Comments By Victor P.

I read this thread yesterday but wanted to wait and think about my reply.

First let me say I think the descriptions they are using are in very poor taste, but trying to get you to think of your practice as more than just cones and lines on the asphalt is not necessarily a bad thing. Fortunately my schooling was nothing near as stressful as what you are experiencing, everyone was pretty laid back and allowed us to make mistakes and learn from them. But I can tell you my time with my trainer on the road was much more intense.

Not that I had a bad trainer, he was a good guy that helped me a ton. He rarely raised his voice when I was driving even though he had told me before we started that he was going to yell but would explain why after we were out of the danger and apologize. But my tensions did run high at times when he was on the phone arguing with people.

Here is my concern, and please take it as trying to honestly help. If instructors on a closed course yelling give you so much stress that it makes you ill what are you going to do when your out on the open road. Let me tell you it is stressful, especially for a new driver, at least that was the case for me. Rolling down the highway with 70,000 + lbs and running up on standstill traffic can make your butt cheeks pucker like you wont believe. Traveling through stop and go traffic with 70 feet of vehicle to control while cars are weaving in and out and doing things that you would not think anyone that could obtain a drivers license would even consider doing is stressful. Learning how to float gears, take turns, control your speed in mountains while not burning up your breaks, watch your mirrors, protect yourself and the people in cars around you that are driving like they dont have a brain in their heads, while still reading every freagin sign you pass is stressful.

I am a REALLY laid back person, it takes a LOT to get me going. There were times in heavy traffic that if my trainer had said one more word I would have wanted to pull over and beat him with my tire thumper! And again I feel like I got lucky with the trainer I received, I have read many stories that were MUCH worse than what I experienced.

As I said, I do NOT agree with the way they are relaying the information. But if you can learn to let it roll off you and not let it effect your performance of the task at hand one day you may actually want to thank them for stressing you out. You have already stated that your going to push through and not let them stop you, and that is the right attitude. But my advice is to take it one step farther and really try to make this a deeper learning experience in dealing with the stress they are laying on you.

I hope this post does not come across as trying to come down on you, it is not. Just trying to relay my experience in that I expected driving a semi to be stressful, but not NEARLY as stressful as it actually is. As a 45 year old adult that has not had an accident since I was 17 or a ticket since I was 21 it is really hard to bite my tongue and listen when someone else is trying to tell me how to drive lol.

Woody

that is very good right there woody!

Victor, I'm going to be honest with you - as I always am with everyone whether it's good or bad. You have extremely strong opinions about pretty much everything and it seems to be fitting a very common pattern. Everything that everyone else thinks, says, or does is stupid or wrong unless they agree with you or it makes sense to you.

Trucking schools, instructors, orange cones, pre-hires, trucking companies, company policies, Federal Laws - pretty much everything and everyone has been blasted by your opinions. And hey - you totally have that right. But unfortunately it's going to get your *ss booted out of the trucking industry in about 10 minutes.

You keep talking about your age and experience. Well then you should know very well that you can't go into something brand new with both guns blazing and think you're going to tell everyone how things are going to be done. Quite honestly, like rookies in any other field, nobody really cares what a rookie truck driver thinks about much of anything. Until you've put in your time and you've proven your value as a driver, nobody in charge of trucking schools, trucking companies, or law enforcement really wants to hear much of anything about anything from you. Prove what you can do and then consider sharing your opinions on how companies that have been around for 50 years are doing things.

And I'm not saying don't share your opinions with us. By all means do! That way we can discuss things. But when it comes to dealing with schools and companies, you have to understand that trucking attracts a lot of very loud, opinionated people, stubborn people. It's the nature of the job. And as a rookie nobody is going to stand for it very long. Company-sponsored programs send home nearly 3/4 of all the people they bring in and a lot of the time it's because of attitude & personality, not their driving skills.

My suggestion is to keep things on the down-low for a while. Just relax, go with the flow, listen & learn. Once you've been out there for a while a lot of laws and policies will make a lot more sense. In the beginning a lot of it won't. That's par for the course.

