Career Change

Hello everyone. After 25 years of law enforcement I have turned in my badge and am starting a new career...truck driver. This is something that has always interested me and now the time is right.


I've been lurking here on this forum as a guest for months and joined a week or so ago. This is my first post here. There is a lot of information here that I have found helpful. Some of you are really helpful and encouraging as well as truthful. Of course, like any other forum, I have noticed several keyboard commandos that seem to enjoy being sarcastic, hurtful, and tuff behind their computer. I will not engage in this behavior.


I'm very excited about my new career. I start training at Cross Country Truck Driver School, Thomasville, NC, on Monday, 01/02/2012. I already have two conditional offers of employment. (I will post about those in another folder.)


If anyone has any questions, just ask.

 

Yeah, I've already seen those words: "bottom feeder", "newbie", and "cdl mill" a lot. I must admit there was a time in my life that I also talked down to people using comments like that. But as I've gotten older I have developed more compassion for my fellow man and I understand that everybody has their own story. As I move forward I hope to encourage and help others and not berate them and make them feel insignificant.

One thing everyone must remember is that they had to start somewhere. The economy and our society is ever changing and this forces employers to adapt. The unfortunate thing is that truck driver training is much like law enforcement officer training.

There was a time that BLET (Basic Law Enforcement Training) was only started after there were enough QUALIFIED candidates to work. Officers were hired and completed field training and then went to BLET within one year of employment. Then the government got involved by way of community colleges. The local colleges discovered that if they started running BLET schools they would receive government money. So, they started "Rookie Mills." They have minimal requirements to attend and allow students who the adminstrators know will never be employable. It appears that truck driver schools do the same.

Anyway, I guess in the long run it all works out. Most of those that should not be qualified will eventually fall by the wayside and leave the better drivers to compete for the better jobs.

The bottom line is that the way the system is set up now is the cheapest way for the trucking companies to compete in the market. And we all know that the bottom line is all that matters to any business. If it is black then it is good. But if it is red then they won't last long.