Picking bugs off of you

Thanks for the help, but I will start at the beginning and take it slow. First typical story lost my job of 20 years in construction. My main focus has always been safety in work and life and as of date accident free.
The main reason going into professional driving is provide a sustainable living and to be a contributing citizen in our society.

Starting by checking into how to get an CDL you find out you need to go to school for most people. Choosing a school is over for me and feel that the school I have chosen will be able to allow me to obtain a CDL and is a reputable school as schools go. I did look into local collages and found that prices where higher and longer class time frames and larger student to instructor ratio’s. Safety is my main concern but money and time frame have to be considered. The local school I chosen is 4 to 1 instructor. I felt that I would get better training at a collage but after researching, the training is with the carrier and not so much the school.


Second is to find employment, it seems secretive by talking with the school or recruiters on the phone.
When Mr. bob from Warner was at our school he talked about a lot of things Warner had to offer and it had every thing I wanted. The only red flag I had was a comment about becoming a trainer after only six months trying to lintiest with income. I’ve done some hard thinking on this profession and realized it is very complex but really to become a trainer after only six months..

Now do I really know what I want,, that changes the more I find out about this industry. I trained a lot of younger guys in my last job and always told them it took a year before they understand what we did, and I think from what I’m hearing it might be the same as a professional driver.

-As a new-be there are many things I’m inquisitive about and might not know how to exactly ask questions correctly. But already I get a feeling I will find them out if listen carefully. I can tell that like my brother said drivers are the nicest people you’ll ever meet..

Oh my brother went thru a 3 week deal and drove for swift back in 2000 for a couple of years and then a hazmat tanker for a couple more and then retired early,, but really doesn’t give out much info about it except that there good numbers and bad numbers and you want to be a good number,, don’t trust driver mangers and a real driver is a safe driver.

I will post again as I just signed up after just viisting for a month,, again thank for all replys weather good or bad,, safe travels.

 

I do have trust issues with people and not with god. I just think about the greatest man that ever walked the earth was the most humblest as told. I believe the greatest threat to make kind is greed and deceit but this isn't about religion.

I do have a circle of trust with people and they are all family. But you do make a point in about laying down your life in that trucking is a very dangerous and should be treated with responsibility and accountability. But if you don't trust people who smoke I will not judge you only keep what you said in mind. But I'm using this forum as a tool to educate myself into make the best informed decisions and any information is valuable weather you or I agree with it or not.

I have just received the approval an hour ago that the funding thru the NWLB act was approved and will be starting my schooling for a CDL on January 3 2011. I was going to pay it out of my own pocket so I wouldn't be committed to any carrier as too things I have read about such situations other have gone thru.On the advice of my brother to have some one else pay for I used NWLB. Thank you tax payers.

This is a journey many have gone before me and I am going to try and take everything in and digest the best I can. Step one was making the comment to a life style change , a man/woman has to do what a man has to do. Step two is too get a CDL.

This is a very complex industry for a new-be and I know there is so much more to come. One step at a time.
You know when I got my S.S. card back in 1974 I laminated it. This forum help me realize I needed a new one, no one said anything about it when talking to schools or recruiters, it was some one else's post that tipped me off. Boy I haven't even started to research FMCSA let alone carriers. All I know is that I want to be a safe driver. I mean even if I do become a safe driver it could be short lived as a drivers driving record is every thing as I am learning. I know this is a process and new-be's will ask the darnest things and believe the key to any endeavor is information. I am thankful that there are people who are willing to share their information. I hope to share my journey for that reason.

Please keep a sense of hummer I'm not always so serious, life should be enjoyed because as Red Green said "we're all in this together" and I don't have a clue to who the old guy was in Home alone...may-be I should but new-be's "you got to keep an eye on them"..

 

Well I’m so full of bugs right now,,, almost have a up set stomach… plus my head hurts form hanging up side down for so long… I just don’t know if this is really worth it….. The more bugs I eat the more I wonder why anyone would want to be a trucker… but what do I know…

Oh I guess I should tell you for the slow ones,, bugs are information I get off this forum… I was hoping after I became a driver I could stand tall and quite being a monkey and stand tall and up right.

CDL school has been calling the phone off the hook,, think they want me to sign something,, humm I am wondering if they might have a different tune now. I know the WIA notice came to them,, CDL school told me it would take a minimum of 4 weeks if I tried to use the WIA program. Humm did it in two weeks.

They said the school will be closed on Monday but trying to get enough students for Tuesday January 4th on one of the voice messages left,, I’m thinking not so fast….yes when I was there two weeks ago and said I wanted a start date of January 3rd.. It was no problem ,, one starts every week. Oh well,, may-be in a week after.. Still want to clarify the contract and have to do the Drug and exam. Hoops got to love them…

Really this forum is a great,, nice bunch of people,, very helpful,, and thanks for all the bugs…..
Till next year…. Pure monkey