again, sorry, not sorry for bumping this again

I know lol. My buddy was first hand experience but the more I talk to him the more I realize he was probably the problem. I don't think I would have a problem anywhere, I'm a hard worker that just wants to get the job done. Pretty good problem solver on the fly, heck that's basically how I got into IT work at the University. I learned troubleshooting by working on my own computer and then used those sills at work to excel and get transferred heh. But cubicle work is so boring. Looking out the window at the mine is much better, plus some skill having under shovels and into crushers adds a little pizzazz lol. There are people out there that can't stand the trucks, 6mph uphill just kills them. They can't wait to go to other equipment or another job. I've been at it over a year and a half and absolutely love it. I'm happy to go to work everyday and 12.25 hrs flies by faster than 8hrs in a cubicle ever did!

"Bad things you heard about Swift"?

G-Town has had such a terrible time there, he keeps going to work most every day for the past 6 years!

Do not believe everything you read (unless you read it here on TT).

No edit button? I meant "recruiters at Marten", auto correct got me heh

Anyways. Before I was always looking at trucking as a good paying job to fall back on. Now I'm making good money at the mine but still longing for that open road. I'm on pace to make about 65k this year. About 48k base, all the rest was OT. So I'm used to putting in hours. I'm also used to driving 12 HR shifts and rotating shifts, we work half day shift 7am-7pm, half night shift 7pm-7am. Really confusing schedule, but I actually like it lol. So I'm coming at it from a different angle this time in I've got a taste for driving and want to do it more. I've always enjoyed loading trailers, towing trailers, backing trailers, etc. It's always been a dream and I will have to make sacrifices to do it so I have a lot to figure out, thanks for the help.

Sorry, yeah I didn't say exactly. I'm talking to recruiters from Roehl, prime, crst, knight(they actually still send me a birthday card every year since I applied the first time 4 or 5 years ago), Wilson logistics, that's about it. I keep getting emailed by referrers at barren and Western express but they don't have cdl schools. I didn't apply at Swift because of bad things I've heard especially from a good friend that went through it a year or so ago but this sight has changed my mind on that, i'm looking more serious at knight and swift now. I'm looking a few months out still.

I guess I never really finished my story...

Sorry, somewhere in your post I must not have seen that written. What companies have invited you to their orientation?

Thanks, I have :)

Jay...

My suggestion is to apply to numerous companies offering Paid CDL Training Programs and then do the research on health insurance plans of the top 3 or 4 inviting you to their orientation. Otherwise you may be spinning your wheels (pun intended). Please realize, hiring policies and strategies with the big carriers change frequently, without notice, based on many, many elements outside of our control or knowledge. It's in a constant state of flux.

Throw out the net and see what you catch by using this link: Apply For Paid CDL Training

...then reach out to a recruiter and request the "current" health plan highlights. Once you show an interest in a carrier by applying, if they are interested, then and only then will you get quality attention.

I was wondering if I missed something since you said this chart lol. Thanks! I find that chart in my searches, kinda looking for the same thing from other companies to compare. I found a few quotes saying the insurance was cheaper but if the copays and deductibles are through the roof you end up paying the same or more in the end. I hate comparing insurance though since they all seem to word it difference and cover different ways so it's never easy to compare lol.

Guess nobody made it past the boring story to the questions lol

So I'm thinking I want to try flatbed. I've read a TON of diaries and posts on here and YouTube videos and I think I like the idea of working the body more. I grew up in construction until the market crashed on 08. I really wanted to go trucking then but I had a son in 07 and didn't want to miss him growing up. Ended up working at the University at a telescope site on a mountaintop doing everything from ccd instrument work on telescopes to plowing snow with loaders and graders and even doing the maintenance on them. Little bit of everything. They found out I had been building my own computers and working with them since 95 so they asked if I wanted to go back to Tucson and do IT work for them. Sounded like a great job doing something I loved as a hobby but it was not. It was soooo boring lol. My job got defunded with state budget cutbacks so I looked into going OTR then too and found this site, researched, applied, posted here, came close to going to Prime. Real close. But my wife and I had issues and I ended up finding another IT job at the University for a different college within it. That job was better but I still longed for the days before the cubicle. Another job I applied for but never got called back both times I needed it was working out at the copper mines in southern AZ. Well my friend had been out there 10 years and let me know they needed haul truck drivers so I applied. Got accepted and been out there a year and a half. I'm having a blast! But... It's driving in circles going 6mph uphill and I just keep finding myself day dreaming of going OTR. I've always wanted to drive big trucks. Haul trucks and big rigs. My uncle worked at TTT truckstop in Tucson for 40+ years. If you ever had a tire replaced there from the 80s until 2015 or so during the day he probably did it lol. I worked the fuel island in high school. Neighbor had a cabover he owned and used to be around a bit growing up. I remember sitting on the 5th wheel as a kid and ruining my clothes lol. So I've always longed for it in some way.

Wow, that got off on a tangent, guess its history and questions lol.

So I researched in 14 or 15 a lot, when I registered here. I was pretty set on Prime and just thinking reefer and reading Daniels diary entry following along wishing I was there lol.

These days I keep finding myself leaning towards flatbed. Some exercise, I like the sound of the deliveries, I like a challenge too. Also always enjoyed packing, stacking, securing loads, etc. In regular trucks and trailers, etc but the idea heh.

Geezus I can't shut up. On to the questions:

I'm leaning towards Roehl or Prime. Swift or Knight maybe, would be easier to get to school for sure being in Phoenix lol. I've read wine taster and several other Roehl diaries and lots of prime but not many prime flatbed. I kinda like the Roehl training, paid from day 1 and shorter but the starting pay is less when solo. One main question I have is about insurance. I got a family, prime lists $200-320 per week for family coverage? Is that what I'm reading right? Is it really good insurance? Right now we just got our premiums raised to $260/month and everyone was freaking out at the mine lol. But we also pay high copay and $2000 deductible so I think its a wash in the end. I don't think I've seen a quote from Roehl, can anyone that works there share? Especially if you are paying for a family. Since you don't get paid until TNT in Prime is that when medical insurance is available?

Any info on swift and knight benefits? Would old school suggest knight to a new guy? I know he's happy with his setup now but he's busted his ass to prove himself worthy of that :) I'm still reading Turtles diary! Anyways enough rambling, I'm gonna try to figure more out

Apparently you didn't want to go to prime that much if you smoked the other day :)

No way! Now that makes me worried. I have smoked pot exactly once about 20 years ago in high school so I never cared about drug tests. But I have been around friends that do it very rarely but it has happened.