But I can assure you - the experienced drivers here like myself are already worried about your approach. We've seen this kind of thing a million times and we'd love to see you be successful out there. That's why we're here. And that's why I'm telling you to relax and roll with things for a while. Otherwise, like countless people that tried that approach before you, it's going to end badly.

hmm let me think about this!

when i am going out solo i will respond to this reply of your sir.

Victor, I'm going to be honest with you - as I always am with everyone whether it's good or bad. You have extremely strong opinions about pretty much everything and it seems to be fitting a very common pattern. Everything that everyone else thinks, says, or does is stupid or wrong unless they agree with you or it makes sense to you.

Trucking schools, instructors, orange cones, pre-hires, trucking companies, company policies, Federal Laws - pretty much everything and everyone has been blasted by your opinions. And hey - you totally have that right. But unfortunately it's going to get your *ss booted out of the trucking industry in about 10 minutes.

You keep talking about your age and experience. Well then you should know very well that you can't go into something brand new with both guns blazing and think you're going to tell everyone how things are going to be done. Quite honestly, like rookies in any other field, nobody really cares what a rookie truck driver thinks about much of anything. Until you've put in your time and you've proven your value as a driver, nobody in charge of trucking schools, trucking companies, or law enforcement really wants to hear much of anything about anything from you. Prove what you can do and then consider sharing your opinions on how companies that have been around for 50 years are doing things.

And I'm not saying don't share your opinions with us. By all means do! That way we can discuss things. But when it comes to dealing with schools and companies, you have to understand that trucking attracts a lot of very loud, opinionated people, stubborn people. It's the nature of the job. And as a rookie nobody is going to stand for it very long. Company-sponsored programs send home nearly 3/4 of all the people they bring in and a lot of the time it's because of attitude & personality, not their driving skills.

My suggestion is to keep things on the down-low for a while. Just relax, go with the flow, listen & learn. Once you've been out there for a while a lot of laws and policies will make a lot more sense. In the beginning a lot of it won't. That's par for the course.

But I can assure you - the experienced drivers here like myself are already worried about your approach. We've seen this kind of thing a million times and we'd love to see you be successful out there. That's why we're here. And that's why I'm telling you to relax and roll with things for a while. Otherwise, like countless people that tried that approach before you, it's going to end badly.

hmm let me think about this!

OK...I gotta ask...do you REALLY need Sunday off for church ?? Don't get me wrong...I go to church, but I think you have a misconception goin' on.... I think the teaching style at that school sucks the big one...but..just ignore it...its sick, and disgusting...but it doesn't have to affect you. And the next time you get close to a cone...hollar out " I just ran over the diaper bag !!!!"

PRE HIRES are very important !!! They let you know ahead of time who IS interested in you....and you don't have to call them if you don't like them...but it widens your possibilities...just like filling out the multi record application on this site, that sends your application to a ton of companies...it lets you throw a bigger net, to scoop up that one job you want.....

OK...I gotta ask...do you REALLY need Sunday off for church ??

+++hmm i think it's ok to have a routine in this area, i am available for them 6 days a week, i am willing to work for them 70 hours a week, i know myself at 56 sir, i need to go to a church and leave some dna on the carpet and let it all hang out! i need to reset, i need to get my pentecostal , rolling in pews praise on every sunday, i have driven a cab in new york city night and day, crack heads and pimps and the whole mess, yes i need sunday morning! if i get a christian team member who understnad the concept we will be just fine! we will make money like we deserve to be paid, and since we both are ready to see Jesus at any moment , we will go anywhere at anytime under any comditions! and tampa florida cab driving is even crazier! most cabbies here need guns in the cab! this is like the freaking wild west here at night! i don't think 2 hours on sunday is a lot to ask for! but i do respect the guy from stevens being so honest, i might still go with them because of the honesty! just like a computer needs to be rebooted every now and then i need 2 hours every sunday, that i can reboot my soul! and this job is going to be even more of a trip because here i am with up 40 tons and people just love to cut trucks off, heck i used to love to cut off trucks! till i now see what this job is all about! now i go way ahead and get their lanes! but i respect truck drivers now! big time! i have gotten robbed at gun point here in tampa florida! a cable box needs to be disconnected and then reconnected and this way it resets, i need that 120 minutes! that isn't too much to ask i think! seeing they are getting a great driver with a clean driving record! no trouble with the law since 1983!

