Profile For Philip F.

I appreciate the advice and encouragement, but I'm still heading home.

I guess I realize that it's not for me right now. If it was 5 years ago, then I wouldn't of blinked twice. And maybe I'll try again in 5 or 10 years. Right now, however, I want to focus on relationship my wife and I have. I enjoyed the time out on the road (even though my trainer was pretty negative) and I feel like I was starting to get the hang of it, so I'm going to re-evaluate things later on in my life and see where it takes me.

I still think you have an amazing website, Brett. I wish that everyone interested in trucking could pull this up first on Google, because this is a gem. I'll still peek my head in here occasionally, so don't think I'm outta here forever! Good luck to everyone who's aspiring to work in this very challenging field!

Hey everyone. A couple of weeks ago I signed on with Prime, and thought things would be well. Wednesday I realized I missed my wife more than anything in the world, and the thought of being without her made me so homesick I just had to get out.

So here I am, stuck in Wyoming (my trainer can't seem to get me home, and neither can Prime), waiting to get home. I thank all of you for the advice and especially Brett for this wonderfully informative website, but this just isn't my cup of tea.

To the people wondering whether or not to get your permit:

I feel it's better to get it and get that part out of the way. You get to spend a little bit of time training and doing some computer-based training. BUT you should check with your state to see if there are any weird rules or regulations that are in effect.

As far as right now, I'm a student driver getting ready to head out with my trainer for CDL test training. Really excited!

Just watch out for the guy wearing the kilt

Hey! I left that at home. :P

Prime's training is about 3 months and they run reefer and dry can.

Actually, Prime runs everything BUT dry van, unless you count non-refrigerated freight in a reefer...

Congrats Joshua! There are a few of us who are at Prime right now getting our CDLs. Maybe when you have your orientation you'll see us!

I was thinking: maybe those are good times for 34-hour restarts? especially if you're running low on your 70-hour clock? Just a thought...

Had to change to a green shirt today. Realized my wife packed for me!

Haha, I remember those people with the fingerprint cards. Like Dad says, "There's never time to do it right but there's ALWAYS time to do it again!"

I'll make sure to be at breakfast tomorrow. I think I still have a black "FedEx" shirt, so look for that. Or you can just go noseing at people's IDs until you see "Philip Fowler". :P

Guys, I'm pretty sure he's done with this site. Please ignore him. That lonely man just wants attention. Thank you

This is also what's known on other sites as a "troll".

7/10 if you understand this...

Here i sit in my hotel room in Ft. Wayne, waiting for my first day of class tomorrow. I will update as often as I cant.

Drive safe all!

Geo

Same down here in Springfield (although ironically, Indiana is my home state. :P) I'm both excited and worried. I want everything to fall into place so I can focus on learning! Hope it goes well for you!

If I were you, Jerry, I'd tell my parents about my plans. Let them know you want to go train at 21, and offer to pick up a part-time job until then. Stay with them, enjoy your time, it's a few years but you can make it fun before you roll out onto the road!

Mark, be glad you guys are in a hotel right now and not in a big rig. The truck stops in Pheonix are slammed right now. Just went to the flying J and not a single spot open at 1pm. Got one of the remaining few spots at the Pilot. Of course they left the bad spots so that wasn't an easy backing haha.

They didn't leave you a bad spot, just a practice opportunity!

Are gloves suggested? I'm here at Prime and I never heard anything about bringing gloves, plus my earlier work we were offered gloves and I just turned them down.

And be sure and come back in here to tell us how your doing...and if you have any questions, this is the place to ask em...and we'll settle your nerves, when you grind the gears...everyone does it btw...and miss the down shift...everyone does that too !!! So don't forget us...we have ALOT MORE to help you thru, and teach you !!!! You have just begun to learn, grasshopper !!!!

My biggest worry is all this paperwork and getting to orientation tomorrow on time so I don't get sent home!

As of right now, I'm in St. Louis waiting to get on a bus down to Springfield for company training with Prime. All of you have been super helpful, especially Brett, who's site is phenomenal and really should be the first stop for anyone interested in trucking. I can't wait to get started!

...but most of them don't hire out of Florida. In fact, most companies don't hire out of Florida period.

Why is this (the location restrictions)? I don't understand why location matters when hiring someone who's going to be driving all over the place!

I have applied to Prime. Stephanie is my recruiter. Although I cannot get ahold of her to see what my status is in the applications process. I have called her everyday for 2 weeks and keep getting her voicemail. Its FRUSTRATING!!!!!!

Dewey, keep trying! It took me lots of calls just to get ahold of my own recruiter. You might also listen to her voicemail, she might be on vacation!

I sent you a PM to start with, and then I sent you a direct e-mail. I don't know how the system made me seem like two people.

Anyway, part of this blog is going to be for my friends at home. I'm not sure I wanna try to dance around everyone else's experiences. I just want to express my own. :)

I dont get in until about 2230 monday night..at least you have a little time to relax and settle in before starting.

Yeah. It'll be nice to spend Monday relaxing. Like I told PR, look for the guy with the crazy hair! :)