Profile For Marc L.

Just G I just read your post. I am working with a recruiter at Veriha and am considering the company. Are you still with Veriha and can you tell me anything about how it’s been working for them since you completed your training?

I failed backing once and driving the manual twice. No one cares now. Clear your head and good luck.

So how does it work if you fail a portion of the test? Do you retake the whole thing written, skills and road test or just the portion you failed? How many chances do you get? Do you have to wait a certain amount of time between retakes? Just want to get my panicking done now before i get to the testing.

no driving in Mexico's Gay District" -

Whats this place? Never heard of it. Should there be a warning label?

Not sure where he's referring to exactly, I'm thinking Los Angeles somewhere. It's a derogatory term that he's used several times.

Laura

Thanks. Thats what i figured but as a newb not knowing all the trucking slang and what not i didnt want to assume.

no driving in Mexico's Gay District" -

Whats this place? Never heard of it. Should there be a warning label?

Apart from the very convenient 'one application for several companies' option on this great site, are there any good web sites that focus on trucking opportunities? Like a ZipRecruiter or Indeed but for trucking jobs?

I am starting a new trucking career. When my wife and I travel we like to observe all the trucks and wonder about the job. One of the topics has been ‘What do you want to haul for a living?’ We saw some car haulers recently and imagined what that would be like. Anyone experienced car haulers here that can comment on this type of cargo? What’s the job like hauling cars? Do you enjoy it? What carriers haul cars? How do you go about getting that gig?

I have been seeing recruitment materials for Knight advertising college tuition for drivers and their children. I have a pair of teenaged daughters so this is appealing to me. Anyone have experience with it? Is it for real? What’s the catch / requirements?

The biggest problem that companies face from drivers coming out of private schools is their attitude, perspective, and expectations. Most people attend private school because they think it puts them in a position of power.

What you are saying makes perfect sense. I have read the articles you and others have mentioned here about pros / cons of private school vs company school. Company school seems to have many advantages. I have been considering the private school option though not for the “position of power” thing. Someone that thinks that when they are applying for any job is simply foolish. What had me looking at privates is there are at least two large schools within 30 minutes of my home. It would be great to train there instead of being sequestered at some hotel for the first month of training. What will probably happen is I will apply to a bunch of company’s that offer sponsored training and hopefully have more than one offer to choose from. The deciding factor will likely be dollars and cents (sense?). Is the training paid? How long is the contract? How long am I paying off the training? If I am lucky maybe the company endorses the local schools and will let me go there for part I of training. A bother huge thing with the company sponsored is I can keep working my current job during the application process with the sponsored training carriers. Not sure I can swing that if I go the private route as it’s too much leave time I would have to burn.

On a side note the trucking truth cdl training course has become my new daily pass time. Why are fuses a required emergency item and not a first aid kit? *shrug* Haven’t gotten far enough in the training for that explanation yet. :)

Anyone have a review of Grand Rapids area CDL schools? There several but it looks like the biggest are the 160 Driving Academy and the FCG Truck Driver Training School. Any experience with those two?

This website has been great. Much more informative and helpful than other forums that seem to be written by the "terminal rats" that Mr. Aquila mentioned. Thank you to everyone for the time and support. I am much more confident in my decision moving forward with it. Now the next thing to concern myself with...the tests! Yesterday I took one of the CDL quizzes here. There were questions using terminology that I hadn't even heard of before. I tried using the best reasoning I could muster but only got three answers right. No other choice but to actually start learning I guess. Now where did I put that pepto as I feel a whole fresh round of anxiety coming on...