Comments By Rhonda

Here's just a helpful hint, something I learned the hard way.

Don't drive in jeans because they will rub raw spots on your skin, in sensitive places!

Hubby and I both suffered for a couple of months until someone advised us to stop wearing jeans.

We now wear pants made of softer material, I wear yoga pants/exercise pants.... Very comfy for long hours of driving.

If you do suffer from raw places in the beginning, use Lamosil creme. It works wonders.

Until Prime tells you, you really don't know why they denied you and you are just guessing. It could be because of your child or it could be something totally different.

I got out of trucking 23 yrs ago. It was more male dominated back then than it is now. I can attest that companies DO want women....I got lots of requests to check out companies, even tho I haven't driven for a long time. The big companies have no issue with my long ago driving time. The small company I went with, their insurance company only allowed me to go as a team with my brother for the next 6 mths...which is fine. We get along pretty well.

Call them back or write a note/email and bug the recruiter to see what the reason was that you were denied. Maybe they'll consider you persistent enough to be considered to be hired.....stranger things have happened.

I emailed the recruiter after receiving the denial email and she hasnt responded. But...

Just got an acceptance letter from celadon and training is in my home state so im pretty psyched!

Awesome 😀

Welcome to trucking. I love Stevens trucks, sweet!

When does school start?

If possible finish with your trainer. Job hopping, especially being a newbie, will cause you problems.

I am finally at the beginning of my driver training. But I am petite and 5"1. My left foot can't clutch down all the way to the floor. I have a hard time with clutching and braking. My instructor told me to bring pillows as a solution. We plan on putting a pillow behind me and possibly one under me. But I wonder if this is a good long term solution. Any suggestions on how I can make this work, especially in the future for many hours of work. Any suggestions would really be appreciated. I don't know if pillows would cause back problems.

Kristine

I bought my hubby a gel seat cushion to help with his buttocks getting sore. He loves it.

Check in a TA or Petro, they keep some nice pads/pillows for such things.

I don't think using a pillow will cause you any back problems.

Ok you experienced ladies, I have been reading info for the company based CDL schools and hiring and I am a little concerned. I am only 5 ft tall and while I am fairly strong, I don't think I can lift 50-75 lbs over my head, especially since I broke my elbow in 2008. It seems many schools require something called the workwell physical assessment, and this is a part of it. Anyone have input into this? I realize there is more to trucking than just driving a truck, but I really am concerned about this aspect. I am smart, responsible, and have a clean driving record....could I be done before I ever get started?

When you choose a company and apply, they will give a list of the physical exams tests, at least our company did.

I honestly don't think you'll be expected to lift heavy weight above your head. In both physical tests I've done for two different companies, I was only required to lift the weight up to my waist.

Congrats!

Time to ROLL 😀

Whichever company will best meet your needs.

We don't know any Knight drivers, have no opinion of them except their tractors and trailers on the road look in good shape.

We've met some nice Swift drivers, they seemed happy.

If you do go with Swift, please grow a thick skin because Swift has a bad reputation among drivers out on the road....drivers make lots of mean comments to and towards swift drivers on the CB. They enjoy making jokes about swift drivers. "See What I can f*** up today" "Sure wished I'd finished Training" are popular sayings.

It irritates me how drivers put swift down, swift has good people.

Lol, we used to go eat at the truck stop, just to hang out and look at the trucks and truckers, while we were waiting to begin CDL school.

A company will send out a repairman.

Some terminals have their own trailer repair guy on site. You'll see his truck. Just go tell him what you need and he'll fix it. Sometimes he doesn't have new tires though.

A couple of times, when we had to pretrip in the dark, we didn't see how bad of shape a tire was in until later. In those cases, we had new tires put on at a TA or Loves. Our company required pics of the bad tire before giving us permission for replacement.

You worked hard and reached your goal!

I start Roehl's CDL school on October 13th! I will get started a week before my 53rd birthday and will get to spend it with them!!! I am excited and extremely freaked out at the same time!!!!

My hubby will be 53 years old Oct. 22nd! Cool.

We were in trucking school during Thanksgiving and Christmas. Special memories😀

You are kicking some booty, girlfriend!

Hubby and I, both Respiratory Therapists, needed a change. The long hours at the hospital were taking their toll. Yes, we made good money but after many years, we were burnt out.

When my hubby mentioned being team truck drivers I thought he was insane. I couldn't imagine being in a truck day after day, wouldn't that get old? And besides, I had always heard that truckers were nasty, rude society rejects... Not a good career choice, at best. But, now I was curious because a career change sounded good.

I began reading on trucker forums, soaking up everything I could about husband and wife's teaming on the road. People liked it, made good money, and had fun on the road.

Could I drive one of those huge trucks? They were scary and loud. Would I like the trucker life?

Yes, I had many fears about making a big change. But decided that I didn't want to be miserable anymore, so what the heck?

We attended a technical college course that was 8 weeks long. It was hard learning to back those long trailers. I'm very glad we took a long driving course because I needed all the practice I could get.

We didn't tell our families anything about our career change until we had our cdls. They didn't like it at all!! They were not supportive or understanding, told us we wouldn't last in trucking. They couldn't fathom why we would walk away from our medical careers to be truckers.

Initially, it hurt our feelings that they were so disappointed in our decision. Then we realized that this is about us being happy, it doesn't matter what they think.

Now, 9 months later, our families are happy for us because they see how happy we are with our new life.

During our first few months OTR, we stayed scared and stressed. Getting used to trucker life and learning how this whole thing works takes time. It isn't easy, but it gets easier and easier.

We are bringing home double the money we were making at the hospital. We each clear $1000 - $1250 per week, team driving at Usxpress. We have a new automatic Freightliner that rides like a Cadillac. We also got an $8000 sign on bonus. And our fleet manager shows us respect, he's very good to us.

We don't regret our decision to be truckers at all. Actually, we regret that we didn't do this years ago!

Be safe out there.

We've hauled about 5 hazmat loads.

That's an awesome story. I remembering reading about another missing girl that was seen at a truckstop, and the cashier called the cops. The girl was saved.

We sleep at truck friendly Wal-Mart's too. Never had a problem.

😳I hope I don't get a stinky partner ......when I start out in this job...... I have a nose of a dog my kids used to tell me. I can smell when we get a mouse in the house. I have even smelt a snake in the house before didn't know at the time, till I went on the hunt for it. But I hate when sometimes when I start to smell things and no one else does yet ! And dirty body odor and clothes is one of them.😒😩

Communicate openingly with your teammate.

"We need to take showers and do laundry today, its stinkin' in here!" Lol

That's wonderful!!! I enjoy being a female trucker, we are a special breed. ☺

Amazon sells No Lot Lizard stickers for about $4.

I've yet to see any of these prostitutes that would be "arousing". They look like lost souls that time has beaten down with a sledge hammer.... Very rough looking.