Millis Transfer training school

No, there is no additional physical. Also, your first physical is the only one you have to pay for. All physicals in the future are paid for by Millis, assuming you get hired.

 

Flymike is correct. $100 to reserve your spot in class. $400 due on the first day (MUST BE CASH). Your hotel room will have a refrigerator and a microwave. I strongly recommend finding a Walmart and getting your food there. Unfortunately, because of my particular circumstances, I was not always able to eat on the cheap because of how much road time I've been getting. But, your situation will most likely not be like mine. Also, my hotel has a free continental breakfast. It ain't the Ritz, but it's good enough. So that just leaves two meals a day and I can easily get by cheaply for the other two.

 

That will depend on you. I first contacted my recruiter in April and started in July. BUT...that was MY choice. I could have gone in May. I chose to wait. The recruiter will give you class start date options based on the school you choose to attend. They are not all on the same schedule. My particular location starts on the first Monday of every month. Other locations have different schedules.

 

Today was Georgia trip part 2. We started later than Bill and I wanted to. We were hoping to have our trailer loaded yesterday afternoon but that didn't happen. So, we left Georgia at 8:30. Because of that, we got caught in a nasty traffic jam on 75N In Tennessee. Stuck there in stop and go traffic for an hour. We we got to the accident scene, it was a semi and trailer on it's side. Tell me that wouldn't freak you out as a student. We continued on our way and got back to our yard around 6. Bill had mercy on me because of the long day and told me not to show up til 8 tomorrow. All of the requirements have long been fulfilled for this course, so he's giving me some much appreciated sleep tonight. I'm not sure where we're going tomorrow but I imagine it'll be a smaller run. Like 200-250. All told so far I have racked up 1635 miles. Feeling good about everything except downshifting under pressure. Did way better on the way home than on the way down. Looking forward to sleep tonight lol

 

Oh, by the way Flymike, my statement about weigh stations was not 100% correct. Apparently different states do different things. I went through a scale today that had different options. I think it was Georgia. They have something called a WIM scale. It stands for "weight in motion." Essentially you cruise over it at 35mph and it gives the state a close enough reading of your truck. We were very light, so we had no issues. I guess they used to put these scales on the road but truckers got wise to them and just drove in a different lane to avoid them. So now they do random pull-ins to check your weight without significantly slowing down truck traffic.

 

Today was more of the same. Drove from the school south through Cincinnati so I could go play with the idiot four-wheelers in very heavy traffic. We continued south for a bit then west to Indianapolis, then headed back home. Got another 375 miles today, bringing my grand total to 1920. Here's what I learned today. It doesn't matter what you think you know about trucking from friends, family, or stories from this site. Nothing can prepare you for being out in it. You will grow (and quickly) to hate four wheeled vehicles. And truckers that have no business being on the road. You will have close calls every single day. You will have cars cut you off. You will have cars and truckers in a hurry to pass you, and then come into your lane and reduce their speed. You will have jerks at truck stops that give you a hard time about something because they are mouth-breathers and they enjoy it. Welcome to trucking. Personally, I am enjoying every second of it, and I'd do it all again in a heartbeat

 

Understand

Pack a lunch my friend, this will be a long post. My first check is going to suck. Keep in mind that I have to run through 15000 miles at the training pay rate, which is 25cpm. That being said....that pay is arguably one of the best training pays out there. Plus, I already know that my trainer has a reputation for running very hard, and that is a good thing. That's going to teach me efficiency and time management. You are starting school next month which means my training won't even be finished by the time you graduate. So...your paychecks are going to be based SOLELY on one thing for you. Your availability, period. I have already prepared my wife for what is going to happen while I fulfill my contract. You need to decide how you want to run. There are 3 types of drivers. First is dedicated. You will be home a lot, you will do the same run everyday, you will most likely be running a day cab lacking room and creature comforts. Some guys like that, you might be one of them. The second is regional. You'll be driving a normal truck running within (typically) a 4 to 5 state area. Typically home regularly. The third is OTR. That'll be me. You will make the most money with this option, but your home time is minimal. My wife is already prepared for it and I have taken steps to ensure that life and finances run smoothly while I'm away. I plan on having 4 days at home, once a month. That's where the money is, and that's the reality of this job. Once I have a year or two under my belt, and a good safety record I can transition into a more desirable situation that allows for better pay and more home time. So...short story long...my paycheck will never be representative of what yours could be. It depends on what you want, and how hungry you are. This is the truest statement you will ever hear. Your availability will always dictate your pay. Even in the slow times. Dispatchers never forget someone that helped them out by taking an extra load to cover someone else.