Comments By Errol V.

First, hitting things on a right turn: it's all by sight, you will not hear/ feel any bump or scrape (from truck vibrations). You're sitting way up front in the cab. And if you do hear a sound, you know it's too late.

On a right turn with a curb where nothing got hurt I watched the tire go up and over the curb and drop off. I saw the trailer shake as it dropped but heard & felt nothing.

Second, yes you'll at least talk to Safety and you should still drive for Swift. They keep a count for 12 months and it drops off.

In a right turn, that right-hand mirror is your life until you clear the turn. Other than watching where you're going forward, eyes in the mirror.

The quarter mile pull over may be too far, but try saying you wanted to stop in a secure & safe roadside location.

SRJ points out:

What is the policy of the company you were working under at the time regarding accidents and requirements for drug screens? If the company policy states one must take a drug screen whether or not one is at fault in an accident and you failed to do so, I believe you will not have any success disputing this.

But blowing off a company policy drug test is just as bad. They could still mark you as "not re-hireable, refused drug test". As in: Jumping off a 5 story building and jumping off a ten story building yields the same result.

Well, I will properly answer the question, Southbound version:

Start in Boulder City, NV, head south on US95 towards Searchlight. In Searchlight, turn right on Nipton Rd and head for California. At the Interstate, you get on about 2 1/4 miles south of the Inspection station. I hope your trailers are not white or the DOT may see your Showgirl out in the desert! For Google Maps: Boulder City to Mountain Pass CA via Searchlight

Well, GhostRider, the fact is you were involved in an accident. The "preventable" and "non-preventable" is a separate thing from the accident itself.

You said:

My company stated I might need to take a drug test once the load was delivered in Canton, ms. Long story short, I gave a two weeks notice

Answer this: Get out the longer story. You were told you might need to take a drug test. Did you take the test or simply give your notice? If you were told to test and for any reason did not, by the regulations that is a refusal and a fail. On your record for its own right.

I'd like to know more about your line:

I maintained my lane and maintained my speed

but a refusal to take a drug test is a bigger deal.

I never imagined it would happen, but here it is: West Memphis Petro on a cold Thursday afternoon.

I kept Kearsey occupied while her truck was getting a new tire.

Donna points out:

At prime u are not employed until u get your CDL.

This is true. Except for the part of my answer about going to a Paid CDL Training Program, The trip direct to Orientation is for CDL holders only. So the "employed" last day is for experienced drivers or those new hires who just got their CDL at a qualified school ((and they do have a CDL!

In my view, if you have a shipping/receiving window to deal with that's the line that determines your order. At some live-load/unload warehouses, the line is trucks waiting to get a dock (that's the FCFS spot) and the forklift driver will handle the paperwork for the trailer backed in to the door.

Diedre wonders...

Is an invitation a job offer? Rather, what exactly is orientation?

This really is a good question. There's often bus rides involved, which sounds like "employed", but not yet.

My experience is with Swift, but the idea should hold for most companies. The bottom line is, at Swift, that you start earning your paycheck on the third day of a three day "Orientation". The first two days are briefings/classes on company operation & policies, more testing (drug, background, and probably a quick road test) and you could be sent home (with a bus ticket) if you don't pass muster there. But that invite to the terminal means you have a job, if all goes well.

Should you be offered a slot in the company's Paid CDL Training Program, at that point you all but have a job, providing you get the CDL, etc.

I'm curious about the Coleman. I had one. When it stopped, I called Coleman. Emailed them a photo and jumped a few hoops, and they sent another new one. That happened four times. The problem was the opposite of yours, a fuse blew. (I bought replacement fuses then sold/gave away the extra Coelmans!)

So, why does the wire burn? Is there a short in the fuse? (Take a look in the box around the outside fan and the inside one for the fuse block.

I preferred the Coleman over a dorm, etc. refrigerator. And if you're interested, I have a 12v one designed for sleeper cabinets. (It's in Memphis)

jump through hoops, pay attention and toe the line, you'll pass the class and have a job?

That's pretty much how you do it. You do need the determination to complete the course. It is rather compressed - many people feel it's too fast, but the course is designed to get done in 160 hours.

I've never heard of "cut downs". There are many reasons people leave/get kicked out, from positive drug tests to inability to handle the truck to the realization that trucking is not for them. Just make sure you're not in any of these groups and you'll be OTR-ing in about 3-4 months from your school start.

When you are given a date for Orientation you're in! And often after the first two days you are on the payroll.

Well, Brian, we can get you some information for you to chew on. Here's our "starting kit":

• Truck Driver's Career Guide
• Brett's Book: The Raw Truth About Trucking (free online version)
• High Road CDL Training Program
• CDL Practice Tests

Read these tings. Also, the High road training program will go a long way in getting you past the CDL permit test.

As for the school, many companies will help you with their own Paid CDL Training Programs. All you need is a 12 month commitment and you'll pay it off. Get into these things, and come back with more questions.

