Profile For firemedic2816

One of my fears when I got my permit was a blowout. I was afraid I would lose control of the vehicle or something.

Had my first blowout tonight. What sucks is this was a repower from a driver who drove it from Florida to Wi. He told me he was having air leaks but couldn't find them. Said his truck indicator would come on while parked. He never stopped at a TA to have it checked. Now I'm ping to be late for his 90 smh. Only 180 miles to go

Absolutely heat can cause headaches. Try Gatorade or Powerade, MOST headaches are caused by an electrolyte imbalance. Just because you are "Hydrated" doesn't mean your electrolytes are balanced.

Can heat cause headaches? Air conditioning? The cooler we just got? (only the timing makes me question this...that and the smell of it the first day or two as it cooled down). I'm going on my third night, and my husband his second day, of a near blinding headache that Tylenol barely touches. We aren't dehydrated. We don't have high blood pressure. I'm at my wits end because I can't get it to go away!! Anyone have any suggestions or know of possible causes?

The Internet is FULL of USEFUL accurate information (if it's online it HAS to be true LOL) I don't know much about Swift except for they are one of THE LARGEST carriers in the United States and you don't get that way by being a BAD Company. If you want to know about a COMPANY Call THEM or ask drivers on here....When I was researching for a company to go to, I went to the local truck stops (there are about 8 with in 10 miles of my house) I simply researched them online, and when I found one I liked I headed to the truck stops. I would see them in the Restaurants and politely tell them my intentions and ask if I could pick their brain about their company for a moment. The ones that agreed to let me pick their brains, ended up getting the tab picked up by me. I learned a lot about different companies BY ASKING DRIVERS....Recruiters are there to get Tails in the driver seat, (many are honest, other's are just trying to make a dollar)

Don't trust EVERYTHING you read ON LINE....Put some miles on them shoes and ASK PEOPLE

I'm getting down to it. Well, almost. The bug has bitten me and I'm about ready to start applying, and I've narrowed the list down to either Roehl or Central. I'm looking for something with zero payment down, which I know is hard to find, but it's all I can afford right now. Only question is - I'm on medication (Prozak)...Will that blow my chances at becoming a driver?

I know Roehl requires you to take the CDL exam before applying, I've been through their site, watched the videos, yadda yadda.

The answer to those questions are NO...Simple Enough

Will I be washed up and unemployable if I answer the questions on the DOT Medical Examination Report Form as follows:

15. Fainting or passing out? Yes

Only 1 time. About 10 years ago I passed out for about 15 seconds while eating at greasy spoon restaurant but it has never happened again.

31. Have you used an illegal substance within the past two years? yes

If I take the DOT Physical say 6 months from now ( but am able to pass a hair follicle or UA test issued by my driving school which is required for enrollment ) however am honest about my past of smoking marijuana will I be sunk? From my understanding the DOT Physical does not involve a drug test yet I'm sure the results to the questionnaire would be available for the employer to read.

32. Have you ever failed a drug test or been dependent on an illegal substance? No I've only taken 1 drug test in my whole life about 16 years ago which I passed and have never been strung out on anything.

Any thoughts or comments are much appreciated.

Maximum Effort...Maximum Reward

Been a while, so here goes...

Made quite a tour of the western part of the US...Washington, California, Utah, Oregon, etc. I did my first set of team driving from California to New Mexico, where my mentor took over. I woke up today to the word that we were headed back to Oklahoma for a 34 hour reset, then team driving running dedicated for Hobby Lobby. My mentor said we'll be running our butts off, but we'll make good money, I'll gain some good experience and we'll most likely be getting weekends off back at home. Sounds good to me! My backing is slooooowwwwllly getting better. I'm getting the concept but I don't think my trainer is comfortable yet with me attempting backups without him spotting. I'll get there though. I did my first blind side backing the other day and it went okay. Haven't hit anything yet! Lol

So far still loving the whole experience. I drove all night the other day and actually enjoyed it, minus not being able to see poorly painted center lines in Arizona. Made it one piece though, which is ultimately the goal.

Maximum Effort!

Was gonna say Hell's Kitchen is in NYC last I checked, have couple buddies on the engine company there...Safe travels

I also meant to say Hell's Canyon, not Hell's Kitchen. Two totally different locations...stupid auto-correct.

I always say it ONLY Becomes a Mistake if you FAIL to learn from it...Everything else is a learning and growing opportunity ...

The best piece of advice I can give is to RELAX! The more frustrated you get at yourself, the more you will struggle.

School will be incredibly hard. Then you go to training. And that's even harder. Then they send you out solo. And that's the hardest of all.

But it's all a learning experience. If you make a mistake, learn from it! And don't make that mistake again...

But most importantly, HAVE FUN! This is by far the coolest thing I have ever done. And honestly, I can't imagine ever doing anything else!

