Being Professional

Just to add a positive experience. After finishing up with my customer yesterday, I received my next dispatch. I am grabbing a load an hour away and taking it east to Tcall. This load will be getting a guy from NY back home. I must admit lately my DM has been behind the power curve lately getting me loads. No preplans lined up, waiting 30 mins or so after I am finished to get my next load. Anyways, as soon as the message came in a quickly looked at the location, punched it in my GPS, then double checked that route vs my Atlas. It matches up well enough, so off I went. In my hurry, I didn't bother looking at the pickup time and date. I move at the speed of NOW. I had time on my clock so off I went. I get to the Shipper. It is a local trucking company with a wharehouse that handles freight for SCA. So after I arrive I take a good look at the dispatch. Oops, pickup is the next day at 10am. So, I write down the B/L number and walked to the office. They call the wharehouse workers. They are still there. The office lady says I have t go to dock 8 on the backside of the building and to hurry. I beat feet to my truck, pull the tandem release, open the doors, slide my tandems all the way back and run around to the back side of the building. As I am backing up, the dock foreman comes out and tells me he misunderstood what the lady in the office said. He thought the inbound load for tomorrow was early. He tells me to go back around the corner and put it in dock 2. He states they will load me first thing in the morning. I smile and say thank you, then tell him, I will see him in the morning. Instead of doing a lap, I just back around the corner to the other set of docks and put it in door 2. I call the guy I am going to Tcall with to make arrangements for a place to meet. As I am talking with him, next thing I know, I feel my trailer bouncing around. They are loading me. I quickly scan my atlas and pick a middle point between the other driver and myself. Honestly the guys at the wharehouse loaded me faster than I ever have been. Literally like 20 mins and I am done. The foreman comes out and tells me they are doing the paperwork now and the guys decided to go ahead and get me loaded since they are only staying over a few minutes to do it. I thank him and pull forward to secure the load. As I am putting in the load straps the guy comes out with my paperwork and seal.

Moral of the story: you do get more flies with honey than vinegar.

Drive Safe and God Speed.

NICE dude!

I am not even in the career/industry yet, but learning all I can to make the best-informed decisions about driving schools, trucking companies, and anything else that will help me get started next March... this site is proving to be a great resource. Thank you Brett! That being said, the comments about maintaining a high level of professionalism are spot-on. I'm 46, having spent the previous 24 years in work keeping me in close touch with clients, customers, the public, and if it's one thing I've learned, keeping your emotions in check and maintaining professionalism like you guys & girls are writing about here is ALWAYS the smarter choice. The career or industry doesn't make a difference. I'll be fighting my own demons in that at my age I've developed a shorter fuse for dealing with b.s., and will have to reset a bit... and find myself grateful to you all for upholding and speaking about these virtues.

Pete B wrote:

I am not even in the career/industry yet, but learning all I can to make the best-informed decisions about driving schools, trucking companies, and anything else that will help me get started next March... this site is proving to be a great resource. Thank you Brett! That being said, the comments about maintaining a high level of professionalism are spot-on. I'm 46, having spent the previous 24 years in work keeping me in close touch with clients, customers, the public, and if it's one thing I've learned, keeping your emotions in check and maintaining professionalism like you guys & girls are writing about here is ALWAYS the smarter choice. The career or industry doesn't make a difference. I'll be fighting my own demons in that at my age I've developed a shorter fuse for dealing with b.s., and will have to reset a bit... and find myself grateful to you all for upholding and speaking about these virtues.

Welcome Pete, thanks for joining in on the exchange.

Not sure if you have had a chance to read these three links:

• Truck Driver's Career Guide
• Brett's Book: The Raw Truth About Trucking (free online version)
• High Road Training Program

After reviewing the content you will have a really good idea of what to expect moving forward and get a jump-start on studying for your permit by completing the High Road Training course.

Something else to take a look at:

Paid CDL Training Programs

Truck Driving School Listings

• Trucker's Career Guide: Choosing A Truck Driving School
• Article Category: Choosing A Truck Driving School
• Forum Topics Tagged "Choosing A Truck Driving School"

Good luck and try to keep us posted. We are here to assist and offer uniquely candid and friendly advice.

Pete B wrote:

I am not even in the career/industry yet, but learning all I can to make the best-informed decisions about driving schools, trucking companies, and anything else that will help me get started next March... this site is proving to be a great resource. Thank you Brett! That being said, the comments about maintaining a high level of professionalism are spot-on. I'm 46, having spent the previous 24 years in work keeping me in close touch with clients, customers, the public, and if it's one thing I've learned, keeping your emotions in check and maintaining professionalism like you guys & girls are writing about here is ALWAYS the smarter choice. The career or industry doesn't make a difference. I'll be fighting my own demons in that at my age I've developed a shorter fuse for dealing with b.s., and will have to reset a bit... and find myself grateful to you all for upholding and speaking about these virtues.

Welcome Pete, thanks for joining in on the exchange.

Not sure if you have had a chance to read these three links:

• Truck Driver's Career Guide
• Brett's Book: The Raw Truth About Trucking (free online version)
• High Road Training Program

After reviewing the content you will have a really good idea of what to expect moving forward and get a jump-start on studying for your permit by completing the High Road Training course.

Something else to take a look at:

Paid CDL Training Programs

Truck Driving School Listings

• Trucker's Career Guide: Choosing A Truck Driving School
• Article Category: Choosing A Truck Driving School
• Forum Topics Tagged "Choosing A Truck Driving School"

Good luck and try to keep us posted. We are here to assist and offer uniquely candid and friendly advice.

