Career Change and Advice

Riding with a trainer is the hardest period in trucking I experienced in my career. Mostly because I would barely get 2 hours of sleep in 8-10 hours of trying to sleep. I would get woken up by the bumps, etc. I'm a pretty light sleeper. I was ready to get my solo truck or quit after 8 weeks. If you can sleep through the neighbor mowing his grass outside your window, you may not have that problem.

 

@tscottme

Not sure where the flatbeds don’t back comes from. We sure do. And some really tight spaces.
Flatbed docks, black hole in the side of a building. 104 to 106 inches wide with a 102 inch wide trailer. That’s just the start.

 

I'd heard it multiple times the first few years I started driving in the mid-1990s. I've had several flatbedders express more concern about backing into what I thought were really easy spots, and I've had a one flat bed driver ask me to back his trailer into a shop door for a repair. Today, those same drivers would be considered backing legends compared to the fuel pump parking generation of drivers who have companies and trainers telling them to avoid backing at all costs. Dry van & reefer every load hits a door twice, plus parking at truck stops, daily. I'm not trying to make other drivers consider flatbed drivers bad at backing, I was relating mostly what I had heard over the years, which kind of fit what I saw first hand. I too have used inside dock doors all over MN and WI on a bright sunny day backing into a black hole. Sunfield, MI and Tecumsah, WI comes to mind for me. My "bad backing" comment should be understood as "if flatbed life has a problem, this is the problem I would mention." It's not "all flatbed drivers are terrible at backing." I did mention I didn't ever pull flatbed.

 

Do you smoke cigarettes?
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Question - "Have you ever smoked weed or used any other drugs?"
Answer - "No I haven't because I can't stand cigarette or weed smoke or odor."
or
"I smoke cigarettes but no weed because the odor of weed is disgusting."

 

Two new cdl school grads apply at the same company.
Both are asked if they've ever smoked weed.
1st applicant: "No, can't stand the smell of it."
2nd applicant: "Yes, but I quit 6 months ago."
Which one will be hired?

 

Yes, I when I was there I talked to other drivers who switched trainers. I happened to get lucky and get a good trainer, but the situation can get on your nerves at times no matter how good the matchup.

My advice is to keep your head down and gut it out unless it's truly unbearable...it might not feel like it at times but it's very temporary in the grand scheme.

 

And, if you want to see how good most trainers are, read the thread on here “Werner Trainer Craps Himself” just don’t have a mouthful of coffee when you start

 

Visit YouTube, Prime has some serious issues.

 

CDL Training Program - Wilson Logistics

• 545 East Evergreen St
  Strafford, MO 65757

Facilities - Wilson Logistics
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OTR Driver Jobs - Wilson Logistics

 

South Dakota is the easiest state to establish residency and then not have to pay state income taxes.
You don't have to rent or own a home in South Dakota. Just follow the instructions and stay in a motel for one day.
You are only required to return to South Dakota when you renew your CDL.
A few drivers on here did that and only took about a day or two.
Everything is done through the Post Office, motel room, DMV (to change cdl to South Dakota)
How To Establish Residency In South Dakota: A Step-By-Step Guide