Profile For Lone Gunman

Rainy,

Thank you for your input ! I HAVE been thinking long & hard about this.

I'm guessing this was Jim Palmer. And I'm guessing you had a contract which you did not complete. Different company contracts say different things, some make you pay only if you pass the CDL. Others make you pay regardless. It is quite possible you have been put in a collection agency and could receive a bill in the near future. We just saw this on another thread with another driver and company.

So take a few things into consideration: 1). Do you still owe company 1? 2). Are you ready to stay the whole contract at a different company? 3) do you truly have what it takes to make it in trucking?

I ask because I was in the exact same boat. My trainer decided to leave my company and he wanted me to test before I was ready. I failed my first backing test. He refused to let me talk to other trainers for a different explanation. Then I refused to test until I got more backing. After talking to the dispatch manager, I was evaluated and given the backing time I needed. I passed the backing test with zero points. Got my CDL and kept on trucking.

Moral of the story, you quit and gave up. I kept at it and got what I needed. Some companies may frown upon that. This career takes persistence, decision making, problem solving, and determination. If you were in a bad situation out on the road, would you just get out of the truck and leave it? If you couldn't get in a dock would you fly home? We have to do problem solving on the road.

Be prepared to answer these questions to the next company. Be prepare to explain why you left and what will make this time different.

Some people will tell you it won't be on the DAC cause you were never hired. True. But, trucking companies find things out. If you try the "they were a bad company and its all their fault" route they will expect you to do the same with them.

You need to take responsibility for the situation and your decision to leave and demonstrate a willingness and determination to complete the contract.

Good luck

Bret, My apologies. I didn't realize you where quoting your article. Dan

First and foremost, Thank you for the honest replies. Not what I wanted to hear, But definitely what I NEEDED to hear !

That being said, I have to ask Bret where he got his quotes from ? I NEVER Badmouthed the company, I have no Ill will towards them whatsoever. It WAS my actions and I fully take responsibility for it. in fact I will always regret burning that bridge.

As of now I'm planning staying with my corrent job, and taking a CDL course at a local community college. Much like obtaining my GED at the age of 40, The CDL is just something gnawing at me to accomplish.

About a year ago I signed with a trucking company in Montana for training, I obtained my permit, went out with a great trainer for three weeks. The training went very well, and I feel I was a good driver however my backing skills where non existent !

This was communicated to the company by both myself & my trainer. ( I made it VERY clear my backing was weak & needed work back at the depot before going for my CDL driving exam.

Long story short... I arrived back at the yard on a Friday, and was told I was testing on MONDAY ! Expressed my concern about my lack of backing skills & was told "well at least you'll get the Pretrip out of the way"

Needless to say I completely failed the backing portion of the skills exam & was unable to take the road test.

In Montana you only get three chances to take the exam, I was ****ed, and felt I was forced to basically **** away one of my three chances.it really It ate away at me, I felt abandoned, and was missing home.

There was no mention of getting more practice, or when I would test again. The negative thoughts & feelings got the best of me and I just up and left !

So.. here I am a year later, I just started a great warehousing job.. but I miss the road & I'm seriously thinking of giving it another chance. OBVIOUSLY with a different company.

Thoughts ...

I've been interested in getting started with it, but I don't fully understand... Is it a computer game, or PS/x box ? ANY information would be appreciated !

Great ! Good luck and keep us posted !

Well, I went and did it. Finally had my fill of smart a$$ doctors, embittered nurses, crooked insurance companies (now that I think about it I may not get away from that one), sleazy drug company reps and all the other assorted curses of the healthcare industry in America today. I decided I was still young enough (46) to enjoy myself and knowing that I'm hopelessly strung out on driving and travel, why not combine the two and get my cdl.

So, day after tomorrow, July 27 2016, I begin my new career at Charlotte Truck Driving School. You should have seen the look on the DoN's (Director of Nursing) face when I handed in my resignation, along with several suggestions on what and where she she could shove various medical devices and my personal recommendation that she commit a fairly impossible act of self copulation. That had been building for five years and thanks to an impressive act of restraint, she had no idea I held her in such total contempt.

But I digress...

I have been lurking around this board for several months now, learning what I could and living vicariously threw the exploits of you professional drivers. I thought I'd just say hello and thanks to all the experienced, and not so experienced, drivers who have given me the guts to follow an old dream.

Like the title says, I just want to give a big Thank You !

The info, and knowledge I've garnered from this site has been very instrumental in helping me decide to follow my heart and enter the trucking industry. As I begin this new and exciting ( And yes, Scary ) career I will be looking to you all for insight & guidance.

Dan ~Lonegunman~

I just discovered her yesterday, I'm loving her videos !

Thanks for the info, I've been considering going this Route to get my CDL One question, what happens if your a bit slower to catch on ? Will they work with you a little longer, or are you more likely to be " let go"

Thanks in advance

It depends, most catch on, and they give you goals for the end of each week. We had a few struggle and they worked with them. If you fail the skills test, they work with you and hold you over until you can retest.

Ah man, Thanks for the reply ! I was hoping that was the answer, I'm debating going to a school, or roehl's program.

Thanks for the info, I've been considering going this Route to get my CDL One question, what happens if your a bit slower to catch on ? Will they work with you a little longer, or are you more likely to be " let go"

Thanks in advance