Don't get me wrong...I go to church, but I think you have a misconception goin' on.

+++what is my misconception?

... I think the teaching style at that school sucks the big one...but..just ignore it...its sick, and disgusting...but it doesn't have to affect you. And the next time you get close to a cone...hollar out " I just ran over the diaper bag !!!!"

+++lol good one!

PRE HIRES are very important !!! They let you know ahead of time who IS interested in you....and you don't have to call them if you don't like them...but it widens your possibilities...just like filling out the multi record application on this site, that sends your application to a ton of companies...it lets you throw a bigger net, to scoop up that one job you want.....

ok i think you are right, i will fill out the multi record applications, maybe you are right here!

but it's going to be hard for the other companies to beat werner and stevens i think, but lets see! i did like the stevens guy talking about unloading trucks and making even more money! or negotiating a low price from the unloaders, getting someone to unload the truck and stay with the difference! like my kids say "that is sick!" and they also pay you $50 to visit a school?! pay advance, big full size bed! hmmm honesty too?! wow

....for you age challenged fellows and gals, what do you think about a career change into trucking at the ripe age of 60? who's done it successfully? any advice would be greatly appreciated.....

i am 56 and i am doing ok so far, yeah it's been hard ok, the pre trip inspection , took forever to memorize, the permit part was like learn some thing new when you lost half your mind and the other half wasn't nothing special to begin with! :D

hmmm if you have a day i can talk to you about double clutching ! ;)

these teachers are crazy! but some are very good! some are like still waters and very deep! some are like a light house, directing me to the port calling making money driving a truck! in the midst of my storm they see a truck driver developing!

i always thought an alley would be a place where i would have some fun! i have done many fun and weird things in allies! but not this ok!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K-oKtt9Nlkc&list=PLeK7ZBhf7U7Nv-lbEkBVOwsYlI88SxC--

i have parallel park cars in very tight spaces in new york city! but not like this ok

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QPfSIOjtqvI&list=PLeK7ZBhf7U7Nv-lbEkBVOwsYlI88SxC--

but we are special kind of people, 60 is the new 40 they say! we are up for the challenge, right?!

:D

At 56 i have taken many sales courses and have worked mostly in sales and driving a cab, so i know how to talk to people and how to get people to do what i want them to do! everything from drunks throwing up in the backseat to stick up boys! to talking to people about life insurance products. but where do they get these guys! the tension is so thick you can cut it with a knife! hopefully the rest of my time there will be smooth! well it can't get any worse eh? i was having dreams that i was crashing trucks into babies in strollers! had the runs for two days! i even manifested with a sock puppet that made us all laugh and even the other teachers got a kick out of! at 56 i want this to be my last job! this school pushes you to get pre-hire!? for me, a pre-hire is like being pre pregnant, it means nothing to me! perhaps when i graduate then it might mean something, but really, i drive a lot more hours than truckers do, this will be like a part time job for me! ;)

the school may want me to waste my time filling out garbage, but a pre hire means nothing to me! if the job is available fine, if not, i can wait! and i want to team, otr, and i have a great driving record, no way a company is going to let me go! i'm looking for my last job! not just 1 or 2 years!

stevens guy came to school

first thing i asked him was, i wanna team, but i need sunday morning off to attend church. he says he can't guarantee that, that man i can respect! even though stevens is in dallas they will be considered for sure!

Wow...I know there are different teaching styles...but that kind of crap is both unprofessional, and un called for. pm me the school you are in...curiosity has got the best of me on this one... I hope that the director can fix the issue...I guess you never know unless you go talk to him. Is this a school that excepts funds from places like the VA, or WIA to pay for CDL training ???

yes va and all the rest! i talked to the director, the director talked to the manager of the instructors, and assigned a new instructor, but the damage is done! it's like i spent two weeks in hell!

i am not a quitter anymore!

i am gonna fight for this!

tooth and nail!

if i gotta bite ...then so be it! i am not giving up here, ok i may have been through two weeks in hell, but i'll tell you what, winston churchill said

when you are going through hell

keep going!

the dude was awesome!

new instructor does tell me things like, you just killed a baby if you even get near a clone! but i can deal with him , because i know he cares for my education

hmmm i don't understand it? why would anybody say things like that!

it's not a baby! it's a cone!

it's not a person

it's a white line painted on a backing pad what the freak!

two weeks wasted but at least i stood up for myself!

today God willing i take my pti,backing test and coupling and uncoupling!

