Starting out for rookies

yeah Matt...listen to Rick on this one....Make the wrong move and you will be gone ....If your really into it just make sure you dot your I's and cross your T's..

 

You will never know everything so please for everyone's safety keep your head out of your ###

 

You want to make it 40 yrs as i have...Let me lend you some advise... Look at your family..your kids..your home...then look in the Mirror and seriously ask yourself if this is the life for me..for my family.. 65% of new drivers fail in the first year..some because of the tensions from home and the pressure of the job..The long hours on the road..missing kids birthdays...missing holidays...missing anniverseries...the hurry up and wait game..lying dispatcher and shippers and recievers with attitudes. Tension can start when your gone 4 or 6 weeks at a time..Fights start easy with better halfs..Trust becomes a big issue out here..It can take a toll on the Best Marriages and relationships...Kids will cry cause they miss you...you will cry cause you miss them..You will see death and destruction out here...Lives shattered because of stupid mistakes and unfortunate accidents...some of you may never come home again..some of you may get divorced..some of you will quit and some of you will move on to local jobs..Life out here is a Choice we make i made that choice 40 yrs ago and i hold a college degree in business from the U of Ill. Trucking is for the Strong Willed..you have to be strong because each day brings new challenges..If your Weak you wil get Ate up and Spit Out and you will hate this industry. Some of you may think of us old guys as Super Truckers. the Truth is there is no super trucker we just know a little more than you new drivers do and if you spend time asking us we will help you out. you have to understand as a trucker we are a Rare Breed we are a brotherhood of Men and Women who have chosen a lifestyle most people would never choose. you just have to understand that it does take time to learn. today you have modern trucks. gps. on board communications back in the day we had nothng but a 21 channel cb radio and spring ride semi trucks that you could eat an ice cream cone and look like you missed your mouth each time. Take your time and dont sweat the small stuff.. learn and listen and respect each other and the older drivers. Dont be a CB rambo and make yourself look Bad. And always look presentable to shippers and recievers dont look like you just crawled out of a dumpster and make sure you keep your truck clean and fixed.. And always always remember DONT DRIVER OVER YOUR ABILITYS if you need to shut it down due to weather or your hours of service dont chance killing yourself because your tired or your dispatcher says keep going..or the road is icy.. We are American Truckers and the Public watches us each and every day... Good Luck New Drivers and i hope some of you make it as long as i have and one day post to the new drivers your thoughts .... RW

 

I have been reading these post for months now. I finally decided to take the plunge and signed to go to Napier Truck Driving school in Hamilton Ohio starting Febuary 13TH. I sold my RV and paid cash for the school . I put my life in storage and I am ready to devote the next 2 years to getting this new carreer started. I am 49 and single and in fairly good shape for my age with a clean record. So I hope i am doing the right thing. I am already living out of suitcases as I sold my mobile home and Harley too, Got my overhead as low as possible so I can survive the Dues process I have read so much about. It looks like there are roughly 30 companies that hire out of this school. I am hoping for as much time as possible with a good trainer so I can learn as much as possible before I go solo. I also hope to avoid forced New York until my skills are ready. Is this possible? I want to thank all the vet drivers here for all the info they share.

 

Roy look for a company that runs regional without running Ny.... That would be your best bet... most companies when your just a company driver are under a forced dispatch sorry to say... good luck to you Roy...

 

Thanks Road Warrior for the advice forced dispatch is what i thought but with any luck i will get a good trainer and be ready for that nut when I have to crack it.

 

Roy when you check out the companies ask if they have regionals. I train for Swift and I do 48 but most of the guys I trainedhave do Central they never go to NY or California.

 

i wonder really is starting off bad as people say or really is??

 

[quote="The Prophet";2414402]i wonder really is starting off bad as people say or really is??[/quote]


if you pick the wrong company to start with....it will be the worst exp of your life.



American Trucker

 

Thanks Desert Son I will be taking this advice to heart next week in school when the recruiters come in