Don't Know if This Is The Right Decision or Not. Any advice?

I observed something while I was with my mentor regarding this that has always helped me. We were parked in a independent truck stop somewhere in Houston. About 3 or 4 parking spaces down from us was a very tight empty spot. I watch about 3 other drivers try to get I that spot, fail and give up. Then, this guy comes and he worked his way into that spot. He worked and worked, back and forth and I watched him while he was doing this. He never got flustered of frustrated. He just kept working his rig and slowly but surely worked it into that spot. Back and forth, little by little, he just kept at it and kept at it and finally he got it all the way in. So, I learned to just keep working it and it will eventually go where I need it to.
BTW, I also had 2 minor accidents within my first 3 weeks of being solo. First one was on day 3, busted a guy's chrome hubcap and put a 6" scratch on his front fender. I was doing the equivalent to a blind offset back, similar to the offset we tested on for our CDL, which is why I thought I could do it. However, it was dark and even though I had gotten out and looked, twice, I still hit him. I've been back to that truck stop several times since and realized I could have set it up as a regular back, not a blind-side. I just didn't see it that night. Second one was at around 3 weeks. I didn't pull out far enough before I turned and busted the headlight assembly on the guy next to me. I was thinking about upcoming traffic and weather and not paying the attention to what I was doing as I pulled out. Fortunately, I have not had any other accidents since then, although I did have an incident where I did not turn wide enough to make a corner and my trailer smashed into a heavy duty bollard at the entrance to a receiver one night. I bent the rim on one of my trailer tires. However, since no other vehicles were involved and I did no real damage to the bollard, just the rim on one of my trailer tires, it didn't go on my record as an accident. I just took my rig to a nearby terminal and they replaced the rim and the tire.

Lastly, I work for a different mega (Swift) and I get a few extra cpm for being a veteran and a couple more cpm for driving reefer. My checks and milage can vary alot but overall I average around 1800 to 2300 miles a week and usually net about $700 to $900. I know some do not have a good opinion or experience with Swift, but my experience has been very good and have no real complaints. My 2 'preventables' should drop off my driver rankings after 1 year, which will be around Thanksgiving. Unsure if they stay on any other record any longer than 1 year. But, considering both were minor and while I was VERY new (3 days and 3 weeks solo), I'm not really worried they will hurt me in the future, so long as I don't get any more.
Good luck to you. Hope things work out well!

 

I know this is not something every person can do. STILL, I can't seem to get some people to understand when you want to get a CDL. Before you "just" go sign away a year of your life to indentured Servitude, go check OUT A TRADE SCHOOL FIRST!!!!!!! Check out to see if there are any state grants. If you are a veteran you might have some VA benefits. It just breaks my heart watching people do this. Almost every trade school I know of has some kind of job placement department.

This is not to say that you can get a CDL with a school like the C1 school run by Drivers Solutions, it just means there MIGHT be a better less expensive option. It cost NOTHING to do an internet search and make that call.

I don't think it is that high, but I agree it is way higher than it should be. Sometimes a driver gets the school and another carrier to help with this.

You can thank movies like "Smokey and the Bandit" and even things like this----



I can NOT describe in the starkest of detail just how much I have come to despising when Hollywood does this crap!!!!!!

 

Right......one can blame Hollywood, but at the same time, it still baffles me that people think that interpretations through forms of entertainment is the real deal!

 

Life is what you make of it. I had been off 12 years due to illnesses and over 60yo, had driven 7.5 years with over one million miles with no tickets or accidents, last company was Crete Carrier as a trainer. C-1 accepted me for 4 week training, got my permit before went to school. They were like many schools to learn enough to pass the test, but in my case was all I needed. Backing been rusty, but heaven driving automatics.

I choose Pam over Swift. My mentor for two weeks knew he could only teach me about the electronics, he was older than me but much less experienced and was the most fun had in awhile, but life is what you make it. We still chat each day.

I was lucky and got very good DM, and started at .30cpm and stayed solo. Experience means huge, dedication to delivering on time, not having accidents ever in my life causes no problems for others. At six months became a mentor, I only have trainee 2 weeks, but instead of what company wants of 20 backs, they do 40 plus for me, we get off the interstate to run 2 lane and towns, I set them up to make small problems so better to know what to do with me then when alone. I talk constantly, even from the bunk, always saying they either did outstanding on a turn or how to set up better. If you go into mentoring just for the money, you more likely should not be a mentor. My trainees get 4-5 hours of night when truck not moving so we both get better sleep most of the time. And still about to drive 4500 miles combined. And the big part, each day I call each for first 30 days and every other day there after, they know they can call me 24/7 even on my days off, and I do wake up at 3 am.

If you not getting miles, ask to get a different DM, but you better be able to back it up with on time delivery. Plan you day better, start earlier if you can so you don't have to backing when most tired in middle of night.

Life truly how you live it.

 

I got a 2021 Peterbilt last November, finally got into decent shop 2 weeks ago for half dozen problems, but all happy.

Glad you made it 8 months so far. Pam is a good one year company, they always gotten me home on time, never less than 2200 miles in full week solo, but I am sending for pre-plan half way through current load. I try to do steady 8-8.5 hours a day and normally gets me above 3,000. Burning threw hours for me is not cost effective.

Good luck