Comments By Joe Y.

Raymond, good luck in whatever you do in the future.

As everyone else has already stated, you need to go to one of the schools to get your CDL so you have the min. 160 hours of training. Then you'll have to do more driver training with whatever company you end up working for. With so many NEW drivers starting out almost every company requires this path as a requirement to be hired today. Most of which has to do with them being able to insure you. So it is the insurance companies that are reqrequiring this path for NEW CDL drivers.

One other think you have not mentioned is the legal troubles you are going though. Most companies want a clean legal record for the past 3 years and some are as much as 5 year. I suggest before you start anything you research some of the companies you might be thinking of going to work for and find out what their requirements are as far as a clean criminal record are concerned. Knowing this should help you decided what drection you need to go and help you with a time line for you to get your CDL. Hope it's helps out a little and again good luck.

Can't believe that the results from my drug screen were not back this morning. I called the tester and they said it was still in the lab, WTH already. She promised me it would be cleared by 5 o'clock (Friday) and sent back to the Company. I called the company and she said she will call me Monday as soon as they get the email from the drug screen. I also found out that the NC trip I was so bummed about missing because of my test results not being back yet wasn't going to happen. Turns out my driver trainer is just returning to work after an injury that he was off work for more than 30 days for. Policy is that he had to submit a drug screen and his wasn't back yet either. So I feel a little bit better but still bummed I'm not hitting the road until Monday. The trip is scheduled to leave here on Monday. Fingers crossed that the lab did what they promised and I can finally start my driving career.

Well things not going as planned so far. Pre-employment drug test not back yet. Had another new driver start the same day as I did and he took his drug test on Tuesday (did mine on Monday ) and his came back the next day. So no local run for me today nor does it look like I'll be making the run to NC tomorrow. When I tell you that my luck has been nothing but bad for the past year or so, I'm not throwing the bull s&@t around. Here I was thinking my luck has finally changed and sitting here waiting on test results. Not worried about the results just need it back. Yes I realize people have much bigger problems than mine. But it's still a let down.

So my new career in trucking will have to wait a few more days I guess. I can not wait to get out there and start to learn all the things I need to learn. There is so much to this that it'll take years before I can say that I know half of what the pros know. that is another reason I'm looking forward to getting started, I'll always be learning something. I hope I can learn something new everyday which will help me be a safe driver as well as being an informed driver. Really disappointed to have to wait longer. It seems like time is in slow motion waiting to get out on the road.

Passed my test so it official, I can now say I have my CDL class A license. Took the test in the morning on Monday and called a trucking company right after I passed. I had given them an application a couple of weeks ago and the recruiter asked if i could stop by after lunch. I went to see her and they road tested my in the afternoon. Had to back the trailor between two others and unhook when we got back. It was a very tight spot but I managed to do it. The tester asked me when was i looking to start back to work, told him a.s.a.p. he said I guess I'll see you on Wednesday at 9am. I got the job. Starting my trucking career Wednesday morning and I can not wait To get started.

Two or there days with a local driver trainer and then three to six weeks with training on trips. I can earn my own rig after the first three weeks if they feel I'm ready for it. I'm going to do my best to get into my own rig as quick as I can and start runnIng. Thinking of taking the run from here in PA to Atlanta and Jacksonville. Haven't totally decided on which run board to go with but I'm leaning towards that one for now. They also run local as well as coast to coast so there are other opportunities available. It's going to be great to get back to work and even better that I'll be driving trucks for a living.

Kara, good luck on Friday. Do not give up, take a step back and breath, relax and you'll get it. I'm testing tomorrow morning May 4th. last week I felt exactly as you do, just didn't feel comfortable about it. Kept practicing and practicing and by the time I left Friday night I have no dought I will pass the test tomorrow. There's good days and bad days in school. Remember you have only been in the truck a very short time so I'm sure you're doing better than you think. You can and will do it, it's all about having a positive attitude.

Hello ladies and gentlemen. I've been on this form for about a month and I've learned a lot by reading what everyone is posting. Very informative information on this fourm, especially for someone who is just getting into the industry. Well I've been in school for 4 weeks now after trying to obtain the funding through our local career link office. I had signed up for school three times in the past few months only to be informed a few days before starting that funding had been cut. I finally got in and what a relief it was to finally get the go ahead to start my CDL schooling. I've been fortunate enough my entire life to have had good payunh jobs/careers ever since I got out of high school. Went back to college ten years out of high school and went on the have a good career in business management. Like everyone else a couple of years ago the bottom feel out of the manufacturing sector and I've been on and off work since. Finally lost my job about 9 months ago and here I am today, struggling financially an just about at the bottom of the barrel and the end of the bank account. But, it's giving me the opportunity to finally do what I've always wanted to do, become a truck driver.

I'm taking my road test Monday May 4th to finally get my license. i've been waiting to Post on this fourm for a month but haven't had the time. Between school and my wife's unexpected health issues that caught us by supprise, time is at a premium. I can not wait to get out there and start my company training and getting experience under my belt. Probably will not sleep tonight but I'm just so excited about starting this new career, (and hopefully my last one) finally going to be doing something I know I will enjoy. I've been spending time setting up a youtube channel and email for posting my journey because I'd really like to do some blogging and videos on my journey. Hopefully it can help others in my situation make informed decisions abut a career in trucking. Trust me there are a lot of things going on lately that I've never had to deal with before that are making everything and every decision that more complicated. Sounds bland right now but once I can post more on our situation I think people will appreciate kowing about how the decisions I'm making may affect the next step in the process. As if life isn't compacted enough at times now it's a new career, the stress of being responsible for 80,000 pounds on wheels , a high school senior and some serious health problems with my wife, I'll be forever grateful if I can make it through the next couple months.

So enough of my babbling, would just like to thank everyone for taking the time to share what they know and what the are learning about trucking on here. It is very benificial for me to be able to read and learn a lot about trucking that I will not learn in CDL trucking school. I'm hoping I can make the time tomorrow to post how I did with my test. Feeling comfortable about it so it shouldn't be a problem and I've told ,the recruiter at the company I'm going g to be working for that I would call her as soon as I get out of the truck to inform her that I am now licensed and Ready to go to work.

One thing I would like to ask others here that have recently gone through a CDL trucking school is do you feel that some of your classmates should never be allowed to drive a big rig? I never try to judge people, especially only knowing them for such a short time period but, I've e spoken to others who feel the same way. We all agreed that maybe there should be a gate keeper at schools or with the tester that would determine that maybe a student needs more training befoe they get out on the road. There one guy who has failed twice already and when in the truck with other students instead of watching others like we all do to try and learn or help correct our mistakes, all he does is bury his face in his cell phone watching stupid videos and making jokes. Disruptive to others trying to straigh line or parellel park and not taking any thing seriously and i mean nothing. When it's his turn to take the wheel he jumps in the seat, bangs through a few gears flying up to the cones not paying any attention to his set up and then struggles or fails his practice straight line or other tasks. It's got to the point where we didn't want to even be in the truck with him And feel if he passes and gets on the road he's going to hurt someone. Am i wrong and out of place in feeling like this ? Just wondering how others feel about it.

Thank you for letting me ramble and please wish me luck tomorrow.