Am I out of my mind for wanting to do this ?

Discussion in 'Flatbed Trucking Forum' started by SamuraiTater, Aug 11, 2017.

  1. Chinatown

    Chinatown Road Train Member

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    Hope all goes well with Senn Freight Lines.
    Honesty isn't always the best policy; life only goes 'round one time. Sorry what Melton did.
    Bulldog Hiway Express is in Charleston,SC if ever needed.

    This looks like a Senn truck:
    [​IMG]
     
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  3. SamuraiTater

    SamuraiTater Light Load Member

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    Back to school........


    Piloting a semi was very different than what I anticipated. I kind of figured I might have an advantage since I've driven stick shift cars all my life.

    Boy was I WRONG !

    There are so many engrained habits from driving stick shift cars you must de-program from your brain and it isn't easy. For me in particular it was over-traveling the clutch and wanting to get on the fuel before I was all the way off the clutch.

    My first experience in traffic was on Cherry road in Rock Hill. SC about 4:00 pm. That's a college town at the wrong time of day. At that point I'd had maybe a total of an hour behind the wheel on a couple of vacant, wooded highways where we went through the exercise of shifting up to 9th and back down to 4th.

    After 45 minutes in Rock Hill traffic my brain was fried. Before it becomes second nature you have to consciously think about EVERYTHING and there's a lot for your brain to process very rapidly. When we were done, I felt like I had a little squirrel doing back-flips in my head.

    If you look at my avatar, that's the last missile I ever fired. It was one of six sent to intercept four live (real warhead) missiles shot at us. They came screaming over the radar horizon doing mach 1. I didn't see the first one until 11.3 nautical miles. Things happened very fast that day. When it was over I had that little squirrel doing back-flips in my brain and I needed a half a pack of Marlboros to calm down again.

    Down-shifting a 40,000 lb vehicle on Cherry road for the first time was about as mentally taxing. :eek:
     
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  4. SamuraiTater

    SamuraiTater Light Load Member

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    I was confused by her after-the-fact text message. On the phone she clearly liked what she was hearing from me and as I said, she in so many words said, "Okay, I'm making you an offer". Then she started talking the logistics of getting me to Tulsa over the weekend. She had identified herself as THE senior recruiter at Melton and by all appearances, she had the authority to make hires.

    Yeah, at first I was a little insulted by the retraction. Then after speaking with her again the next morning and learning she had forwarded my info to someone up above her for the ultimate decision, I deduced they had likely balked at a medical condition they just didn't understand.

    I actually get this reaction a lot, particularly from general practitioner MD's who know enough to be alarmed and raise the red flag, but not enough to form a well educated, accurate opinion. When I show up at somebody's orientation, I'll have a letter from my primary care physician (who is an internal medicine guy and knows kidney diseases in detail) that explains in all the proper medical terms how I've had this condition forever, it's been monitored all my life, hasn't changed all my life and isn't a cause for concern. I can think of so many other issues people have that ARE major causes for concern such as obesity, diabetes and sleep apnea, yet those guys are allowed to drive.

    Yeah, I was disappointed missing out on Melton, then I started to figure maybe it was Melton who missed out on me. ;)
     
  5. Chinatown

    Chinatown Road Train Member

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    Maybe Senn won't need a new physical. Some companies accept the DOT medical card from CDL school.
     
  6. SamuraiTater

    SamuraiTater Light Load Member

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    I'm hoping they're small enough that they don't go overboard with their own doc. I'll keep my mouth shut unless they see something they're concerned about. Then I'll put their fears to rest with the proper documentation. If they decided to send me home, it's only an hour away.
     
  7. MACK E-6

    MACK E-6 Moderator Staff Member

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    Certainly not how I'd like to see those reels loaded...
     
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  8. Chinatown

    Chinatown Road Train Member

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    That's what I'd do also. If their doctor does say something, say "I didn't think about it because it's been that way all my life and the military didn't have a problem with it."
    Don't put it on the long form physical either, because companies get a copy of that.
     
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  9. TPS Report

    TPS Report Bobtail Member

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    Sounds like you have a plan.

    I'm a little older than you, will be 60 when I retire in a couple years and wanting to go into flatbeding at that time. Also, prior service Navy ET.

    Keep us updated on your progress when you have time.
     
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  10. Chinatown

    Chinatown Road Train Member

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    That's good; Twidget pulling a flatbed....lol.
     
  11. TPS Report

    TPS Report Bobtail Member

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    "Twidget" Wow, have not heard that in twentyfive plus years, brought a smile to my face. Thanks @Chinatown
     
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