Comments By DayCab

So I've crossed the T's and dotted the I's, clean MVR, DOT physical and drug screen, all AOK! (would have sworn my BP was high, I was nervous!) I'm acing the on-line General Knowledge & Air Brakes tests, got the answers to the CO CDL handbook questions highlighted (psi loss was throwing me off, 2/min for straights, 3/min for combos) And it finally 'clicked' how air brakes actually work, yay! I've been backing up the snowmobile trailer w/just the side mirrors, got the 1st weeks worth of lunches in the freezer, the coffee thermos rinsed out, pre-hires from Schneider & Swift.... Any other advice? A huge thanks to the TT forums for all the info everyone posts, it's got me going in with my eyes wide open, hopefully not deer-in-the-headlights open! Anyone have info on Pride (not Prime) running out of SLC? They've got good reviews, reefer & expanding into flatbed (my preference) and they're 4hrs from Jct. Also like the looks of Melton, but Tulsa's a flight not a drive from here. I'll try and post daily, we'll see how it goes!

This won't apply to all, but by going through the Workforce Center in the county (Mesa, Colorado) I live in, and by keeping my nose clean, jumping through the hoops, and pushing enough paper, the State is willing to pick up $3000 of the $3500 cost of one of the local (TruckingTruth endorsed) driving schools. I did need to get a pre-hire letter, which is easy as pie w/ a clean MVR & a pulse. The State expects me to get a driving job upon graduation, but I get to choose the Company I work for instead of being indebted to the one that trained me. I'm also sleeping in my own bed for another month while training instead of living the "dorm life", which does not appeal to me in the least @ 44yrs young. On-the-job training will be team/minimum wage wherever you go, if I read these forums & the Internet right, but it's all about gritting your teeth and getting that 1st year in, and the older I get, the quicker a year goes by. There's a chance I could go solo straight off hauling frac sand in ND (40 on, 10 off) but Schneider looks as good as anything else, Central Ref. Is another option, they've been bought by Swift and reviews mixed at best. I'm also realizing that unhappy 1st year (and veteran) truckers come to the Internet to *****, and it can be very discouraging when you can find loads of unhappy people from every single hauling company on the planet. I'm combing the TTForums for that mythical "Best 1st Trucking Job" and I hope to become a regular here once training starts. Thanks for this website Brett!