Profile For Old School

Absolute last plan is Mega paid CDL , even though it seems like the quickest route of them all.

Can you give us a reasonable answer why you'd feel this way?

I never understand why people are so opposed to this option. If it's just internet chatter from the knuckleheads that's influencing you, then you need to examine this route with your own research. Ask us some questions. Share your concerns. I think you can learn a lot if you'll really listen to the folks who have made a great career in trucking by running with the big boys.

You are correct. Under the new rules you have to take a course to get the HazMat endorsement.

So, to make sure I understand. Even if the company only does flatbed single trailers who trains me, If I study and take the tests for my permit for multiples and tanker, I'll still get those endorsements on my CDL without having to do anything on my final test?

Yes, all you do is take the tests on the computer at the DMV.

Does this work for hazardous materials too?

Yes, that's correct. It's only a computer test.

Hey Quon, welcome to our forum!

Let me give you the "Readers Digest" version of what Pacific Pearl said...

It's best to wait a full year.

Do schools do hair follicle testing?

A school you pay for will not hair test you. They want your money up front and they don't want to waste it on costly testing. Most companies will hair test you. They don't want lawsuits when you have an accident. It's quite possible to get your CDL from a private school yet never able to get a job because you failed a pre-employment hair test.

Wow Ryan… you are a tough one.

I had my reservations when Ryan introduced himself with this comment...

I have a year of OTR under my belt, and in that year I have experienced just about everything a driver may expect to experience, both good and bad.

I have a bad habit of keeping a little distance from "experienced" drivers who join our forum. They are almost always jaded or opinionated in ways that are contrary to our goals here. In speaking against the need for a C.B., I find it absolutely hard to believe this statement...

It wasn't simply my trainer, a driver with 30 years of experience (29 at that time). It was 4 veteran drivers, all of whom have decades of experience. My trainer was the one with the least among them. One of the drivers has been driving tractor-trailers for 50+ years.

I have NEVER met drivers with the credentials, or year's of experience that Ryan claims advise others to not use the C.B. radio. It seems contrary to every sense of self preservation that a driver of that many years has.

Ryan seems sincere, but he sure hasn't experienced the level of exposure to trucking he'd like to think he has.

Congratulations Nick! I'm glad you found something that works for you. You've been doing a great job! Keep it up.

We are wishing you the best Dennis!

I have known a good many setbacks in this career. I was out for over one year with an eye injury. You can get back in. You just have to be both patient and persistent. Resilience is a hallmark characteristic of a successful truck driver.

Keep at it and don't let it get you down. You just fell off the horse as you were coming out the gate. It's not the end of the world. Get back in the saddle when you're ready and make it happen just the way you've been imagining it would.

I like those three goals!

A good day is one in which you accomplished your goals and got to enjoy some peaceful rest before the next day. Trucking is challenging. Set goals for your day, for your week and your month. Work at achieving them while being safe.

If you're productive but unsafe you're a danger to the rest of us. Safety is the most critical aspect of a good day. There are all kinds of trucking jobs, but an OTR driver generally considers a 600 mile day to be pretty good. Sometimes you may push 700 but that's out of the ordinary for most. At 500 miles per day running seven days you've hit 3,500 miles. Not many drivers do that with consistency.

Breaking it down to the math like that tells us 500 miles is a good day. But there's way more to this stuff than basic math formulas. Be productive and safe consistently. That's the definition of a good day on this job.

Harvey, the trucking business is fairly complex in my opinion. There are different markets for different types of operations. Most Owner/Operators pursue what's called the "spot market." Most major carriers focus on "contract rates." The spot market can be fairly lucrative, but tends to be wildly volatile.

The contract rates are rates that the customer and carrier have already agreed on. They may be less than most O/Os are wanting to work for, but there are times like now where the bottom has fallen out of the spot rates, and the contract prices have remained profitable.

The leverage the bigger trucking companies have is primarily in purchasing discounts. They all put forth considerable efforts at controlling costs and increasing revenues. Of course it is much easier for them to do these things due to the scale at which their operations work.

