USA Truck refresher course

You almost have as many as I do. And away from trucks about as long roughly.

You will find that a big truck is like riding a bike in a few minutes. You just need a little time alone with a 18 wheeler in a few acres somewhere to break the rust off. It wont be pretty but it will benefit you quite a lot.

I was off OTR end of 2001. I did a little bit of trucking inside a Auction house using my old iron expereince for certain really special tractors for sale. But generally I was a crew boss herding 20 to 30 CDL Temps. Some know Automatic, some knows manual. A couple old ones if I AM LUCKY will be handed the old iron. And for some of these, it's almost like Manna from heaven, You can see them turn 21 again going back in time with joy as they bounce into those fine old tractors.

The new generation (Anyone under 40) they have to be taught to push a button and go for auto and those that knew nothing but push this button and go are taught just enough one gear manual to get a bobtail to and from the barn without looking bad or unsafe)

I got a yard jockey job once in Jacksonville Arkansas. 25 trailers to shuffle between a factory building and a shipping building a half mile away. Factory building had three docks the shipping building had 20. My very first backing in of a trailer with a pretty newish Ford 9000 (Which I really enjoy because of their ability to turn...) popped that trailer right into that dock in one move under the eyeballs of my supervisor who needed to know if I can do this or not.

By the end of the first hour I had recalled so many things forgotten from the OTR side. Half a day later Boss man says you wanna keep going? Sure if you need me to. Factory is 24/7

They are closed now, barbed wire coils and rusting with trees growing in the docks Ive worked with, the trees tell me from size that this is about 5 to 7 years ago that they closed.

You will remember many things very quickly as you go. I would not worry about being in a rush to complete a particular task like a refresher. In fact, I congratulate you and will openly say I am jealous. I am a medical patient permanently put out to pasture and not by choice. So whatever issues I have is not going to be a problem here because I won't allow it to be.

Remember that a refresher is good for you. Once you break your rust off and you clear the cobwebs from your logging etc. And update on the new laws and so on you will and should do very well.

If they tried to pay you .30 a mile, tell them #########. You require about 0.45 or better to start. Remember that inflation has been really ferocious since the 80's

 

Freymiller and Abilene Motor Express might hire you.
Don't go by what's on the website; just submit the app on their website. Freymiller's app is a short app and will take about 60 seconds to fill it out and submit it.
Abilene hired a guy that hadn't even driven a truck in 20 years.

 

Most drivers tell them too much, If you've been driving drive aways for say Bennett, and you have been running 48 states, then you have been runnning OTR. As far as you getting it back together, well about the time the door shuts it will be there, if you have 1 mil plus miles you dont need a refresher you need a truck. This industry loooks for ways to screw drivers.
Second stay away from the driver mills, Crete, Shaffer, Covenant, Swift, CRST, there all the same just different colors doors.

Have faith in yourself.

 

Alright......another one of us loving the Orient!
My buddy of many years recently married a Pinoy and plans to retire in PI in a few years.

 

Lots of smart, single women there with college or university degrees.
I know one guy that married a beautiful Pinoy girl and after bringing her to the USA she went to school in Las Vegas to be a card dealer. She's now making about $75K per year dealing cards in the casinos.