This Was Way Cool - A Chance Meeting!

I saw a guy in Kittery ME last night I thought could have been you, but you were many miles away according to the tracker.

Imagine that, getting recognized in public and approached by adoring fans. A real-life celebrity indeed!

Next time you stop in Olive Branch, check out Neighborhood Grill, a mile or two down 178. (breakfast & lunch only) I saw two Knight tractors parked on the road there and remembered you, Old School.

I saw two Knight tractors parked on the road there and remembered you, Old School.

Haha! You must have had your Saturday morning breakfast at this local favorite breakfast spot. I'll check in with you next time I'm stopping in town.

So that makes three of us driving for Knight. He was at Prime, one of Rainy's students. He hasn't been on here since he got his feelings hurt many months ago.

I honestly don't blame him for disappearing. He did 18 mos at Prime and then drove 2 months for a non profit, religious organization for no pay at all. Totally donated his time. This organization needed him for a specific time period and he wanted to make sure he had a plan to return to work, so the matter was pressing for him.

Prime would not give him a leave of absence for this, so to do it he had to quit. He was a stand up guy who completed his contract obligation and wanted something that fits his needs. This is what we preach here.

He wanted to find a company for his return and posted many questions which led to him getting bashed for not understanding a top tier driver could prosper anywhere and that he should just stay at prime.

I found it hypocritical that someone commented to him that he could propser at Prime as a top tier driver, and he shouldn't jump ship. This person then lectured him on how he prospered at his first company that everyone bashes, yet he is no longer there.

Splitter and I have had our moments, but how many of us have worked for free two months for our religious beliefs (with no way to earn money at the time)?

As far as him being a top tier driver, he absolutely is and i know my FM ran him hard. He just did 3200 miles last week at Knight, so yes, he proves one can prosper anywhere.

But he prefers Prime cause he misses me.

Yes I remember Splitter wanting to do that non profit driving. I am glad that he did that. When I have more time and such, I want to get involved in volunteering. I am sure you either have a great memory Rainy or a people in your dungeon scribe notes incase your truck gets inspected lol....thanks for the reminder. I have been on here for a while and I believe ran into a snag with possibly driving when I retire. I got a new script that I need to see if it disqualifies me, but either way I am gonna hang around for a while longer.

We've obviously opened up a sore wound here. I'm just as flummoxed now as I was when Splitter stormed out of here.

Here's a link to the conversation that Kearsey refers to as us bashing Splitter...

The So Called Bashing of Splitter

He was a stand up guy who completed his contract obligation and wanted something that fits his needs. This is what we preach here.

The completion of your contract is certainly something we teach here. But that had nothing to do with my response to Splitter back when I offended him. By the way, it's really easy to be misunderstood in a forum. Text alone eliminates many things from a conversation. Personality, and voice inflection or tone, are completely absent. I'm pretty sure after Splitter met me he was surprised at my demeanor. I'm not critical or judgemental, nor am I "hypocritical" as was just suggested.

Here's what Splitter said that got me wanting to respond as I did...

Look at it this way, if you want to get top tier work out here, you still have to prove yourself with 1-2 years experience with a training/starter company.

That has never been what we teach, and I felt compelled to correct that notion for the benefit of the person seeking the information. Brett even produced a blog on this very topic...

Are Major Carriers Nothing More Than Starter Companies?

What we teach here is that drivers create their own opportunities out here. If anybody is an excellent example of this it's Kearsey. Where does she work? She works for Prime. A company that is bashed all the time for being a "starter company."

Look, I apologize if I was out of line. It certainly wasn't meant as some have interpreted it. I was merely trying to help the person inquiring that they certainly could do well at Trans Am or Mesilla Valley.

I said earlier in this conversation...

We enjoyed a nice visit with each other. I had no idea he was working for Knight. He seems like a great guy, and I wish him lots of success here at Knight.

I was very impressed with Splitter - I stand by that statement. I leave the judgement to those of you who care to read the conversation I linked. I see nobody getting bashed. I do see an attempt to correct something we wouldn't normally teach a new person coming into the industry.

Splitter, please accept my apology. I never meant to offend you.

I read that thread earlier today before your post here, Old School. I don't think you have anything to apologize for. It looked like a simple misunderstanding stemming from a fair disagreement. He got worked up into a snit at the very end and flounced off. It was an overreaction to be sure. Hopefully he will see it and come back to continue contributing here. He seemed like an alright guy.

I read that thread earlier today before your post here, Old School. I don't think you have anything to apologize for. It looked like a simple misunderstanding stemming from a fair disagreement. He got worked up into a snit at the very end and flounced off. It was an overreaction to be sure. Hopefully he will see it and come back to continue contributing here. He seemed like an alright guy.

Agreed. We've all had those moments. I know I've had my fair share of tantrums here and I've learned from them and grown. It seems like splitter has grown too and I'm happy for him.

Sorry your former student got his feelings hurt and stopped posting on here, Rainy.

Really terrible he wasn't rehired after taking 2 months off with no pay at Prime.

I wasn't drawing a paycheck from a company either earlier this year when I volunteered to take 5 months off for a new heart. The company I was leased on with had me resign, too.

I moved on.