Profile For Tim F.

Victor I had been wondering how you tested out. Congrats! Western Express is a fine company. You’ll do well there.

Keep in mind that the responses available here are sometimes delayed. You may want to develop some “go to” contacts at Western Express that you can call for immediate advice.

Good luck and congrats again!

Tim

I’m going through the process now. I have an appointment next week to get my machine and start treatment.

I’ve always wondered when I was going to get flagged. Four things 1.Age 2. Weight 3. Blood Pressure 4. type 2 diabetes. Now I got tested.

Right now I’m trying to navigate the thirty day requirement on Data as my medical card expires on 2-12-20. I think there is a thought of an extension for 30 or 60 days to allow me to get data for them to look at.

My thought is this. I can accept it, do as they request OR I can look for a job in a different profession.

What’s easier?

Hey Andy,

Roehl is a great company. Family owned. I went through their GYCDL way back in 2014. Then it was 3 weeks (2-1/2) to test. I think they expanded it slightly since then.

Good luck moving forward!

Sorry to read this Moe.

This chapter of your adventure called life appears to be closed. Onto the next chapter.

Put your head down and move forward in a positive direction. Good luck!

I really appreciate the replies guys. It's a tough one as I definitely do not want my kids to recent me for being gone. Reading up this profession, it seems the first several months and first year can be the most challenging. Daughter in high school has a majority of her sporting events during the week and our son who is grade school has his basketball and baseball on the weekends.

I just briefly researched TMC. Looks like they offer a CDL training program as well and list positions available in the Milwaukee area. Knowing the possibility of being home on weekends may be an option, this may be a compromise everyone could live with. I'm going do a bit more research on TMC as they were not one of the 3 I have been looking at. Veriha, Schneider and Prime are the others I was referencing.

Just keep in mind that “home on weekends” generally means you get home on Saturday at some point and reset til Monday AM. It does not mean that you get home Friday night and head back out Monday morning.

I see you are in the Milwaukee area. Have you looked at Roehl? They offer paid CDL training and have some of the most flexible home time programs.

I won’t bore you with a story.

I’ve got a 14 year old that’s playing football in the fall and basketball in the winter. I know for a fact that it would break his heart if I went back OTR and missed his games. I suspect yours would feel the same way.

We had a discussion just yesterday about me going back on the road in a couple years as a way to put away money for his college (I rent so the thought is to pay myself the rent into his 529)...we’ll see what happens.

Now I run for Ruan Transportation on a local Target account in Amsterdam NY. I just got back from picking up my son at basketball practice. Its a small thing...but it’s a big part of being a dad. I wouldn’t trade that for anything.

Good luck on your decision.

I would strongly suggest you revise your circle of friends to exclude “those who use”. Chances are very good that somewhere along the line you ingested something from one of those “friends”....unknowingly. That’s my thinking. The suggestion that you had to ask them “to keep it out” means that at some point it has been around.

I might think back to scenarios that would have exposed you to the risk.

I’ve had my CDL for 5 years now and even the suggestion of drug use excludes that person from my life.

Good luck

So Roehl invested 4 weeks into you and sent you packing when you failed the parallel parking? Seems kind of hard to believe. Is there any part of the story your leaving out. Did they ever ask you to leave the program before testing? We’re you a difficult student at all? Is there a state restriction on retesting?

Normally, a company would make several attempts to pass a student and get them running in the fleet. Makes no sense.

Hey Duane....somethings not right here. Are telling us everything? A truckstop accident and a couple minor inspection warning for most companies won’t end in termination.

Is there more to the story that you aren’t telling us.

Always tough to find employment in the Florida market.

You should fill out the forum application and blast it...see what you get back

Good luck!Apply For Truck Driving Jobs

Marc..?.. can you elaborate? How can you pull a 16 exempt AND an 100 mile radius deal.... thought it was either or?!?? (Where's Rick S., btw) LoL. Maybe Bobcat Bob knows? Brett? Anyone?! It's really unclear, and the husband comes to ME with his ifs/ands/ors..... and I've got the same green book and Google we all do. This has always been vague; and he's been out of school since '03, and not quite by the books prior. Always looking to learn, ya know?

Hubby pulls a 16 here and there doing intrastate/daycab, but the start and stop point have to be the same, IIRC. For instance, if he pulls a 16, he has to return to the yard, about 35 minutes South of our home. If he brings the rig home (which he does often thank gawsh...) and runs over the 14, they allow him PC. Always empty, no backhauls...not many rejects in corrugated. Never advancing a load, just sleeping here, to run again and load next day after the 10.

Just wondering. Before he got his 'new' Qualcomm he could 'kinda' do the 100 air mile radius deal... but.... if you go from Mt. Vernon, Ohio, to Toledo, to Dayton, and home..... it doesn't add up.

I'm just trying to learn a bit myself here, as well..

Glad things are going well for ya, man~!

Anne

Anne,

The 16 hour exemption is designed for local drivers “daycabs”. One of the provisions of the exemption is that you NOT travel more than 100 miles from your Starting point and as you stated...must return To the same location you started from.

It’s really designed to save drivers from the unexpected storm delays, accidents and such. but is NOT designed to allow drivers the opportunity to pick up more loads etc. I believe once you declare a”big day” your next stop should be back at the yard.

