Profile For MSDonna

Thank you so much for your input. I am pretty level headed and about "shock proof" I just don't like surprises. I appreciate the time you took to write the response. I am indebted to you. Donna

Hello. I am finishing up my CDL training here in NC and test Monday. Some may remember me as the police officer from NC who signed on a year ago when I was preparing to retire. Anyway, I am in school under a contract with P.A.M. Transport. I am a very loyal person and so appreciative that PAM has given me a chance to learn and drive for them. However I am hearing horror stories about pay and how they treat their drivers. I don't take everything I hear as gospel but I am curious as to the opinions of others here at TT. I really don't want to jump ship after my year but rather grow with the company and do a great job and become a mentor. Then again I worry if my efforts will be appreciated. Am I making a good career choice? Oh, and there is a rumor going around here at school that if you miss an exit ramp with PAM during your route you have to pay for each mile you go pass the exit off the route. Please tell me that is not the case.... thanks. DG

First day with Swift Academy today about 22 potential drivers showed up, 10 days before Christmas. What I wished I had known was that almost nothing was done this day! The class started at 6am. Nothing happened other than we were supposed to wait in the classroom. Around 8, they started calling us for the drug test. Also, some clerks checked & copied our DOT physical papers. Swift bought lunch at their snack bar. (We're on our own for all meals after this.)

Some people were weeded out of the group for lacking in various requirements, the students without a CDL learners permit were taken to another room.

Hints for people heading for the next class: Don't forget to drink water or coffee in the morning, and hold it till the pee test. It's not listed in things to bring, but the instructor asked everyone to have a 6" ruler to draw straight lines in our driver logs. Bring something to read/do while you're waiting. Bring your cell phone wall charger. Make friends - you'll be spending a lot of time with your new friends over the next three weeks!

Being the week before Christmas, we do have one adjustment to the schedule: Christmas day off. The rest of the time, including New Years Day, we'll be studying and driving.

Thanks great POST. I go to SWIFT school Monday in Richmond

Last week I finished the Swift Academy & received my Mississippi CDL-A. Tomorrow (Tuesday January 13) I go to the Swift Terminal in Memphis for orientation. I'll try to keep you updated to what goes on in Swift's Orientation program. I live locally so I won't be in the hotel, but It's a better brand name than the one near the Academy!

Thank you for the encouraging words. To answer some of your questions, I chose SWIFT because I investigated the company, liked what I saw, spent time out as a rider with them and know their procedures and such. I was comfortable with them and I believe it is a solid company that will keep me running. Secondly, the question was posed about me carrying my firearm. I will not keep my weapon with me on the truck. First it is against the companies policy (I have already read their entire drivers manual) and I have my passport and FAST card so I want to drive to Mexico and Canada. I have a former Chief who chose to drive a semi after retirement and I hear a lot of cops do it because we drive many miles while on patrol. We are used to scanning and the safety end of being a responsible driver. Also I am an introvert. I enjoy working solo. I was happy to see another officers post here that they too are interested in trucking. My mother has been a dispatch coordinator for Wal-Mart for 21 years and she has been so helpful. But I have to tell ya, she was shocked when I came home for Christmas and told everybody my choice. You could have dropped a tack and heard it across the world. (Follow me on facebook msblueventures. I will be glad to give you ideas as I have kept excellent notes, ha!~ feels like I am putting together a DA discovery) ...............Thanks All!

Hello group...I am hesitant to post as I have done so in other forums and got nothing but negative or insulting comments. Yes, a major crimes detective CAN become a truck driver!!

I did remember having posted here a year ago when I was fresh out of the gate about my decision to go OTR. It was just an idea I was entertaining at the time but a few people here responded and supported me. So I hope this gets to them.

My name is Donna and I did retire from law enforcement from the outer banks of NC, moved in with my parents to save money. I put my things in storage, have study every manual I could find at the library and obtained my CDL permit. I knew I wanted to go out on the road to see if this is something for me so I was able to find two drivers who would take me out. I stayed 6 weeks OTR and went out west.

I did very well and I learned a lot. Being a woman (even with a gun) intimidated me a lil at some of the truck stops. Especially Near Texas and Mexico. But I can handle it.

I have decided to pursue this to the end. I obtained my DOT physical yesterday and signed on with a major truck line today. I start training Monday March 9. I was NOT impressed with the response I got from recruiters. I searched every trucking company that would train me. Recruiters seem not to know much. Some couldn't even tell me how much a CDL costs in the state I would be training in or other important stuff I wanted to know. This was disappointing. I do want to mentor eventually and maybe become a recruiter. But not until I can prepare the driver for this career, not just push him out there.

Well, thanks for being there for me in the early days and I have started making videos and I have already given you mention.

Take Care and Safe Travels.

