To the Wannabe Class of 2010!

IMO what separates the successes from the failures is not the aptitude or attitude for the job but, the aptitude and attitude for the lifestyle that goes with the job.

Really most anybody could drive a truck but most couldn't be a driver.

Just my $0.02

................... Jim

 

Neither!
Other than that..."No Comment"

....grandkids...you sure know how to make a guy feel old!

 

When I was looking to go to school I did a lot of reading in this forum. The big thing I noticed is that most of the people who failed (or say the company failed them) were a bunch of whiners. How are people going to succeed at something if they can't even handle the first month with a trainer who looks at them funny? Or the ones that give up because they have to wait a couple extra days for their first truck? Then of course, there are the ones who didn't realize OTR meant Over The Road. I think a lot of them never looked past their first load.

I too prestudied for the written exams. I studies for a couple days then passed. I had my permit before I started class. Unfortunately my school wasn't set up for me to advance beyond my fellow students so I had to advance myself. Of the people in my class, I could tell that some would succeed and some wouldn't. Others I was on the fence about.

Don't fall for the BS from recruiters, both company and school. They are just sales people. If you go into this with realistic expectations you are setting yourself up for success. Remember, you (we) are starting at the bottom of the barrel. Nobody is going to hold your hand. I wouldn't want them to. I'm not that kind of guy.

 

A most excellent post Vinsanity!

 

After you are hired, just do the job. Do not listen to everyone complain about this and that. If you are taking the money, do the work. If you have a gripe, tell the person above you, not another driver. If you really check around, there is not a dimes worth of difference between most large carriers, just a lot of truck driver opinion. After a year with one company and a good safety record, you will be able to go just about anywhere and get a driving job. AND STAY AWAY FROM ANY LEASE PURCHASE PROGRAM!!!

 

ahhhh you'd want them to hold your hand if "them" was a good looking model.

 

Why do people keep saying that "you will be able to go just about anywhere " ? There is no truth to that at all . Drivers are not giving up good jobs and very few carriers are hiring at all . It won't be much different in a year except every carrier will have a few thousand more applications from drivers all hoping to move to a better paying job .

 

A little bit of Back-Bone, a lott of Self-Will, a Determination that "Winning isn't everything, Its the only thing" and the strongest of confidense in yourself and your abilities can get you anywhere you want to go in life. Todays society is pretty much lazy, not self-motivated, and worries to much on what someone else says they can do or can't do. I will be starting my Trucking Career in 2010, I am 45 yrs old and have been working in textiles since I came out of high school for the same company. My wife and I have raised 4-children & have 8 grand-children and WE are all very proud people. WE are honest, descent, GOD loving people and my next 20yrs will be in TRUCKING if JESUS doesn't come back first, thats my story and I am sticking to it. Oh yeah, Phil.4:13 tells me that "I can do ALL THINGS through CHRIST JESUS who strenghtens ME. That is ALL i need to know...

 

I have been a manager in the food service industry for the past 10 years.Due to changes in the industry and my own personal decision I have left and am in the process of getting my CDL. The thing that I have learned is that no mater what company you go to (food service) you have the same people just different face and names, they are the same. Hard workers that come in no matter what do the job and are happy. Then you have the scamers the one that always have some reason why the job can not be done or it is someone Else fault why it can not be done can not take responsibility for their own action. Then there is the __it stirrers that always complain about what someone Else is doing or not doing or that the higher ups are not fair and are out to screw the employee. I feel that this is in all industries not just food service. So one should ask themselves what kind of worker are you and what do you need to improve the become the hard worker and temper the other two attributes Just my thought on thing