Woo Hoo have fun. Let me know who your trainer is... I went through Trenton but no longer with the company for medical reasons. I am currently it talks with Jim Palmer Trucking out of Mizzolu Montana, they are owned by Wil-Trans and haul Reefer units with Prime. The next 6 weeks are going to be the HARDEST time of driving. (depending on your trainer) you are either going to love it or hate it...just push through it and remember the big picture as to why you are out there..to get your own truck. Most likely when it's said and done you will probably get a 2014 T-680

Week 3

My third week at Millis's CDL school was all about driving... learning/practicing smooth take-offs, shifting, down-shifting, braking, turning... and, of course, using the Qualcomm. The truck seating arrangement was student driver, instructor in the shotgun and the other 2 students in the sleeper area, which is outfitted with seats for road-training. Millis runs Kenworth 10 speeds... we drove a T700 all this week.

All three of us, in my class, drove everyday... Mon-Fri... typically a little over 100 miles each, each day. Plenty of time to feel good, and bad, at various points throughout the week about one's performance. Four of the days this week, we headed out in morning and drove country roads, city roads, State highways and Interstates. One day this week, we timed our departure so as to complete our "night-driving" requirement. We drove in no traffic, lots of traffic, long stretches at a time and in stop-and-go/traffic light after traffic light situations. We drove on flat straight roads and on roads with lots of curves and hills.

I think all of us, students, would agree that the most challenging situations faced this week was driving at dusk (and after dark) in/through a very heavy thunderstorm. With the rain coming down in buckets... and the wind blowing us about a bit... driving/navigating in stop-and-go traffic was a bit nerve-racking. Luckily... our instructor had a good plan. Just about the time we all needed a break, an opportunity to get out the truck for a bit and collect our thoughts... he had just happened to have navigated us to nice little "distraction" for dinner, the Tilted Kilt in Raleigh :-).

Bottom line, another great week at Millis. After three weeks of instruction, I am still impressed with the program here in Eden, NC. Next week, Monday and Tuesday, will be our "orientation" days. After that, we will coordinate/meet up with our trainers/mentors and join them, in their trucks, for our 15,000 miles of OTR training.

Proven fact if a "Gas station" JUST Sold GAS it would go OUT of business, they make ALL THEIR Money on the INSIDE.

I believe "in my opinion" that the reason the price is cheaper when paid by cash is because more than likely when you actually go into the store to pay cash you are more likely to pick up a few other items. Such as cigarette, lotto ticket, candy, gum, soda, anything. Like I said my opinion.

The UNIBOMBER??? REALLY??? That is the best you could come up with comparing yourself to a domestic terrorist. Sir I have SEEN Theodore and thankfully YOU ARE NOT HIM

Blue Hotel,

I’m not judging you, but I feel sad for the way you view the world. We all get to choose, and you have obviously made a lousy choice. But it’s your right to choose. And at this point….that’s OK.

If you read what Old School wrote and all you can say is you're wrong, then you plain refuse to believe the truth son. And actually, I consider you being down right disrespectful to someone who has earned your respect.

The folks I read in this forum are trying help people out by telling them the truth.

No matter what, you’ll never hear it. If you took that same determination and applied it positively to your life, the sky would be the limit. You are blinded and there ain’t anything any of us can do about that.

In my opinion, your not worth the risk of negatively affecting anyone else in here.

I don’t hate ya Dude, its worse…I don’t respect you.

I’m done with you, and it's your fault.

I don't need your respect. I'm an internet person who you don't know, "respect" outside of common courtesy is irrelevant here. Expressing a disagreeing opinion, no matter how negative, isn't disrespect. It's just a differing opinion. I've been through hell and back in my life, so I feel I have the right to weigh in on the realities of work and life in America. Will I always be right? No. And neither will anyone else. The opinions I expressed were polite. You, on the other hand, are a bit rude (just a bit).

If blindly agreeing with whatever someone says is respect, then I want nothing to do with it. That isn't respect, that is thoughtlessness. I don't even want anyone to blindly agree with me.

A lot of times there will be things, places, people, jobs, situations, etc that are just bad. Is it like this all the time? No, but we'd be stupid to act like bad stuff never happens. It's tough kid, but it's life.

If you can't stand "negativity" then you won't make it in any job anywhere doing anything. Toughen up. Grow up. If other people on this board are going to be drastically impacted by anything anyone here has to say, then you have to wonder about their mental state. We're forum posters, not gods. Nobody even really knows us that well. I could be the unibomber and you could be some inmate somewhere using a smuggled smartphone to post. Take everything everyone online says with a grain of salt or ten. It's so impersonal, "respect" barely comes into play.

If you don't acknowledge the bad, you won't be prepared to handle it when it comes. And it does come, it's part of life.

But I apologize, let's get back on topic out of "respect" for the original poster.