Going To Be Filing Out Applications, Going For Broke.

Hi to all,

I'm Traccie. I've been looking around for a few weeks, reading the articles and some of the forums, basically getting an education. I've decided to get OTR.

I'm a 52 year old single female with grown kids and no life, lol. I travel on my own on my two wheels and I'm good with trip planning and traveling independently. Interstates and traffic don't bother me, and be neither does roughing it, camping, or being minimalistic. All of my stuff is in storage and I stay with a friend's mom, it's not going to be much more of a step to do live the otr trucking life style.

I'm familiar somewhat with the life style, one been around it in my youth. I don't think I'm romanticizing it any, I've got my eyes open.

I've thought long and hard about this. My two boys totally support my decision and totally believe I can do it. My oldest has his permit and drives teams with his trainer for his dad.

This opportunity could get me back on my feet, I could repair my credit and begin to prepare for retirement. Kinda late... But better late than never.

I can't go to school that I pay for, my credit is bad, so I've been looking at all of the resources here and reading the reviews for the school sponsored companies. I've been busy getting time lines written out for employment history, documents for drivers license change to Delaware where I live now (Patriot act state) and studying for my permit. It's been a job, most of my information was destroyed in storage because of water damage.

I am currently a professional driver, I drive a wheel chair van. I've worked here almost a year, November will be my one year mark. I cover the state of Delaware and sometimes Baltimore and Philly. I'm independent here, it's an unmanned office and I don't have anyone to answer to except for dispatch and my fleet manager who I never see. I have to do pre-trip and manage my miles, plan my trips, etc. It's the same mentality just on a much, much smaller scale.

Before this job I drove a cab.

I do have a few minor traffic infractions. I have no dui's or failed drug tests although I did toke with the family not long ago, ironically discussing this decision. Hopefully by the time I go for my drug screening that will be gone.

I think I've got everything covered, I am a little nervous about it though. I really want to do this. I worry about having moved allot the last few years. I was sick and couldn't work for about a year. I have fibromyalgia, but it's under control now. I moved between family members and finally settled up here on the Eastern shore.

My health is good now, I'm not on any meds other than for thyroid. Blood pressure is good, no sleep apnea , nothing. I walk about three to four miles everyday just with my job alone. I'm strong and have a good energy level. I have a scheduled sleep system down pat so I can be allert and ready to drive every day. My cargo is people and I have to make sure they're locked down, transported safely, and treated with respect.

What are your thoughts? Do you see anything that sticks out at you that could be questionable? Advice? Questions? Comments?

First, here is our starter pack.

• Truck Driver's Career Guide
• Brett's Book: The Raw Truth About Trucking (free online version)
• High Road Training Program

How long has it been since you toked? That will be your one sticking point. A failed drug test anywhere will just about doom your trucking career before it starts.

CFI will train you. They do hair and urine screening. You have to have your permit and med card before they will accept you into training. You will not have to pay them back out of pocket, you will have to drive for them for one year as a solo driver. It's best to stay at your first company for a year anyway. Here is a link to my CFI training diary. I started training with them in April of this year (2017) and started solo in June. I am very happy with CFI.

There are many other companies who will train you. Many of them can be found here Paid CDL Training Programs

I hope this helps. Good luck to you.

Do you see anything that sticks out at you that could be questionable?

Well yes, this statement is kind of problematic...

I did toke with the family not long ago, ironically discussing this decision.

Can you be a little more specific with what "not long ago" means? And maybe prior to this incident, how long ago, prior to this latest visit with the smoke, was it when you last enjoyed the effects of weed?

Many trucking companies are implementing a hair follicle test into their screening process now. If you fail a drug test, you will be done - your career stillborn. This business almost never allows a second chance when it comes to failed drug screenings. It is critical that you get that part right.

You did give me a chuckle though. I can just imagine a bunch of people sitting around hitting the bong and having this discussion...

