Comments By Dave Reid

I drove for Pride in 2017 and 2018. I found them to be an excellent company to work with and for. I really cannot think of anything that they could do better with the exception of their road training is a typical team driving setup but they aren't likely to change that due to the expense. I doubt you could find a better management team anywhere. As has been posted in this thread, I wrote up a bit about the orientation/training previously.

I start orientation with Pride on 15 feb 2021. I would like to hear from Pride drivers about it all.

The correct spelling is sNOw, btw.

Stuck in the Pittston holiday inn hotel, my instructor was planning on me testing out this coming weekend but looks like Mother Nature had other plans, hopefully the pad will be clear. Need a lot of backing practice, I did take my first load with him on Thursday. I have a whopping 385 miles driving now lol. But loving every minute at prime. I can’t believe the will pay me to do this.

Sorry to have disappeared on you, great people. Momcat tracked me down and let me know that someone was asking about me.

I had a career-ending accident about a year ago and a lot of other bad things occurred in my personal life around the same time and after, so I went awol.

I had a CDL for about 25 years. Most of that time it was a bus CDL and most of that time I drove just part-time as I got into management and ownership of a local company hauling biological cargo. One of the things I liked most about the job was providing training and mentorship of various kinds depending upon the need. Even after I became president of the firm I continued to do the large vehicle training personally, or at the very least the check-rides.

My firm broke apart after Uber/Lyft killed the taxi business, the 2009 recession permanently reduced exec-trans business, and the local city bus company decided to internalize the paratransit operation that we had performed via contract with them for 30 years. I also was kicked out of the house/divorced around that same time so I decided to chuck normal life for a time and see the world via tractor-trailer.

I was fortunate to be hired by Pride Transport Inc (of SLC) pulling reefers. I enjoyed the work immensely and found Pride to be a fantastic company. The only thing I didn't like, really, was the rather horrendous schedule of a reefer puller. I also needed more income than possible to earn as a driver and between that and my love of training/mentoring, I determined to become a trainer as quickly as possible. So, I first became what y'all here call a Top Tier Driver. I assure you that if you ask my fleet manager or others there at Pride they would back my self-praise up on that score.

I was approved to become a trainer very quickly. Yes, I realize that in Utopia a driver would be OTR for 5-10 years before such consideration, but in the real world it takes a year or three or in my case, I made it in about 9 months.

I did some yard training when I was passing through SLC, helping drivers who'd otherwise passed road training but couldn't back up. I think all companies should offer this help but I know that they don't. I even had a personal experience with it when the first company I road trained with kicked me to the curb because I hadn't learned to back (and had been given zero chances to do so during road training - ridiculous). Anyway, I helped several drivers get into a truck after spending a few hours with them. I also got a couple of drivers into trucks that needed a week or two of additional training. That was very rewarding. I also got two FNGs. I did not have good luck with either of those. One of them thought that she knew everything and wouldn't accept any instruction whatsoever from me. I finally gave up and had her terminated. The other one - well I have no clue how he got through CDL school/state licensing. He was afraid of his shadow. On his first day out, he wouldn't go over 40mph on the expressway. We worked on that He eventually made it to Pride's "Phase 2" training, during which he was to drive full shifts while I slept and vice-versa. This proved to be highly problematic. I'm not sure how the many companies that do things this way ever succeed because the trainers just can't get enough sleep. We had a lot of problems with this but we worked through most of them. However, one day after his shift he informed me that he didn't want to drive anymore - he had gotten scared of something during his shift and didn't want to discuss much...he just quit. So, I was about 6 for 6 in the yard training, 2 for 2 in the remedial training, and 0 for 2 in the FNG training. Plus I discovered that I would never get enough sleep, and would be routinely put in fear of my life sitting next to certain folks - twice I thought I was dead for sure but the hand of God apparently lifted us out of trouble.

Another problem had cropped up - I needed more schedule flexibility than Pride could provide as I needed to be able to overnight at three specific locations in 3 different states somewhat regularly and that couldn't be done - certainly not as a trainer but not even as a regular driver.

So I looked for a suitable alternative and found one. I became an IC leased to Schneider, acquiring a truck through Schneider Finance. It worked out very well, really. My income was about the same as it could have been as a trainer for Pride (about 90k after expenses, insurance, and SE tax, etc.). However I got a good night's sleep every night, no one was trying to kill me, and best of all I could schedule my trips such that I could overnight and sometimes more (under load) at all the places I wanted to. It really was terrific.

Then I had a career-ending accident. I will make a separate post about that.

My first lifetime was in the insurance business. After recovering from the accident and other things, I am back to that, and back to living in Michigan.

I wish you all the very best. I might stop by and toss my two cents in on something now and then. I'll put my email address in my profile in case anyone wants to contact me about anything.

I

Dave Reid?

I was stuck in Wyoming several times and spent a year there one weekend. After that I decided to stay away, at least in the winter.