Many times the variables, like fuel price, are negotiated into the contract rates via fuel surcharges.

I agree with closing your diary. However, you are entering a new phase in your training. What you want to do at this point is be active in the General Discussion section of the forum. You'll have questions you can ask in there, and stressful experiences you can bring up for pointers from the many experienced mentors that frequent that section of the forum. It's a great place where you can vent when needed or you can share your learning experiences.

You've done a great diary. Now you can continue by sharing your experiences as a rookie laboring to finish what he started. Passing over into the realm of an experienced driver is a challenge. We want to hear how it goes for you. We look forward to hearing more from you.

Hey Steven, to better understand Turtle's comments take a look at this recent conversation we had on this very topic.

Having Fun With Your Logs

How you wish to run depends on a lot of variables. Try experimenting with different methods and see what works best for you and your situation.

You shouldn't try fighting this on your own. Hire a lawyer. Find one who makes a practice of helping truck drivers.

I don’t feel comfortable at all being watched 24/7 while driving, singing, scratching, picking my nose, eating, drinking etc.

Do you seriously think that company is going to waste their money paying someone to monitor you 24/7? Who would apply for such a job? That is not how the camera works. You can keep them from seeing you at all by being a great driver. Try it. It's the knuckleheads who trigger the camera. Don't be a knucklehead and they will never get any video of you doing dumb stuff. If you decide to be a knucklehead then smile for the camera.

I think you guys are a little too hard on JJ.

Rookie drivers think a lot of things that the old hands realize aren't necessarily rational. As newbies we are easily distracted by the details. We want to get everything right, but there seems like so many things going on at once. We're thinking about RPMs, road speed, proper rhythm and timing for the shift. It's overwhelming for some. The old hands can hear the way the engine sounds and shift easily without much thought. It's basically muscle memory for them. For new drivers it's stressful trying to put all those things together without being distracted from the myriad other things they are processing.

I don't think it's necessarily rational for a newbie to think he can go backwards better with one type transmission or the other. As PackRat says the geometry is the same. But... there is that clutch which is a distraction. It shouldn't be, but it still is. I've watched newbies wear out their knee when backing. Why? I don't know why they keep wanting to feather the clutch. Engage it and go - that's the way it should be done. For most new folks it's another distraction leading to additional stress.

As far as removing the restriction goes, there will be very few drivers who ever need it removed. Even Old Dominion has started ordering auto shift trucks now. The few who need to get it removed will certainly be able to get it done. It may be a little easier in some states, but each state will have a process to get it done. There will be schools and employers willing to take people through the process. Employers will do it because they need drivers, and schools will do it as a source of revenue.

Just to be honest with you...

If you're not thirty days or less away from being ready to start, most recruiters don't want to waste their time with you. Their job is to get drivers signed up. They are looking for low hanging fruit.

You can try talking to some, but they will want you to fill out an application. Those applications are generally held for thirty days. After that it's not considered viable.

Ive researched most of the programs on here and have a good idea of where i want to go.

The easiest and most beneficial thing you could do is start asking questions right here in this forum. You'll hear from successful experienced drivers who will probably prove to be more helpful than a person getting a commission for signing you up. Our only agenda is the truth. That's what you need right now.

You'll gain some real world insights and others like you will also be learning from the conversations you start.

WooHoo!

Everything Banks said is correct. I see two options for you. Apply For Paid CDL Training everywhere you can. If that doesn't work then pay your school whatever they want to allow you to retest.

Thanks so much for introducing yourself to us! It's great to have you out of the shadows. Feel free to join our conversations or ask questions of your own. We are glad to welcome you to this community and to the world of trucking.

It's not going to be in your driving record, but that doesn't mean the companies you apply to can't find it. They also have access to reports from your insurance company. That's where it will show up. You need to tell them about it and have some really good things to share with them indicating what you learned from it.

Following too closely is a serious matter. Don't take this one lightly. They will also be able to access the police report on the accident.