Profile For Old School

Congratulations!

I went through this process of closing a business which I couldn't really sell. It was gut wrenching.

I had several people who wanted to buy it, but they wanted me to stay and help lead the way. I needed a clean break so I could pursue other things. It was like a death in the family. I eventually sold all the assets to different parties for much less than I could have gotten for the business, but it was really my only option to allow me the freedom I needed.

Thanks Brett, for everything! I've thoroughly enjoyed riding this through with you and everyone else here.

Jay, when you take the test, you'll discover how glad you are to have taken "The High Road." I was honored to have contributed a very small amount to it, but the way that thing works is all top shelf.

Don't look for the exact same questions. The High Road teaches you the material. It doesn't give you the questions. Read each question carefully. Make sure you know what they're asking before answering it.

Sometimes they word them in very tricky ways. They might want to know what not to do in a particular situation, but if you don't pay close attention you'll answer it in the affirmative direction rather than the negative way they are looking for.

what is the chance of Swift not hiring me after graduationg their School?

They've already approved you. That's why you're in their school. You're hired after you graduate. As long as you follow their rules and don't conduct yourself like an A-hole while in school, you've got the job.

has anybody done top gun program

Our member Davy went through it. You really should go through it. That's an excellent training program. I highly recommend it. I'm sorry I don't know the details about lodging and expenses. Hopefully, Davy or someone who has done it will see this.

anybody know if Swift really pays 300$ for orientation?

Again, I don't know this answer, but one thing successful truckers do is be their own advocate. That's a simple question your recruiter or a teacher in the academy can answer. Go ahead and ask them.

I must admit, I was surprised by this also. I started to respond when I first saw it, but then thought it better to wait.

The economics, or the math involved in these programs never adds up for me. People have their reasons for doing this, and you stated yours. I just seldom see it working out like folks want. The economics of it keeps them from gaining the advantages they thought they envisioned.

I put a couple of chapters in my book concerning this way of being in the trucking business. I tried to focus on numbers, because that is really where it all falls apart for me.

Truck ownership and calling many of your own shots can really be a rush of adrenaline. That's great. I love adrenaline. It's just never done much for my bottom line. Being a subcontractor and not being able to set the price I'm working at is really not helpful to my business.

I do agree with what's been said already. If anybody can make it work, you're the poster child. We all wish you well. Dig in brother, make it happen.

Oh Wow!

The world is changing fast. The internet is changing. How we use the internet is really advancing and changing. This news doesn't surprise me nearly as much as it should.

I'll miss the interaction with all of you. There's so many of you who've kept up with each other beyond the boundaries of this website. You've shared phone numbers and talked privately.

I've pretty much remained aloof. That's been my preference. It wasn't because I didn't consider each of you as friends. I just knew there was a limit to my time here. I have another life I want to pursue after seeing this trucking adventure through. Life is all about adventure. Without it, life gets stagnant.

That's one thing I've always admired about Brett. He refuses to stagnate. I recognize those types of people. I find myself gravitating to them. I feel a kindred spirit with them. I salute you brother! I'm sure you've thought about this for a while, and you've determined it will be liberating. I'm all for liberty and flexibility. Those are the things that spice up our lives and keep them interesting.

I was sharing this news with my wife and she started saying, "You've contributed so much there. You need to find a way to copy and save a lot of those posts." I told her those posts are who I am. I can say any of that stuff all day everyday. Who I am comes out when I speak or write. I don't need to think about it or recite it. I've enjoyed sharing my life, experiences, and my practices and principles with all of you.

Man, the memories I have from here! After 12 or more years, I've seen and heard it all! I've enjoyed my time with each of you tremendously. I made a few people mad, a few others laugh, and even more were made confident by our interactions here. There's no substitute for the truth. There's a core group of people here who've always done a remarkable job in here completely volunteering their time and expertise. That says a lot for this community.

Many of them will continue their efforts at guiding new drivers into a higher and better experience in trucking than their peers. In that sense, this is not the end. It is a beautiful beginning. We shall see where it goes.

I had a backhaul recently out of Peru, IL. It was metal decking like they use for commercial building rooftops. The destination seemed odd because they couldn't give me an address. They gave me a pin on Google maps. The destination was in the middle of a wildlife management area in Arkansas. If you put Benzal, AR in Google maps, you'll see where I went.

