Help a trucker wannabe out!

I spent a beautiful glorious day at the DMV today getting my Hazmat stuff finalized. I've never had a process take as long as this one did at the DMV. It's almost like the state of PA is trying to compete with NJ, the worst state for DMW service in the entire nation. After waiting for three hours, I found there was a problem with me in the system. The problem was that I was in the system already when I wasn't supposed to be. So I actually had to *leave* and come *back* to pick up my paper I needed to get my fingerprints done.

So I figured I'd make use of my time and drove to a place that does car registrations so I could renew mine (why the PA DMV doesn't do that is beyond me, but that's another story in and of itself). It turns out that the car registration places in the state of PA are all down due to a glitch with AT&T. So I would have to go *back* again for that.

So I went back to the DMV after driving for 35 miles with absolutely *nothing* accomplished. Fortunately when I got to the DMV the glitch was fixed and *seven* hours later my process was completed. That means tomorrow I can get my finger prints completed (it was supposed to be today but not possible with it takes *seven* hours for DMV to process simple forms).

So then I went *back* to the car registration place and that system was up again and I was able to get that taken care of. So tomorrow I need to get my fingerprinting completed, get the oil changed in my car, and get my car inspected. Knowing how inefficient things are, that may take me the whole day.

As for the company I'm going to go with, I'm going with Swift. Schneider said in so many words that I could go with them but would need to do an interview the end of next week. I let them know I was disappointed and that would not meet my schedule so I would need to pursue other options. It feels good to know Schneider would have taken me, but I'm not *as* disappointed as I would have been 6 weeks ago.

I really have to give some credit where credit is due, and I've read a lot of good things about Swift lately (and I do mean a lot of good things). Sometimes companies realize their mistakes and turn things around. That looks like it's the case with Swift. It's too bad that companies like Werner seem to be doing the very opposite. I still would have gone with Schneider, and they really would have been my first choice, but I can honestly say I'm happy to be going with Swift, and I plan to be a good employee of this company.

I'm the type of guy who not only works for a company, but takes pride in the company he's going with. I also am not the kind of guy who changes plans frequently, or strings a company along. So I decided I would not tell Swift that I would need another week, and I certainly wouldn't tell Swift that I decided not to work with them. There was always a small chance Schneider wouldn't have taken me.

So there you have it. I'm looking forward to attending my orientation with Swift on Monday. I feel I made the right decision since I needed a large company that goes throughout the country since I will want to transition over to Colorado as quickly as possible; I want to see my beautiful wife and son ASAP.

Thanks for all of the help and advice each of you has provided me. You really did help me succeed in all I undertook to make this transition. It is hardly over, and I still have a lot to accomplish, but I feel comforted knowing I have all of you there to support me, and hopefully I'll be able to support others as I learn the ropes myself.

I'm going to open a new thread under Swift and I'll go ahead and link it from here. I hope this thread remains a useful reference to those who have been reading it. I tried to make it as comprehensive as I could, and as informative as I could. I'll be sure to do that same thing with this new thread I develop.

Thanks for again for all of the assistance you've all provided me. You all are the best!

 

For those who want to follow me, here's the link to my new thread!

http://www.thetruckersreport.com/tr...t/118572-im-going-with-swift.html#post1462899