Comments By Pepper

Good luck Pepper! I've heard good things about Celadon. (Not so much about Laredo.)

Sound like you've got a brain and determination. You'll get through. Keep us posted!

I, too have been hearing good things about Celadon, and the same reports about Laredo. I was looking online the other day, and it looks like they have a vibrant city bus service, so that is pretty awesome, in addition, we will be taken to Wal-Mart once a week for our food and supplies that we will need. I will be taking some camping dishes and essentials to make the most of the time and money that I have to work with down there. I got laundry detergent, et cetera, and they are all going into large zip top bags to make sure that nothing spills into a sopping mess. I also got a great piece of advice from my dad, (Retired Army) who told me "You can wear jeans up to 4 times if you don't sweat in them or get them dirty, you can wear shirts 2-3 times, same rules apply, and socks and underclothes need to be changed daily. I will save a lot of time on laundry by only having one load of things at the end of the week.

Here is what I am packing so far:

Dishtowels

Dish soap

Can Opener

Canned and Boxed soups

Pot Holders

Utensils

Camping Cookware and dishes

7 changes of clothes that can be layered up or down

Pillow

Wool Blanket

Sneakers

Boots

Underclothes

Toiletries

I was relieved to know that the hotel that we will be staying at offers breakfast, so that will make the dollar go further. I will get a roll of quarters tomorrow from the bank, so that will give me money for laundry. I spoke to my cell phone company, I will be paying my phone bill a little in advance, because I surely don't want it to be disconnected! My landlord is fine with a money order coming in the mail, so there is another blessing, and finally, I have a to-do list, since I don't have a "honey" to do it for and with me.

Well, the CDL class on here has been a challenge, I have learned to really read the question as I kept getting stuck on one particular question. It was ME not understanding the question, but some time away and a re-read of the section and I now am doing better. Thanks, Brett for the site and everything that you are doing. I am really looking forward to getting the test behind me!

All for now,

Pepper

I am going on the Greyhound to Celadon in Laredo, Texas and I am really looking forward to starting based on everything that I have heard so far about the company.

Makes me happy to know that the students are looked after and from what I am reading, the facilities seem to be really nice.

Keep us posted and let us know how it goes!

Pepper

We started this week with a Sunday trip. Starting in Little Rock just before noon, we drove 3 hours to return to Crossett and pick up the load that wasn't ready Friday. Crossett to a Memphis distribution center, no problem. An uneventful Sunday, but a 5 hour drive. Then in the evening, at the Swift terminal in Memphis, we were assigned a trailer that had three stops in it! That's very unusual for this assigned route. But it wasn't the usual paper goods, either. We had four John Deere tractors loaded in a dry van, not on a flat bed, for three stops. The three stops were all in southern Louisiana, the first in Houma - seven hours away - and out in the Mississippi River Delta - Bayou country! It was late Sunday night and Carlos' turn to drive. I got into the sleeper and snoozed till Monday morning.

I woke up and we were on narrow Houma streets during morning rush hour. Slow, cramped, a tight left turn got us lined up to drive through a tunnel underneath the Intracoastal Waterway. We had enough height clearance, only the CB antennas on the truck scraped the ceiling of the tunnel all the way through!

The first stop (all three are local JD Dealers.) had done this before. They had a portable ramp they pulled out, chained it to the back if the trailer, and simply backed the tractor out. Quick, easy.

The next stop was in Donaldsonville, an hour north. Carlos was still working his drive time, so he drove to D'ville. This of load was with an earthen ramp that came up about 10" short of the trailer tailgate. The tractor driver "enjoyed" that quick drop/thump!

I love to read all of your updates and I am so pleased to read them, knowing that you are out there, on the road, doing well. I hope to be able to add my name to the list of people that have their CDL and are getting a life of financial security for themselves and their family.

Yesterday was supposed to be my last day of work before I leave to go to school, but we had a last minute appointment and no one to fill it, so I was called in today for a half day. I brought my CDL manual with me as the location does not have WIFI, so I read my book slowly, chapter by chapter. This evening, I have laundry to get done, and then tomorrow, tidy my room and get on this website and get to studying here online. It is funny, I have started to make drawings of the illustrations that they have in the book in my graph paper notebook, and things are (I hope) starting to sink in a little better.

I will be taking the Greyhound, so I will be calling and speaking to my recruiter tomorrow to firm everything up with her and see if I can get the bus schedule now, so that my parents may be able to meet me in Austin for the 15 minute stop there. Gee, it sure would be nice to see them, and maybe my dog, too! Miss them loads and loads.

From my prior career, which involved a lot of traveling and jamming things well into a suitcase, I am only going to be taking one very small suitcase and a small duffel bag with me, both of which will fit under the seat in front of me. I will also be taking a few dishes to cook with and similar items.

Can you believe that this is really happening? I am so over the moon happy, excited and nervous.

Well, I am off to study. Those tests won't pass themselves!

All for now,

Pepper

All fine and good to memorize, but on many topics, an understanding of how something works or the mechanics can make it easier to understand. Take the time to look at the various truck magazines as there are plenty of articles that can be quite informative. Even the ads can give you a path to some greater understanding as the distributors and manufacturers are more than willing to supply some more insight.

Good luck with the new career.

Thanks for the helpful tips!

Before I LEAVE not before I need. I was tired when I wrote this!

Getting ready this week has been a bit of a challenge as my work is trying to get a little more work out of me before I need. I think that is awesome except for the fact that I need to get some study time in. My last day with my present employer is currently supposed to be tomorrow, and then I will have the remainder of the week ****il Sunday Morning) to get all organized and packed.

Tomorrow will be a big day for work, but I am up for the challenge. I look forward to wrapping everything up and then getting down to the business of studying and doing well.

All for now,

Pepper

I went through their school and I enjoyed it for various reasons. All the instructors are great. It is the teamwork that I like. Even the work with the manager and her assistant is great, and a great improvement compared to September 2014. Even then I like the school although many students were moaning, but it was unjustified. Mat, Marco, Jorge, Juan, Claudia, Cynthia, Candy, or Cindy will always be in my good remembrance because they really facilitated, each in their own manner, the process for me of earning the CDL and become a good truck driver.

I loved reading the last sentence the most!

You have filled my heart with hope and joy!

Pepper

QwQ

Thank you thank you thank you for doing that for me!!! You didn't have to ^w^

And that's works just fine for me. I can use the time to drives myself crazy studying lol.

Thank you :3

Best miles to you.

You are more than welcome. Get the CDL manual from your state and study it as well as the one here on the site. Between the two of them, you will be a lot less stressed in class.

Thanks for the warm wishes, and best miles to you as well!

Pepper ♥

STUDY AID TIP!!!!!! Read your CDL into a recording device. Your laptop, your iPod, your cell phone, something. Listen to it all the time. Things are starting to fall into place as I listen to it again and again. Do this for yourself!