Comments By KaTow

Hey Tammy,

Don't get stressed about it ... that's why you go thru school. I couldn't do an off-set back-up for weeks! and then it just all came together. The pre-trip seems overwhelming, but pretty shortly we'll find you wake in the middle of the night muttering, "no welds or cracks, no missing or broken leaf springs..."

Everyone will have different skills and experience, but all are there for the same thing. And you can do it!

K

Those asterisks getcha every time. That was terrible!

I wear, and have for decades, jog bras. Mostly because the straps stay put! My **** (astricks inserted by me) are big enough that I need some support, and I find the cotton, plain, joggers comfortable. Also, they don't emphasis, so much, as ... mush. And, if really hot or sweaty, you can still take off the shirt! (Ok, I really only do so in less-than-public places.)

:)

Signed on with Swift this afternoon!!

After weeks of calls and conundrums (and -- Thank you, previous post repliers), I opted to go with the 12-14 days out, and enlist my neighbors in house and cat care.

The only other company that would hire me just didn't "feel" right. (Than a young company driver tried to put his 12+ft truck thru an 11ft underpass, not far from me... bummer.)

So, three weeks, I head to Syracuse, then cut my teeth on the Eastern run. Terrified and SO psyched to finally jump in! So glad to have Tr Truth as resource.

:)

Michael, I have been in the same boat (not cab) for 18 months. I wanted drive TT in my area, for a local company, ... then one I'd already talked with wouldn't hire me. I've been applying to Class A and B jobs for a year, but no one takes on the "no experience" driver. I even helped the first company with an insurance review in which he wrote, "no one with less than two years experience." Guess he forgot about hiring me!

So I finally bit the bullet, and applied to The Big Guys, and am facing the fact that I won't be home for a loooong time. But this is a step. Just another step. After a year or two out, I *do* expect to get some local work. My Want to drive is stronger than my history-to-date of odd fill-in jobs.

Ironically, I have been driving a garbage truck one day a week. Look around for the little haulers who might move up to compactors... the big players all require experience, but sometimes the smaller oufits are just looking for good workers.

Keep poking at the options. What I'm doing right now isn't what I'd planned on or hoped for, but it *will* get me closer. And in the meantime, I've learned about automatic compactors, 10 spd tri-axle dump trucks, crop & field trucks, 36' dump trailers, and flat-bedding granite. Take it where you find it!

Hang in there... Kate

New Players -- Now considering US Xpress, and Swift.

I've looked for companies that offer an in-house training/refresher, but I'm really winding up with no options. Between living on the western side of Vermont, having my CDL for over a year without "verifiables," and hoping to be home more than twice a month... my list is pretty heavy on the "nay" side.

Can anyone speak to: actual home time with USX and Swift? Understanding/flexibility with new drivers? (I'm actually really nervous about committing to a job.) Any specific advice/heads-up for either company?

Thanks!

Howdy, I'm getting down to my final choices here. First tho,I got my CDL thru a private school over a year ago. Since then, I've had unsuccessful training stints, and driven a lot of dump trucks. I'm a bit nervous about my skills, but also think I'll be fine once I'm back in a truck.

US Xpress will put me on the Northeast Regional, with a lot of dolly-to-end-of ramp work. 1650-2000 mi per week, at a whooping 0.33cpm. Hometime is your 34hr reset. But you gotta start somewhere, right?

The recruiter from Heartland is working like mad to get me in, tho I haven't yet been approved by "Safety." Their's would be the "Atlantic" run, home 3 weekends per month... maybe 4. Training is 4 wk, 0.28cpm. (I don't have the solo rate.)

Prime switched me to the Walmart recuiters, for Lewston ME. From reading about other dedicated box store posts, it may not be a great starter for the inexperienced?

I am looking for others working with--particularly USX and Heartland-- who can comment on actual hometime, actual company treatment/consideration of drivers. General environment? Accommodation to "life" factors?

There are a lot of negative reviews out there, but I know the disgruntled often express themselves more than the ... gruntled. And I've read enough here to know we each make our own experiences with dispatchers and co-workers. I'm looking for just a little more info from folks, to help balance nuts-and-bolts details.

Thank you!

Canzel Dat. Not enough experience to head out with Wil-Trans.

Good luck all you starting there! Sounds great!

I've been looked at the Wilson site but can't get a really clear idea... are they (Wil-Trans, East side of things) all 3-4 week OTR? or do they have other runs that would get me home more often?

Looking at Wil-Trans, Heartland Express, US Xpress, and Prime; got CDL over a year ago but no experience since. Need to be home more until life and house are transitioned into trucking life!

Thanks for any input!

I've had a frustrating 5 months since getting my CDL, but I'm finally headed to 2 1/2 day orientation at Bellavance Trucking in Barre VT.

In December, I spent a test-day and was offered a part-time/sub position hauling rock, 38 mi round trip. Come the week before my start date -- Mar 1 -- I couldn't reach the guy who hired me, and he never returned calls. He was actually on vacation, on Mar 1. I was mad!

Since then, I've trying to find local work, because I still run a bookkeeping business, but no one will hire a "new driver." Nice catch-22 when there's "such a shortage of drivers."

Becoming morbidly downhearted, I resurrected my Nov application to Bellevance, and was on board in a week. It's actually their sister-company, Terry Hill, which runs mostly New England.

I know it's time for this change, because I really don't feel any remorse for abandoning my customers so suddenly (although I haven't, really; I'm still helping them transition).

So today I head up and will stay at a no-tell motel near the trucking facility. Home Wed night for a few more days to disentangle myself from work and life, and on-the-road training starting Mon 4/4. And on flatbed. Out maybe 5-days, maybe less.

My entire "life after 4/4" is an absolute blank. No idea of the logistics. But I am SO PSYCHED! Finally -- got the job! The rest will work, right? (Thanks to TT forums, I knew I just had to keep trying!)

I believe training for a NEW job is not deductible. Training to continue or improve your current occupation is a go.

EV's right. Training that advances your current job/carrier -- but is not required or minimum level -- and does not provide you skills for a new career, may be deductible.

It's spelled out -- diagrams, flow-charts, and all -- in IRS Pub 17, Ch 27 "Tax Benefits for Work-Related Education." Your Federal Income Tax, Ch. 27

(what can I say.... a CDL most defiantly advances my bookkeeping career. How else would I so accutely understand the challengs facing OTR businesses!)