Comments By Alexander D.

Ok Thanks

If you put in 8 months you are more than half way to the one year point. The one year point may be the time to seek work with a different company but this site recommends "sticking'' it out. At least you'll have that Pride of sticking it out but more importantly you'll have a year to put down towards another job be it local or not. Having said that I totally empathize with your situation. It does sound Hellish to me and must be quite frustrating, but I'd stick it out to the one year mark if possible.

Best of Luck

Yes I may still move forward with a loan from a bank.

Yes, actually I just found out about this WIA and registered and am meeting with them tomorrow! I am in Illinois and well they just can't balance their budget here apparently.

I'll look into the High Road Training Program after I finish this post -- I am staying clear , at least for now of Co. Sponsored Training Programs due to people saying going to a College was better.

Thanks

On the day I was suppose to start school (July 11th) our State was unable to fund me going to school. Even though I am disappointed there's a chance I can start school in September (if they balance our budget). I thought about getting a loan from the bank............................. anyway feeling defeated as I was focused and committed to moving forward on this. Can I still study on my own and take all the tests at the DMV? I'm in the process of researching this and then getting a job starting off slow with a local company but I heard they want drivers with at least two or more years of OTR experience. I'm not exactly sure what I'm going to do but I'm going to keep asking questions and getting information. Has anyone gotten a loan to go to school?

So, with the limited information I have- I have preconceptions about my goals. Of course right now I am focusing on studying before class starts, which is no easy task but I am pushing myself. Anyway about my goals. I plan to work for a large Corporation OTR Full Steam - Do or Die. From what I read it can be grueling and that I am wanting to commit to year of it. I think that if I get a job with a big corp I'll get a good truck and decent pay/benefits ect.......... and that after that first year I'll have the best understanding of what it means to be an OTR Trucker. If and when I make it through the year I can hope to be at a good vantage point to choose which direction to go next. Am I being Realistic? All suggestions welcome. Thanks.

Happy 4th

Do Truckers still get the benefit of using CB radio's to help communicate information to each other about traffic conditions?

Not sure if I'm replying right but why don't you go to a truck stop and see if you can't ask someone to view their Truck- just a thought

Hi Alexander D. Congrats on taking the step! I hope to be doing the same thing in six months.

DEFINITELY work your way through the High Road Training program; it's the best tool i've found. If you're taking the practice quizzes and reviews after every page, by the time you've read all the way through the program I guarantee the vast majority of the important information, technical info and statistics will have lodged firmly in your long term memory. After reading through it once i'm aceing every single free CDL practice quiz I can find on the internet: even the all endorsement quizzes. Stick to it and you won't have any problems. I'm going to go through it all at least once more before I get to school myself.

The only issue i'm having is trying to memorize and arrange in my head how to approach the Pre-Trip exam requirements. I'm a visual learner and i've never actually been on/around a semi-tractor before, so i'm struggling to remember all the parts because I have very little idea how to find and actually identify the engine components that need to be pointed out to an examiner. It's all fine saying "point out the water pump, PMS it and ABC/free play the belt" but how do I know what it looks like?/where it is? I'm hoping i'll know these things for sure once i'm at the school.

One of the mods here posted a visual guide to the Pre-Trip with photos that was amazingly helpful. I'll try to find it after I get back from work tonight (if someone else doesn't beat me to it.)

Good luck Alexander!

Thanks for the encouragement and thanks for showing me the online guide - I just peeked at it and it looks pretty good.

I believe anything can be accomplished one step at a time.

I also downloaded a couple of app's to my phone.

A great day to all and a Safe one.

By the way does anyone use 'handles' anymore Lol ? Can we talk to each other on the road like in the old days? haha

I just wanted to say Hello to everyone on here and introduce myself. I signed up for school a week ago - I start in just under two weeks and just cracked the 'Study Guide' book tonight - Looking at all this technical stuff if making my brain woozy - I suppose that's normal for a start and I better keep disciplined to studying cause frankly - I think I can drive okay but all this mechanical stuff is scaring me a bit. Anyway, all I can do is work hard and hope for good results. Now I am currently now working and I'm bored out of my mind and Trucking seemed like the best fit for me since I tend to enjoy the company of myself for the most part - I hope that's a plus in this field. I wreaking if I just take this thing one step at a time and keep focused , maybe just maybe I might pass this test the first time around and one day land a first job. I decided to go to school at a college and got some nice Lady helping me out giving me all kinds of advice. I feel like if I pass all my tests- I'd want to go all in and work for a huge company going OTR to no end due to my being single again as of very recently. I feel real positive about taking steps towards my goal of Trucking and I hope it's worthwhile. I am not in it completely for the money - I love money but I really just want to get out there and be useful. So for now I just got to study before school starts so I can get an edge. Any advice or suggestions would be great - Oh I live in Illinois right now but I am thinking of moving to West Virginia cause I love to ride motorcycles - nothing tying me down here anymore for sure so why not live some.... Have a good one