Comments By Mike O.

So I started trucking school a few weeks ago. We are through all the book work and are now in the yard working on skills. Granted we have only been in the yard 2 days and I've only had about 2 hours behind the wheel myself. BUT here is my frustration . I've had a Class B for years. I drove a box truck here and there, drove a school bus on and off over the years. I have driven a pickup and backed up trailers since I was 15 years old. Boat trailers, sled trailers. Anything you can hook to a pickup in almost any situation.

When I had the chance to do offset backing for the first time in a tractor trailer, I looked like a monkey ******* a football!!! Its like I have never backed a trailer before in my life!!! Now I only got about 45 min so far to work on it but I was unsuccessful in the sleeper with the 53 foot or the day cab with a 30 foot. Hell I even struggle with straight line!(haven't even tried ally dock yet) Guys that have barely driven a car picked it up almost right away. I'm usually the guy at the boat launch laughing at others trying to back their boats in the water. Is this normal? Is it just because I have bad habits from how I would normally back? Man I sure Hope its something I can pick up? I'm a little frustrated with the first instructor. He watched my try about 20 times and screw it up every time without saying anything until I finally said to him "do you want to keep watching me screw it up? or do you have any advise?

Needless to say its very humbling for a grown man to get in one of these trucks and try to back it up the first time. Any words of advice/encouragement? Or similar stories? Defiantly need to check your ego at the door in these classes.

A recurring recommendation here is to spend some time at a truck stop and speak with the drivers you meet there . You will get insight as to the companies moving freight in your particular area .

You will also get first hand information from somebody who is currently working for these companies , not someone who failed at a company for any particular reason and feels the need to go on a web site and bad mouth the company for not kissing his royal derriere to his/her satisfaction .

You should be advised as well that while at a truck stop drivers who appear to push their name/driver # on you during the informal interview maybe searching for bonus money from your potential application to the company they work for . An honest and unbiased opinion will not involve a driver # .

Hope that helps . `S`

Thanks for the responses! I guess I wasn't talking about specific companies just the negativity online in general on the web for the whole industry . It just seems this profession as a whole has more than its fair share then any other jobs?

Brett, some of us started trucking when there was manual steering (gives ya Popeye arms), no air ride ANYTHING, vacuum windshield wipers, jakebrake on the floor, no ac, and coffin sleepers. The up side to that kind of cave dwelling trucking ??? You could have as many log books as you could keep up with, as many cdl's from different states that you could get, and you didn't have to pay your tickets, if you could continue to sneak thru the states you got em in !! Now THAT was truckin' !!!!

This reminds me of the movies Convoy, and Smokey and the Bandit!!!

So as I sit here researching, considering and dreaming about a possible career change into trucking. (My wife says I over think and over analyze everything). All I seem to find online (aside from this site) is drivers that hate the job and the industry. Over and over I find guys that say things like .. You can't make money anymore. You are looked at like a second class citizen. ( that one doesn't bother me because I've spent the last 12 years as a realtor so most people would consider a truck driver a huge step up! lol). My company sucks It's way to much work. It's way to dangerous. One tiny mistake and your career and maybe life is over. Way to hard on the family. Not worth it mentally or financially. And no way a rookie can survive and on and on and on. It's kinda taking the wind out of my sails.

So my questions are these. Does it suck that bad? Or is it one of those things that for every 1 guy online *****ing there is 4 guys/ladies that love it and have great lives and do well financially? It just seems like this profession has way more than its fair share of negativity ? Or do truckers just have a predisposition to complain. Lol . I have tried to research a ton both online and off before making the leap but aside from this site it sounds like a bad idea for a whole host of reasons. I'm not naive, and I don't have nor want rose colored glasses going into this. I know it's hard work. It's a lifestyle and just like all jobs there ups and downs. But it's hard to find anyone that says the positives out weight the negative. I'm from a small community and only know a few drivers. But those ones I do know seem to be happy with great lives great families and seem to actually be fairly well off.

