With trucks governed at 62mph, they hardly live up to the name on the side, but at least they usually give you plenty of time to get there.

I wish you luck in your endeavours, and I in no means intend to discourage you, but if your wife is sick and needs assistance, especially with a 2.5 year old son, is this really the best idea? First you're going to be gone for 3 weeks for schooling, no hometime. You may get to go home for a couple days after that, then its back for orientation, which is just a couple days, then you either return home to wait for a mentor, or you head out with a mentor right away. While you are with a mentor, there typically is no hometime, that's 6 weeks out without seeing your family. Then once you finish training and get your own truck, you're home every 2 weeks, sometimes you're out even longer.

Again, I'm not trying to discourage you. In fact, if you follow thru with this, I wish you all the best. I just want you to understand what you are getting into and the stress is will put on your family. If my wife had any type of disability like that, I most certainly would not be out here, no matter how much I've wanted to do this.

Good luck, sincerely.

Originally Posted by OpenRoadGuy

After assessing my opportunities, I needed to choose a company that would meet my needs, and the needs of my family. I am currently located in East Stroudsburg, PA, and plan to move to Colorado Springs where my family recently moved.

My wife has multiple schlerosis, and needed the help and support of her family and extended family, so I needed to find a new career that would allow me to make that move. I could have found a job as a Work Analyst, or in Technical Assistance, etc. but I decided to do things right and take the opportunity to do what I've wanted to do for a long time, become a TRUCK DRIVER and has my 2.5 year old son would say, drive a, "BIIGGGG CHUCK".

So here I am, headed to orientation with Swift at 7 AM on Monday morning. I'll arrive at the Days Inn in Jonestown PA at 3 PM on Sunday and take a shuttle from the hotel to my destination company.

Based on the name of the company, I'm looking forward to speeding to delivery my loads quickly...or maybe that's just a name to market the company and I shouldn't get the wrong idea.....

Anybody else heading to the orientation in Harrisburg this Monday?

You should stay home and take care of your family, just like the 1st poster said. OTR is not fun gone three to four weeks then home for 3-4 days and then gone again

Good luck OpenRoad!! If you have read and studied the forums here then you should know what your getting into. And your still excited I wish you the best and hope you keep us posted.

Originally Posted by dodgeram440rt

With trucks governed at 62mph, they hardly live up to the name on the side, but at least they usually give you plenty of time to get there.

I wish you luck in your endeavours, and I in no means intend to discourage you, but if your wife is sick and needs assistance, especially with a 2.5 year old son, is this really the best idea? First you're going to be gone for 3 weeks for schooling, no hometime. You may get to go home for a couple days after that, then its back for orientation, which is just a couple days, then you either return home to wait for a mentor, or you head out with a mentor right away. While you are with a mentor, there typically is no hometime, that's 6 weeks out without seeing your family. Then once you finish training and get your own truck, you're home every 2 weeks, sometimes you're out even longer.

Again, I'm not trying to discourage you. In fact, if you follow thru with this, I wish you all the best. I just want you to understand what you are getting into and the stress is will put on your family. If my wife had any type of disability like that, I most certainly would not be out here, no matter how much I've wanted to do this.

Good luck, sincerely.

Thank God my wife has all of the support she needs. And she does need me, no doubt about it, and the plan is really to make that happen. Realistically it will be 6 months or so away (obviously I'll have *some* home time).

I've already been to school, so I'm going to an orientation and then I'll be out 6 weeks with a mentor. I already have another thread called "Help a Trucker Wannabe Out" and already discussed my family and options extensively.

Originally Posted by money baby

You should stay home and take care of your family, just like the 1st poster said. OTR is not fun gone three to four weeks then home for 3-4 days and then gone again

I plan to go local when I am able to. OTR is just to get the experience. Believe me I have a thread where I was provided with this advice, and I agree with it. It's hard to preach to the choir.

Good Luck ORG!! Were all rooting for you.

Originally Posted by OpenRoadGuy

After assessing my opportunities, I needed to choose a company that would meet my needs, and the needs of my family. I am currently located in East Stroudsburg, PA, and plan to move to Colorado Springs where my family recently moved.

My wife has multiple schlerosis, and needed the help and support of her family and extended family, so I needed to find a new career that would allow me to make that move. I could have found a job as a Work Analyst, or in Technical Assistance, etc. but I decided to do things right and take the opportunity to do what I've wanted to do for a long time, become a TRUCK DRIVER and has my 2.5 year old son would say, drive a, "BIIGGGG CHUCK".

So here I am, headed to orientation with Swift at 7 AM on Monday morning. I'll arrive at the Days Inn in Jonestown PA at 3 PM on Sunday and take a shuttle from the hotel to my destination company.

Based on the name of the company, I'm looking forward to speeding to delivery my loads quickly...or maybe that's just a name to market the company and I shouldn't get the wrong idea.....

Anybody else heading to the orientation in Harrisburg this Monday?

Best of luck to you! Keep us updated on your progress. We're pulling for you!