Started w/ C-1 (Ft Wayne) on 9/13/10

Ive have been home for a couple of days, it certainly has been nice to get away from the grind, but I will admitt that I am ready to hit the road again. Too much stuff to try to cram into just a few days, do you really get any rest when your home? Sometimes NO.....lol

I'm starting to look at future options, my year is almost up. Whether I stay or go is still to be determined. One thing, I have looked at many trucking jobs recently, not applied, just looked. Certainly there seems to be ALOT more opportunity if you have endorsements (doubles/triples, tank, HAZMAT). So while I was home this trip I got out the CDL booklet and studied, took the endorsement tests (all three) and passed, just this morning! I have to wait two weeks on the HAZMAT background check but that will be no problem. Once that comes back I will be in alot better position.

It seems to me it will open alot more doors, at least from the reading I'm doing. I do know that, at least for me, it was benificial to drive for a while before I got any endorsements. I have a better understaning of how things work.

Lesson 501, maximize your potential by the half way point of your committment with USIT. Get endorsements early if you think you may lean that way. That way if you fail or have any sort of glich, you have time to recover. Be ready......the year goes fast!

 

I talk to a friend, that has been driving for about 11 years. He told me, the only way to make big money is to haul something different than dry van. Everyone has dry vans, and the competition is high, and the skill level is low, so the pay is less. Told me to make money, get HM, and tankers. that's where the money is. That or WalMart seems to not be afraid to pay good, just got to practice spells to convince them to hire you...lol

BTW...Harry did you get my other PM. I appreciate the help. I just really need to get someone different to help me, who is looking out for his team instead of himself.

 

Exactly! Every Tom, Dick & Harpo drives a box. I guess it would suffice to say, think outside the box?

Got my fingerprints completed for the background check. $ 89.25, it's an investment, and a tax write off...

 

Thanks for posting this and updating it with your experience on training. I've learned a lot by reading through your posts. I'm starting Driver Solutions CDL training on Monday, 8/8, in Indianapolis and will be with USA Truck. Sounds like it will be a good experience as long as I don't let myself listen to the naysayers. I've found this to be true at almost every placed I've worked in my life. You're there to work and get paid... bottom line.

 

As long as you are informed on what you're getting yourself into, and you want to work it shouldn't be "too" bad. Biggest thing I found from C1 and orientation is a lot of people weren't very informed on what they were getting themselves into, which is probably why a lot of people quit within the first couple weeks/months. But with you being on here, its a good first step as the recruiters aren't 100% correct on everything that they say.

 

More like 10%....LOL

I think you will be ok too. If you really want to do well, then keep your head up and push on. I have had some rough dealings, but I plan to do my time and make a career out of this.

 

I agree with my constitutes, the recruiters are a bit, shall we say, reckless with the truth. Put your nose to the grindstone and go. Make sure, make sure, make sure that this is what you want. A year can be a long time. Good luck.

 

The company is changing, new dispatch system now a month old has not helped things, if anything, things have slowed down. Miles seem to be down, not a whole lot with me, but lots of drivers I speak to. USIT published their 2q financial report, it confirms the miles per week are down, according to the report, avg miles per week per truck are 1940. Obviously some drivers more, some less.

The company is changing their business model to a regional fleet. The fleet managers have contacted their divers and asked the if they wanted to be otr or regional, but it does not appear either way you choose matters. I have not been further than 600 miles from my house, mostly the east coast. It's not what I signed up for, but at the end of the day what can you do.

8 months in, I think a choice well be in order. People on this site have expressed much of what is happening here, I have spent much time trying to refute it. I still stand by my personal experience, but man is it getting tough.

Good thing though, my background check came thru good for my hazmat endorsement, so at last I have all my endorsements now. Opens more doors.

New people considering this place, take heed in all opinions, please.

 

and since the new qualcomm system started i have been getting more pre plans than ever lot less down time for me.

 

I do have to agree with Thomas, I do get preplanned a lot more now with this new system. Today I got my next load assignment about 30 minutes before arriving at my final. Also today, I got my next load assignment for tomorrow after I deliver this load. The only thing I don't like so much is the load gets sent WAY to much. I think the load I'm currently on was sent a total of 4 or 5 times.