Starting Orientation Today

I've had a frustrating 5 months since getting my CDL , but I'm finally headed to 2 1/2 day orientation at Bellavance Trucking in Barre VT.

In December, I spent a test-day and was offered a part-time/sub position hauling rock, 38 mi round trip. Come the week before my start date -- Mar 1 -- I couldn't reach the guy who hired me, and he never returned calls. He was actually on vacation, on Mar 1. I was mad!

Since then, I've trying to find local work, because I still run a bookkeeping business, but no one will hire a "new driver." Nice catch-22 when there's "such a shortage of drivers."

Becoming morbidly downhearted, I resurrected my Nov application to Bellevance, and was on board in a week. It's actually their sister-company, Terry Hill, which runs mostly New England.

I know it's time for this change, because I really don't feel any remorse for abandoning my customers so suddenly (although I haven't, really; I'm still helping them transition).

So today I head up and will stay at a no-tell motel near the trucking facility. Home Wed night for a few more days to disentangle myself from work and life, and on-the-road training starting Mon 4/4. And on flatbed. Out maybe 5-days, maybe less.

My entire "life after 4/4" is an absolute blank. No idea of the logistics. But I am SO PSYCHED! Finally -- got the job! The rest will work, right? (Thanks to TT forums, I knew I just had to keep trying!)

Congratulations and good luck. I had same problem. My school talked of all these local jobs that were available but come crunch time none would hire me. They all want a minimum of 1 year otr experience so I will do regional and who knows maybe I will just stick with it after that 1 year.

I understand the "new driver" issue. I haven't gotten my CDL yet so I haven't had that problem, but I do have a BS in Accounting and no one will hire me for the same reason. No experience. That is why we (hubs and I) are going into this together. Hope to nail down a start date soon with CD1 out of Indy. Do this for a year, finish my masters degree and if I don't like it after a year I can teach somewhere. If I do, then we are well on our way to owning our own trucking company.

Good luck to you Dixie and your husband. I have brought up to my wife her getting Cdl and doing team driving but she has assured me there is no chance of her getting behind the wheel of a semi. She will happily go with me but not as a driver. I tried but I pretty much new the answer as soon as it came out of my mouth. She is excellent as a back seat driver so I will just have to settle for that.

Thanks. It was my hubs idea for me to do this. He was ok with going OTR but really didn't want to be away from me that long. And since we don't have kids he thought this would be a great way to see the country and be together. At first I was very apprehensive. And honestly I am scared to death, but I think with the right mind set (I can do this) I am going to be just fine. And we are going to succeed. Best of luck with you!