Comments By Houkie

I've mentioned this in other posts around the forum, but after much consideration, I decided to go with Prime for my CDL training and employment. I've been back and forth with my recruiter over the past week or so and I had to jump through a few paperwork hoops, but as of right now, my recruiter's setting me up for orientation on June 4. I haven't gotten 100% confirmation of this yet, but I hope to get the final word this week. I'd like to leave sooner, but this will give me time to finish my college classes (which end on the 13th), celebrate my 28th birthday (the 23rd), and chill for a bit before I venture off into this crazy new life I've chosen.

I plan to take the tests for my CDL permit and endorsements in two weeks or so. I'll let you guys know how that goes.

My goal with Prime is to be a company driver in their reefer division, and then eventually (after I've gotten a few years under my belt) I'd like to become a trainer. As a woman, I've become increasingly aware of the shortage of female trainers in the industry. This sucks, because it means that unless you're really lucky and one of the rare female trainers is available at the time that you need her, you're forced to choose between either delaying your career for weeks or months while you await a woman trainer, or suck it up and endure the awkwardness of coed training (which, for the record, I am fully willing to do for the sake of getting on the road, but this isn't an option for all women).

I want to be as safe and smart a driver as I can be so that someday I can be there for other women.

I've been a graphic designer since I got out of high school in 2003. Now, I'm going into trucking. I'm both excited and scared half to death. Who knows? Maybe I'll love it, maybe I'll hate it. Everyone seems to know what they want to do with the rest of their life. I don't. I started college for a medical career and two years into it, I'm already disenchanted and bored. I've always been a fiercely independent free spirit with a zany creativity and an insatiable wanderlust. Medicine doesn't really fit anywhere into that spectrum. Trucking? Maybe.

So please follow along with me, friends. I have no illusions about the road that lies ahead -- I'm going to need all the support I can get, I'm sure.

P.S. -- Fun fact: Want to know how serious I am about learning everything I possibly can? I've spent the past few weeks reading through the old TT forum. All of it. 157 pages. Almost every thread. I've learned A LOT! And I feel like I've gotten to know several of you guys pretty intimately without ever having spoken to you before. I've been watching tons of YouTube videos about various aspects of trucking (I really like YourBoyE TheTrucker's videos). My roommate is a driver for Schneider and I grill him with questions and pick his brain every time he comes in for home time. I'm planning to hitch a ride-along with him sometime in the next couple of weeks once I'm finished with college.

I'm about 40% of the way through the High Road program and I love it. Brett, I will never be able to thank you enough for the good you've done for me and other newbies by providing us with such a wonderful tool...but if I ever have the privilege of meeting you, I'd like to buy you lunch. :)

Good luck to ya! I'm heading to Prime myself next month and I'm eating up as much info as I can about their training program so I know what to expect when I get there. I look forward to reading your updates!

Good luck to you, girl! I'll be following you and eagerly awaiting your updates. :D

Having followed along with your triumphs and setbacks, I find your story to be so inspiring, Old School. I love reading your updates. Your trainer sounds hilarious (in a maddening, ridiculous way). Even if he drives you bat**** insane, think of all the great stories you'll have to tell later on down the road. :)

I always say that the worst thing to ever happen to transportation was the cellphone. Ugh. So stupid. Glad everyone was OK!

I agree with you on the High Road program. If I hadn't stumbled upon this website I don't think I'd be doing nearly as well as I am. The High Road program is making this studying stuff a breeze. I plan to take my permit exams in about two weeks and I'm totally confident that I'm going to blow them out of the water. :)

I'm a biker chick too, Starcar. My heart aches for that rider and his family, and for the driver of the truck whose life is going to be very, VERY $@#!ed up after this. :( Those little motorcycles can be so hard to see on the highway sometimes.

To add to the list of things you'll need on the road, I just recently discovered the wonder of using BABY POWDER as dry shampoo. For those days when you can't get a shower for whatever reason, OMG it is wonderful. Just sprinkle some on your scalp, rub it in, tousle your hair around, and brush it out -- voila! Clean hair! And it smells good, too. :)

Oh dear god, that's awful. >__

My roommate is a driver for Schneider. He really enjoys working for them.