G-Town, thanks very much for the reply! I appreciate the links... I knew about the HRTP, but didn't know about Brett's online book or the career guide. Which I'll start reading and studying very soon... I've got to pace myself. I'm still over three months away from even beginning school, and won't get to start driving with a trainer until approx. May 1. The excitement and anticipation is driving me nuts. I wake up every morning at or before 5am and can't get back to sleep, thinking about everything I've been reading, planning ahead, worrying about which companies to drive for. I've been way to eager and have already applied to over a dozen companies, being told by most to get back in touch with them in March. It has allowed me to weed out some of the companies I've been interested in, however, as some, I'm finding out, won't consider me at all due to my not living in the U.S. for over three years.

I did settle on a truck driving school, choosing SAGE Truck Driving School in Billings, MT. While the company-sponsored schools offer guaranteed employment, I didn't want to get locked into a lengthy contract with money being siphoned from my paycheck to cover tuition. I know I wouldn't have had to accept their tuition reimbursement programs, but also their programs felt a little too aggressive for my tastes. I'm very happy with my decision to attend SAGE; I prefer the opportunity to pick and choose which company I work for. I'm also hoping that since Billings, MT is in or near the mountains, I'll get good training on downshifting and driving downhill.

Every day I learn something new from this forum and site (thanks again, Brett!); I've already compiled pages of notes from advice gleaned from replies from yourself, Old School, and Guy H., just to name a few. And then as if you all haven't been helpful enough, Rainy starts a thread asking for everyone to share tips! How awesome is she? I don't think I've ever met such a kind-hearted group of people. I'm excited and proud to join your ranks! March 27 cannot get here soon enough.

Pete...you made.me.blush...and that is hard to do lol

This site and most drivers on the road treat each other great.

As for the company sponsored thing...just remember that you should stay at your first company a year to show your commitment anyway. Plus it shows decision making ability. When drivers hop from company to company it shows indecisiveness. Our decisions out here can sometimes be fast and furious. Even deciding if the truck should go in the shop or if the reefer should be serviced can save or cost the company thousands of dollars.

Indecisive people are not wanted for this reason. You need to be able to decide if you will make a load on time and how to handle it. How to manage your clocks and deal with customers.

Not all companies will syphon your pay to repay the training. My company simply made me a contract that said work a year and pay nothing...I've paid nothing now that my year is up. If I left I'd pay $70 per week for the prorated costs. So if I stayed six months on my $3200 contract, then I'd owe $1600.

IMO company sponsored training was better for me cause the company is more tolerant of rookie mistajes , and the training is 24/7 one on one. You are OTR from the first day in a truck. Totally different experience in my eyes.

Good luck in all you do

Pete...you made.me.blush...and that is hard to do lol

This site and most drivers on the road treat each other great.

As for the company sponsored thing...just remember that you should stay at your first company a year to show your commitment anyway. Plus it shows decision making ability. When drivers hop from company to company it shows indecisiveness. Our decisions out here can sometimes be fast and furious. Even deciding if the truck should go in the shop or if the reefer should be serviced can save or cost the company thousands of dollars.

Indecisive people are not wanted for this reason. You need to be able to decide if you will make a load on time and how to handle it. How to manage your clocks and deal with customers.

Not all companies will syphon your pay to repay the training. My company simply made me a contract that said work a year and pay nothing...I've paid nothing now that my year is up. If I left I'd pay $70 per week for the prorated costs. So if I stayed six months on my $3200 contract, then I'd owe $1600.

IMO company sponsored training was better for me cause the company is more tolerant of rookie mistajes , and the training is 24/7 one on one. You are OTR from the first day in a truck. Totally different experience in my eyes.

Good luck in all you do

I'm sorry, that was a flippant comment I made, about a company 'siphoning' money from your paycheck. I realize it's not like that... in fact I read on this forum somewhere that a Swift driver had the tuition taken out of his paycheck the first year, and then returned to him during his second year, so after two years, the training amounted to free. You've got that beat, though, as you weren't liable for the cost after only one year. Fantastic job hooking that up! Good point re: job-hopping; I've never done it... during the 20 yrs. I was working in the U.S. before I moved to Ecuador, I worked for only three companies. As a former manager who had to conduct many interviews, applicants with a long list of jobs listed on their applications immediately threw up huge red flags. I expect to give my company no less than one year; I really admire the contributors to this forum who have been driving for the same company for three, four, five, and more years. Some companies reward their drivers with bonuses after only five years. Some of my favorite comments are from those who have been driving for not only the same companies for many years, but for those companies people like to speak unkindly of... because invariably the experienced truckers will expound upon the fact or philosophy that as long as you bust your butt, take everything thrown at you, maintain a high level of professionalism, you will be rewarded tenfold. Maybe not tenfold, but you'll get taken care of, financially and otherwise. Sorry this is so long-winded!

I'm glad that I made you blush; that was an incredibly insightful and helpful thread that you started. I took many notes that I will apply once I begin my career. Thanks again and drive safe!

I did one called reefer tips for rookies too...should probably start tanker n FB one lol

What happened to Gladhand?

What happened to Gladhand?

I don't know. That's weird. He hasn't left a comment in a few days but he completely removed everything from his profile, including picture, nickname, and bio. I put his nickname back up there and gave him a generic avatar for now but removing all of his info is not an encouraging sign I wouldn't say.

He logged in last at about 11:00 pm last night and must have deleted his profile stuff then.

Pete are you in Virginia or Montana? Your profile says Virginia but then you state that you are going to Sage in Billings. What type of trailer are you considering? I ask because we have several good companies here in Montana to drive for. Jones Brothers for flatbed. Jim Palmer and Watkins Shepherd are both dry van and all three are located in Missoula.

We have not heard from Persian Conversion in a long time and he started with Jones Brothers and even totaled a truck at the 3 month mark.