Comments By GREG D.

My fiancee is 4'10" and can adjust the seat and steering to fit in my 2013 freighliner cascadia.

-PJ

ahhh-HA!

PJ, weren't you referring to someone as a "girlfriend" not-too long ago? Hmmm. Sounds like this friendship has "upgraded" to a new level ...

-mountain girl

LOL @ ahhh-HA... made me chuckle out loud

My fiancee is 4'10" and can adjust the seat and steering to fit in my 2013 freighliner cascadia.

Yea, I'm pretty much over being worried about it but been told that the peterbilts aren't as friendly so i just been asking what kind of truck I would be testing and training in.

Greg, don't wait around for them to call you. A couple of days after you apply give them a call and ask for the status of your application. You'll be doing yourself a favor, and they will not consider you a pest. They handle an over abundance of applications, and that's how you get yours from being lost in the shuffle.

I called today at lunch... the guy at Prime told me I should go to the truck stop and find a Prime driver to let me sit in his truck to see if i could safely operate the peddles... Ugh...Hey Buddy can i sit in your truck? lol

I don't think you will have a problem finding a driver willing to let you sit in the driver's seat for a few minutes. Just explain your situation. There are still a few good drivers out there.

Well I'm going to give it a shot. sure hope there is a prime driver in Falls Creek , PA at the Pilot sometime soon...lol

How tall/short are you?

5'2" And everyone is telling me its cool but I don't want to get sent home from a school because of my height. If you know what I mean.

So, I just spoke to the Prime recruiter and told him of my height concerns and he said that I should just go to a truck stop and find a Prime driver and ask to sit in his truck. Then call him back and let him know how it went? How many of you guys would let some stranger sit in your truck just to see if they could reach the peddles?

When are you thinking of attending school? If you choose Swift and live close to Richmond, VA I'll be there starting Nov. 24th.

I too, am from PA but wasn't planning on leaving until March so my wife can manage the bills with the income tax return. But who knows. I may not even get accepted. Not sure How its going to work out.

Thanks Mountain Girl... Now If I can just get accepted into a school. I can't see why I wouldn't. I have a clean criminal history. No driving accidents and maybe 2 non moving violations in the last 15 years. So far I've Applied at Prime, Knight, CRST, FFE, and Swift.

Greg, we usually recommend that you go ahead and get your permit before you go to school, and there is no better way to prepare for it than working your way through the High Road Training Program.

It will take you some time to get through all that stuff, but it is well worth the commitment and it will help you greatly.

As far as how long your permit lasts, that is dependent on the rules in your state. I know in Texas it lasts until your current drivers license expires. This is something you will need to call and ask the DMV about for your particular state.

Here are the particular sections you will need to go through in the High Road Training Program to gain the knowledge to get your permit.

-Rules and Regulations

-Driving Safely

-Transporting Cargo Safely

-Air Brakes

-Combination Vehicles

-Pre-trip Inspection

-Driving Exam

Also let me caution you about two things when learning from your wife's uncle. First, this is not a substitute for going to a driving school, so don't think if you get it all down you can just go and get your license with his truck. You will completely jeopardize your chances at getting hired by taking that approach. In this day and age you must have a training certificate from a school showing a minimum of 160 hours of training for anyone tho hire you.

The second thing is that you may have to completely re-learn some things when you do go to school. None of the professional drivers I know drive their trucks in the manner that the DMV will be looking for come testing day. Your wife's uncle will certainly be showing you how to "float" the gears (shifting without using the clutch), we all drive our trucks that way, but the tester is going to want you to be double clutching for your test, and they will fail you if you are not double clutching.

Just a couple of "heads up" things for you to consider. I see no reason for you not to avail yourself of this opportunity, just keep in mind those two pointers.

By no means would I ever consider taking my test without the proper training. I guess what I was thinking was to have him teach me how double clutching works and maybe helping me study the pre trip inspections. There are a few guys that I know in the industry that have told me to just go get my permit and license and they would get me a job with them and my response is simply, " I want at least one year OTR and the proper training before I just go out there in a Big Rig." I was just thinking that with her Uncle I need to be very specific on what I want him to teach me because like you said I don't want to be learning how to float the clutch just yet. I'm sure that will come with time.

I never do anything halfway and I want to be the best I can be at what I do so for me the schooling is a no brainer. I have been studying both the High Road Training and the DMV book. I want to be as prepared as possible for this career before I make this leap. You guys continue to be a huge help. And I am very thankful for that.

Thanks for the pep talk fellas. I've got another question though.

How long is a permit good for? The reason I ask is because, after talking to my wife's uncle he suggested I get my permit early and when he is in town he will show me the basics in his truck. He has been driving for over 20 years. Is this a good? obviously I'd be learning to drive bobtail with him.