Michael, there's only a few differences among all the states' regulations. I've compared some state manuals, and much of it is word for word the same.

Download the Washington manual and you'll see the section numbers match what is in the High Road guide.

Brett speaks wisdom:

Play the long game.

Drivers, when you wake up at the start of your day, say these words out loud.

Here's a news article from AP about the accident:

Kobe Bryant helicopter lacked recommended safety device

In the article there's a discussion about whether the experienced pilot should have flown into fog. Did he go because he figured he could handle the situation? Maybe because Kobe was a celebrity and needed to get to Camarillo? (The pilot often flew important people around LA so celebrity itself wasn't an issue.) What were the factors in the decision?

Go down the article about 15 paragraphs and read about those kinds of decisions. Here's one paragraph:

He said [the pilot] should have turned around or landed but may have felt the pressure to reach his destination, an occupational hazard for pilots often referred to as “got-to-get-there-itis” or “get-home-itis.”

Sound familiar?

Hey, Matt, welcome to Trucking Truth. Sounds like you have a sweet deal going - they will pay for your school so you can drive their semi and haul their goodies around.

Have you had a chance to drive one of their race cars at speed around a track? Have they given you the opportunity to hit over 100 mph in a pack on the course? When you get behind the wheel of the truck and drive to Indianapolis or Talladega, you are putting their stuff on the line just the same.

Here's a full list of the schools: Truck Driving School Listings. Now the Other Shoe to drop is the road experience. In the trucking industry all CDL newbies must ride for several weeks/ thousand miles with an experienced driver to get all the rough edges off. After that their company will trust them to haul a million dollars across the country by themselves.

So, you didn't mention this part: do your Race Car Guys have an experienced driver who can show you the ropes?

The first test - for your permit - is strictly a written test. And now that it's run on a computer, you get a "skip the question" button! So, skip any question you are not sure of the answer and do the "easy" ones first. You will get the harder questions if you need to, but you also get more of the ones you know into the system. The tests, your state manuals and the questions are very consistent across any state. Proof: Download the CDL manuals from any two or more states, and look a the chapter headings. Even the same numbering system!

For the periods you did "non-work" things, enter what you did. Anything that might support your entries will help greatly. If you went to school, you can get transcripts. If you cared for a family member, you could get a letter from someone who knew your work - medical person, clergy, even that patient/family member. You do need to support the things you say you did. Like I said, prove you didn't spend four years in Margaritaville and you should be OK.

For the most part, Human Beings look at the applications, and so that ol' gut feeling and intuition come into play. You still have several months to get these ducks in a row. But don't slack on it!

You have explained your lack of work for me, but I don't hire. However, you had Family Care and Medical Treatment for much of the time, as well as some School Studies for your MS in HR work. It's not up to me or that recruiter to tell you it's not worth the effort. The worst that any company can do to you with your application is to say "No."

Congratulations on beating cancer. I am a co-cancer survivor, as my wife succumbed to cancer in 2000. She was "tough as nails", but was afraid to do the chemo. (She lost out before that actually came up, though.)

If you are planning for getting into school in 9 months, you can take your time in studying the High Road. Do not go in for the Permit test till closer to your start date.

As for Manual shifting, that is going the way of the cassette player - last century's technology. I learned and drove stick for a while, but when I got into an auto-shift, I was spoiled. Learn the systems and you will do fine. The big companies are switching because of the fuel savings of the auto-shift. Unless you buy your own rig (Don't go there!) you will be in a clutchless truck.

Izet, yes, the information you are looking for is better stated in the General Conversations section. But no prob.em here.

Yes, the CDL PERMIT is valid for 180 days. And it can be renewed for another 180 days with no problem. We advise you to choose a company first, one that offers a Paid CDL Training Program. That way #1, you do not have to pay at the start and #2, you almost have a job when you start school! I believe Sage is a school only, and cannot actually promise you a job on completion. Also, location is not important. A company sponsored training program will send you to the right place.

A warning: I understand your second post,

I have an offer from a company a friend drives for, all I need is a license

might mean your friend drives for a smaller company. Be positive that as a new CDL driver the company that hires you will provide additional road training, for at least 4 - 6 weeks before you are a solo driver.

Hi, Tina. We can help figure this out. But how about some more information.

How did you pass the time in the last four years? Companies basically want to know they are not hiring a slacker. "Family care" is a reasonable explanation.

It sounded like you're starting in square one, getting a permit. Not a problem, we have tons of things to help you out. This, and more:

• Truck Driver's Career Guide
• Brett's Book: The Raw Truth About Trucking (free online version)
• High Road CDL Training Program
• CDL Practice Tests

One way to find out is to apply. It's not like your credit report where any inquiry may "ding" your record.

Apply here (Fill out the form once, it goes to many hiring companies.): Apply For Truck Driving Jobs

If you need CDL training to get that license, start here: Apply For Paid CDL Training

For more reading, check this out: Trucking Companies That Will Hire Felons.

And don't be afraid to ask more questions here. You'll get the straight dope, no shade or criticism.