Welcome to Trucking Truth, Thomas!
First, consider the difference between your life experience (a few months work, then traveling, then the reflective life of a monk.) and the nearly 24/7 work of a driver.
Some reading material:
Also, companies like to see your work history. I'm not the one who makes that decision, but there's a large gulf between what you have done and the more physical, day & week long time commitment of truck driving.
Thanks Errol V.,
I really appreciate your suggestion, and also the way in which you expressed it! You have a very valid point, but I've considered this to some extent and am still not completely discouraged by the big challenge of a life on the road. Though this "life on the the road" would surely be far different from the one I know very well. So I'll be looking at the suggested reading material. But I'd still be interested to know if there might be any chance of me finding a way to try the life of a truck driver for myself.
Thanks!
Thomas asks the ancient question:
But I'd still be interested to know if there might be any chance of me finding a way to try the life of a truck driver for myself.
Let me refer you to Zhuang Zi:
Chuang Tzu and Hui Tzu were strolling along the dam of the Hao River when Chuang Tzu said, "See how the minnows come out and dart around where they please! That's what fish really enjoy!" Hui Tzu said, "You're not a fish - how do you know what fish enjoy?"
Chuang Tzu said, "You're not I, so how do you know I don't know what fish enjoy?"
Hui Tzu said, "I'm not you, so I certainly don't know what you know. On the other hand, you're certainly not a fish ‑ so that still proves you don't know what fish enjoy!"
Chuang Tzu said, "Let's go back to your original question, please. You asked me how I know what fish enjoy ‑ so you already knew I knew it when you asked the question. I know it by standing here beside the Hao."
— Zhuangzi, 17, tr. Watson 1968:188-9
Here's my take:
Don't be the one who says "No." Your job is to ask, because the answer may actually be "Yes"!
That was almost too clever for me...only saw the first part at first, and was wondering how you might be interpreting this dialogue in reference to my statement...but then I scrolled on down to the 2nd part.
I sure like your take! I really appreciate these words of encouragement, especially coming from someone who has experience in what he's talking about.
It seems to me it would be harder to find a trucking company that would train me from scratch, than it would be to pay my way through a truck driving school and then make an attempt to find work. Though it'd be a gamble. Would you agree ? Might you have any other idea how to approach this ?
Thanks for taking the time to reply
Most schools will be happy to take your money and teach you how to drive a truck. You would still need to find a job, and pay for the training.
With Company-Sponsored Training you are all but hired when you are accepted in school. Also, it's automatic that you pay off the tuition with payroll deduction over a year.
In my opinion, company sponsored training would be yours safest bet. They look over your work history before your committed to the school.
(I have a BA Chinese, so I all that philosophy at UCLA. Chuang Tsu and the fishes is one of my favorites.)
A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:
A Company-Sponsored Training Program is a school that is owned and operated by a trucking company.
The schooling often requires little or no money up front. Instead of paying up-front tuition you will sign an agreement to work for the company for a specified amount of time after graduation, usually around a year, at a slightly lower rate of pay in order to pay for the training.
If you choose to quit working for the company before your year is up, they will normally require you to pay back a prorated amount of money for the schooling. The amount you pay back will be comparable to what you would have paid if you went to an independently owned school.
Company-sponsored training can be an excellent way to get your career underway if you can't afford the tuition up front for private schooling.
A Company-Sponsored Training Program is a school that is owned and operated by a trucking company.
The schooling often requires little or no money up front. Instead of paying up-front tuition you will sign an agreement to work for the company for a specified amount of time after graduation, usually around a year, at a slightly lower rate of pay in order to pay for the training.
If you choose to quit working for the company before your year is up, they will normally require you to pay back a prorated amount of money for the schooling. The amount you pay back will be comparable to what you would have paid if you went to an independently owned school.
Company-sponsored training can be an excellent way to get your career underway if you can't afford the tuition up front for private schooling.
Chuang Tsu, the fish & all...I thought you wise guy!
I'd agree about the company sponsored training being preferable, but now how to approach it without getting shot down before I even get a chance to be considered as a canditate. The standard online applications seem to give little opportunity to present an unusual case. Is pesenting oneself in person advisable ?
Chinese, philosophy etc. at UCLA and now years of trucking - I'm sure your path has been interesting and diverse too!
A Company-Sponsored Training Program is a school that is owned and operated by a trucking company.
The schooling often requires little or no money up front. Instead of paying up-front tuition you will sign an agreement to work for the company for a specified amount of time after graduation, usually around a year, at a slightly lower rate of pay in order to pay for the training.
If you choose to quit working for the company before your year is up, they will normally require you to pay back a prorated amount of money for the schooling. The amount you pay back will be comparable to what you would have paid if you went to an independently owned school.
Company-sponsored training can be an excellent way to get your career underway if you can't afford the tuition up front for private schooling.
Chinese, philosophy etc. at UCLA and now years of trucking - I'm sure your path has been interesting and diverse too!
Another great philosopher called it a "Long and Winding Road".
Frank words here: Working just so you can hang out for most the year says "slacker" to me. If you did it for ten years, I envy you. But you need to explain your experience in a way that shows you were doing something. What work did you do? Expand on that, and minimize your vacation time. (Get it? Nudge nudge)
As for your calling as a Monk, most Americans might think you sat in an isolated monastery in the Himalayas ringing a bell and chanting "Ommm" all day. If you spent ten years studying, discussing and teaching Scripture, you may have something.
Also, documentation speaks loudly. Papers from your travels and studies, notes/ letters/ messages from your bosses will help greatly.
Basically, show from your history that you can handle tough assignments and are not a quitter.
Hey Thomas, do you have a regular U.S. driver's license? One of the requirements in most states is that you need a regular driver's license for a year before you can qualify to get your CDL.
I think it would be pretty tough to get started in trucking with no way to verify where you've been or what you've been doing the past few years. With a CDL you can almost always land a job somewhere with someone but it may not be a place you'd want to work. There are a lot of small mom-n-pop companies with old school ways of doing things, lousy equipment, and basically very little good going for them. You certainly would not want to try to get your trucking career started with someplace like that.
I would call around to some of the Major Trucking Companies and Paid CDL Training Programs. Get a dialogue going with their recruiters, let them know your situation, and see what they say. You might find some opportunities, you might not. If not, you would do well to land a job and keep it for a year or so while keeping your driver's license clean. Even one year of verifiable work history and a clean license will garner more attention.
A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:
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Hi, I'm a 46 years old US citizen who's been living abroad for about the last 25 years. During about the first half of those 25 years I'd work a few months/year in Europe and then spend the rest travelling. Then at the age of 32 I ordained as a buddhist monk in Asia, which excluded engaging in employment. Now that I've left the monks order again, and would like to live and earn a living in the US, I'm wondering if there might be any chance of finding a way to become a truck driver ? It would be a total new start from scratch, without any recent job history or employer references. Would enrolling in truck driving school be a waste of time and money ? Might anyone grant someone like me an opportunity on an individual/personal basis ? I know my situation is rather unusual and limited, but I don't want to exclude the possibility of finding an opening. So I'd really appreciate any input any of you might have! Thanks for your time...and best wishes to all of you!
Tom
HOS:
Hours Of Service
HOS refers to the logbook hours of service regulations.