Starting A New Life-

Here we go....finally the committment to begin this life. My story: 63 years old and healthy (if a little overweight). 30 years in a radio broadcast career including network owned and operated station in San Francisco. Then spent 3 years living on the road in a motorhome. Eventually landed near the Twin Cities with new wife and two teenage step-daughters. When I first landed here in 2003 the only work I could get was at a Barnes and Noble making $7.25 an hour. But it was a job. Then spent a few years in banking before launching my own real estate brokerage. A few months ago I got a class B and began a part time job driving a school bus carrying America's most precious cargo. I've never not worked.

I need more. It's time to make a change. I'm not ready to quit anything at this point. I've spent weeks reading these blogs. Some are very inspiring (Markus), others not so much. The sharing of info from newbies to veterans is very, very useful. I've read the books written by veterans. Now it's time to poop or get off the pot.

After visiting some of the cdl schools in this area I made a choice. Starting next weekend I begin the cdl course at Heavy Metal in Inver Grove Heights, MN. If successful I'll complete in mid May doing weekends while fulfillling my bus obligations till the end of the school year in early June.

I've been researching companies and have narrowed my initial choices down to a few (but that could easily change given the good info coming from this site): Schneider, TCM, Maverick.


I will say that although I've only been driviing a bus for a few months the safety training is superb! We spend hours and hours studying the Smith System. Although I've driven 4 and 6 wheelers for decades I soon realized I've been getting away with some very dangerous habits on the road. Now I watch the 4-wheelers day to day and am amazed there are only 50,000 people killed a year on our streets and highways. Wow! Most drivers are lucky life isn't fair. If it were many more would be dead.

I hope to share my story as it evolves. Perhaps it will be useful to others. I know it will be useful to me to keep my thoughts clear and receive the feedback from those that know much more of this life than I. Stay tuned if you please...

 

Start mine on the 24th. It's the weekend class that runs 7 weeks. Good luck to you. Perhaps we'll cross paths at the school.