Comments By AJ D.

Would you guys toss out some brands / models to look for and / or stay away from... I'm starting from scratch and I want to pick one up ...

grazie

I went to Marten Transports website and sent a link to this page to every email link on the page. There were 6 email links I found. Hopefully it reaches the right person there. I went to their facebook page also, it wouldn't let me leave a link so I just wrote trucking truth online forum crazy marten driver road rage. I prefer not to make phone calls but if there is no response from someone there I might have to.

I might beat you to it. That was downright stupid of that driver.

Folks, this is why a dash cam can save your career. It is the best insurance you can get and its under 100$! If Chris would have hit him on that brake check he would have no proof of the actions of the Marten driver.

Would you toss up some links to a couple of solid models. I have no experience in this hardware ... you're right... It's a good idea to have one...

So to all of the nashville guys and gals what trucking driving school did you go to? Did you like it and would you recommend anybody else going?

as for me i am going to tennessee college of applied technology or TCAT for short it was once called tennessee technology of applied science not sure when the name changed. I am going to the one in nashville i would have went to the one in shelbyville but the instuctor got deathly sick so they have temporarily suspened that program. Which sucks cause that one in shelbyville is so much closer, bigger, and more road trucks well that is my instructor at nashville tells me he really wants go there and open it back up.

I love the school though they teach us a lot well what they can in the time and all the recuriters tell me its a great school like how my school will train us with a fully loaded trailer well at least 30000 lbs. on it and how good previous students do at their companies. Not to mention the cost of the school its really and i mean really cheap compared to the other guys and i am not signing a contract to a company to pay for it.

I went to TDI in Christiana. It was $4k, which is pretty steep. It's a whirl wind at 3 weeks , but they got the job done.

I have tuition reimbursement at Roehl, but it's still a lot of coin.

wow that school was 4k for 3 weeks i know you found a job but did you have other companies say no because of that school?

mine was 1582 for 8 weeks but the state payed 666(that may be a bad sign but i hope not) for the hope scholarship. Anyways would you recommend it to any one and did you get to pick what company you went to?

They've been at the game a long time... since the 70's , I think.

All the companies know them and getting you a job is their specialty. Zero companies turned me down because of the school.

I, on the other hand, had to choose between seven pre-hires.

I paid the $ because I knew they would get me a job.

So to all of the nashville guys and gals what trucking driving school did you go to? Did you like it and would you recommend anybody else going?

as for me i am going to tennessee college of applied technology or TCAT for short it was once called tennessee technology of applied science not sure when the name changed. I am going to the one in nashville i would have went to the one in shelbyville but the instuctor got deathly sick so they have temporarily suspened that program. Which sucks cause that one in shelbyville is so much closer, bigger, and more road trucks well that is my instructor at nashville tells me he really wants go there and open it back up.

I love the school though they teach us a lot well what they can in the time and all the recuriters tell me its a great school like how my school will train us with a fully loaded trailer well at least 30000 lbs. on it and how good previous students do at their companies. Not to mention the cost of the school its really and i mean really cheap compared to the other guys and i am not signing a contract to a company to pay for it.

I went to TDI in Christiana. It was $4k, which is pretty steep. It's a whirl wind at 3 weeks , but they got the job done.

I have tuition reimbursement at Roehl, but it's still a lot of coin.

Don't ever power wash an engine compartment.Water will do unseen damage to all the electrical connections. Nuff said.

Blue Beacon must use some type of power wash... anyone had any problems?

Yes ! a Nashville thread ... we should keep this alive to keep track of local opportunities. Good luck in your journey ...

Never thought about that...

Anyway...it that a pic of the Mighty Mac in MI?

Indeed it is the Mac ..

Don't do it yourself. Take it to a Blue Beacon. It's cheap, around 12$ or so.

Perfect ... thanks for the heads up !

Well, spring is here and it's time to start detailing your machines!

I have always been obsessive about keeping my rides clean, so my truck should be no exception.

Running the northern corridors has left a ton of salt all over the engine and bay. How do you veterans clean that mess out!?

I know gasoline engines are finicky about water on the distro , plugs, etc.... What about diesels ? What areas should I keep dry if I get my hand on a sprayer?

Thanks in advance for any advice!

Progress update.

I am starting to float gears with regularity now. What an amazingly better way to shift. The cartilage in my clutch knee thanks me!! lol.

I have received a $.02 per mile raise and am getting steady miles. Average pay is around $700 weekly take home. The tuition reimbursement checks are coming in steadily.

Roehl has an incredible knowledge base call Roehl University. Anything you would want to know about trucking is in there, it seems. I try and take a course every month. My next course is called Master City Driver. I just finished Driving In Windy Conditions. It's about real world stuff like that. Roehl really does seem to care about safety and education.

Life back on the farm is difficult for my wife, as she is trying to hold down a job while having to feed the horses twice a day in Winter. That load will ease up a bit now, as she will only feed once a day, since the pastures are coming in. She became a little frazzled in the middle of this most horrible of Winters.

The adventure continues....