Comments By Roy1024

"Before" is a long path to here: started with a degree in Physics from an elite West Coast school. Learned the steel fitter's trade while going to college. Tried to join the Naval Air Corps, but was 4-F, excluded from going to Nam in the late '60s. Fell into programming, became Director of Information Technology (there was a different name then) for one College, then moved and continued as IT Director for a different College. Then joined a NASA contractor, worked on Space Shuttle software and the Landsat project for a decade, in between working on designing computer systems for military, aerospace, and petroleum extraction applications in places as diverse as Saudi Arabia, the North Sea, and elsewhere in Europe and across the U.S. Two million miles later, switched to sitting in an office, designing computer systems for telephone switching equipment. Got tired of all of it and spent 20 years dairy farming, even went back to steel fitting for a while (and quickly got asked to be shop foreman, which I declined). Finally switched paths again, have spent the last 9 years being a college student, getting a B.S. in Chemistry and an M.S. in Genetics (from an Ivy League School). Started working on a Ph.D . in biomedical engineering, then realized that farming had spoiled me to not being inside, staring at a computer screen 12-16 hours a day. So after 9 years, I walked away from the opportunity to finish my Ph.D. work with faculty from some of the top research Universities in the U.S., after I accidentally came across a YouTube video series done by lady in Poland who had walked a way from what looked to be an opportunity for a successful career in a traditionally female profession, and had become a trucker. Her comments on her travels, her descriptions of the diversity of what she has done, her love of the freedom and the challenges, resonated with me. If she could drive flatbeds on the Ice Road, and doubles in the oil fields of northern Canada, under some of the most adverse conditions in the world, and apparently love it, (and do it with amazing poise and grace), I am confident I will be able to do those things, too, and love every minute of it (well, almost every minute). I am looking forward to not being behind a desk any longer. The science I did was interesting and intellectually challenging, but at age 70, I am really ready for something totally different. But it will also be an extension of my years farming; during those 20 years I pulled a stock trailer, or 22' flatbed equipment trailer, about 250,000 miles- just never with a big rig. Late this month (September) I will (hopefully) find a company that will give me the necessary training, and hire me, in spite of my age. I've passed the DOT medical, drug test, have updated my passport, and my TWIC card is in the mail. It has been a long time since my last traffic stop, and I'm drug-free for life. The only thing I am worried about, as I have posted elsewhere, is stuff that I don't know is in my background check (there are several minor errors in my credit report - I'm worried that other data collection outfits have made worse errors, due to me having such a common name). I sure don't want to be sent home for "lying" about my background, and it turn out to be something I did not know was there, or a traffic stop 50 yrs ago that I have long since forgotten - so I'm working on solving that puzzle. I would really like to run flatbed, but the companies I have looked at so far all want big strong guys who can throw 100+ pound tarps up on the deck. That's not me (I'm just a fairly small guy who is not overweight and never been into building muscles). Will cross that bridge if I progress far enough in this business to get to it (but there must be a way, as I have seen women no stronger than I am running flatbed). I read about all the difficulties new truckers have with being away from home, but my wife has stood with me through the last 40 years of craziness, including the 10 years I was always travelling, sometimes for many weeks at a time. Neither of us have any "family" to potentially divert our attention or time, and she is all in on this latest right-turn in our lives. I hope to meet some of you all someday.

Ernie, Manual transmission - yes, I am worried that when my time comes to get through the initial training before taking the CDL driving test that I am going to be forced into an automatic. Any tips on how to avoid being put out on an automatic for the pre-CDL test training? Thanks. Roy

This is a question about how to get all your background information, before your potential employer gets it. My problem is that I lived in one state (Texas) for 30 years, and have long since forgotten some details about my driving record, except that the only ticket I remember paying was not in that state. [I did not have a CDL then.] I tried to get a copy of my driving record directly from TxDOT, but if you must have more than just your old license number to obtain that record off the TxDOT website - they also want some other data that is on your physical license - data I do not have. I also need to see what a potential employer is going to see when they get the driving record from the state where I am pretty sure I ended up paying a fine. - But how do I get that record? - I don't have a license number for that state? I am asking for advice here before I take the expensive step of hiring an attorney just to obtain information about myself that (obviously) potential employers can get. Oh, and I played around with some of those websites that claim to find data about anyone - got back a bunch of totally wrong data (maybe because I have a very common name)? Hopefully no potential employer uses those web sites! Anyone who has direct knowledge of how companies do background checks, and more importantly, how I can see the exact same data they will see, would be much appreciated