Comments By Robert M. (Opey)

Something I forgot to mention is use the High Road Training Program. Here on this site and you won't have any problems at all.

Hey Detroit, from KY myself and just upgraded to Class A from class B, 2 months ago. In KY all you will have to do for the permit is the combination and any endorsements you may want. If you get endorsements at time of permit test there is no additional charge for them. It will cost you $85 for the permit. Your DMV skills test you will do everything all over again. Pre trip, Skills, and road test.

Thanks TM.

I was looking at both and they sounded like a no brainier, was just curious if anyone had any personal experience with either.

The PerDiem I'll take weekly as that would benefit me the most. Nothing special on tax returns just the standard form and deductions.

Congrats Tractor Man, good luck and stay safe...

Not to far behind you as tomorrow is my last day of orientation here at the Greer terminal in SC.

In orientation today was shown a couple of things to partake of and was wondering what the consensus was on the two subjects.

1) CDL Defender from US Legal...

2) Per Diem?

I'm a rookie solo driver, so I'm qualified to answer, right?

Stay as far right (from the driver's perspective) as possible and do a U-turn, pull forward to straighten as much as possible, and back into door 6. If you picked door 5, it would be difficult for the next driver to back around your tractor sticking out of the spot without hitting or running over stuff on the right.

I would do the same as Paul W for the same reason!

RocketMan little over 2 years ago I to was doing IT work desktop support and network administration being burnt out with the same mundane duties day in and day out, I changed jobs within the same company. I worked that job for 2 years all the while considering a career as an otr driver.

Well long story short 2 months ago I finally made the jump I went thru a company sponsored training program to get my CDL A. I am now in orientation and by the end of the week I will hopefully be on my mentors truck.

Devan this is a great post as I read this one and many others like it, and being in orientation this week I know that I have definitely made the right choice this is where I belongwish I had done it years ago. I have to admit tho at 50 years old it was a bit scary to start a new career, as Tractor Man said hopefully this will be my last.

Like you in my previous job I had no control as to how much money I could make it did not matter how good of an employee I was, and the slackers, complainers and whiners were going to make the same money as me. I like the fact that in this profession your salary is based on performance, you will get out of it what you put into it.

I want to say thank you for sharing your journey the highs as well as the lows with us here on this forum.

OS as many others have said please do not let that deter you from giving advice to help others some of us actually consider it to be very helpful,and are very thankful for it.

I have seen exactly that same type of individuals, we hadn't even finished school yet and there were some talking about how they weren't going to do this or that, and how they wouldn't take loads if it was less than X amount of miles. All I said was "well when you turn down the load just tell your DM to give it to my DM for me if I'm free I'll take it." He got mad at me.

I was figuring everything on the list, and about a weeks worth of clothes.

And plenty of socks!!!

Thanks Mr. T