Any other similar experiences starting out like I've had in 2014? This has been hell

This is not brain surgery, heck it is not even rocket science. For company drivers all it is comprises, "get there on time, get there in one piece."


Mikeeee

 

ss98032, You're reading a post from someone who does know what you have and knows what it is like. I have ADD, I have overcome it through a lot of hard work and gave up things that I would have loved to do because I faced real facts - I can't do some things in life because of it. I have two other issues that make life difficult, one is SCDS (has to do with hearing and balance) and arthritis. I stopped crying about it a long time ago, I could never bring myself to worry about it since I made a decision to overcome it.

You asked for opinions, you got a lot of opinions that are valid and truthful. If these don't fit your needs, you need to change them. Seeing that many of us have the same problems or had the same problems as you do, there may be less sympathy towards the issues you have.

You made two comments that I think you need to rethink carefully,

the first one is this 'All I want to know, especially since some of the responses have been kind of demeaning and holier than thou, is has anyone else experienced such a rough start, but eventually, got it together and is now a solid professional, CDL driver?"

we all had rough starts (I went through hell getting to where I'm at today), some more than others but you think you deserve to get fluffy answers from people who work at a job that is one of the more dangerous ones, more so than being a cop or a fireman. I can't stress this enough - it isn't about YOU but others around you and their safety.

From my point of view and experience backing may be the problem on the surface but the worry, the anxiety about backing during your work day can distract you and make you unsafe. This is important to understand, most don't get the impact of focusing on something (obsessively which can happen with ADD) to the point of a form of 'tunnel vision' in the mind.

You mentioned being late, you lack proper time management skills as I did at one time. it takes a lot of work to get passed this issue, so face the fact that you can't manage your time correctly so there is no really good excuse outside of the truth. What happened is when you are told to do something and you get stressed about it, you will end up rushing and then get into a problem, an accident or situation which will end your job.

The other thing that gets me is this one

"I know that on the surface, one could (but not should) say, that "man, you're just not cut out for this"."

Yes someone should say it if they feel with their experience that YOU should not be a truck driver until you get over these problems - it needs to be said. YOU may never be able to back a trailer so you may have to just realise that and if it makes you feel your a quiter, then that's something you need to deal with. I never felt like a quiter in anything I did, I tried a lot of things and failed a bunch but that only made me stronger to move onto something else.

Again I will stress this - this isn't about YOU, it is about the safety of others around you. YOU are driving a 40 ton vehicle which can kill people easily.

 

To the typical driver who has never attained any significant degree of expertise in any other discipline, perhaps.

Everything seems simple and easy to the ignorant. God is in the details; the little things a "professional" consistently does that they don't have to do that so often makes the difference when it's too late to do them.

 

Yep. It's not brain surgery, but brain surgery could be required if you screw up.

 

I would not consider one high hook a determination that you are not cut out for trucking. I did it once or twice, I also pulled out once from under a trailer without disconnecting the air lines but luckily they somehow disconnected by themselves with no damage. Anyways, I call those things newbie screw ups. As a new driver your chances of having one or two of these incidents is high. As time passes and you get experienced and into a routine the chance of them happening drops exponentially.

Only you know if you're capable of learning to do this job in a safe and reasonably productive manner.

 

the glad hands are designed to disconnect when pulled apart, to avoid ripping the air lines apart. But they will likely fly off violently if you pull away and can cause damage by slamming into things.

 

I see, I didn't know that. You learn something new every day.

 

so drive a straight truck.

that's how I started out.