Profile For grumpyshane

First of all, this is my first comment on TT. I really do not like forums and usually stay away from them (you guys don't appear to be too scary and mean). I had no intention of posting anything while studying for my CDL and researching some of the ins and outs of the trade. This topic, however, touches upon a subject I have found little or no info about on the internet.

Will, I have bipolar (no meds) and was worried about the DOT physical, so, thank you for posting this. I have experienced that "**** this" moment and have to ask: Was it a specific stressful moment or a pernicious, toxic co-worker/boss who constantly criticized and violated boundaries?

I ask this because your opening lines are concern about working with a trainer and excitement at being a truck driver. If you truly want to drive trucks but are worried about sharing close quarters with a stranger, remember, you will only be sharing that cab temporarily. After that, the only people you'd encounter on a regular basis would be your DM and whoever subs for him/her. And even then they won't be popping their head into your space every 15 - 20 minutes. I spent over a decade being dispatched to operate and climb all over heavy equipment at different shipping terminals and rail yards for durations of 1 to 7 nights per job. The best part about dispatched jobs is that you will rarely work with the same jerks over and over again. Some of them I ran into maybe 2 or 3 times, some I never saw again.

As for taking nearly a year off. Hey, sometimes it is necessary. Been there, done that. Sometimes a person just needs to take a break, but you're not on that break anymore. Getting back in the game is hard, it's scary. You did what it took to get through CDL school and passed your tests. If that wasn't stressful, then I don't know what is.