Donna "Casey" Greene

Please allow me to say I really enjoy each of you and your comments. I support every trucker out on the road and try to watch out for you guys best I can. I hope when I retire in 18 months I will join you. In regards to this posting, I must say....cameras suck if they are monitoring your every move and word. As a police officer I was just issued a body cam. That's in addition to my patrol car front camera. This body cam records every 20 seconds regardless if it is on or not and then rewinds and records again another 20 seconds and so on. It can be activated by me pushing a button on the receiver that I wear on my belt or in my shirt or it can be activated by remote (cellphone)...If the record button is pressed it saves the recording of the previous 20 seconds. I can not ever erase any data. It is in there until Admin gets it. This sucks when I got to the bathroom. I try to remember to put that damn thing in my pocket every time I go but I am sure I have missed a few times lol...so....hopefully it was recorded over. I have to either wear this body cam on my shoulder or on my eyeglasses. Which looks weird and intimidating. Now my car cam comes on when my blue lights come on and I have to remember to turn it off. Sometimes when I go by a business or house that is armed with a security alarm the frequency has set of my dash cam. All in all tho if you have a lap top or other device in your vehicle that has a live cam portal used for Skype or other telecommuting face to face camera...I hear it can be activated remotely as well so your probably being recorded/watched anyway. I keep tape over mine. We are also monitored by way of an agency cell phone 24 hours a day 365 days a week with global positioning. They can tell where we are if they want to. Even when we are off duty. And lastly when we are back on duty we have an on board computer for dispatch to calls and running plates and drivers license etc... I had a 911 operator show me that when my computer is on and logged in to the system, she can see where I patrol, stop and go all shift. The ideal behind that was to make sure we were going the right way to a call.... hmmm....I am like most of you, I don't want someone looking at me all the time as I would feel with a camera turned on you. I support dash cams and rear cams. They will save your butt. For some great spare time viewing Google wrecks caught on dash cam...very interesting... Also from what I am being told, vehicle manufactures now have modules on the newer cars and trucks that will record your actions moments just prior to a hard impact. Braking, steering, speed, etc...Kinda like a planes black box. So that data is going to be there. I guess I am trying to say, I wouldn't want to feel that someone was starring at me all the time and I would rather have some privacy behind the wheel. Then again, I should be used to it by now huh?

Thank you Winetaster for your posts. I am leaving a career of 24 years as a L.E.O. and feel the same way as you did when you left your "guaranteed job" or there about. I really liked your step by step approach. I am taking this slow as I don't want to make a mistake at any level. As a cop I can be aggressive and know how to get things across in a respectful manner when I have to but I am unlike most officers as I am pretty down to earth and have had a hard road to follow coming up. I know what it is like to struggle and have to put up with BS. I do so much appreciate your contributions to the trucking industry and us new drivers. God Bless and oh, I serve in the OBX of NC. Glad to see your from my home state. Take care buddy MSDonna

LilRichie, Larry E, and Terry C,

I spent all day yesterday watching youtube and listening to drivers explain the industry. And I mean all day. I pulled out my lap top at the kitchen table, put in my ear phones (which add so much clarity) and watched trucker blogs. Some drivers are really entertaining. I found out how hard it is for truckers. From leaving a dock with a heavy load where there is no weigh scales and busting your hump to get to one only to find a cop waiting at the gate to stop you (man that ticked me off and you know already I am a cop) - and why I am on that I was watching a two man crew blog video where a cop stopped them for texting and no seat belt when in fact they were filming a new blog at the time and she was clearly wearing an orange seat belt and no where near her phone. This is just harassment. I put that on my facebook page because I have alot of friends on FB that work for the state working weigh stations and interstates...Any way - truckers have a hard time. I also noticed that a lot of truckers were talking about how there was no support towards each other in the field. How there was CB bashing of each other, no one offering to help spot each other in a tight squeeze and how women were not respected in a mans field of work. I tell you, watching all that perspective from different posters I got discouraged. I am leaving a career field where all that is going on (I suppose that means I would be use to it) and I sure don't wont to get involved with a lot of ugly attitudes. Tell me, what have you guys experienced out there with other truckers? I am not a social butterfly. I keep to myself most of the time and will be the first to step up to help someone but I don't stick around and gab. I just want to get it there and back. How does a woman truck driver gain respect out there? or at least not run over. Any way, as far a training goes - I think I am still gonna stick with getting my CDL on my own and then sign up with a company. I know in this scenario I may have to go through training twice but at least I will reduce my chances of failure. I have been watching backing videos over and over and I think I will be better at it than I thought. We will see...My current work schedule gives me 14 days off a month. So, I have been asking my trucking friends if I can ride with them on a trip or two to see how it really is on the road but they have company policies where they can't have passengers. If any one out there is willing to let me ride with them, I would like to. As long as I can carry my Glock. (and its on a professional basis - aint looking no hook up, got no time for that!) Well, I am starting my shift soon. Thanks for the intel guys. I sure enjoy hearing from you. MSDonna

Thanks for sharing this. Is it dangerous to truck through there? Are there any places you go where you keep your head down? Just curious. I would rather you tell me than find out on my own. Thanks. MSDonna