Comments By tripletdad

Thanks! I’ll post pics of I knew how to on here. I felt like an old man trying to figure it out lol. Definitely glad to have gotten over covid.

Well y’all, I just passed my six month mark since officially being hired after Cdl school at Millis.

I love this job more every day. The stuff that used to worry me are small potatoes now. It’s amazing the things that just happen now without me getting nervous or worried. Just today, I took wrong turn and ended up on a side street leading to a residential neighborhood. Instead of worrying, I pulled over, looked on my phone at aerial map of my location and found an easy and safe way out of it, and made it look like it was my intention still along.

I’ve been to 20 states in the past 6 month, and one of them, I was not driving. Hospitalized with Covid pneumonia. For 1.5 of those months, I was running with my trainer, so I’ve only been on my own for maybe 3.5 months. I’m still happy they gave me a brand new kenworth with 40 miles on it, and I treat it like my own. I’m at 35,000 miles now, so 10k per month, 2500 a week, and stop home every weekend.

I’m looking at other options to learn once I finish my year here. I may end up staying. I’m happy here. I rarely hear from my dispatcher, I plan my own route and schedule, as long as I’m on time, I hear nothing. If I’m going to be late, as long as I let dispatch know, again, I hear nothing. I’m wondering though if I might like flatbed or tanker though.

I’m taking my daughter out for her spring break. She wants to go see the Gulf of Mexico. Asked my dispatcher and he says he’s gonna do setting he can to make it happen.

Wow, tripletdad!!!!! Hope the KIDS are well, glad YOU are too!

OMG I'm so sorry about the Covid crap. Happened to a FEW of the guys on here, dangit! Glad you bounced back!! Nice new truck, to boot!!! Bet its awesome ..... Pix someday ?!?!? :)

Re: the 'hiccup' / wrong turn ~ That's the way do do it; act like a CAT (feline) and be like "I MEANT to do that!" Hahahaha!!

I'm SO happy for you, good sir!! ENJOY the kiddo, most of all. It's phenominal. We did it for a small while; memories for sure!!

MAJOR CONGRATS!!!! MANY milestones. . . . so glad to hear !!!

~ Anne ~

Well y’all, I just passed my six month mark since officially being hired after Cdl school at Millis.

I love this job more every day. The stuff that used to worry me are small potatoes now. It’s amazing the things that just happen now without me getting nervous or worried. Just today, I took wrong turn and ended up on a side street leading to a residential neighborhood. Instead of worrying, I pulled over, looked on my phone at aerial map of my location and found an easy and safe way out of it, and made it look like it was my intention still along.

I’ve been to 20 states in the past 6 month, and one of them, I was not driving. Hospitalized with Covid pneumonia. For 1.5 of those months, I was running with my trainer, so I’ve only been on my own for maybe 3.5 months. I’m still happy they gave me a brand new kenworth with 40 miles on it, and I treat it like my own. I’m at 35,000 miles now, so 10k per month, 2500 a week, and stop home every weekend.

I’m looking at other options to learn once I finish my year here. I may end up staying. I’m happy here. I rarely hear from my dispatcher, I plan my own route and schedule, as long as I’m on time, I hear nothing. If I’m going to be late, as long as I let dispatch know, again, I hear nothing. I’m wondering though if I might like flatbed or tanker though.

I’m taking my daughter out for her spring break. She wants to go see the Gulf of Mexico. Asked my dispatcher and he says he’s gonna do setting he can to make it happen.

Hey, you updated your pic, kearsey!

As for OP, prior to starting, I’d never even heard of Millis. I waded through the bs, recognized that my recruiter there not only answered my questions, she answered in writing, and in detail. No empty promises. I’ve got a regional job where I’m home every weekend, and I’m still getting the miles I need to keep me happy. On my weekends when I don’t have my kids, s long as I let my dispatcher know early enough in the week, he can keep me routed out over the weekend for a change of scenery or bigger check. Trust YOUR gut when researching. Some places sound great at first but you’ll notice they glaze over details. Dont be afraid to be your own Advocate. This forum is a great reference though. I’ve been out of training and on the road for 6 months now and while I learn something new every day, I love the job more every day, too.

Like Scott...i am.completely biased. I got trained at Prime and almost 6 years later I am still here. Love it!

I hear peo people say all the time that they failed at Prime...and I just shake my head. I am treated like royalty, literally. The mechanics know me and hug me hello.... The dispatchers want me on their fleet and the owner of our 15,000 employee company knows my name. Its a great feeling to belong.

Keep searching.... It takes hard work on your part to build a reputation like that...but when it happens..you never went to leave. Good luck

Somehow I ended up on a text list for Swift, and a phone/email list for hirschbach. I did talk to them once but politely declined when they said 34 hour reset at home instead of the whole weekend. I know I’ve got it good where I’m at. Get home Friday afternoon, leave Monday morning. As long as my kids are small and I only get weekends with them, I’ll be staying where I can have that schedule. Lol.

Seems like common sense, but unfortunately, there are so many entitled people in the world that this is entirety believable. The sad part is that the guy will probably never own up to his part in this.

I did the paid Cdl training from this page. I got my training, I have my Cdl and a job, so I guess you’d say I was successful. I went through millis. They pay for food and hotel during the training. I’d be happy to answer any questions you have

I didn’t know you guys were in Mansfield. I’m through there every week, lol.