"Hey Mon, I think I'm gonna become a trucker! That's the life for me. No bosses, no mailbox gathering bills, and getting to drive through states where we can hit the pipe and be legal - how cool can it get Mon?"

"Dude, give me another hit. That idea is so rad - I guess a trucker can smoke and nobody would even know about it - what a cool job!"

"Let's do it Mon."

"Let's do what Mon, have another hit?"

"No Mon, travel across the country getting paid to drive a truck!"

"Wow Mon, you mean we can get paid for doing this?"

"Doing what, blowing smoke?"

"No Mon, driving a reefer across the country."

"Wait a minute! We can get paid for driving reefers around?"

"Yeah Mon, it's good money too! "

"I'm in, let's do it! Let's have another hit first though."

Thanks guys for the replies.

Big Scott, thanks for the links. I'll check out your blog!

Old School, you're pretty close lol.

To answer your questions, It was specifically a month ago today. It was a year ago prior to that when I had done it before and probably a year before that. I'm just not really into any of that stuff. I rarely even drink.

I meant to add that I'm 50. I met a woman with my company who was 52 and retired. She had been driving for three years and almost never goes home. When she does, her kids joke saying, I see you remembered how ro get here. I don't know how long you will have to wait to be sure you're clean. Good luck to you. We are here to help.

I met a woman with my company who was 52 and retired. She had been driving for three years and almost never goes home. When she does, her kids joke saying, I see you remembered how ro get here.

That sounds like something that would be said over here too lol.

I don't imagine I'll be going home often. My plans are to stop by the Harley dealership once or twice a month and rent a bike to ride in the area that I take my 34.

It would be optimal to just take mine but I don't think that's going to be an option on a company truck.

On the getting clean part I think I'll just have an upfront conversation with my Dr and see what she thinks.

I called Roehl and asked them. They said it's about 90 days. We'll see. I certainly don't want to mess it up.

Good job. Take your time and get as much info as you can. BTW 34 hour resets are not mandatory. You can run on recaps and just take home time anywhere. Depending on the company you could take as many days as they allow. With CFI you don't lose your days and can bank them. I have about 16 days built up and will be going home in October and using 6 of my days.

I'm just not really into any of that stuff.

Im not trying to be a sour apple here and I wish you nothing but good, but I feel like no one is taking this seriously enough, including you.

You're thinking about getting into an industry that gives drivers random drug tests often, an industry that has absolutely no tolerance for drugs, yet you're super close to taking that leap into trucking but you smoked that garbage. And on top of that, this wasn't a 1 time thing. You do it annually then state you're not into that kind of stuff. Kindly, check your priorities.

I call BS on you. If you truly wanted to be a driver you would make grown-up decisions knowing full well that anything outside of that won't be tolerated.

As a current fuel tanker driver, I know that a DUI or failed drug test would be the end of the career I worked so hard towards. So I won't do it. I'm in my 20's, you're in your 50's - so act like it.

I wish you good luck Half Pint, take care.

Daniel B, you may certainly call BS as many times as you feel you need but it doesn't make you right.

The deed is done, going over it and bashing me now, after the fact, isn't going to change any thing.

Right now you have the world in your pocket. I think that's great. Reach for the Stars young man, you could go far. But you have allot to learn. Driving a fuel tanker at twenty something doesn't make you better than anyone else. You'll make bad choices and you'll make mistakes. You might even make worse mistakes than sitting around a camp fire and taking one draw off of a pipe. Who's to know...

Hopefully when you make them there will be good supportive people around you who will look past that and recognize your full potential. It's those people with years of their own failures that will give you the wisdom you'll need to get back up.

Big Scott, thanks for the information. I looked them up online and read over it. I'll look for them here on the website and see if they're in the list. I appreciate it!

I only have the world in my pocket because I won the lottery by marrying the best girl in the world, nothing of my career. I assure you I make mistakes and am far from perfect. But taking "one draw off of a pipe" is not something I'm worried about or something that will happen. Those kinds of grave mistakes don't "just happen", really have to watch who you surround yourself with.