Let's be honest. None of us would probably work if we were rich! I know I wouldn't ! I actually picture myself spending my time on a beach somewhere haggling with the kid that sells beads and cigars to the tourists! ( that's a whole other topic).

So is it just me?

I mentioned before that cr england told me they had a driver on 4 zanex a day. so be up front,do what you have to do. i also find comfort in just having my baby valium on hand. you,re right just knowing they are there works as good as taking them.

Seriously I hope that they did not say that about one of their drivers. Zanex(sp?) has a well know history of cause memory lapses in people that take it and often black out periods. Can't say i will be comfortable being around a driver that was taking that type of drug while in control of a CMV.

Xanax (Generic name: alprazolam)

If you read the link above and I had to search for it cause I was curious myself I now can firmly say I defiantly do not want to be anywhere near the driver that was taking Xanax or even a generic form of it.

While listing the side effects does not make it illegal by any means and I am not saying any of these side effects will happen but if there is a small chance of a side effect happening that is what the DOT look at. An since falling asleep behind the wheel is a major focus of the FMCSA I would think even if the DOT does not disallow it that most trucking companies insurances would not allow a hire if they thought it could cost them millions in a lawsuit.

Now with all that said I could find no where that stated Xanax disqualifies a person from driving a CMV but everything above is strictly my opinion.

Certainly would never ever consider driving on it , carrying it the truck or bringing it anywhere near trucking. I was just wondering if it would disqualify me from a company or any DOT for even having the prescription in my name even though I only take it once or twice a year for flying anxiety. This is NOT a drug I take regularly.

I cant find anywhere online an answer to this question. I was prescribed Xanax (or the generic version) specifically for anxiety for flying only. I do NOT take it every day only as needed a couple times a year for flying. In fact the prescription is months and months old and hasn't been refilled. I actually don't really need it anymore even to fly.(just knowing you have it if you need it makes the difference if you hate to fly) Is this something that could hinder my DOT examine? or employment?

Any experience with Schneider's claim A guy fresh out of school can get weekly home time?

So I'm brand new to the forum, but have been lurking for a few weeks. I've been thinking about a driving career for many years. Currently I'm a Realtor about 65 miles from Minneapolis MN. I'm burning out on it and every year it gets tougher and tougher to make decent money. I'm not ready to pull the trigger on the decision quite yet but next spring is probably going to be the point where I need to make a decision. I'm married with no kids. I love every bit of the idea but my only concern is the OTR for long periods. I'm not sure I would like being away from my wife for weeks and weeks on end and I'm afraid of what it would do to my marriage? (if she was with me I would consider staying out on the road forever!)I think we would be totally fine if I was home weekly(ish) So I've always held off on making the change in careers because of that.

So with that being said it leads me to my first questions. I have been researching Schneider. It seems they promise weekly or even nightly home time even for drivers fresh out of school? Does anyone have any experience with them? Is this possible? I understand it would probably be less pay? But was wondering if they promise that and then do the old "bait and switch" once you sign up? My ultimate goal in life is to get the experience needed to get a local driving job, propane delivery, garbage, dump truck or so on but I understand no one will hire without experience so I'm trying to find the best way to get it. Every thing I read here on these forums seems to indicate that the only way a guy is going to break into this industry is to go over the road for at least a year. I'm leaning towards a private school vs. company sponsored because I'm not sure I want to commit to a company before I get my CDL. This idea of becoming a truck driver has been in the back of my mind for 20 years since I had my first job at 18 driving a cube truck around MLPS as a delivery guy.

So I'm kind of looking for direction before I make a life changing decision. Is it just a pipe dream to think there is any way I could get into the industry without being gone for weeks and weeks at a time? (not opposed to being gone 1 week at a time) And if it is a possibility, Does anyone has suggestions and where to look in the Minneapolis/St Paul Area? Companies? Schools? And So on??? Sorry for rambling on and on and I'm sure all these questions have been asked a million times here. Thanks in advance for your help.

P.S Im certainly not afraid of hard work and don't want to come across as if I'm trying to discount the importance of paying my dues to get into trucking. Or insult the guys that have busted there ass to get where they are. Just struggling with the decision.