Hi All

I have a few questions. I am about 52 and have a border collie that I have been obedience training since he was a puppy. I have retired from my previous career a few years back and would now like to see the country from the ground instead of the air.
I decided that driving a truck would be the best way to do that. Realistically I believe this is not an easy career by any means. Just thinking about how I will get the daily shower I so much love, and knowing that clean rest rooms are far and few between are just some of the things that come to mind. But every career has it pluses and minuses.
I will be paying for school myself. As I live in NY I have two choices one is Sage and the other is National Tractor Trailer School. If anyone have has any experience with either of these schools it would be appreciated.
Do companies allow you to travel with your pet? I could not leave my dog and he would make good company while waiting.
Although I do not have back problems my days of lifting are over so I am only interested in no touch loads. Is it possible to find only this kind of work?
I would someday also like to move from NY to the west cost (Arizona or Las Vegas area possibly).
Am I being realistic in the sense that I can do all this; my dog is the main concern?

Thanks bobny

some companies have alot of drop n hooks,meaning you just change a empty trailer for a loaded one or vice versa,some have 95% no touch also,you can find a company that runs the states you may want to move to and you will stay in the same company and truck that you start with.If you live near a truckstop,there are free books that list the companies and states they hire from,also some of the experience needed,or look up bubba website,alot of trucking jobs listed there. I really can't help you on the schools you mentioned. As far as your dog,about half of the companies let you take a dog,most want one to be less than fifty lbs,so thats no problem for you at all,except while you are training. good luck and keep in touch.

Everything you mentioned is realistic.

Although I recommend a differant direction for your training. I would take a serious look at CFI and their training. You'll be well taken care of also as a beginning driver/trainee.

With that said, I don't recommend them to most people for the long term. But they do have a good thing going for the beginning driver, where most companies want a year contract, run at much reduced rate of pay, etc etc, they do not require you to sign your life away and you'll see an equal amount of the country, instead of just the NE area. Much of their frieght is NO TOUCH. Well above 98%.

As a matter of fact, I can not recall a time during my last year there I even touched a load.

Hey bobny, I am currently attending NTTS on the weekends for their 18 weekend program. I think that the program is good, Im more than halfway through my training and its going well. The cost is definatly more than other places I researched. mostly it has been a good experience, I have had a couple of problems. First off, the schools recruiters will tell you whatever you want to hear, and then it is slightly different when you actually get there. I spoke with Rob, and took a tour of the facullity in late febuary of this year. IT sounded good to me, and since I knew very little about tractor trailers I opted for the 18 weekend program(they also offer a 10 week program, looking back on that I should have taken that instead) and since I am currently working and have bills to pay I went with weekends. That is harD! Working

sorry hit worng button
that is hard working for 5 days then doing 10 hour days on the weekends for months. When I met with rob, one of my questions was about missing time. I am getting married on the 14 of july of this year, the exact date of my graduation. He told me that it would be ok and I could make up any time missed, for the wedding or anything leading up to it. I had to miss a date in march due to wedding issues. I informed my instructor Jeff, and proceded to get a hard time about missing a class! He told me that I knew what I was getting into when I signed up for the class. I informed him i wouldnt be there and that I wasn't asking his permission. I also asked how long I had before the time had to be made up. He told me to wait until we were out of the classroom and make up the time in the yard doing feild manuvers. I guess I took that to mean that I could make up the time after my proposed graduation by going for a few extra weekends amd this would work out well for me because I really cant afford to take time off work. Well about two weeks ago I was called into the office to talk about my makiing up 9 hours. I explained that I was planning on comming in later, and I was told I needed to make it up before then. So I beggeg and pleaded at work to get a friday off. I got up and went to school, and went to sign in that I was making up a class and the head instructer ( whom is only there during the week and I had never met) chewed me out for wearing shorts. now the policys of the school were gone over with all of us and we had to sign a paper, we were told that we were to wear work shoes, nothing was said about shorts. So the instructor has a severe attitude problem and talks to me like im a 6 year old about not wearing shorts. I told him that it would be no problem for me to go to the local wal-mart and buy a pair of pants so I could make up this time, and I did. but on the way my tensioner of my serpantine belt broke on my truck, and I had to get it home and repair it. I never made it back that day, and since he talked to me like that I wasn't planning on going back on the weekdays untill i take my road test. To make up the time i am just working through my lunch breaks and doing an hour a day untill the 9 are made up.
Now the other thing i want to say is that the 18 week program sure drags. Once you are done with the classroom they give you PRetrip inspection labs and drop and hook labs. You can only do the manuvers that the labs you have been given. So for theree weeks all we could do was drop and hook and pretrip. gets boring because its easy to pick these things up. then they show you straignt line backing and you do that for like 5 classes, which is good but I had it in three and wanted to move on. We have made it to backing from the left or "See side backing" which is a little more challenging, but at least we are moving on. The 10 weekend program they are all shown their manuvers on their first outside day at 4 weeks and then they have all the rest of the time to practice.
On a good note, yes the yard trucks are old, but the road trucks (You will take your road test in) are relitavely new, they are a werner truck and a swift truck, nice freightliners with sleepers. THe road instucters are very helpful. Rob is a great teacher and don is too. rob showed me what to do and don gave me tips on how to do it better. I havent killed anyone yet! lol. I enjoy my road rides. most of the feild instructers i have dealt with are very helpful with your manuvers. There are a few that act like drill sergants,and that will piss you off, but most of them are cool.
all in alll i think it is a good school with a good program. It does have its a$$es that instruct and will talk down to you, but you cant make everyone happy. I hope to gradueate and find a good job and with this program behind me. Now that I have written a book, i hope that this helps you out. good luck and mabe i will see you in the next class

Hey BobNY: Most companies will allow a pet, up to a certain size, with a pet deposit. I have a Jack Russel on my truck. My company pet deposit was $500 and I have to show his vaccination records every year. My company took the deposit out $50 a week from my pay.

It is well worth it. He was raised on a truck and acts like he is dying when you leave him anywhere. Even if it is just the car, he thinks he HAS to go.

Just ask the recruiters you speak with if their companies allow it.