I’m sure Rick S will chime in with more information....but that’s some basics of the law.

Just take your time, do as many GOALs and Pull Ups as needed, learn from your mistakes, don't get frustrated or in too big a hurry.

Thanks PackRat!

U

Really more concerned about TRAINER'S frustration!

Marc...your only concern is to back that trailer into the hole. Don’t be too concerned about the trainers frustration. In fact, ignore it.

You will learn how the back of the trailer moves in relation to your adjustments.

Good luck.

Got a question. Is it okay for a mentor to smack a mentee in the back for assuming he wasnt doing what he asked? I am over my over sensitivity and I promise today I did my absolute best and Guess what?! The day so far has gone absolutely great except when the truck hit the brakes automatically he assumed I was and smacked me in the back for it, cause he did not want me to slow down. I was getting close to others so I wanted to back off but the truck decided to do it for me apparently.

Im learning though through your advice to mostly just bear through it and learn not be taught but learn what I can and you would be so proud of me cause I reminded myself that when I was having a pity party inside. 😉😁.

Somewhere up above I read where YOU are driving the truck. If the collision avoidance system activated and hit the brakes then you were following to closely. I would have smacked you also....but for a different reason.

As said previously....you are driving the truck.

Also, tell him to keep his hands to himself. It’s not okay. My instructor used to hit me with his ball cap on the shoulder cause I was screwing up my downshift....it was done as a way to relax me. It worked.

Just keep remembering the end game Victor. You don’t have many options left. Grin and bare it. Get through it.

Wow. I think your barking up the wrong tree. This post belongs on another forum where the super truckers hang out.

Most people here are just trying to get going in the industry. Now, you want them adjusting brakes...lol.

I get your point...largely, don’t leave it for the next guy.

But to suggest they get under a trailer and adjust brakes is just foolish. A light bulb...maybe...but even the newer trucks aren’t as easy as they used to be.

If you think you have the technical knowledge then go ahead and fix it...otherwise....call maintenance and let them direct you.

Congrats Turtle!!

This makes us neighbors...sort of. I run for Ruan Transportation at the Target DC in Amsterdam.

That Johnstown DC was my home load when I ran for Roehl Transportation on their Kraft Dedicated fleet.

Good luck in your new adventure!

I can’t speak for Swift/Walmart deliveries but we were told to expect to run six days A week during the month of November/December. We’ve seen an increase in trip counts during the last part of October.

I’ll probably end up running Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve and off Christmas Day...but if not I’ll take the $200 plus whatever my trip pays and get home ASAP.

I’m taking any and all I can get, cause in January , February it’ll slow down.

I run for Ruan/Target dedicated.

As Errol said when the stores are closed has no relevance to our schedules.

I’ll just add this. Companies report things to DAC that may or may not be your fault. I had a truck clip my front left hub and damage the lug nuts on 95 ( I didn’t get a truck name or number) Roehl didn’t fuss about it...but they did list it as an incident in my DAC. ....I hasn’t cost me any opportunities since. In fact, Roehl hired me back once and I now run for Ruan Transportation...both high in safety.

So I guess it would be good to challenge it, But I would’nt lose a lot of sleep over it.

Good luck

Turtle & Rick,

Thank you both for the information. I will look for and pick up a kingpin lock. Anything that will assist in avoiding a problem is time saved. Yes, I am hoping the company will allow me to take the rig home. As I understand it “time off” begins when I arrive at a terminal or park the tractor. One company I am seriously looking at is 5hrs away, and would prefer not to use 10hrs for personal travel. I do have a farm, no longer personally live there, but at which I am hoping to gain permission to park the tractor, trailer if necessary, within the Morton shed there.

I will add these to my questions for perspective employers. Thanks again guys.

I would hold off on buying any equipment for the tractor. Let’s get you through school first. When I went to Roehl they supplied the locks and the deducted it from our pay. When we left and returned the locks we received a refund.

Focus on getting your license first , then training and then you can worry about the tractor.

Good luck!

Hey Wild Bill...thought I’d add my two cents. I went through Roehl’s CDL program in 2014. I dealt with a recruiter, Kim Calhoun. She was specific to the GYCDL program. Everything she said and “promised” came true.

I asked for Kraft Dedicated out of school and got it. I started at .35 cpm but quickly rose to .405.

My first full year I made 50k...I was home biweekly some times weekly based on what I chose.

You should take a look around at other programs, but Roehl would be a great choice, IMO.

Good luck!

He likes his choice. They keep him moving and treat him well.

I am surprised you say you submitted the apps over a week ago, and haven't gotten anything back. Most people, including myself started getting responses within hours. Do you have something on your driving record, or criminal past that is causing an issue?

I’m not surprised. In the initial post it says...I’m about to turn 21. They probably have it set aside for when OP turns 21. Also, OP needs to realize that there are probably more attractive candidates with some “life history” that they’ll look at first.

My guess is if it were a month later TheY might show a little more interest

Congrats Marc. Not sure I would worry to much about the “little percs” or the CPM....in your situation I might just worry about getting through the next few weeks and on boarding with Veriha. ...you laid out the schedule, but remember to take it day by day.

Good luck