Re-start On Driving

I retired from State of TX in 2013, attended Midland College Truck Driving School (enjoyed it, earned cdl). Worked for Conway but quit during mentor time. Tried again with a dedicated route via Averitt ( Dollar General Acct). Went back to work for State of TX until today (4/14/17), final accumulation with TX was about 23 years. During this time I let cdl lapse. I wish to try again and apply what I learned before with Con - way and Averitt. I live 1 mile from Plainview TX Walmart Disruption Center. I figure to eventually drive out of it my best bet at this juncture is Swift. Be a Swiftee! I don't wish to return to Midland College, and don't have a Semi and Trailer available. Training again would be beneficial. So thought a training company is the best route.

I am submitting this to read your helpful comments. Thanks.

Ha ha! Sorry for the mi spelled words,. It's "Walmart Distribution Center". And I am David S., not Daud S. :-)

Re-training - due to lack of licensure and experience can ALWAYS BE A GOOD THING.

I've held a (largely unused) CDL from a County VoTech for 8 years now - and I wouldn't DREAM ABOUT going out solo, without some re-training. Even if I had to do the whole thing over again (minus giving up my CDL, because the Passenger Endorsement would be a PITA to get again).

You didn't say your TOTAL EXPERIENCE (time-wise) with Averitt - but if it was less than a year - then you're pretty much STARTING FROM SCRATCH AGAIN ANYWAY.

To your ADVANTAGE - you already know how to drive a rig, and that will come back to you quickly, despite your extended time off the road (like riding an 80,000lb bicycle).

Best of luck to you - PLEASE KEEP US UPDATED ON YOUR PROGRESS!

Rick

Thanks Rick. Yeah, I figure it is to my advantage. I'll be doubly blessed so to speak. I regret quitting with Averitt Express when I did. I had completed the "mentor training" with a couple of great mentors. Then I was on my own. I had drove and backed into some (to me at the time) horrendous situations and it scared me. I thought, "more of that coming" and so on and so forth. I lost track of the one truth . . . I did do it! That is, backed up in these terrible situations and made it ok. Averitt was good to me and the Dollar General Acct kept me in NM, OK and TX. I live in West TX and the Distribution Center was at Ardmore, OK. I got home real good each week. I drove by myself not more than a month before I got scared.

SO . . . one can return to good things from time to time. The only thing bad that really happened was during my mentor training with Avert Express. One night, I was driving, we were on the side of a canyon in OK following a river. Came up a hill and hit a short flat spot and then the road went up again. There was this huge (wild) hog on the road and it was so fast I am glad I did not slam on the brakes as I think we would have really had a problem. I ran over the hog, killed it, tore off part of the front end. I say that but I technically can't tell you what a "front end" is. Bumper and some of the body on the front portion of the tractor was gone (driver's side).

Averitt Express called it "an act of God" (God gets blamed for a lot) and I ended up finishing my mentor training and all just fine. I am on the look out for hogs all the time now. :-) I reported this on my Swift Application as an "accident" as I did not wish to be seen as withholding info and all. We will see what happens on that.

Thanks again Rick.

-dave

The training here on TT is really neat.

When I was at _____ college earning my cdl etc they had pic programs tied to the Net for us to use. I tried them and found they were not as thorough as TTYL and they had distasteful ads. I went instead to TTYL and used it. Others noticed and soon most of the class was using TT. Ha ha, a mini revolt. However we all got our permits on first try.

Thanks again TT.

Hey, glad to hear it! That's one challenge out of the way, on to the next!

Today I decided to go with C. R. England. I start the training this Mon 4/24/17. Swift had offered me a spot also but in the end went with CRE.

They know about my hog killing days, ha, ha. So far so good. I guess I have a chance at a re-start!

Last time, looking back I let things jam up on me. HOS and logging. Gonna really work at that.seems simple.

Thanks Brett n all for the support. Back to High Road ......

Congrats.

KEEP IN MIND with CRST...

1 - They are 100% Teams. You will SHARE A TRUCK FOR YOU ENTIRE CAREER THERE. This is even after training.

2 - They are FAMOUS (notorious) for ENFORCING THEIR CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATION. If (for whatever reason), you do not complete your obligated period of employment - pretty much NO ONE WILL TOUCH YOU, until you have satisfied your contract.

CRST is like Deniro in Goodfellas. "Give me my fin money".

If you are OK with both of these conditions - I'm not gonna talk trash on CRST. A lot of folks get their start there.

But if you have other opportunities, along with your prior experience, you might be happier IN THE LONG RUN - with a different company.

A number of members here, got trained at Swift, and decided to stay on with them.

Best of luck, whatever you decide...

Rick

Well, CR England did not work out due to a prescription drug I take. SO . . . back to Swift and so far so good. Got my on-line course completed and now will take the DOT physical this Monday and permit test on same day.

I am returning to CMV work (although my prior foray was brief) and feel that it seems all the "training companies" are about the same (boy, that ought to set off a bunch of remarks). Swift seems as concerned about safety as the other companies I have read about. An obligation to drive for them awhile, -that's reasonable. Nothing is free and the work is just as honorable as CR England or any other company. The main thing in any employment is attitude, I have always thought. At this point I am thankful that Swift is looking at me and thankful for the chance and will work my tail off to prove myself. Amen.

Now let's see . . . on a downhill . . . . .

I am stopping this thread (unless people make comments, etc) and feel it is time to start a diary on the other topic area for people to record or describe their experiences with training companies and all. Thanks.