Another newbie

Hi to all the experienced drivers and other newbies out there! Just want to take this time to introduce myself as GraceLives. A little about myself....

My significant other who I have been with for 15 years and that I call my husband is a truck driver and has been for a little over 5 years. I spent nearly 3 years out on the road with him when he drove for KLLM. We lived on the truck and on time off invaded family and friends homes during those 2 to 3 days. We did this to pay off the truck and once that happened picked a city (my home town cause it's near my mother) to settle down in. When he started driving all that time ago we talked about me going to school too but I ended up catching a DUI. That was 5 years ago this next month when I made the bad decision to celebrate my birthday at a bar. Being in my 40's I had never done this before and will NEVER do it again! However, the five years is up next month and I decided to contact a local school here in Tulsa, OK which is Roadmasters and I start school on May 18th.

In all our years together since he became a professional driver he stated he wanted me to go to the same school that he got his training. Stevens Transport in Dallas. He drove for them for about 9 months before going over to KLLM and quite after not receiving a paycheck for about 6 weeks. He was always hopeful that the next week would be better for the reasoning it took so long for him to quite. His nephew went to the same school and quite for the same reason! The father of his nephew (brother-in-law) who has been in the trucking industry for over 25 years is suggesting along with my old man, that I too, go to this school. His reasoning along with my old man is that they have the best training program in the nation where as the new driver has to hit "key" points throughout the US to pass to get their own truck. Making sure I know how to handle the truck going over certain mountain pass' or to bump a dock in NY among other graded points certainly sounds like great knowledge and needed info. The problem I have is having known not one but two people that have worked there and quite due to lack of pay but figuring what is posted on the website and quoted here in this forum as Stevens base training pay as $350 a week. At a 70 hour work week that adds up to $5 an hour! Minimum wage hasn't been that in years!!!

Here's my next thing. My husband currently works for JCT (John Christner Trucking - for those not in the know) and he called to see if they have a training program. For the most part, they don't. What they do have is a spousal program where neither one of us gets paid. I would not earn trainee pay and he would not get trainer pay. He wouldn't get any additional miles then what he earns right now and I would be the one doing all the driving. At least for the first 6 weeks. The last 3 weeks or phase II of the spousal program he would be able to drive for about 5 hours a day and we would be considered a solo and a half driver. After the last 3 weeks then we would be labeled "team" drivers.

It has been suggested for me to get hired with a company that will reimburse for the school and get my training from them. Once I complete training then go team drive with my husband. I don't think that is the way to go either. I'd feel like I would be misrepresenting myself to any potential employer just to use them for OTR training once I graduate the school and that does not feel right to me. If I get hired and knowing a couple possible rates as to how my tuition would be paid back would actually keep me under the employ of the company for at least 4 years. I hardly see my old man now as it is and I'd see him even less if we work for two different companies.

I'm confused as to which is my best option. I want to get paid while I'm driving because that is the job. And due to having spent 3 years on the truck with him I already know what it is like and know I'd be more comfortable training with him. I've pretty much know I'm not going to go to Stevens. My confusion lies more with getting hired with my own company or seeing if JCT hires me and let my husband train me.

 

Yeah I think so too on the less stressful part. He actually told me about that school in Drumright too. Guess I should give them a consideration but was hoping to stay close to home so don't have to be put up in a hotel.

 

His expenses were always more then his total pay so, he was in a negative balance every week. He really didn't know what he was doing when he first got out of school and pretty much went into Lease Operator right out of school. Even though it was "suggested" to him to be a company driver first and learn the ropes before trying to buy a truck, he thought he knew it all once he graduated and could handle it. Without looking at all his paperwork and having to go on memory, I'd say it was his fuel costs that was the problem. Back then, (not sure if Steven's still does this) but if you buy fuel before the end of the pay week and the load doesn't deliver until after you get paid, the fuel will come out of your current pay. This always messed him up cause he would always buy more fuel then he actually needed to run a load.

Thanks for this question. After rereading my original post I could see how the statement would not be understandable. Hope this clears that up.

 

Now for my update.....

I did start school at Roadmaster this past Monday the 18th. It is now of course the end of my first week and I want to first give Kudos to my recruiter for directing me to student log in of their website and suggesting that I take a look at their student packet. I printed up all the info and even printed up all of the CDL manual for Oklahoma. Boy that was a lot of paper!! LOL

Because I had two weeks till my start date I took that time (not every day but a great portion of the 2 weeks) and I studied. I took the practice tests for each section of General Knowledge, Air Brakes and Combination Vehicles. I also printed and briefly studied Hazmat. Roadmaster doesn't push Hazmat because whatever company hires you is suppose to teach it to you once hired if they require it. I didn't do to well on the Hazmat so I'm glad I've got more time to study for it if need be.

So, the first 3 days in the classroom is pretty much going over the student packet I had already printed up. I was smart enough to take it with me on so the instructor didn't have to give me another one. It was nice to be able to answer some of the questions she posed to the classroom because I gave myself that much needed head start.

With that said, yesterday was when we went to DPS to take the written part of the tests to gain our permits so we can get out on the pad and start learning maneuvers and to also get out on the road too. I was able to pass the three tests on my first try! After seeing folks coming back to the classroom that started the week before I did to restudy the sections they were failing, I was a bit worried that I would pass at all. It hasn't taken long since day one for some of the folks that started to quit for whatever reason. Out of the five remaining I was the only female (the others all being men) that passed and got my permit yesterday!

Other then the fact of developing a prize winning cold due the recent change of weather here in the great state of Oklahoma, I'm feeling pretty good that I've made a good decision on my future career. They sent me home this morning due to being sick which was a bit disappointing because I was suppose to start "Straight backing" today. Grateful for the 3 day weekend I'm sure I'll be my happy-go-lucky self come Tuesday morning. I will have the rest of the computer Etreads done by them so another grateful feeling for having internet at home.