The Adventure Begins!

I posted a thread awhile back, asking for advice regarding my husband who has kept a CDL through the years, while not actively truck driving. Actually, he never really did OTR at all. He needed it when he was working for a feed/seed/fertilizer business, mostly spreading fertilizer, but doing a little local hauling here and there. Recently his job (not the fertilizer one, he left that one 15 years ago) was eliminated and he's been looking for a new career at age 65. We received some great feedback in that thread, which is greatly appreciated. He's had some other potential opportunities, outside of trucking, that he wanted to pursue and those have now fallen through. In the meantime he'd been in touch with Jones Brother's Trucking, a flatbed company, out of Missoula, MT (we live in MT) and after applying and talks over the phone, they invited him to go visit face to face. We did that today and he will be starting training/orientation with them, this coming Monday! They said the training could be anywhere from 2 to 6 weeks, or even longer if he or they feel he needs it, all depending on how he picks up on everything. It sounds like they provide excellent training. They are very serious about it. I think for him, the actual driving and maneuvering etc. won't be the issue so much as the book stuff, which he'll find more tedious, but will get through.

We're excited! By the way, hope it's not weird that I'm the one posting here. He's just not the kind of guy to do it but he enjoys reading and hearing about what I read, the forums.

 

Keep the forum posted on his progress and good luck with the new adventure.

 

Well, tell him congratulations on the new career.
Jones Bros. has a rider program, so maybe you can ride along on some trips with him.

 

Good Luck !

 

Congrats on your husband getting in with them.Chinatown suggested I try them also.They are my first choice to apply to when I get ready.I just got my trusted traveler card approved so when I fly up for the in person interview I plan to swing over to their yard .

 

That is hopefully the plan! For right now, I'm working, plus we have a dog and a cat, so we'll have to figure all that out. Also, I think we got the idea for Jones Bros from you, so thank you for that!

 

Jones bros is a good company. Im with dsv out of missoula , been here about 2 almost 3 months and they is taking good care of me , some good flatbed companies up in montana , hope everything works out for u guys , be safe out there,

 

I like driving around up there. Beautiful country. If you drive in from Idaho some of the best scenes probably ever.

Not last Christmas, but the Christmas before I spent at a TA outside of Billings.

Last Christmas they sent me home. Have some senority now I guess. Lol

 

Congratulations!!!! I enjoyed your earlier post and thanks for the update

 

Just fyi, flatbed isn't always easy. Tarps are heavy, everything you use can hurt you. Always watch everything and know where your equipment is. Get a strap winder, it saves time and effort. Figure out a routine of unstrapping, untarping and putting equipment away. It makes you faster and more efficient.

Biggest thing. Don't get in a hurry. Dont worry about what other guys are doing. But if you have a question or dont know, dont be afraid to ask. If you're untarping somewhere and there's another guy doing the same, help them with their tarps. It takes 2 people 5min to fold up a tarp instead of 1 guy 15min.

Be ready to deal with forklift drivers. Some are great, some you want to run over. Also be ready for the unexpected to happen with your load. Think your straps are tight? Don't worry the load will settle just enough that you can pull over 25mi down the road to tighten them (part of reason for the load check rule).

Welcome to flatbed.