Hello from Lakeland, FL.

I can afford to pay for schooling out of pocket if necessary. I can drive to Sage daily, bout 40 minutes with rush hour traffic from the house. Thanks for the info.

Didn't even know about DOT Foods, will look into.

 

Information request sent to Sage Driving Academy. Also fired off a request to make contact with Heniff. Spoke with my neighbors son who was a driver and now the driver manager at Matheson Trigas. Looked at Saddle Creek, but lots of so so there.

David.

 

That's a honest reply and I can respect that. Wish I had a few people be the voice of opposition back when I had the dumb idea of becoming a mechanic. Being a mechanic and learning how to use tools has taught me tons, but it's not even close to all roses making what I do. Quite literally everyone, coworkers, service advisors, management, parts employee's, everyone is looking to stick the knife in your back. If there is a problem with the parts price, dock the tec's time. Wrong part ordered, tec's problem. Final bill too high, doc the tec's time. Advisor misquoted and the customer's unhappy, tec gets dinged again. Why labor is a intangible. It's not like the dealer had to pay a fixed price to put the part on the shelf. Being flat rate cost them nothing to make me stand there. Yes dealing with low life's, almost every single day is dealing with con artists, liars, and cheats. It's a job with almost nothing but negative reinforcement. Do it right, no one says a word. Moment you screwed up though and the world comes unglued. No one wakes up in the morning and says.... gosh I hope my engine chucks a rod through the block cause I'm wanna go see my mechanic. I'm sure everything I just mentioned is exactly the same for drivers within respect to the trade.

I staying hours after shift to get jobs out the door instead of going home is normal. Stayed late replacing a broken intake on the customers vehicle so they can have it first thing in the morning instead of a day later. Customer is elated that it's done early, thanks service advisor and even brings him a bottle of whisky. Me, got a hurt back and had to burn two weeks of vacation time to keep the bills paid. I Have no illusions that trucking is the same. Just replace driving late to make delivery date and falling off the trailer. Had to sleep in the car in the parking lot at work numerous time. Even slept on top of my tool box once when I was younger. Dam funny looking back on that now, not so much at the time.

 

I do appreciate all that are taking the time to chat with me. No I am not just charging headlong into this. This is a research and information gathering stage for me. I know full well that all these companies advertise and promise rainbows and unicorns and how you will make cash hand over fist, yep lies. Just like the dealership I use to work for is advertising $15,000.00 cash sign on bonus.... lol!!!!!!! Reality, 2k cause they will find a excuse on why you don't qualify for that much.

My eldest is grown and on his own now. My youngest has few years to go still. So I'm almost done with family raising. Away time from the wife can be a healthy thing. Being alone for hours on end is nothing new to me and I actually like it. I've been doing the anti social thing since before it was cool. The being alone for a good part of the work day is actually one the of the things that is attracting me to driving.

I would prefer the home daily to keep the house from burning down, but not against being out for the week and home weekends. Also not against he occasional long haul. My present work life is up at 6 to kiss the wife by in passing. Home at 6ish and get to deal with what ever needs attention till bed at 10. Wash, rinse, repeat Monday through Friday. Every third Saturday is a six day work week. Up at 5:30 to be at the shop before 7 till 5. Management is rumored to be thinking about making us work open to close Sundays too. There is no banking up time off or a different day off during the week. So running 14 hour days would not be big change.

I am fully aware that becoming a newly minted driver would me running crap times, long hours and possibly OTR to start. I'm not against that as long as there is a real and obtainable path forward to not do that.

Personally running flats, steps, and tanks appeals to me. Heavy haul on the onset does also, but I've slogged in the mud enough in life already and what little I've researched on heavy haul wouldn't jive with lifestyle.


David.