new and due in springfield jan 27

hello all! im a new driver student, trainee, whatever you may call me....I have spent some good hours reading on the board here and decided to just post up this little thread and see if theres any advice that may come my way. I am coming out of a ten year stint as a mechanic, happens to be my love. I have been a Honda tech for the past few years and while the business is getting slow, I have decided to make a career change. I have been interested in making this change and feel now is the time to do it. I pretty much have my bag packed, sleeping bag and pillow for carry on, doing the greyhound thing and may take almost 2 days coming from north Georgia, Gainesville, more specifically. primary reasons for change is I don't want to turn wrenches the rest of my life and I see that where running solo I can request home time in different locales, I may be able to spend some of my hometime in Michigan and some here in noga, with my daughter.
im concentrating on the advantages and the opportunity to learn a new trade. I know that pulling off the first year of OTR driving will open up opportunities that can be endless. this change is what I make it. being a mechanic for all these years, I have become very attentive and I am a hands on learner. this is why I chose prime. I get to actually LEARN whats going on by doing it and living it from the start. not spending x amount of hours in a classroom and trying to stay awake. I have gotten my cdl permit already and I have all my paperwork in order to arrive with. I am in my late 30's and have gone through the speedbumps in life and while I do have many friends and such, I do spend my time mostly alone and I am a quiet person. so when asked if I had a problem with spending hours on end alone in a truck, I chuckled under my breath and replied, no maam, im good with that. Holly is my rep that has been helping me through this and have on occasion called out of the blue just to ask questions and she has always greeted me with a smile that I could hear over the phone.
this here is a point of survival for me, as I have given away all my belongings and have given up my apartment and job/career that I do dearly love! as I said, I do have kids and hope that this is a way to get my hometime to see them more (my boys in Michigan) and I don't see that the being alone will be that much of a factor. im used to it. 10-12 hour days and going home to an empty place. im good with it, not an issue for me. I have gotten nothing but good wishes and encouragement with this change and I have the confidence that I will succeed doing this. I have worked under adverse conditions before and I realize coming into this that its not going to be all cupcakes and daisies by NO means! I know I have to put in my dues, I have to learn how to do basic driving operations all over again, shifting, backing, driving all together for that matter. I will be soon be in control of a 80k lb missile and its not only MY safety but the safety of that family of 4/5 that are passing me on the side.

I do see those horror stories on here of the bad trainers, although I haven't really looked at the threads of bad loads as I know already that there will be good with the bad. its like working on cars, while each one is different, there are the headaches/nightmares and there are the ones that will present little problem and will be routine. as much as "routine" may be. I am very excited to do this and to get my feet in the door. I will say that believe I am a good driver and I believe that courtesy and safety are parts of that. im over the "80 mph itch" I had in my youth. you tend to become more attentive when your infant child is in the back seat and you have that on your mind while on the road. but alas, I do believe I am going to do good with this and not coming with too many expectations as I know what ever it is that I am expecting now, will become different once I get in that rig and start letting that clutch out. I know that im almost an ignorant fool walking into battle with a blind eye and I will have to pay attention and learn as much as I can and continue doing so once I am let out amongst the wolves.

my biggest concern is going to be matched up with a good trainer that is willing to take the time to teach and instruct and answer questions. I myself am a very polite person, taught and stuck with me to say please, thank you, ect. I am one to always respond with a sir or maam and I do hold doors open for strangers. not a holy roller but I try to live the best I can with God in my heart. I don't push it on people that will and love to talk about it. im very practically. not a high maintenance person and if I have to sit in the same jeans for three days, so be it. I do like to be presentable and I feel that I am a respectful person and I like to project that. as far as a trainer, I don't want to get stuck with one of these horror stories I read about. seems like the pitfalls of a bad trainer is what frustrates people and makes them quit. I have too much to loose by quitting and I say that while I really don't have anything to loose. im out to prove things to myself and provide for my children the best I can while doing this.

I could ramble but ill stop here. but I will say if there are trainers/instructors on here that want a good person to teach....find me on the pad! I just want someone who I can trust with what they are doing and by doing the training job correctly and efficiently then we will both benefit from this experience! good luck to the fellow trainees and we shall see you all soon in springfield next Monday!

 

thank you sir, was a bit of an introduction I know. really a quiet person and know when to keep my mouth shut...

 

I know that there will be a sort of introduction and interview process with a future trainer....looking for some of the right things to ask when I will be paired up with this person.

 

yes im heeding that particular advice due to what im reading....

 

I am a smoker, trying to quit, and I am from northeast Georgia. I have discussed that with my driver rep Holly, we went over those questions. I just hope to get paired up with someone who will see that im not out there not trying to bs my way into the industry. I am not really worried about where the trainer is from. although I would like to get the hometime, im more about learning as much as I can while im in that period of training. hometime will come.