3 tests!

God is good!

maybe after i graduate i will teach my new instructor what i really feel about his teaching style! the old grumpy one was a trip, but i didn't see him today! hmmm i wonder why! maybe another student also complained! because the director told me, someone was sending emails to corporate about the same instructor and about smokers being near him! the director thought it was me! i told the director i am the type of guy, that i will try to be civil and talk with you and try to reason with you , and if that doesn't work......what did teddy roosevelt say, speak softly and carry a big stick! lol

well it's 5am time to make the donuts! big day for me! at 56

Welcome aboard Tim!

If you haven't gone through it already, have a good run through our Trucker's Career Guide. It covers about every topic imaginable that pertains to getting your trucking career underway, including how to choose a school and how to pick a trucking company to work for. It will also take you throughout our site so you'll see all of the various things we have to help you get your career underway.

That being said, in our career guide you'll find a link to a group of articles on How To Choose A Truck Driving School. Have a look through those - that will help a lot.

If you're planning on going to a Private Truck Driving School we have a list of truck driving schools in Tennessee. That will give you an idea of what's in the area.

Have you decided whether you're going to go to a private school or a Company-Sponsored Training Program?

i know my school sucks big time! the instructors yell at you from in front of the truck! i am nervous i might run them over! then they call you names what are we in grammar school?! i think if you go to a school to check it out, go to the backing pad, or on a ride alone and see how the instructors treat the other drivers then ask yourself do you want to be treated like that? stupid i think what are your opinions i learned str8 back with a guy actually yelling at me my nerves are shot! my stomach hurts from all the stress i have diarrhea now due to it later on today i will walk into the office of the director and talk it out i want to be excused from have one instructor and if not i will find another school! this instructor actually says out loud , you just killed a kid if you hit a cone! really guy, it's a cone ok, it's a line drawn on the street not a truck, not a wall, not an old lady crossing the street! we are not going down a ice road with dynamite downhill on some mountain in the middle of nowhere usa! there has got to be a better way to teach a person!?

let me know what you guys think!

So, again I take it on my own to do an early drop.

Calling ahead to the customer is key. You certainly don't want to assume they'll take you early. And a lot of times they can take you early if they know you're coming. So you might get a break by calling ahead but not if you just show up unannounced.

Life on the road has a steep learning curve, eh?

Ernie is right though - refrigerated customers are a nightmare and they rarely allow early pickups or deliveries of live loads or unloads. It's always worth a shot, but it won't happen all that often.

that sounds very good!

Well here I was getting a little proud of myself. What is the old saying? Pride goeth before the fall.

I got a trip from Rome GA to Salem VA. Not great but not too bad.

Pickup wasn't suppose to be till 10am. Dispatch was not answering any of my requests to up the pickup time. Not just this load. They haven't answered any for my last 6 loads.

So... I took it on my own and showed up early. 0730. They started loading me at 8am. 2 hours early. Yippie.

Now my drop off. Not till noon the next day. I can get within an hour before I shutdown for the night, so I send another early drop request. No answer. So, again I take it on my own to do an early drop.

Big mistake.

I get there at 0740. My 14 hour clock is now running.

They don't open till noon.

After I get unloaded, I just have enough time to get to my next pickup. I pull into the yard with 7 minutes left on my 14 hour clock.

It would have been nice to hear from the load planners or dispatch when I put in my request.

Maybe shooting load planners is not such a bad idea after all. At least the weekend and holiday ones.

More learning from the road.

Keep it safe out here, the life you save might be your own. Joe S

thats kind of messed up? i hate to be ignored!