Profile For Michael C.

When I was I was a OTR driver I stayed out 4 weeks and was home 4 days. For the first 7 months I enjoyed it. But after that my mood started changing. It wasn't boredom or the long hours that got to me. It was the loneliness. Not spendind time with with family and friends. Missing out on things because you are on the road for weeks or months at a time. The depression kicked in and really got to me. But I will say this to anyone looking to get into OTR trucking just because it didn't work for me doesn't mean it wouldn't work for you. No matter what finish that first year. I did 17 months. That OTR experience will help you land a decent paying local driving job.

I used this program to pass my test 17 months ago. I would read the that section of the Manual and then take the test. If I missed a question I would reread that part and test again. It is a great setup.

I suffer from sleep Apnea and had no problem becoming a truck driver. Just make sure you stay compliant with your your treatment.

If this is the skills test then just remember that the man sitting next to you is only the scorekeeper. He is not your enemy or friend and is not out to get you. His only job is to Keep score. Most of the people that I see fail is do to nerves. The best suggestion I can give to people is to make to make that truck your ***** and drive. ;)

so how long do you stay out before taking home time? I'm still kind a new but I try to stay out five weeks at a time. But I notice I start to burn out around 3 1/2 to 4 weeks in. what is the average time for a driver to stay on road?

As a rookie driver myself I can say that backing is still hard for me even after being on the road for 4 weeks.

The biggest advice I can give you is that there is no shame in stepping out of the truck to check your blind spots. It's better to take a minute to get out to check than it is to a assume you are clear and hit something.

I was going to take a Greyhound from Louisville to Missoula MT. 47 hour bus ride... I need to be there by Sunday for orientation. So no stopping to rest lol. So i decided to get a plane ticket lol. So 47 hour bus ride turned into a 8 hour plane ride.

I got my done about 2 and 1/2 weeks before starting school. Shouldn't be a problem at all.

I passed my test today!

I just want to thank all of those on the forums who have given extremely valuable help, tips, and information.

I especially want to thank the team that put the High Road Training Program together. I would have had a much harder time if it wasn't for that.

Thank you thank you thank you.

Good news! I got the stalling problem under control. My stress level has dropped quite a bit lol. I almost got the shifting pattern down and missing far fewer gears. Now I need to focus on my pretrip more and polish up my backing some more. But I feel much more confident now.