Comments By Craig L.

It also no fun probably having to find your own ride. At least you were able to get ahold of a ride. Good thing that guy drove.

Day 3: Got our ID badge in today. Split into 2 groups again. 1 doing pre-trip and the other doing more simulator training. After lunch we got our trainers 4 students to 1 trainer. We learned to actually drive the big rig which was alot of fun, we got about 15 mins each. At the end of the day we went over pre/post trip again.

Sounds cool. At least they are teaching you double clutching. Not sure I get that whole concept.

I was reading through the high road manual but maybe I missed the section of the pre trip I am guess and would like to study it so I am ahead of the game...

I will say I have a lot more respect for you guys and the job. I drove 100 miles an hour and half on back roads.... Didn't totally hate it but didn't mind it either. I spend 1 day on the range watching guys struggle w/alley dock while the instructors sat in the shade (makes me rethink the schooling program too) and it was hot out. I see how challenging it can be to drive these machines. I was actually a bit tired driving back home even though all I did was stand in the head and watch them for about 2-3 hours. I drove home asking my self "Do I really want to get into trucking?"

I still have more thoughts to process and more thinking and learning.

OP same boat as me....

I am in S Florida. Haven't look at any of the megas because they are all OTR and that is not my 1st choice. Surprised swift or Prime won't hire it odd some people I know have went through Prime. My Buddy tried CRST and hated it!

Jacksonville is about 8 hours north.

Trucking may not be good for s Florida.

Starting to hate I moved to this state.

Prime used to run intermodal in FL. We have since closed the operation. When Prime shuts down any dedicated or regional area, they usually run those drivers in the area and place them. Closing the hiring area temporarily is not unusual. Once they find new accounts to place those drivers they open the hiring again.

So yes, we have a ton of drivers from FL, including Miami. It must all be about timing. My best friend is from Miami and so is his current trainee. However, over the years Rick has called and been told he is out of the hiring area, despite me having a student from Fort Lauderdale and one from Orlando.

Ok but Rainy what does that mean? If they say they are out of the hiring area... but you say yo have students from that area..?

OP same boat as me....

I am in S Florida. Haven't look at any of the megas because they are all OTR and that is not my 1st choice. Surprised swift or Prime won't hire it odd some people I know have went through Prime. My Buddy tried CRST and hated it!

Jacksonville is about 8 hours north.

Trucking may not be good for s Florida.

Starting to hate I moved to this state.

I don't think the OP demands to be hone every night.

He may or may not. You would have to ask him. My point is finding work seems to be a bit difficult.

OP same boat as me....

I am in S Florida. Haven't look at any of the megas because they are all OTR and that is not my 1st choice. Surprised swift or Prime won't hire it odd some people I know have went through Prime. My Buddy tried CRST and hated it!

Jacksonville is about 8 hours north.

Trucking may not be good for s Florida.

Starting to hate I moved to this state.

Damn, sounds like I am in for a world of pain and learning.

Yeah, don’t give up already, before you even get started. The first month of your very first year will definitely be the most difficult and stressful. If you truly want to make this work you must put in your time, get the needed experience, and log miles.

Thanks guys for the advice. I have used the resources available on this site and they’ve been very helpful. Schneider is working with me and moving me to a retail store account where I’ll just drop and hook and get to be home nightly and it pays more!

Wow that is great! How is it going now? Seems like you got an even better route now and you get to be home every night.

I am tending to lean towards this opinion. If you fail you fail, but it is up to you and what you choose to make out of it just like any job/career. You don't know if you don't try and also if you do fail or simply don't like it at least you didn't waste too much time in the process so then move on to the next path or go back with what you know.

You also have to keep in mind that this is one of the deadliest jobs in America, and not only for the drivers, but for the innocent civilians we share the highway with. If you're going to begin a career knitting blankets and you want to knit the most difficult blankets in the world right from the start then go for it. The worst thing that can happen is you waste a little yarn.

But this is trucking. You're driving an 80,000 pound building on wheels on public highways surrounded by innocent families. You don't just say, "Oh what the hell, let's just go for it and see what happens" by diving into the most difficult job on the planet from day one. It's selfish and irresponsible.

You have to be able to assess the risk/reward ratio when you're doing anything as complex and dangerous as trucking. Jumping into a tanker or accepting a city job straight out of school shows a real lack of respect for the danger you're putting yourself and others in.

Another point I'd like to make is this:

Saying, "Well I know someone who did it and it worked fine for them" is not a valid argument in the context of a dangerous activity like trucking. Just because someone made a bad decision but got away with it does not turn that bad decision into a good one, nor does that make it a valid path for others to follow. There are people who have successfully jumped from planes without parachutes and swallowed razor sharp swords but that doesn't mean those activities have an acceptable risk/reward ratio. Those activities are not putting others at risk either, which is a major concern with trucking.

I agree with you... but guess what the same thing can happen to the OTR drivers as well. Lets not forget they will be driving on our highways at a high rate of speed, in snow/ice (Im in the warm South), coming in and out of on/off ramps to drive in the city and pull into stores/docks of they have never visited before. A risk is still a risk either way. I not sure if statistics are available but do you have anything that backs up your statement if city driver vs. OTR is "more" dangerous or are you going off you knowledge in the industry? (Just asking)