Profile For Jason G.

If you’re doing 8/2 splits you’ll now be able to do 7/3 as well.

I know a lot of truckers smoke or vape. I’ve noticed a lot of articles, ones about truckers specifically, that say we are the ones most susceptible to complications if we were to catch this thing because of smoking/vaping and the many other health issues they stereotype us with. We’re not all obese and out of shape. But I’m wondering if anyone can give credence to those claims or if anyone knows of anyone having it but pulling through it even though they have a history of smoking or vaping. News and media make it sound like it’s a total death sentence.

If you are looking to go through training and get started while still living in KY, I recommend Wil-Trans, but then Wilson Logistics, the parent company of Wil-Trans also has Jim Palmer in Montana and they run in the West and Midwest, no further than Ohio I think. So when you decide to move out West, I’d imagine it wouldn’t be too hard to switch to Jim Palmer from Wil-Trans since they’re under the same company.

I just finished my D seat with Wil-Trans. Got my CDL on Weds and am back out on the road with my trainer. You're really going to appreciate your decision to go with Wil-Trans. Best decision I made. You'll see how many people go through Prime because we stay at the same hotel as their students. But when you're in a class with 2-3 students, you really get the one-on-one attention. And I think that's why I'm the 7th person to get their CDL on the first try this year. They really prepare you for it. So congrats.

So I'm three weeks into my training. Haven't updated here because I've either been too tired or too busy studying to give this attention. But now that im with my trainer and we are early for a live load I have some time to write. It took a few days longer to get me a trainer, but that's been okay because I got a lot of extra time practicing on the backup pad. But this last weekend I headed out with my trainer. He's a cool guy and have found his method of training is great for me. He sortve let's me do my thing in the driver's seat and really only says anything if we're getting into a new situation for me, like merging into the highway near Atlanta or when I've struggled finding gears when downshifting. Since Sunday that's been my biggest struggle but today I finally feel comfortable with it. Have been able to talk that through with my trainer and know what I've been doing wrong and so today has been focused on watching rpms and giving it the right splash of fuel to downshift smoothly. Only had a few instances where had trouble finding gear but was able to find them this time without my trainer reaching over and helping. You can tell he's been a trainer for a while because he is quite good at reaching over from passenger seat and getting it in gear. He says I'm doing good for my experience level and he would tell me otherwise if I wasn't. It's reassuring when he tells me I will get the hang of it. Just takes practice. Training is fast paced so I forget sometimes that they are expecting me to look like an expert right away, but just that I know how to find the gears and assess each situation and go about it safely. Have enjoyed driving. I guess normally they try not to give D seats a lot of night driving at first but that's what we've had quite a bit and it is perfectly fine with me because I actually feel comfortable with it.

So with the extra time I've had on the backup pad and with my time out here with my trainer I am feeling more confident about my driving test each day. Probably won't update much more here until I get to my driving test. Thanks for everyone's advice and support here. Later.

I will give a more thorough update later but have been busy studying for permit test. It's kind of what I expected, that a lot of the work is up to us. They didn't go over any of the permit test yesterday. So have to study in my own which is understandable. But since Wil-Trans uses same hotel as Prime I'm seeing what a difference it has made being with a smaller company. It's hard to get lost in the mix when there are only three of us. And two guys I'm with are really cool, both of them have experience with gears and shifting and I don't. So they joked that with them I won't get made fun of if I don't get the hang of it right away. And the instructor reassured my inner concerns about it. Said I will be fine. And I believe I will. By the end of the week I hope to have a good understanding of shifting and operating a truck.

Did you get there yet Brian? Waited all night at Greyhound in Nashville then stuck in st. Louis now they say for at least 12-24 hours. Guess trucking companies are used to this stuff. Normally instead being late for anything. But when it's out of my control and have let them know, guess it's all gonna be just fine.

I am headed to Springfield for Wil-Trans orientation. But am stuck in Nashville because of the weather in MO also. Hope to get there by tomorrow night because orientation is Monday.

Yeah. My goal is to start making better money, then get off my prepaid cell plan and onto Verizon or something else and get an iPhone like my wife has and then it will be really easy to FaceTime them

I too have been discouraged from an otr situation because I have a wife and three kids under the ages of five. But current job situation has kept us under the poverty level. Trucking is something I can see myself doing well and gives the opportunity for a stable income. Even if I only make 35-40k my first year that's better than what I've been doing. And I worked construction where I'm home every night. But that's been long hours where I get home and my kids are going to bed an hour or two later after I get home. So I think being in the road they may not see me those two hours they'd see me each night, and weekends, but like it's been said, they are motivation. I got to keep a roof over their head. Also, I used to be in the Marines and that putme in Iraq and Afghanistan where for weeks at a time I was unable to email.or call my wife, so like she says, 'its not like you'll be in another country"

It's sad that some guys get to work a job and see their kids every night, but someone's gotta drive these trucks, and somebody has to serve their country in the military. Everyone has to make sacrifices to make a living and provide for their loved ones. So it all depends on if everyone involved supports and appreciates the sacrifice that takes.

My one concern is that we can say well be alright and make it work, but once we actually get into it I'm sure there will be days when my wife tells me on the phone how hard it is at home without me. Just hope I have the right encouragement and love to throw her way when those kinds of phone calls happen.