Profile For Andrew

I feel like I just sat through a science lecture lol

Adderall is not exactly an amphetamine. It's a dextro-amphetamine and although only one molecule difference - it is in fact different. A driver who is on dextro-amphetamine can still pass the DOT physical as long as the drug is prescribed as it is a Class II controlled substance.

I'm just curious: why did you go off of ADHD medication? ...If you don't mind my asking ...

-mountain girl

I have been on adderall, vyvanse or ritalin since elementary school.. I stopped taking them for the first time in my life this year for two reasons.. 1) B/c for awhile now I have wanted to see how clear I could be off the meds, in a way I wanted to understand how I functioned normally without a stimulant.. Hence now looking at alternatives.. 2) I have been under the impression that most trucking companies have MAJOR issues with people whom have adderall prescriptions.. I have been told both ways, that I can pass a DOT and it wouldn't be an issue and I have been told it would be a major issue.. So now I am trying to get out of the grey area in that regard and still address the issue at hand.. does that make sence?

I am looking into alternatives for my ADHD I have been off amphetamines for 6 months now and I struggle paying attention, I sleep to much etc.. I am looking into alternatives for these issues.. I want to live the safest and healthiest way when I get out on the road and I am curious if anyone who is in the trucking industry knows about or has experience with Nuvigil or Provigil...

Not really. It's more like there are a few places that have very limited opportunities compared with others:

1) Florida - very little freight comes out of Florida relatively speaking so a lot of companies won't run down there. Otherwise they wind up sitting for days trying to get a load out of there or spending a fortune on fuel to drive empty to Georgia or Alabama for a load.

2) The extreme Northeast like CT, MA, ME, NH, and VT. Not too many companies include the extreme Northeast in their major freight lanes so it's difficult to get people home up there.

3) The Upper Midwest and Upper Rocky Mountain Region - SD, ND, WY, MT. Again, very little activity up there relatively speaking so it's difficult to get people home.

4) The Carolinas on the East side of I-95 - NC, SC - just another areas that's a little less dense in the freight department. Some companies don't consider that part of their major freight lanes.

Pretty much anywhere outside of those areas are great for trucking. Those areas still have plenty of opportunities, just not as many as the more centralized regions of the country. You'll notice I didn't include the West Coast. The population is rather dense in OR, WA, and CA and there's plenty of freight that moves in and out of those states so they are not limited in their opportunities.

Appreciate the insight as always Mr Aquila

Wal Mart did not tell this driver to drive the truck. He made a conscious decision to get behind the wheel instead of letting his company know he was to tired to drive. I hope he gets the full amount of time allowed by law. Only way to keep stupid off the street is to lock it up.

Unfortunately Wal Mart will settle out of court most likely to avoid bad publicity. And it's not about money. Tracy Morgan does not need the money.

Thing is Wal Mart will have to pay the price because an adult could not admit he was to tired to drive.

Do companies hold it against drivers when they refuse to drive?

Is there a general area that is best to put down roots if you plan on being in the trucking industry for a living?

I was told my permit was only good for 180 days which ok.. and then I was told I can only get my cdl A permit twice in my lifetime? is that true or was the clerk misinformed?

Haha appreciate it Daniel, hows the new truck? (that was your new cherry balck one i saw this week right?)

I will be calling my first companies within the week, as I have just passed testing for my cdl class A permit in my state.. I am looking for tips on applying with in house company training for my cdl.. What are good questions to ask for myself/ to ask to seem knowledgeable/ to ask to seem desirable.. what are things i should without doubt be aware of before making first contact.. Should I contact my favorite company first?/ should I wait to contact them after a few to get a clue haha.. etc.. thank you for your time its much needed :)

I am new to the industry as well but I asked a lot of the same questions as you. As far as carrying a firearm, that is a big issue due to crossing state lines. Definitely a no-no. Some tips I've heard regarding a way to defend yourself is to give yourself plausibility for whatever you have in the truck. Like for instance if you wanna carry a baseball bat, carry a glove and ball as well. As far as parking I would say its as simple as not leaving anything in plain sight that might even appear valuable. One guy I spoke to has a sticker on his window of "his" dog that he put up to help as a deterrent by making someone think the dog may be in the truck. Other than that, try not to park way out in the back corner of a lot by yourself. Try to park with a group of trucks. If you have to park alone maybe make it in a parking lot of a business that allows truck parking. That could mean that security cameras are monitoring the lot. I have actually been surprised that really nobody that I've talked to has had any real horror stories. I'm sure there are people on here that can chime in way better than I can tho. And welcome in!

Thank you for the tips, I will become a baseball fan for sure when driving lol.. As for the dog sticker thats smart as well.. Im sure there are many people on here with horror stories.. even small ones like mountain girls where the gas cap was loose, that could have been a major loss..