Have to start somewhere

i don't scare easily but your doing a good job here daytona!! lol i go to orientation this weekend. i am a little nervous due to some of the post i have read about their testing,both the physical and driving parts. then i read what your fm is doing to you. can you put in for a different fm? if my fm says i am intterupting his holiday and sending me to hell i will return the favor! all i can say is hope it goes better for you!

 

hi people,

i have been reading your posts but have not contributed for a few weeks. i am down to my last three days of cdl school and it has been more difficult then i thought it would be. i road test friday. i am 61 y.o. and also work at lowes full time. today we practiced driving in the dark and rain and that was a real eye opener,(if you can say your eyes are open at 2:45 am). i know some of you guys are probably laughing but it has been somewhat of a struggle for me. i have the top scores in class(97.4%) but my brain has turned to mush. i could use some encouragement if there is some out there. i am thinking TMC or ROEHL, any comments?

tanx so much- Dan

 

if your into being safe then roehl is the place to go. they have a way better saf-stat score. they are the top i believe still as far as that goes.(was in december) also from what i hear they treat you ok. just hang in there.as far as the night thing goes just be sure to watch the little red lights in the back when you make a turn! LOL good luck

 

Dan sounds like your doin awesome! I think youll do just fine. If it was between the two I would probably go with Roehl, but thats just my opinion. Whatever you choose I wish you the best of luck.

 

We have some old TMC drivers here and a lot of them (I've talked to) say they quit because they cared more about the equipment than the drivers. I guess they'd even come look inside your truck to make sure it was clean and make you wash it so many times per week.

 

daytona, I have not been on this site for very long but I did enjoy reading your posts. It looks to me that you are now seeing how drivers are treated out there. You are just one of the thousands out there. It looks like you give it your best shot and still come up a little short. Please don't be offended by that comment. My hat is off to you in so many ways. There are many others that do not know of this site and therefore cannot express there feelings of what happens out there. Let's face it, companies don't give a #### about you or any other driver. You are just a number and a truck to them. What a shame. I don't work otr and don't think I ever could. I am paid by the hour but not union. You said that you have not been home since easter. I don't know how you or anyone else can do it. Whenever I get to a truckstop, I always P/U those employment books. All I ever read into there adds is lies, lies, lies. I am so sorry for the experience you had. Although you have probably shown the light to other new drivers. If you constantly see adds for the same company, it means that they can't keep drivers. Why? Most of you know why.

The funny thing is, drivers still keep on applying for these same companies and think that it will be better for them. No offense but are they dense. What a pipe dream. I mean, what will it take to wake them up!

From the looks of your posts, it seems to me that you are someone who enjoys there job and tries to do the right thing. Your problem, like most, is that you are with a company that doesn't care (there are still some out there that do). My advise to you is find a company that pays by the hour or for all of your on duty time. Good luck and lets hope your post has helped someone.

 

I understand Daytona! We got sent home bobtail from Tipton, GA because they had no empty trailers and then had to bobtail back to Tipton, GA. They refused to pay us the bobtail back to GA even though they would have had we had a trailer... Go Figure.

After a 3000 mile week we finally got a 2000 mile run from El Paso to Tacoma, Wa. Killer start, except our truck needs repairs so here we sit in a hotel tonight while our truck is in the shop. Hopefully we will get out tomorrow night or Saturday and get some miles before the pay week ends.

 

Daytona and K&J .........I am so disappointed in hearing of what's been happening to you all lately. I have been following BOTH of your threads for the past few weeks and have to say your earlier posts are what has helped me to decide to come into this business. I have already committed to starting a CDL school on April 14. Now I have to say I am a little scared, but I have passed the point of no return. Already quit my job, so I could apply for grant money to pay for school.

I am now hoping that I choose the right company to go with after I graduate. IDC was actually on my list at one time, but it has since been removed.

Right now, I'd say my top 2 choices are Con-Way, and Gordon. With a couple others I have yet to do more research on.

I have already passed my physical today, and am awaiting test results for my drug scan. There is NO anxiety however, as I know it will be negative.

My 10 year MVR all fits on one page (clean as a whistle).

So as you can see, there's no turning back now!

I was thinking about starting my own thread so's all of ya's can follow MY trials and tribulations.....but I am not sure if I can do so while schooling.

Maybe I'll keep notes of daily ongoings and post an extensive update, weekly.

Would many of you folks be interested in ANOTHER newbies diary? LOL

if so, i'll see what I can do.

the great thing about the school i'm going to is it's only 45 miles from home, so i can sleep at home every night.

Hey you guys keep your chins up and I hope things turn around for y'all soon!!