Profile For Maggs

Recently looked at my BOL for a meat load and part of the load was: “Butt Portions”.

So I guess you could say I was hauling ass.

Lol

Congratulations and my great admiration and respect for what you have accomplished despite your vision problem. Maybe we should call you Old School Jr. lol.

Yea! …wait…

Congrats on sticking with it. Alot of folks would have given up.

I pulled tankers many years. I enjoyed it, but you seriously need to get at least 1 yr of driving under your belt. Tankers are a different breed.

Most tanker companies, reputable ones anyway will require at least 1 yr before they will even accept your application. Prime is just up the road from you as well as several other companies in the Springfield/Straffod area.

Where a terminal or main office isn’t important if your OTR, the amount of freight a company has in your area is ehat is important.

Hopefully the industry turns around sooner than later, it has been a real mess the past couple of years.

Best wishes and please keep us posted on your progress!!

Thanks PJ!

Maggs, Congratulations - I know this feels good!

I just wanted to clarify a few things just in case your comments may be confusing to anyone. There is no longer a vision "waiver." The old system used a waiver, and it often limited the driver to intrastate driving. The new rules use an "Alternate Vision Standard."

Under this system a driver, or potential driver, takes the alternate vision paperwork to their eye doctor and gets them to fill out the questions as required. Then the filled form is taken to the medical examiner. The form overrides the standard vision exam, but the driver must test properly with their good eye and must have a specified amount of peripheral vision with that same eye.

I've been driving OTR for two years now under this new system. It was a real blessing for me.

I wish you all the best Maggs! I hope to see you out here someday.

Thanks Old School. I hear ya. Especially with the current freight situation, I’m keeping my options open. But you’re right and I knew it, tanker doesn’t come with training wheels. I’ve got my eyes on Schneider because they have different freight moving lanes; everything but flatbed I believe. I was thinking of going van/reefer for a year or more then see about sliding into tanker with them. This is another reason I want to have all endorsements (except bus/passenger, not my taste). Just to make myself marketable.

Nice.

Howdy all, After many years of research, jumping through hoops, and wasting time waiting to hear back from government agencies, I am finally scheduled to start CDL training here in Columbia, MO at a community college (200 hours, they are in the FMCSA registry).

Quick back-story: I have limited, uncorrectable vision in my left eye from a childhood accident (piece of glass pierced my pupil, leaving a tear-drop/cat's-eye appearance!) It's like having blurry, peripheral vision only, if I close my right eye, if that helps describe it. This kept me from passing the Marine Corps MEPS when I was a kid during Desert Shield (Would have been nice to know before I spent 15 months with my depot recruiter while earning college credits! I promised if I got shot in my right eye I would keep fighting, they didn't buy it.) Kept me from a law enforcement career for the same reason. I was able to work as a Corrections Officer for awhile, but I was grey in the tooth :) when I did that....not for me!

I went through the steps of data collection so I could get a vision waiver back in 2015, but after six months of me asking "Do you need anything else from me?" at the FMCSA, they came back at the 11th hour and said they needed more information and I would have to re-submit; fugitaboutit!

So with the changes that happened to the rules in February 2022, I am finally able (I have it in hand!) to get the waiver and schedule with a medical examiner.

After a lifetime (I'm 52) of on-and-off again trying, I can finally do what I want-ish. I drove a rollback for awhile (12-hour days, customer-facing issues, etc) and enjoyed the responsibility.

I said all that to say this: THANK YOU! Without this site, Brett, and everyone who has cared enough to reply to questions (whether I asked them or someone else) my path would have been less informed, not as humorous, and certainly missed, knowing what I know now.

post-script: I've always taken on the hardest challenge when it's an option; wanted to excel at tasks that nobody even wanted to start. I would love your input on a couple things because I'm not going to assume your answers over the years on these forums have remained steadfast, although they probably have.

I'm interested in driving tanker. The technicalities of the position excite me (simmer down). My TWIC is in the mail (I try to be prepared as possible going into any situation) and will get my haz-mat started once I have my permit in hand. If that's not a possibility for the inexperienced, or because of my location, then car-hauling or livestock appears interesting (I know I wouldn't be the favorite guy at the truck stop!)

We're empty nesters. The better-half is secure in her position and thinks she's ok with my being away (a little TOO ok now that I'm thinking about it!) OTR is certainly on the table. I know it's hard for anyone to tell anyone else what they should/should not do without intimate knowledge of the person, but I respect your experience and suggestions.

Know of any companies that will be hiring in the 65203 area code the beginning of April 2024?

Stay safe. May God bless. Don McGee (Maggs)

I'm still waiting for my vision waiver exemption to come back so I can't advise you on how all the gear I want to take packs in a can :)

Conga-Rats on going solo!

This actually had me laughing out loud.

Well done Bird (or should you change it to Sherlock?) Your integrity is worth fighting for. Good luck.

Keep up the hard work, something you know all about I'm sure but now you're using it with all new material.

Great updates BTW!