Really would like to start truck driving please offer me advice!

They don't call habits, habits for a reason, what makes you so sure that the op isn't an addict? Or alcoholic? Really, do you know what it's going to take for op to go back to doing what he did whether it be drinking and or doing drugs? Or when the op is going to snap and go back?

Clearly the guy knew going into cdl school that drugs were out, but chose to ignore this? And you would be willing to allow someone who blatently figured the laws didn't apply to him/her to give a second chance and allow them to drive around your friends and family?.....good luck with that.

how do you know that op didn't show up to his cdl class high every morning, and if op did show up high how much did the op really learn? Stupid is as stupid does, I think I see a new movie coming out where taznt. plays the star role and op plays the lead....be watching for the preview of dumb and dumber 3.....(higher trucking)

 

@Lowa: If your post is directed at me, I have clearly stated my position, so I'm not going to present the same argument to multiple people. You're also putting words in my mouth if you are implying that the second chance subject had anything to do with the op. This sentence I do wish to address, though:

"And you would be willing to allow someone who blatently figured the laws didn't apply to him/her to give a second chance and allow them to drive around your friends and family?"

So, in your thirteen years of driving would you have us believe you've never blatantly broken at least one law, for example a fudged log, speeding, overweight load, etc?

 

no no I never have blatantly broken a law, as far as speeding, well most who know me say I'm one of the slowest drivers they knew. So speeding nope, I cannot afford to pay for a new donut shop in an area I dont live in.

2nd in 13 years of driving and using paper and e logs, well I log it as I do it, been inspected several times and not once a log book violation. I make sure everything matches up.

and as far as moving an overweight load, well this is kinda hard to do considering most areas have a scale where one can scale at.

so, my csa is at a plus 9, no tickets, no accidents, it's really not hard to do, and yes I still make a good living.

but by what you saying taz basically I'm stuck where I am at for last 3 days, and I haven't been popped for a drug test. And because of all this it should be ok for me to smoke some weed if I want without having to worry about the consequences? As long as it only bothers you and no one else then it should be ok in your book.

well, since you felt left out I changed the posting, and well I think I said it before if the shoe fits......well....

 

"no no I never have blatantly broken a law, as far as speeding, well most who know me say I'm one of the slowest drivers they knew. So speeding nope, I cannot afford to pay for a new donut shop in an area I dont live in."

Great to hear. If you can honestly say that, along with every other possible regulation in the book (particularly ones dealing with safety), then you have earned the right to hard line others. Don't be too harsh, though. Most people aren't perfect. They need to make mistakes. Mistakes are what builds character. Unless one is starting out with immaculate character, of course.

" but by what you saying taz basically I'm stuck where I am at for last 3 days, and I haven't been popped for a drug test. And because of all this it should be ok for me to smoke some weed if I want without having to worry about the consequences? As long as it only bothers you and no one else then it should be ok in your book."

I'm not following you at all here. Once again, you seem to be putting words in my mouth, or making assumptions as to what my point of view is. It would help if you'd quote me like I'm doing with you. Are you also alcohol free?

"well, since you felt left out I changed the posting, and well I think I said it before if the shoe fits......well...."

Huh? Oh, so your first post was in no way referring to anything I had previously said. Sorry for misreading the gist of your comments. I shall go back and read your edited text, then. Thank you for the inclusion.

 

First of all, I don't know which posting you were referring too...
2nd I do try to abide by the guidelines that are set forth either by company or gooberment
3rd I would have to agree that we all have made mistakes in the past some bigger than others some smaller. And yes by us individually making mistakes does help us out in order to become better drivers........but"....................

there are dumb mistakes that can be dealt with but there are worse mistakes that are made that don't necessarily make sense, and if we are hitting on those types of mistakes as using common sense does one really want someone out here driving around who is just a robot doesn't think on their own and won't use a little ounce of common sense?

as for me yes I maybe a little hard line, but I would say the reason for this is because I earned the right to be out here. I think drivers should earn their right to drive, not just handed a cdl, thrown in a truck with a so called trainer then Put loose solo, this is the biggest problem I have seen as a trainer myself. I have had students who thought just because they had a cdl, everything else should just be handed to them well I don't subscribe to that school and therefore they were off my truck quickly.

as far as being perfect, am I no, but everyday I strive for perfection, and if it isn't perfect I will keep trying til it is perfect. A wise person is one who learns by watching those around them make the mistakes and avoiding what they did, rather than make the mistake our selfs and be deemed the fool.

 

A wise person knows his/her limitations and realizes perfection is of deity status and not of the human race.

 

It doesn't really matter how many states legalize it, they all could, but as long as its against federal law, a trucker cant do it because they are regulated by the Federal Government. All governments will probably end up legalizing it because Colorado is already talking about how much money they are making off of it but until the Feds do, it will be illegal to truckers, unless they win some kind of case in court over it?

As for 900,000, true he goofed and he got caught at it. How many out there do you imagine did the same thing but didn't get caught? Those are the ones you need to worry about because they are probably still out there doing it as we speak. I don't think the road is anyplace for anyone who is intoxicated by anything but the only one I have control over is me. Chinatown is right in that everyone has an opinion and everyone is entitled to an opinion and the law does say if he follows a certain procedure he still can be a trucker and I think that is a fair law. You start holding 1 mistake against people in this country, pretty soon they will have to build a lot more prisons, because the ones they have will not hold that capacity of people. If a person tries and cant get a job, hes still got to live, so he will do what he has to in order to survive, especially if he has a family. So he basically has two choices- either clean up his act or pursue a life of crime and/or joblessness? Those that haven't been caught don't have to make that choice, at least not yet, which makes them much more of a threat to the people than 900,000 is so maybe he will make the right choice? But he should at least be given that choice. Again, that's just my opinion.

 

It may be legalized but it still won't be allowed in the industry. Employers, mostly hospitals, have already issued rules that state no tobacco at all allowed and they are testing for it. Trucking companies can easily do the same thing. Of course there will be those who don't care. The Fed could always issue a new rule too. For instance we aren't allowed to take certain painkillers and things like that.

 

I strive to be the best, and if one strives to be the best, then one will do what ever it takes to try not to make mistakes, and if we do learn from them and not do them again. Striving for perfection is no less than striving to be the best, the only difference is striving to be perfect is hard to do but one standards are much higher than someone who just strives to be the best.

perfection is attainable in many areas, bowling.....if one throws a perfect game means he/she threw all strikes, golf a perfect game would be a hole in one on each green. (This hasn't happened but people do get a hole in one every now again.) There are several instances where people achieve a perfection at something, so why should trucking be any different, or what we do in life be any different.

 

Good post here ^^^^^^ all drivers should strive for that perfect career....by perfect I mean accident free. It all starts with that 1st mile though , with the 1st safe mile behind you , all of the rest of them whether it's only one more or that 1st million , takes the desire to be the best....My career lasted over 40 years if you count the years as a teen...ended with 33 years at the same company. I figure at the very least 3 million miles give or take , Was I lucky you bet , several times , did I strive for perfection , absolutely , and after my last trip , that little plaque GSF gave me meant more to me than almost anything. Do I brag about...YES , every time I get the chance...It didn't happen by accident.