Apparently they are building a hiking/biking trail through that area. The decking was going to be laid over some abandoned railroad bridge (see it in the background of the photo) then they will pour concrete and use that old railroad bridge for crossing the bayou there.

I almost got stuck on the eight miles of dirt road going in. Here's a picture of me getting unloaded.

Is it as bad as a newbie like myself might think? How do you prepare for such conditions and how much does it slow your progress when it comes to your weekly miles/ pay?

Winter weather is one of those things that rookies find stressful. Mostly, it is the anticipation of it, and wondering just how bad it's going to be. You are already feeling a little anxious about it, and that is understandable by all of us. Your training will not cover everything thoroughly. That is common to all of us in this industry.

Here is my take on winter weather for newbies. Don't panic at the first little bit of snow flurries you see. Remember all the weight you have. Your extra weight provides you some degree of traction. It is easier to drive a fully loaded rig in winter than being stuck with an empty trailer. I approached my first winter with extra caution. Anytime I was experiencing winter weather that had potential for causing hazards, I would always try driving with extreme caution. If the speed limit was sixty, I might try driving at thirty or thirty five with my low beam lights on. I would do this to help get acclimated to just driving during times of snow. Sometimes, just facing your fears will help build your confidence and your skills.

I know experienced drivers who still panic at the first sight of snow. I am not that way. I have driven during some really terrible conditions, but the roads were safe enough and I was heavy enough to navigate them safely. Here's two things to remember. (first)There is plenty of time during the winter when you are not facing hazardous weather. Extreme weather that causes concern is usually intermittent. (second)Most states which will likely experience threatening conditions in winter are well prepared to maintain their roadways. I have been through upstate New York during really threatening weather, but the roads were clear and easily passable. That is just one example. Many of them do an excellent job of keeping their snow plows active and on alert.

Sometimes a snow storm is just dumping too much snow for the road crews to keep up with. I was on a mountain pass out West once when this was occurring. They hadn't posted their signs to chain up yet, and I was feeling my tractor drives give way just slightly every now and then. I simply slowed down to a crawl until I could find a good place to park it. Then I waited for a break in the weather before proceeding. It's really all about common sense and keeping a cool head. Never try to hurry up in a storm to get somewhere. Always slow down to get somewhere.

I can't say that I've ever felt like the winter season adversely affected my pay. This is a big country. Most of the winter the roads are acceptable. There is only going to be an occasional time or two when you feel like you need to park and wait out a storm. Even then, you will usually not sit for more than 12 to 15 hours. Almost like clock work I have noticed that immediately following a bad snow storm comes a radiant day of sunshine to clear it all away.

Take it all in slowly as you are learning. You will find yourself with new skills and confidence. It won't be but a few winters that you go through before you will be handling that rig just like a boss. Never get overconfident. Always give the winter time it's due respect. There is no shame in parking it. No load is worth risking your life, and a "hot load" cools off real quickly in the ditch. When you just don't feel safe, park it, message your dispatcher, and stay put until the weather and roads have cleared some.

In twelve years of driving, I have never put snow chains on my rig. When it is bad enough for me to need chains, it is bad enough for me to park and enjoy a little break. Part of this is because I am seldom out West. That is where chains are often required and needed at times.

Hey JayP, thanks for your kind words!

I'm so glad you found it helpful!

That book is born out of my frustration with all the misleading and discouraging information about trucking found on the internet. Once you realize who it is pumping out all the nonsense, you then know they can't be trusted.

Carry on brother, and stay in touch. There's a host of good drivers here who are more than willing to help you along your journey.

You're getting some great responses to your question of "is it worth it?"

I'm not surprised. This is a great collection of all sorts of truck drivers. Andhe78 is so right about the many different types of trucking jobs there are. He found the perfect niche for himself. So many of the whiners on the internet didn't stick with it like andhe78. You've got to apply yourself to learning how this career works if you want success.

Don't give up easily. Once you've committed to it, endure the initial difficulties. Get yourself into the kind of situation you find rewarding. For one it's local food delivery. For another it's fuel. For still others it's OTR. There's a lot of opportunities out here.