New Trucking Career Advice Needed

Your medical issues are really minimal. The hypertension is med controlled, you hearing aides fix that issue, as does your glasses. One thing that a company may look at is if you are carrying excess weight, as in BMI. They may want to have a sleep study done. But all in all, if you can prove verified employment and such, you should be cleared for about ANY company. I agree that Prime is solid, honest company. We've not had anyone say a bad thing about them, and I do know their training is top notch. You may wish to check into your local community colleges. Some of them offer CDL training. The VA had a special thing going to get vets into trucking. Not sure what it was, but check into it. If you are a displaced worker, you can get free training thru the employment division. Or....you can have a massive yard sale !!!!!! you'd be surprised how much you can make doin' that... let us know where you are in your adventure...we'll help all we can...theres a link on this site that you can look at companies by area, and there also may be one for CDL schools..if there isn't then Brett may want to do that..... Welcome to TT.....and I THANK YOU for your service to our great nation, and all it stands for.

Thank you very much, Starcar. I am talking to the VA tomorrow to see what options I may have with them. I live in Texas, and I have heard that Del Mar Tech College in Corpus Christi has a good driving school. That might be a possibility if I can get tuition assistance or a loan or grant of some kind. I have relatives there that might be willing to put me up for a while. I will very likely be having a yard sale soon as well. If I am going to do this, I won't be needing a bunch of stuff to worry about where to put it. Also, I was pleased to see Brett Aquila associated with this site. I read his book a few months back. I am going to read it again. Thanks again. You guys are awesome.

Brett isn't really "associated" with this site.....I IS his site....So dig in here, be sure and do the High Road Training Program, what you learn in it will serve you well for many years, not to mention get you way ahead of whatever school you end up going to. Research ALL of your possibilities...they are out there, you just have to dig for them sometimes. And we are always here to help in any way we can....

Brett isn't really "associated" with this site.....I IS his site....So dig in here, be sure and do the High Road, what you learn in it will serve you well for many years, not to mention get you way ahead of whatever school you end up going to. Research ALL of your possibilities...they are out there, you just have to dig for them sometimes. And we are always here to help in any way we can....

I am finding a wealth of great info here on this site and forum. I will be here regularly and I will get started on the High Road this week as well. Thanks again.

Hey Tim - welcome aboard!

It certainly sounds like you're a perfect candidate for a career in trucking. I highly recommend you go through our entire Trucker's Career Guide. It covers every topic imaginable that pertains to getting your trucking career underway - you choices for schooling, your choices for truck driving jobs, a lot of information about what to expect from life on the road, and a million other things. I consider it essential reading for anyone considering a career in trucking.

And it doesn't sound to me like you'll have any issues with the DOT physical. Seems like you should do fine.

We look forward to having you around and we'll be happy to answer any questions you may have.

Hey Tim - welcome aboard!

It certainly sounds like you're a perfect candidate for a career in trucking. I highly recommend you go through our entire Trucker's Career Guide. It covers every topic imaginable that pertains to getting your trucking career underway - you choices for schooling, your choices for truck driving jobs, a lot of information about what to expect from life on the road, and a million other things. I consider it essential reading for anyone considering a career in trucking.

And it doesn't sound to me like you'll have any issues with the DOT physical. Seems like you should do fine.

We look forward to having you around and we'll be happy to answer any questions you may have.

Brett, thanks so much for replying, and for the awesome information and services you provide for folks like me wanting to break into the industry. Also I purchased your book on Kindle a while back, and I really enjoyed reading it. I found it very influential. I intend to read it again.

I actually had a CDL back in the early 70s in Texas. It was much easier to get back then, and I had experience driving bobtail tankers, and bobtail dry vans for a local oil company, and had no problems, but that was years ago. However, they were gasoline powered, and were easy to shift. The company also had a large diesel powered bobtail tanker, a Ford with a 10 speed Road Ranger transmission. The driver had called in sick one day, and and important delivery needed to be done. Well, I got the assignment, and was told to get in that truck, and make the delivery sink or swim. I had never driven a diesel truck with a ten speed. Needless to say, that tranny was lucky to have survived the ordeal, although I did get the delivery made. I would be lying to say I am not nervous about that past experience and going in to training and reliving that gear grinding. LOL. Can one of you folks give me some clue as to how long it takes on average for the inexperienced new trainee to get the hang of shifting?

