Frustrated
Topic 8709 | Page 2
Goodness, Daniel, that hurts my heart and it wasn't even me. You have made some serious strides though, from the sounds of it. What my sister said was the toughest (long, long story as to why it hurt so deeply).
However, I took your advice even before I read your post (you must've beamed it to me)... I sent out 4 applications for pre-hire letters and another 5 emails requesting instruction on which application to fill out. Printed off my practice exams too.
When people doubt me, usually it ****es me off enough that I prove them wrong (why I wrestled in high school and worked iron for a bit). At 30 y.o. though, I've learned the hard way that sometimes the party poopers are right so I'm trying to walk a fine line; use it for motivation while making sure I don't bulldoze through it out of sheer anger at proving them wrong and make a mess. Been there...
I'm scheduling my DOT physical tomorrow and will set a goal of two weeks to take my permit exam. Just need to make sure to get the pre-hires before investing too much into it. Why buy the dress when you haven't been invited to the party?
Pat - Rubber Duck? Because I'll always float? :)
DOT:
Department Of Transportation
A department of the federal executive branch responsible for the national highways and for railroad and airline safety. It also manages Amtrak, the national railroad system, and the Coast Guard.
State and Federal DOT Officers are responsible for commercial vehicle enforcement. "The truck police" you could call them.
Pre-hire:
What Exactly Is A Pre-Hire Letter?
Pre-hire letters are acceptance letters from trucking companies to students, or even potential students, to verify placement. The trucking companies are saying in writing that the student, or potential student, appears to meet the company's minimum hiring requirements and is welcome to attend their orientation at the company’s expense once he or she graduates from truck driving school and has their CDL in hand.
We have an excellent article that will help you Understand The Pre-Hire Process.
A Pre-Hire Letter Is Not A Guarantee Of Employment
The people that receive a pre-hire letter are people who meet the company's minimum hiring requirements, but it is not an employment contract. It is an invitation to orientation, and the orientation itself is a prerequisite to employment.
During the orientation you will get a physical, drug screen, and background check done. These and other qualifications must be met before someone in orientation is officially hired.
Pre-hires:
What Exactly Is A Pre-Hire Letter?
Pre-hire letters are acceptance letters from trucking companies to students, or even potential students, to verify placement. The trucking companies are saying in writing that the student, or potential student, appears to meet the company's minimum hiring requirements and is welcome to attend their orientation at the company’s expense once he or she graduates from truck driving school and has their CDL in hand.
We have an excellent article that will help you Understand The Pre-Hire Process.
A Pre-Hire Letter Is Not A Guarantee Of Employment
The people that receive a pre-hire letter are people who meet the company's minimum hiring requirements, but it is not an employment contract. It is an invitation to orientation, and the orientation itself is a prerequisite to employment.
During the orientation you will get a physical, drug screen, and background check done. These and other qualifications must be met before someone in orientation is officially hired.
Oh goodness! I didn't realize that was considered a curse word on here!!! Sorry :(
Oh goodness! I didn't realize that was considered a curse word on here!!! Sorry :(
You're in trouble now!!!
Melly, Rubber Duck from the movie Convoy. It's a must watch for any trucker :)
Oh goodness! I didn't realize that was considered a curse word on here!!! Sorry :(
You're in trouble now!!!
You never know!!
And I will find Convoy and watch it immediately
A.) A woman is at no inherent disadvantage to a man in this job.
b.) Would I do it again...become a truck driver ? That depends. If I was 22 or 32 I definitely would have gone into something else...something with more pay, chance for advancement, intellectual challenge, etc. But I was in my mid forties when I started this and most doors have closed to you by that age. I did the right thing. I do all right financially, 52k aint what it used to be but my bills are about zero because I stay out 6 weeks at a time minimum and rent my house out, and while I won't say I love the job, I almost never hate it, which for me is just as good.
Hi SunshineMelly! I have been driving solo on a regional dedicated account for the past 6 months and while this isn't an easy profession, with the things you have done in the past you will be fine.
I have to say I am fortunate that my 86 year old mother is my biggest cheerleader! I had a very difficult time in school learning to back and was encouraged to quit not once, but twice by my instructors. I refused to though and surprised the heck out of everyone at the school by passing! Even when it seemed like everything was against me, the faith my friends and family had in me and my faith that God would see me through helped me to succeed. I would do it all over again if I had to.
As far as personal safety goes, I have never felt unsafe at any truck stop or rest area I have stayed at for the night. There are always a few characters, but by and large the other truckers are very respectful. One thing I will not do is stay overnight at a shipper or consignee if it is not a 24 hour facility with access to a restroom. I don't think it is wise to put myself in a situation where I know there could be the potential for danger.
