What has happened to this industry???

Since when did it become mandatory to have gone to a driving school?? I remember 15 years ago or so that it was pretty rare to see some one driving like an idiot through a parking lot or hitting something out in the open. What happened to courtesy among pro drivers? Instead of flashing lights to give the all clear to change lanes now they flash their freakin brights? I understand a lot of trucks have DTRL but the brights? And the immigrants? How can you communicate with shippers, receivers and dispatch if you can barely speak English? Some time on Youtube after a search of "stupid truck driver" provides more entertainment than it should. Here's where it rubs me the wrong way, I grew up around trucks and started driving after I got my license on my 18th birthday. I was taught by a driver who'd driven for 25 years. We didn't double clutch or go above third gear in a parking lot. Since then (16 years) I have spent a great share of my time transporting farm machinery, a lot of oversize, and maintaining most of the fleet. I spent a lot of time in classrooms over these years to earn degrees in many areas of truck repair. Had a good thing going for quite a while.
Those trucks have all been sold as the family trucking business went out due to some bad financial decisions by my step father. I can't afford a new enough tractor to lease to a decent company and I am really sick of the mechanic life and I really like driving. So I start applying at some local companies, bad idea as few of their trucks would pass DOT inspection. I applied at a larger company and they won't touch me because I didn't graduate trucker school and most of my experience in the last couple years is in the shop. Thank you Roehl transport. I live right in your back yard, my record is spotless (not even a log violation, EVER), ZERO accidents, no DUI's and they would rather hire a rookie from half way across the country. I told the recruiter to pass that on to the safety director and remember it when the side of a trailer is caved in because the rookie hit another truck IN A TRUCK STOP PARKING LOT just like the one on Youtube.
Am I really going to have to go to trucker school now just to pass the insurance requirements with a half million miles experience just because it was a couple years ago. The last family truck I drove I ran out to 1,460,000 miles and it only ever had 1 clutch put in it at 600,000. Had 900,000 plus when I got in it. Good grief!

 

I hear ya brother. These insurance requirements are ridiculous, they would rather put a newbie in the truck that has zero experience then put a good hand like yourself in it. Doesn't make a lick of sense to me either.

 

I am in the same boat.
Want to know about what I face?

I have 34 years in the towing and recovery industry of which the last 14 have been Heavy Duty towing.. Mix in 3.5 years of OTR when I burned out, (94 to 96 and 2000).
But I "do not know how to drive combination vehicles and I need to go to school to learn to back up!!!!"

But I am ok and approved to tow their tractor trailers in combination (makes me about 100 feet long and 110,000 pounds) for hundreds of miles and can back the whole combination into spaces at shops..

Yet, I am not qualified to drive a tractor trailer the trucking and insurance companies say.


GO FIGURE

 

:smt069Here we go again.....

 

Common sense does not seem to exist at the insurance companies.

 

The whole country has gone insane. Its not just Trucking. Its not going to get better until it gets a whole lot worse. The country has been taught to be sheep.

 

My boyfriend never got taught thru an overpriced school,his dad taught him.The mega carriers do require you attend a school but the smaller carriers with a more lenient insurance do not.There application process is basic compared to the 10 page application most the other carriers have.

 

With your background I can't beleive you can't find work with a flatbed outfit. Check with the usual ones like TMC and Maverick. There are a few more.

 

Hey guys & gals, This might not be the solution for each of you, but if you are a holder of an A w/X, can pee clean & can fog a mirror then there are dozens of oil field companies dying to have you. No, not all of them have great equipment, but some time out here will get you where you're wanting to go. I am one of those who got my CDL at the local JuCo and literally 2 weeks later was driving fuel in a bobtail and T/T. The money's great and it's helping me reach my goal of driving fuel local back in Dallas. For what it's worth. Good luck. Be safe.

 

It is SOCIETY overall not just TRUCKING , today it is a hassle / LAWSUIT over nothing ,

Look at Oprah , whining and crying on TV because a clerk in a Swedish store would not let her look at a purse , HEADLINES around the world , Swedish Goverment issued a statement , Poor Oprah Gee she made $70,000,000.00 in past 12 months , famous celebrity , clerk took her for a poor BLACK lady .

Then after finding out the purse was worth $37,000.00 Oprahs says " Would not of bought it anyway "