It won't take you too long. There's gonna be somebody with you this time showing you how it works. You were trying to shift it like a regular standard transmission in a car, but there's a special timing with these transmissions that's all related to RPM and road speed, but don't let it bother you too much. I've seen people who never even drove a standard transmission before pick it up in a a few days. You'll do just fine.

It won't take you too long. There's gonna be somebody with you this time showing you how it works. You were trying to shift it like a regular standard transmission in a car, but there's a special timing with these transmissions that's all related to RPM and road speed, but don't let it bother you too much. I've seen people who never even drove a standard transmission before pick it up in a a few days. You'll do just fine.

Well, that is some relief. I keep having this image in my mind of a bulldog looking instructor like R. Lee Ermey in Full Metal Jacket barking at me like I was private Pyle as I'm grinding away on the gears.

On another note, I noticed that Swift has a full scholarship program for veterans, with training held in Corsicana, TX. I think that is one company I should look into.

I keep having this image in my mind of a bulldog looking instructor like R. Lee Ermey in Full Metal Jacket barking at me like I was private Pyle as I'm grinding away on the gears. smile.gif

If don't double clutch and you miss that shift one more time, maggot, I will gouge out your eyes and Skull F&* YOU!!..

I keep having this image in my mind of a bulldog looking instructor like R. Lee Ermey in Full Metal Jacket barking at me like I was private Pyle as I'm grinding away on the gears

Unfortunately there are far too many instructors like that. Not so much at truck driving schools, but on the road trainers. Once you land a job with your first Trucking Company you're going to go on the road with a trainer for around a month a two, depending on the company. Some of those guys are real pieces of work I'm afraid. But it's only temporary.

I tell people to approach the first three months like you would the military. You know it's going to be extremely difficult at times. You're not going to like everyone you deal with, you're not going to be comfortable very often, and at times you're going to want to quit. But you have to see it through.

The first 6 months are especially difficult and then it begins to get quite a bit easier after that. The learning curve is steep. But keep in mind that many millions of people did it before you, and many millions will do it in the coming years. If that many people can manage, of course you can too!

I keep having this image in my mind of a bulldog looking instructor like R. Lee Ermey in Full Metal Jacket barking at me like I was private Pyle as I'm grinding away on the gears

Unfortunately there are far too many instructors like that. Not so much at truck driving schools, but on the road trainers. Once you land a job with your first Trucking Company you're going to go on the road with a trainer for around a month a two, depending on the company. Some of those guys are real pieces of work I'm afraid. But it's only temporary.

I tell people to approach the first three months like you would the military. You know it's going to be extremely difficult at times. You're not going to like everyone you deal with, you're not going to be comfortable very often, and at times you're going to want to quit. But you have to see it through.

The first 6 months are especially difficult and then it begins to get quite a bit easier after that. The learning curve is steep. But keep in mind that many millions of people did it before you, and many millions will do it in the coming years. If that many people can manage, of course you can too!

Thanks, Brett. The above humor aside, like going into the military is exactly how I intend to approach it too. As I mentioned earlier, I spent twenty years in the military and reserves. When I first enlisted, I breezed through boot camp and tech school while many others complained or failed mainly because I was well aware beforehand of what I would be getting into. That is why reading your book and getting as much other info beforehand is so important. I had mentally prepared myself by talking to as many people as I could that had been through the military training and day to day life, and not just getting the pitch from the recruiter. Ignorance obviously causes more unpleasant surprises than any other factor. I always want to gain an edge if possible. My biggest concern going into this industry is safety, and if I get yelled at for making a mistake, especially in that regard, then I have little or no problem with that. Reading these accounts by others is awesome information, and the service you provide for us with this website is greatly appreciated.

I am also glad to read the positive side here. I, like many others, visited Glassdoor.com and read all the negative reviews on just about every trucking company. Angry people are far more likely to vent on websites like that than people that are content with their jobs, so people that read those reviews I would hope understand that, and look for information like what is found here. I worked for Walmart for ten years, a company that seems to be frequently in the news in a negative light for the way they treat their employees. Sure, there are issues, but it is not as bad as you would think by what you hear in the media, or I certainly would not have stayed that long.