Anyone else stuck in Wyoming due to the rolling road closures? Been here since 0130 this morning and it seems it might be awhile. The only updates giving so far was the estimate time for it to reopen has increased, multiple times now.

While I realize that the amount of (great) information on this site may seem overwhelming, the truth is that there are no shortcuts....no one can distill all you could know into a couple of paragraphs. I highly recommend that you take the time to read it all.....you'll be amazed at what can be learned here.

Hello to everyone willing to give advice!

I have been driving a class B fuel truck for almost 3 years. Pulling a fuel hose to fuel a truck or a fill pipe on house has gotten old and I am looking to do more. My ultimate goal would be to drive transport tanker but not sure how to get there. Obviously I need my Class A license and experience. Do I go with prime, which has a tanker division? Can I get a tanker trainer or am I going to have to start with a reefer anyway? Do I go with Roehl without a tanker division but is more local for me? I know I can't just get in a truck and drive as my experience is not with a combo, so the time I have to put in for paid CDL training is no bother to me. Even in the 3 years i have been with my current company, I am learning something new everyday. I am not questioning if this is something that I want to do, it's for sure. Just not sure which route to take. I have not had a problem getting accepted anywhere as I have a good MVR, hazmat/tanker endorsements, and some schooling/experience. ANY advice ANYONE can give me on here would be super awesome, plus I wouldn't mind getting to know some of you as I will be on the road as well and it seems there is alot of you that have great helpful trucker advice. Thank You!

What's happening is that you are new - your results are typical, as you've seen with fellow students.

It gets much easier with time and experience - lots of it!

It's just crazy! I'm at Crowder and one day I am nailing the backing and as the day goes along it just gets worse. What the heck! I watch this and hear the same complaints from fellow students. What is happening???

ROEHL has plenty of regional opportunities, depending on where you live.

Hello everyone! I have been addicted to this site since I found and used the High Road Training program, and I have to say, everyone on here is amazing!!

With that said and out of the way, let me tell you my situation, and what I am looking for.

I have seen/heard a lot of you say that TOE with a family is a bad idea, and also read a few topics in the site about that issue, so I am fully aware of what I am getting in to, and the fact that most think it is a horrible idea to do OTR with a family at home. I assure you, my wife is a very strong, independent, and loyal woman who supports this decision 100%!! I made absolutely sure she was ok with it before I even signed up for this life.

So, the ultimate goal I am trying to accomplish with this post is to get feedback from drivers who have done the OTR route with a family at home (wife and kids) and gather any tips and info to help make the transition as easy on everyone as possible!!

I leave exactly one week from today to start the GYCDL program through Roehl. I plan on staying with them until I get my 120,000 miles in, starting off as a flatbed driver, for at least the first 6 months, then can switch fleets if I want, as stated in my contract. I plan on using either FaceTime or Skype to be able to talk to my family as much as I am able to, without interfering with my training and my job, especially for that crucial first year. After I have my miles in with Roehl, I plan on going regional or even local. So I am expecting to be OTR for about 15 to 18 months, until I hit that 120,000 Mile mark.

So, please, any tips to help my family and me stay in touch and keep close through all of this is GREATLY appreciated, and thank you all for you feedback, thought, and opinions in advance!! Also, any more questions about my situation are welcome, especially if they will help with any advice!!

A warning won't go on your PSP - UNLESS the officer also does an inspection and puts the reason for the stop on the inspection report. The reason some (frequently company safety dept folks) give the advice to ask for the ticket instead is that you could try to fight the ticket, and if successful, you could petition to have the violation removed from the PSP and the company's corresponding record. If the officer gives a warning for the violation, there's nothing to dispute and both you and your carrier are stuck with the points for three years.

Got this from instructor in yard today...

He said he was stopped for speeding in IN. The LEO said he was giving him a warning. Hank was confident he was going 55 or less where the speed limit dropped. LEO said "You don't understand... I'm giving you a warning!" Hank insisted he wasn't speeding and added "I can fight a ticket. I can't fight a warning!"

It took him 3 trips to court. When he asked for the in-car video he knew they shoot, Keo said he didn't have anything. When he said "Well, I have some! " - (Veriha has forward and driver-facing DriveCams in all Power Units), the Judge viewed it and dismissed the case!

My take-away - NEVER accept a warning (as it goes on our DAC and can't be removed).

Anyone?

I spent a year one March day in Wyoming.

Wait til u see -40 in WY or MT

I would keep the money. Drive safely and legally - chances are you'll never need the legal help. If you do end up receiving a citation, then find a local attorney (near the jurisdiction where the ticket was issued) that does traffic violations AND has experience with the transportation industry....pay them.

Anybody have one? From my understanding they take a few bucks a week and if/when you need an attorney they take care of finding some in the area the litigation will take place. If you have one what are the pros and cons?

I would think from a long term financial standpoint it's better to put that money into a savings account and use it for that purpose if/when you need it but just looking for opinions. I was quite surprised to see what attorneys are charging.