Newbie FAQ

The Cobra 29 is a decent one for the money. Keep your eyes open and you'll probably find one on sale at a T/S or online.

 

Hello all! I am a newb and am looking into Stevens. I just have a simple question. I was med retired after 9 years service in the navy for combat related post traumatic stress disorder. How will this effect me being able to become a driver. Please help me as I have experience driving tractor trailers in foreign and hostile countries and have been told I was a better driver than most of the equipment operators at my command. Trucking runs deep in my blood as I been around them my entire life. Any thoughts or ideas? Thanks

 

Here is a question for you. I'm starting with a company that is paying for the school which i'm good with. But is there a Union for company drivers not owner operators. or is that the same one.

 

Need some help with electronic logs. If I need to go and shower, eat, ect, do i put myself at off duty, not driving, or do i put it as my sleeper time?

 

Since you're not in the sleeper berth for those things, you wouldn't be able to log it as sleeper berth time. It would be off-duty.

 

What company would offer cdl training and have apu's i have heard millis doesnt have apu's, what about roehll?

 

If your not in the sleeper, you should be off duty, although many of us dont switch it back and forth as we get in and out of our sleeper so we just hit sleeper and forget it until morning.

 

Prime does. They provide training and they company trucks have APUs. If you go lease you can get an APU added in the cost. A lot of people don't like that the trucks are governed so slow but every driver for them I've talked to tells me they are a very safety oriented family atmosphere company.

 

So Im a wanna be trucker... new start is on the horizon, but not sure which is my best bet to go with? Big company trainng or CDL training school?
I know where I wanna end up...the oilfields. Have experience driving straight and box trucks, a school bus for 5 years and dump truck with my class B... but I want my class A. Have always loved driving, kids are grown so ready to get this going! Not afraid of hard work, dirt or long hours.
So everyone...what are your thoughts? No sugar coating please- life is too short to beat around the bush.
Thanks in advance y'all.

 

what about showers, meals, etc. how much a day usually? Surely you don't wait for time off to shower? New drivers starting out can expect how many miles a week? Can new drivers count on 400 miles a day or is that crazy thinking? Are they to drive 7 days a week 10 hrs. a day=70 or is it more 12 hrs 5 days then sat and sun for the other ten. just a couple of things wondering what to expect