Its a done deal

I have a bus confirmation number. I leave Ft Myers FL on Friday and I will be in Waterloo IA on Sunday. School starts on Monday at 7 AM. I am happy to have the chance to get into what could be a new career. I have no illusions that it wont be hard, and I have no illusions it wont be cut throat. I do not have the money for a private school. The only one in my area wants 6 grand. And most of the company sponsored schools will not hire out of my area in SW Florida. But CRST will. So I plan on giving it everything I can. My kids are grown and on their own, so being away from home will not be the hardship it could be. I figure if a company is willing to pay for my school, and give me a shot, and only ask for 8 months to pay for that school, that is worth a shot. And from my perspective, where in my adult life, I have worked mostly as a land surveyor in Florida, hacking my way through swamps with a machete, trucking does not look to bad at all. I plan on keeping a good attitude and do what I can to make it work. Everything else that will be beyond my control, will be just that.

 

The school here would finance the tuition with 2000 down and 4000 paid back at 333 a month. The best reimbursement for the companies hiring out of that school would be less than half that a month. (Werner was the main one.) I am a home owner living in cape Coral. We have, more than once in the last several years led the nation in foreclosures. I have worked my butt off keeping my house. The street I live on has 8 houses and 5 of those went into foreclosure. Eventually I will get my money out of my house, just have to hang onto it long enough. I dont have 2000 dollars for the down payment right now on that school here. I do have the money to feed myself for 4 or 5 weeks it takes to get in a truck. (Also have enough to cover the cost of a ticket home, if it does not work out.) My wife works full time in Hospital admin. With my background though, I am not making enough, and we are constantly behind. My pay check for the two weeks before Christmas was 174 dollars, and it is not getting better anytime soon. I'm 52, and have worked since I was 15. And a lot of my work has been in supervising other people in my profession. In 2006 I made around 50,000 dollars before the property crash and my profession became totally irrelevant. I went back to college for a while, until I figured out, that at my age, the chances of repaying that debt in my lifetime are not too good. So believe me, I am not going in blind. At this point, I am willing to take my work ethic and take the risk.


I have read through every thread in here that had any substance, (meaning I concentrated on the ones with good discussion, and good questions, not just the "CRST fired me because I failed the drug test or had too many DUIs.) I have also personally talked to some people out of my area who have worked there, fulfilled the contract and gone on to other companies, and did alright when they were at CRST.


Not trying to be a know it all, and thanks for wishing me luck. I do appreciate it. And believe me, I am not a know it all about trucking. I am complete rookie at trucking. But I have been studying everyday now for a month for the written test, and I have worked for large companies, (Not as large as CRST) that had high turn over rates and sometimes were too big to give individuals the care they needed. The only thing I have to prove is that I am willing to work hard.

 

Oh, the nearest community colleges that offer it, are over 100 miles away from me. I would have to pay living expenses for 6 to 8 weeks, depending on the course.

 

Yep., you read it right.