Comments By >>--HuntinDoug-->

One of the few fears I have about driving a semi is strong cross winds. I remember as a kid I rode with my dad once and it was really windy. I could feel the truck moving as the cross wind hit it. I was scared, but it didnt seem to phase my dad at all. How much of an issue is it, and what stories do you veteran drivers have of driving in the wind?

Interesting... I always though that as long as you have the endorsements, a class A covers everything. Good to know.

Sorry to open up a can of worms here guys...

Let me elaborate a bit: I'm not saying all unions are bad. I'm merely outlining my only experience with a union. I never had a problem with union prior to this incident. Unions were put in place for a good reason. But, like many large entities, over time it became corrupt. The biggest problem I had with the situation was that the union basically told me exactly what to say about my injury. I chose to tell the truth... That's how I try to live my life. I don't feel that I need to apologize for that. The potential financial gain was just not worth what it would do to my concious. When they (the union) realized I didn't say what they told me to, I was approached by the plant rep and 2 other lower reps. They verbally scolded me (in front of my co-workers) for not "taking advantage" of the situation. It was almost as if I had betrayed them. They even went as far as to ask me who I voted for in the presidential election. They said if I voted the "wrong ticket" not to expect much help from them in the future.

I'm convinced someone else pocketed (stole) my $1500 signing bonus. Contractually it was mine... I din't get it. They wanted to send me a clear message... and it was received loud and clear. They knew I had no one to appeal to. They purposly wouldnt take my calls. So, I had to ask myself the question(s): Do I really want to be associated with an organization that expets me to vote for who they tell me to, expects me to lie when ordered to, then steals from me when I don't?

I left GM less than a year later.

I was a member of the Teamsters 25 years ago. I would never join another union for three reasons:

1. The folks who run the union often just take your money and then just play golf with the owners of the company and fail to help you when there's a real problem.

2. Union jobs are usually based on seniority instead of performance, which encourages laziness among the most experienced and puts the burden on the new guys. I'd rather be recognized and rewarded quickly when I outperform someone who's been there twenty years instead of being told to take it easy for fear of making someone else look bad.

3. I don't need anyone to negotiate for me. If I don't like my job, I'll find another.

You'll get strong opinions the other way, I'm sure.

Yea... I have to chime in here. The above statement is very accurate. I worked at GM from 1997 to 2001. In 2000 I was in a tractor accident, an blew out my L5S1 disc. The union tried and tried to get me to say I hurt myself at work... I refused. I ended up being off work for almost 6 months before the company let me come back, and that was only after passing a PT test. During my time off I drew $147/week from the companies short term dis insurance. Every week the union took 100% of their "dues". While I was off, a new contract was voted in. I was allowed (and encouraged) to to come in and vote. Part of the agreement was a $1500 signing bonus. When it never showed up on my check I called my union rep. He told me since I wasn't working, I wasn't entitled to it. HUGE double standard. Every time I tried to call the union office I got hung up on. Their motto was "a fair day's work for a fair day's pay". The only thing I ever saw the reps do was argue with Mgt over trivial stuff, and tell the workers to "slow down... this is a marathon, not a sprint race".

The plant I worked at was 3/4 of a mile long, and had 3700 employees. Now, it's nothing but a overgrown parking lot with a hole in the middle.

Don't let it get you down. Guy's like that need an appointment with a baseball bat. Get yourself one of these:

Tasco 3MP Night Vision Trail Camera, Black

Awesome... Thanks Errol! I'm gonna star cramming for the test on Friday. Then the following week, or the next week (depending on my confidence level) I'll go take the permit, and the endorsement tests.

Sorry for all the detailed questions... I forgot to mention, I have got conflicting info from local drivers, and info on the internet. Some have told me the permit test IS the written test... Others have told me there is a written test for the permit, then you have to take another written test at the same time you take the road test. I'm trying to study only whats needed for now (temps & endorsements) so I don't go into "information overload" in CDL school...

Thanks again guys... I can't imagine going through this process without the info & knowledge here on TT.

Thanks guys! I got the OH CDL book about a month ago, and have been reading through it, and answering the questions at the end of each chapter. I just started doing the High road training program. By the way... It's awesome!

I do have a couple more questions: What questions are on the test to get your temps? Is it just a few questions, or, is it the same as the written test to get your lisence?

The reason I ask is I will be studying the specific chapters on Hazmat, triples, doubles, etc... What else should I study when I go to get my temps?

I just got off the phone with the local CDL school I will be attending in Jan. I'm a detail person, so I'm trying to get everything lined up early so there are no surprises... or at least minimize them. She suggested that instead of waiting to get my temps on the 4th day of CDL class, I should go ahead and get my permit, and take the Hasmat, Double/Triple & the Tanker endorsement tests. She said I would get a $27 refund from the school since the testing fees are included in the tuition. She also said if I go back later to get even 1 endorsement, I will have to pay for a new license too.

To you guy's that have been there: What's your thoughts... Is getting them early a good idea, or is it a potential waste of time & money?

HuntinDoug, please forgive me for interupting your thread, but I have been curious about something, and wanted to ask you about it ever since you joined our forum. One of my closest friends is also a Luthier, and I know that he is a member of a Luthier's Guild, and active on some Luthier forums. He builds acoustic guitars, but I was just curious if you may have ever met him or heard of him. His name is Steve Kinnaird and he lives in my hometown of Nacogdoches, TX. Ever heard of him?

I don't know Steve... But, there's not many of us out there, so it's not uncommon for us to know each other. I was a member of a luthier forum for a couple years. I build mainly electric guitars. Kind of a different animal altogether than an acoustic. Steve is probably on an acoustic forum if I had to guess.