When I was looking at getting my license i checked out most of the super carriers and found it not to my satisfaction. I had a friend who owned his own trucks (2). He hauled coal locally. I went to my local DMV got all the paperwork nessesary. Got my physical at my family doctor. Studied and took the permit test on my own for the cost of $79.50 plus $57.00 for my physical. Contacted Mike and he taught me how to drive. We set up cones and he taught me to back. I went back to DMV contacted an examiner and took my skills test cost of $75.00. Passed my first time and recieved my class A no endorsments for much less than i would have owed any company for helping me get my license. Now i drive for mike in the second truck he has. I am not local though i haul charcoal from kentucky to philly on a dedicated run. I have a year of experiance now no at fault accidents. I had one that was kinda freak. I was parked along the haul road at a mine one day, and the road bank gave out under the truck and rolled me, not fun. i was okay but a little embarassed. So if you can find means to train yourself without using these super carriers do it and save yourself the headache.

Good for you!!! I like hearing about these types of successes!

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Sounds like you are one of the lucky ones that knows someone you can drive for if you don't go to school. Not so lucky on the freak accident though.

I know. I about choked. I was waiting on another driver to come out. Eating some crackers and tip. Not even enough time to relize what was going on. I thought i would be fired but all that happened was a nice what the heck was that comment and now i can't live it down. I did get a nice 08 W900 though so i'm not complaining any...lol

Maybe others will try that if it'll get them into a nice 08 W-900.
Ya reckon.

I am pretty lucky too as the school I am going to only costs about $500 and its one of the best in the state. I will have my CDL on Nov. 24th and then moving right into a job. Overall not bad. I could have learned a lot quicker than the 7 weeks that it takes but I am glad for the college credit too. Very happy with my choice also. Wish I could find a sweet job like yours though.

Hang on fx4.
The REAL learning has not yet begun.
So far, you've only gone through the EASY part.

Good luck.

I know and I can't wait. I told the instructor the other day that the class was getting a little too easy for me since I am getting comfortable in the truck so he is starting to take me on some routes downtown that are a little tricky. I loving it so far and can't wait to get on with a company.

Man-0-Man!
That brings back memories.

I had an instructor do me the same favor.
He found a narrow "S" curve street with cars parked on both sides,
and when I first saw it I uttered "Oh _ _ _ _!"
That, and the look on my face caused him to laugh so hard that he had
tears in his eyes and told me to wait a minute while he finished
laughing.

Long story short --- I made it through.
But the next morning when I arrived early for class, the other instructors
greeted me with Oh _ _ _ _! ---- and laughs.
I guess the story got around, and we all got a good laugh out of it.
Good for you, fx4!
I hope Big truck truckin' is all you hope it will be.
If you can have fun and enjoy truckin' it makes it SOOO much better.
And if you enjoy your own company it's a LOT less lonely.

BTW, have you seen much of the USA, ..... yet?
I found that seeing it, even through a windshield, was quite a treat.
OH!
And the Hawaiian Tropics Girls weren't hard to look at either.
But that's another story ------------------

That's one of those "You ain't gonna believe this, but..."!!!

I'm finishing up my training this week. We went up to Idaho Springs yesterday over I-70 from Denver. On our 2nd trip not even a mile from the Morrison exit (where we switched out drivers) and there was a Hills Bros. broke down in the right hand lane. Looked like he tried to make it over to the breakdown lane and didn't have enough momentum. His tail was sticking out and 2 "SuperTroopers" were there with him. It was on a blind curve. Caught the student driver by surprise, plus we got boxed in. Truck stalled, rather scarey there for a minute. The instructor kept his cool and helped get us out. The student driver wasn't to blame for the truck stalling either. he did very well.

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One Jedi is not worth a hundred battledroids, more like a thousand.

The best confidence builder is experience.