The mom & pop ones over here in Ohio are the bomb, too. Tom stops at the one in Bloomville often, for his 30 .. and brings me home the most awesome cold cuts (salami and chix salad are the BEST!) They only have one small shower, which he doesn't need, but .. it's something! Remarkably clean, as are the restrooms; been there a time or 2 with him myself and utilized the facilities.

About 10 parking spots, but not always full since it's not right off the interstate; more off the beaten path on a 2 lane. He used to LOVE finding these 'hidey hole' places when he was OTR. Yeppers!

The Marathon here in Mansfield doesn't have 'parking' for overnight per se, but the Indian couple that run it, adore Tom. Sammy & Rita...i've met them as well. Super good people. They've got diesel pump accommodations for trucks, and short term parking. Nice place.

Looks nice. Like mine, but a lighter red. :)

I’m at 14,100 miles now, and I’m home for a few days to get my Cdl permit converted to a regular Cdl. Should I get any extra endorsements.

Just an update. I went to cartersville, GA to take my Cdl test, and I passed. I’ve got 13,000 miles in with my trainer, so I should be finished with my 15k later this week and into my truck next week.

PLEASE let us know~!! Miss your posts, man~!!

~ Anne ~

Lol, oh. I didn’t know. Some of these companies really do have dangerously slow trucks lol.

I know. I was pulling your leg.

Usually by the end of the day I’m too tired to do much of anything else. Trucks are set at 66mph for the first year, provided I get no accident or ticket, which would drop it to 62mph. If I clear a year, they bump it up to 70mph. I know they’ve had a lot change over the years though lol

Awesome news!

I've been wondering where you disappeared to, so glad you've been busy racking up some decent miles.

Did they tell you all the trucks issued to the new drivers are set at 60 mph for the first 9 months?

Just an update. I went to cartersville, GA to take my Cdl test, and I passed. I’ve got 13,000 miles in with my trainer, so I should be finished with my 15k later this week and into my truck next week.

Sorry I’ve not updated in as couple of weeks. I went out for my first day with my trainer last Tuesday, the 14th. So far, I’ve driven 3,681 toward my 15,000 mile requirement. I’ve been in 7 states, had a DOT inspection in St. Louis right after leaving Budweiser, has a tire blow out 98 miles in on my first day, and gotten way more confident in my backing. Currently sitting at a Pilot in Rochelle, Illinois, waiting for a 6 am appointment in lacrosse Wisconsin, and then on to Memphis, then Smyrna, Georgia. I should have done this a long time ago.

I came across this place online. Transportation alliance bank, supposed to be a bank for people in trucking. They used to be in flying J truck stops, but note they have a physical branch, as well. I’m thinking shoot opening an account if they’re as convenient as they say, but I can’t find a whole lot of reviews.

Well y’all. I finished CDL training school with Millis. Orientation next week, and then out with my trainer for 15,000 miles. It’s been a fun few weeks of class and driving, and I feel ready to go out on the road with the trainer to put everything together in the real world. If anyone has been keeping up, backing was my biggest concern. I’m happy to say that it wasn’t much of an issue. I’m far from perfect, and I’m slow, but I can get it where it needs to go. This page has been very helpful to me.

Hey, nice to see someone else from Ohio. I live in Cleveland, but I’m finishing up training right now in Trenton, between Dayton and Cincy.

I did it! This will be my last update on my training. My 3 weeks of classroom, range, and road with Millis transfer in Trenton are over. Tomorrow is a very short day, just paperwork. Then next week I have a couple of days of orientation, and then I go out on the road with my trainer on the 14th for 5-8 weeks. Idk, but I think at this point, I can call myself a trainee, rather than a student, right? By end of October, I’m hoping to have my full cdl, and my own assigned truck. Thanks again to this door for all the helpful tidbits and encouragement. I’ll still post here and will look forward to some dancing bananas when I get my purty new Kenworth next month. :)

Well, our class of four is now a class of three. One of the guys just wasn’t getting it. It got scary a couple of times. So that was that.

Otherwise, yesterday was a pretty good day of driving back from Wisconsin. Today I drove first. Mix of city, state route and interstate. Finished up with parking between two trucks at the TA, which we’ve never done before. I nailed it, but was nervous as hell. Big difference between orange barrels and two trucks, lol.

Millis is 15,000 actual miles. You’re dispatched as solo truck. Supposed to be around 5-8 weeks. The biggest concern for me is that he doesn’t normally take home time when he has a trainer, so I’ll be going at least a month and a half without seeing my wife and kids. Not a big thing in the grand scheme, but It will still suck. Once that is done though, I’ll be able to go home every 10 days or so. There’s my plan, anyway. Home every 10-12 days and during the summer, take a month on the road and then come home to take a vacation with the family for that same amount of time.

I think you’ll have to take a refresher Cdl course since you’re off likely to be considered stale. I know prime is a tough carrier to get hired with. I’m not sure how they’ll view your circumstance. Puking sucks, but it seems like PAM would have been willing to put you up in a hotel somewhere for a few days until you got better and then had a new trainer pick you up. Good luck, and definitely try. Someone will hire you, even if it’s not Prime right in the beginning.