Profile For Russ D

I have been lingering around for quite some time and have finally finalized the last steps to attending Greenville Tech CDL school starting in March.

Daniel, this post is absolutely awesome!

Huge leap ahead before I even get started. Thanks!!!

I am considering attending Greenville Tech in South Carolina to obtain my CDL.

Anyone else attend here and can lend your experience with them?

Hey buddy. I haven't heard from you in awhile and am curious to know of your progress and where you are now???

Have CDL?

Understandable.

That's awesome man! Congratulations!

I read Brett Aquila's article about getting endorsements, and he encouraged everyone to get all of them (including bus) because you never know when you might need them and they are so cheap to obtain. He gave some good examples of why. https://www.truckingtruth.com/trucking_blogs/Article-2329/which-cdl-endorsements-should-i-get

Glad to hear the online prep helped and I will be keeping that in mind as I move forward.

Good luck on the DOT exam!

That makes three IT guys here...well sorta...my specialty is online marketing, but I have years of IT experience. No girlfriend either. :)

Thanks for the encouragement ButtonUp. You read my mind, as I can imagine pulling in late one night to find the last TIGHT spot to park, and I am out of hours to go anywhere else. Good lord! What now? It certainly challenges my mind. Also, the imagines tress of being in a tight spot backing in with traffic waiting on me to get the job done and I'm having a tough time taking it to the end. HAHA! These are the things going through my head and I get stressed just thinking about it. I know experience is the key, and I guess if I want to do this I just have to dive in. Matt has encouraged me to get started and I suppose I will at least be going to school in January. There is an orientation next month I plan to attend.

I too read the article about the runaway stuff Matt, and it is scary as hell. What is there isn't a run away ramp is what I am thinking. We have a mountain hill where I live near Asheville, NC on I-26 which is frightening to me even in a car. No ramps either.

I hear some companies are better than others. I would guess it is mostly up to the dispatchers personality.

Have you seen these guys on YouTube? They inspire me. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrjnrsIq7vehPaVKkDWyjKg

There are three things really that make me wonder if I am cut out for this.

1. Backing up in extremely tight spaces like some of the youtube videos I have seen. 2. Driving in New York City 3. Driving in extreme weather and being forced to do so.

Other than that, I think I would love the job.

Still on the fence.

YES! You are!

You have the right attitude for sure!

An adventure for sure!!

I do not have my CDL yet either, but the cost of their school versus going to a private school is nearly 2k more ( I assume that is because of lodging) and I am curious to know if it is worth it with them taking it out of your salary over the next year. Especially since pay is already so low the first year. Our next CDL classes locally do not start til January 2015, and it may be worth it if I want to go ahead and get started. I have also heard of horror stories with OTR trainers (and dispatchers) and am anxious to hear of your experience in the weeks and months ahead.

BTW, Swift also has a terminal in Greer, SC which is only about 30 minutes from where I live which would be nice for me. :)

Good luck buddy!