Life is short so grab the bull by the horns! If you don't try it you will have no idea of if it is even for you. You may find it isn't your cup of tea, but you just may find you wish you had done it years ago!
Consignee:
The customer the freight is being delivered to. Also referred to as "the receiver". The shipper is the customer that is shipping the goods, the consignee is the customer receiving the goods.
Shipper:
The customer who is shipping the freight. This is where the driver will pick up a load and then deliver it to the receiver or consignee.
Regional:
Regional Route
Usually refers to a driver hauling freight within one particular region of the country. You might be in the "Southeast Regional Division" or "Midwest Regional". Regional route drivers often get home on the weekends which is one of the main appeals for this type of route.
TWIC:
Transportation Worker Identification Credential
Truck drivers who regularly pick up from or deliver to the shipping ports will often be required to carry a TWIC card.
Your TWIC is a tamper-resistant biometric card which acts as both your identification in secure areas, as well as an indicator of you having passed the necessary security clearance. TWIC cards are valid for five years. The issuance of TWIC cards is overseen by the Transportation Security Administration and the Department of Homeland Security.
Thank you guys for the encouragement! The idea of backing up makes me sick to my stomach. But I've been practicing in my little hatchback just using the side mirrors and not the rear view (not anywhere near the same but you work with what you have). And dang it I will grab the bull by the horns!! I have prayed about it and asked the Lord to make it clear if this was the thing for me...either fill my path with roadblocks or make it smooth sailing. Got my first pre-hire letter today so that's a good start :)
As for the age thing, I appreciate your honesty. I'm 30 and have wondered about getting into something else. But there's nothing out there that is calling me like driving is. I have to admit that I do get a little worried about the intellectual challenge, but I LOVE making schedules and planning and think that will be enough to keep my mind busy. If not, I'll just get some Rosetta Stone in my life and learn Italian. Everybody would know when Sunshine would be pulling into a rest stop...singing Figaro and waving my hands wildly
Dm:
Dispatcher, Fleet Manager, Driver Manager
The primary person a driver communicates with at his/her company. A dispatcher can play many roles, depending on the company's structure. Dispatchers may assign freight, file requests for home time, relay messages between the driver and management, inform customer service of any delays, change appointment times, and report information to the load planners.Pre-hire:
What Exactly Is A Pre-Hire Letter?
Pre-hire letters are acceptance letters from trucking companies to students, or even potential students, to verify placement. The trucking companies are saying in writing that the student, or potential student, appears to meet the company's minimum hiring requirements and is welcome to attend their orientation at the company’s expense once he or she graduates from truck driving school and has their CDL in hand.
We have an excellent article that will help you Understand The Pre-Hire Process.
A Pre-Hire Letter Is Not A Guarantee Of Employment
The people that receive a pre-hire letter are people who meet the company's minimum hiring requirements, but it is not an employment contract. It is an invitation to orientation, and the orientation itself is a prerequisite to employment.
During the orientation you will get a physical, drug screen, and background check done. These and other qualifications must be met before someone in orientation is officially hired.
I'll just get some Rosetta Stone in my life and learn Italian. Everybody would know when Sunshine would be pulling into a rest stop...singing Figaro and waving my hands wildly.
Books, learning languages, watching documentaries, also your load planning. I bet a trucker could turn into a crossword champion after a while!
I'm learning sign language with my younger brother and we plan to send each other videos while I'm on the road regarding locations I'm in and heading to (when there's time).
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Becoming A Truck Driver CDL Pre-Hire Changing Careers
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Melly, when I was 20 I revealed to my parents my plans to start school as soon as I turned 21.
Well, a few of my cousins made their smartass remarks, a sister of mine said it was beneath me. But what hurt the most was what my dad said to me.
He told me that trucking isn't for me but not for the reasons you listed. He told me I couldn't handle the job, that I would fail and this is all a waste of time. He wasn't too concerned about the dangerous driving conditions, but he was confident that I would fail miserably. That was a spear through my heart and hurt more than he will ever realize.
However, shortly after I stopped clinging to his words and predictions. Instead, I let them be my motivator. I couldn't stand the thought that my dad thinks I won't make it so I gave it 200% effort to prove him wrong.
Obviously he didn't know me, but me failing would be him winning. I don't mean this in a bad way, but I wanted to prove to him just how much he didn't know his own son.
With this ruthless drive to succeed, I went through school and became a solo driver. Almost three years later I am still accident free (Thank you Lord), I have won 4 awards and have been an instructor/trainer. That conversation I had with my dad carried a heavy burden on my shoulders for a long time, but I'm at peace with it.
In conclusion, look at this entire thing from a different perspective. Perhaps you can use their doubt to motivate you to show everyone just how strong and driven you are. Get out there and prove them wrong. They likely don't know a single thing about this industry, so set the example!