Canadian looking to get into driving, will have lots of questions

Youre right Fort Mac will be gang busters to rebuild the place. WHOO.... money.

Hate to say it. The Fires taketh away and giveth.

 

This it true, I used to live up there actually. Along with the times I've drive up there for project work since then I can probably handle highway 63 blindfolded.

Thankfully its twinned now, back in the day being in a half ton took guts, it must have been terrifying in a larger vehicle.

 

Well in a larger vehicle.. eh.. I was at first neurotic trying not to mash the little cars for they know not what they do to me. Then I settled down.

Over the years there has been some really small bits of road that should be just a tractor trace on a farm or something here and there, no place for a road truck. I remember one that vanished entirely for several miles as I followed a series of flower meadows in Lancaster PA towards a brick yard 3 miles from any paved road. I thought to myself I must be mental or something out of Disney with this load it better be there. It was... ugh.

 

You're pushing 40 in Canadian or US years?

 

Canadian, so I'm still young enough to hook up with Taylor Swift and not be the creepy older guy (just the delusional one)

 

I've never worried about being the creepy older guy.

 

I have no intentions of hi-jacking this thread, but I have a lot of matched interest here. I'm 35, in Calgary, and I'd love to get my Class 1 and go OTR. I've been lurking here for about 3 months and finally got the nerve to post. Lol.

My situation differs, but at least for the time being, I'm driving a tow truck. With the company I'm with, we keep HOS (we run 120/14) and I have to take care of almost everything else like the big boys do. Went through a level 1 inspection last month too. Usually hang out in bobtail parking at the T/S in between calls.

So I'm subscribed. What schools have you looked at? I got my air brake with CCA and I quite liked the way they go about teaching you. Curious what others think about the options for schooling here.

Cheers!

 

The one I'm looking at is from the Derek Brown school. I can save a few bucks since I already have my airbrake endorsment from about 13 years ago when I had a class 3 licence. The cost should all things in (shorter course) be a bit less than $2000.

I plan on heading down to see them tomorrow or the next day and then get the ball rolling. Good luck to you too!

 

You said twice you've entered the USA as a tourist, correct? I don't see why all of a sudden hopping in a CMV would change your eligibility to cross. I'm Canadian, and I haven't been hassled over a record. I'd been across a few times as a tourist, yes I was nervous the first time across in a truck. I don't have two duis on my record, but you should be fine.

 

Yup, I have no fear as a tourist. But I'll want to make sure with the customs guys before I'd take a job that requires crossing the border for my own sake of mind if nothing else. I should also look into getting a pardon and or US entry waiver as well, but that's for another day.

The news for today is that I've registered and paid for my course starting Monday.

It's at the Derek Brown school here in town, includes 2 hours on a simulator before 14 hours of driving. The good thing is that the courses can be scheduled to fit my needs (for example I'll do a couple or so hours in the afternoons next Mon to Wed and then I'll figure out what works for the next week afterwards.

And all of the instruction is 1 on 1. Already met the lady who will be teaching me and I think we'll get along well. Seems easy to get along with.