Yet Another New Guy - YANG

Thanks! Yes...I've passed my state CDL test, and tomorrow I take the Hazmat....studying for it now!

I was worried about the Watkins Shepard road test, if they will actually offer me a chance. I like the idea of working for an outfit with a terminal in my town. Conway has one, but only for LTL and evidently they aren't hiring new drivers for that at this time.

I've spoken to the recruiter at Watkins Shepard, tomorrow after I pass the Hazmat (<--high level of confidence), I'll be finishing the application and giving her another call. Maybe by the end of the week I'll be on my way over there.

Brett, I just wanted to thank you for the High Road CDL Training Program. Just went through it while studying for my Hazmat test. Absolutely awesome. I love the way it takes you through a section, offers questions, and then allows page by page exam questions, with the ability to check back in areas you are weak on. Then returns to areas you were weak in, hammering those questions until you get them right. With a 95% rate on the tests, I'm very confident of passing the Hazmat exam tomorrow.

I wish I had found it when taking all the other tests...what a great study aid. It just doesn't get any better....it beats the online testing program my school had hands down.

Thank you so much. Tracy

Hey I'm really glad to hear you like our training program. It gets glowing reviews. I'm very confident you'll have no trouble with the Hazmat testing. I was just looking at your scores and I'm sure you're going to do well on it. Let us know how it goes!

Well, I passed the Hazmat exam with flying colors....aced it in fact! Thank you, Brett for the study guide as I mentioned earlier. It really made it a snap.

Now...just waiting for the letters from the trucking companies.

Nice! That's right - 99% isn't good enough for some of us, is it?

Congrats!

Any trucking companies you've applied to, make sure you call them after a couple of days. They're famous for letting applications sit around collecting dust. So get a recruiter on the phone and make sure they're working on it. It makes a huge difference in the responses you'll get.

Thank you for the advice on follow up contacts! Great idea. Let's them know I'm motivated, too.

I should update you folks...I've been so busy I have not had time. I opted to go with Watkins-Shepard, and on the 7th of the month I was on the bus from my home in Billings, MT to Missoula, MT for orientation. I've been in their course ever since...long hours, usually from 7:30 to 5:00 in class, then 6 or 7 more hours of homework each night. Even on the weekends I was either doing homework or practicing in the truck.

So, turned in the last of the homework today, and did a lot of meetings with HR, management, etc all day. More tomorrow.

In theory, tomorrow I should get a truck assignment. I'll have to go to one of the other terminals to pick it up in all likelyhood, and then be on the road probably by early next week.

Of course, I have to actually finish the orientation, but I have to say, their intense 'firehose' learning has been interesting, including the Mountain Driving training.

Now...we'll see what kind of truck I get (they're heavy into Volvos here) and start off on my new career. I'll try to check in again tomorrow or the next day, just in case anyone is interested.

Well ... new update

... I've been on the road a few days now. Got my first truck (older Freightliner but had a frame up rebuild a short time ago)and after a few issues, got on the road. I've run a few loads, and although the learning curve is steep, I'm having fun, along with some stress. Hard to believe I'm out there in an 80,000lb rig by myself when two months ago I had never even been in one. I am really thankful for the Watkins-Shepard training program. Fire hose training, but you come out with skills. My first dock unload was down a ramp and I one-shotted it. That felt pretty good, especially when the guy before me with 41 years experience took a couple pullups.

If I don't do something stupid, I expect this will be good. I'm sitting in our Missoula, Montana terminal right now overnight while my truck is detailed and a couple issues fixed, but expect to be on the road again tomorrow night.

Thanks for the update Tracy! Believe me, there will be great days and miserable days ahead, but let yourself be learning in all of the different circumstances you get into. There's so much to learn and get a grip on during your first year, that it's really kind of a whirlwind of exposure to all the ins and outs and ups and downs of running a big rig across the country. It's a great experience though, and I'm loving every minute of it! Don't let the stress of it keep you from enjoying yourself while your learning and improving your skills.

Keep up the good work!

Hey, that's great news! Somehow I never saw your previous update from almost a week ago. I don't know how that one slipped by me.

I think you're the first one we've spoken to that went to Watkins-Shepard. I really don't know a whole lot about the company. Their "fire hose training" is pretty much the industry standard. Everyone crams as much as possible down your throat as quickly as possible so you can get out there making money as a productive driver. It's overwhelming for sure!

So are you running OTR or regional or what?