Profile For Desert_Rat

If you had led with his bad habits, etc. you wouldn't have caught any flack for that. It makes me sad when a vet doesn't present his best self. I'm glad you're getting a lot of seat time. I get to hit the range Monday. This whole week was tests and paperwork. Hope to pass you on the road one day Best of luck!

the truth!

Welcome to our forum Green Eyed Bandit!

I'd bet a thousand dollars the responses you are getting are completely unexpected from you. Just about all the information you have based your desires on are completely out of line. That's the modern day information highway. When it comes to trucking there is no end to the terrible advice on the internet. That is why we included the word "Truth" in the name on this website. We know how hard it is to decipher all the trash talk you wil come across when researching trucking. It is really sad.

Let me tell you a little about myself. I am currently a very satisfied driver who makes great money working for a mega carrier (Knight). When I started out my career I was very much misinformed, much like yourself. I wasted my own money on a private school and then I could not get a job. People hear there is a driver shortage and they think this will be an easy career to find employment in. That is not true! You need to be crystal clean in a lot of areas. Drugs, driving records, and employment records mean a lot in this industry. I was clean on all accounts and I still hit a wall of resistance.

It shows us that the only thing you know about this career is what you have gleaned from the internet. The internet is full of B.S. You are just parroting what you have seen. None of it is true. The only thing true is that Swift is the Radio Rambo's favorite whipping boy. How in the world do you think a company grows to be of such size as Swift? Let me give you a few clues...

• They have solid finances
• They provide great customer service
• They have great equipment
• They treat their employees well
• They maintain a strong customer base through a great reputation for service

I could go on and on, but I bet you are surprised you have never heard any positive things about Swift or the mega carriers. It is no surprise to me, but let me share one more little personal story about my trucking experiences. Not too long ago I had a flat tire on the road. I called it in to my mega carrier and they instructed me to go just about five miles down the road to a Petro truck repair location. Here is what happened when I got there: I walked up to the counter and told them my dilemma. They instructed me to pull into bay 3 and they would get right on it. Immediately another trucker in the waiting area erupts in an angry diatribe about how he has been waiting for hours to get his tire repaired, but they are letting me in ahead of him! "It isn't fair and it isn't right," he kept demanding. He probably worked for one of those companies you are so enamored with who pay upwards of 70 CPM. Here's what the guy at the counter shut him up with...

Your boss can't even figure out which credit card he isn't maxed out on so he can pay our bill. This guy's company will pay us before he is out the door. That is the kind of reputation they have out here for getting their repair work done.

You haven't even begun to understand the benefits of working for a big trucking company with a strong reputation in the industry. You have a lot to learn about the trucking industry, and you have a lot to learn before anyone pays you anything like 70 CPM. That is a pipe dream for you at this point. It will take you every bit of a year to even figure out how to be efficient and productive at this career. You should really reconsider how you make your start. The chosen few who make a career out of this are special people who excel at a special job. Don't get the cart before the horse. Don't think this is easy and you are going to be really good at it because you love to drive.

I am not trying to be tough on you, but I want you to realize how confused you are with the information you have gathered. This is a special career for special people. If you can fill the shoes of a truck driver then you have got some big feet! You have to prove all of that first. There is no short cut to becoming an asset in this industry. The numbers of failures are staggering. Get yourself off to a good start and that will help you considerably as you make the effort to be a trucker. One of the best decisions you can make is to start off right. That means letting a mega carrier train you and hire you. It is not the only way to go, but it is the best way in our opinion. You will understand all of this better once you get out here on your own and realize how challenging this really is.

We want the best for you. We really do. That is why we shoot straight with you. We know there is a whole subculture of truckers on the internet who think we are foolish with our advice. We know what works and we are all living examples of being very successful truckers. I make great money at a mega carrier. I don't want to reduce my pay by going with one of the companies you think are so great. You will find that it takes time to develop yourself in this career. That investment of time has turned out well for me.

Congratulations and good luck. I'm near the end of my first week of training with Swift now. See ya on the road.

I totally 1000% agree with you pack rat. I'm a vet in school with Swift and I'm grateful for the opportunity. OP , I don't understand your issue either. The vet in your class ALSO paid his taxes to be there in class. You really need to think about your statements and realize that his service allowed you to be where you are.

So what exactly is it you have against the veterans? Is it just Marine veterans, or just all veterans in general? Too bad your tax dollars were used for his CDL school.

Did you ever serve in any military branch?

I'm curious at how long you took to do your pre-trip this morning. Did you go straight from the sleeper into your pre-trip process? That's the only way I can think you were ready to go when your trainer got up from the times you listed.

Pretty cutting edge for Werner drivers. Here is the link to the story. Apologies if this was already posted.

https://www.truckinginfo.com/10160538/werner-enterprises-to-integrate-cummins-15l-natural-gas-hydrogen-engines

Thanks for the reply. I still don't have an ETA on getting my unit replaced/repaired. I even asked about getting a different model and was told no dice. Thats sort of frustrating. My unit is like 3 years old and does have all the remote reporting capability to the VA as well as the app which syncs with Bluetooth on my phone. I will probably be parked for 30+ days before I start CDL training if the Dr is a hard-ass and wants data because I will have to buy a new unit out of pocket. I have lost nearly 20 pounds since i stopped using it cuz my wife was all over me about my weight. Maybe I don't bring it up if they don't after they poke and prod me and dont see a reason to order a sleep study. Then I press on once I get my replaced/repaired unit in hand.

Congrats on your progress ! Im trying to get my ducks in a row to get started with my CDL training. My question to you. Ive got a VA supplied CPAP that's in the middle of a huge recall process. Manufacturer as well as VA told me not to use it until its repaired/replaced. I was in total compliance till i had to shut it down. I can pull the reports from the app that show compliance when I go for my DOT physical. Did it seem your Dr. was willing to work with you or was it a total shutdown?

thanks !!

What are your main takeaways from the school? Where do you connect with your mentor, at the school or at the terminal closest to your home?

Congrats ! im looking @ Roehl myself right now.