My Head Will Explode!***

You're probably talking about Sunshine the woman who failed the strength test for Swift flatbed.

Who failed the strength test and left motivated then when she got the opportunity again she aced it.

I don't know.... and good to know she passed. I've looked all over the forum for the thread with no prevail. I would have liked to have found it, because I know what she wrote. And the way she wrote it was like everyone had to do the strength test. I believe GTown and Errol though. No reason to doubt what they are saying. Maybe she was only referring to flatbed, I honestly don't know. It was something like, 70 lb, 50 ft, 3 times.... push, uh, 100 lbs, pull 200 lbs .... climb a ladder with I believe 1 hand free. Anyway, moving right along.... let's all go actually read the Swift (or any other carriers) requirements now to find out for sure what they are or if there even are any. :)

Sunshine's Swift Physical Remarks

Scroll down you'll see it...

I work for Swift Greg,...and so does Errol. We've been through their school, training and physical. If I am ever unsure of something I'll note as such and it will be obvious. This, I was sure of and very clear about it.

I work for Swift Greg,...and so does Errol. We've been through their school, training and physical. If I am ever unsure of something I'll note as such and it will be obvious. This, I was sure of and very clear about it.

ha ha, yeah, sorry.... I think my wording got a bit off there too. I meant to say, * I do believe G-Town and Errol *.

Anyway, she wasn't a moderator and probably just got to writing and didn't stop until the end. lol And most likely didn't edit anything. Sooo, it probably just got all mixed up.

I'm glad that's cleared up....

Like I said, whoever pasted that link did it for a different reason than a strength test. It was more a diary of her own personal experience.

Absolutely love PA, by the way. I remember driving through the mountainous territory. I look down into a valley and see this absolutely gorgeous ranch home. It was a painting come to life. With the huge green field in front of the home, the red and white barn....

Lived in Southeastern PA my entire life.

The eastern half of PA, all of NJ, MD, and DE is my primary delivery territory. I especially enjoy the secondary highways through the mountains during the fall. Enjoyable and also challenging.

Lived in Southeastern PA my entire life.

The eastern half of PA, all of NJ, MD, and DE is my primary delivery territory. I especially enjoy the secondary highways through the mountains during the fall. Enjoyable and also challenging.

yeh, it had to be fall or spring or something, haha, when I came through and seen the ranch... everything was very colorful. Well, I don't know what highway I was on... probably headed to a receiver. I know they sent me way up into the hills once. I looked at the map and figured I was around 50 miles from NY.

Well, this is my diary, I guess I'll continue writing on it, and updating it periodically.

I feel more hopeful about everything. I appreciate those who have commented on this. I'm sure that their may be very few who can relate to my circumstances. Well, I say very few, I mean on this particular forum. Most people going into trucking here are probably younger, and well, can't really relate to my own personal problems. You will someday, ha ha....

I was doing pretty well financially a few years ago, and then well, so and so needed a loan, then this happened, and that happened, and another thing happened. Ah, I'm not a mechanic, well, I can do mechanical work, but I'm still not a mechanic. I just had to install a transmission in my car, on the ground (You won't understand that statement *on the ground* unless you have had to do it before or know something about removing and installing a transmission. Well, I say on the ground, on jack stands.) I had never done one before. I've done brakes, starters, batteries, alternators, fuel pumps and other minor stuff, but nothing as major as a transmission. And let me tell you, it's no small task. The reason I did it myself is because I drive it for a living and put a lot of miles on it, and had the previous year paid to have one installed, for $1800. Piece of junk lasted a whole year. I found one in OK for $250 with only 80,000 miles on it, flew to OK, picked it up and flew back home. If you know nothing about the price of a transmission, they run usually around $1000 for one with 100,000 miles on it. So, what I found was a real bargain. Anyway, I got it installed, and it runs like a champ. Oh, I've also installed drive shafts.... oh yeh, recently installed struts. Sooo, after I got the trans installed, not a few days later I hit a raccoon, and it ruined my radiator and A/C condenser. The insurance company paid me to replace those. This was also a task I had never done before. I tell you what, when you are low on cash, you learn all sorts of new things, which is sort of cool.

Sooo, bottom line, I have good credit or ok credit, I pay all of my bills, and then some. But, I have high balances because of *life* happening. And I also have been with my present employer for 9 years. So, my work history doesn't stink. It's just not the best pay in the world....

Who knows, maybe God let it all happened to push my life in certain directions. I don't know for sure. A lot of people look at bad things happening as punishment, but we all must remember Job ( As in the Bible Job ). Job had everything taken away from him, but God replenished all that had been taken away, after Jobs trials were done.

Savings, yeah, I had one of those once. I'm not the worlds best at saving, or well, I do, but something always happens. Whew... lol

But, I have a few things I can sell. I can't make a fortune off of these things, but I can probably survive long enough to make it through truck driving school and training. Or, I could probably take out a small loan. But, all of these things have to be paid back, eventually.... and I really hate to lose things that I own. Or perhaps maybe I should just look at them all as being on loan from God, and let them all go. :)

But, yeh, it's been a ruff few years. Not to mention, my dad passed away a few years ago. It's all been a pretty bumpy road these past few years.

Like I said though, I'm feeling more hopeful, and at peace with everything that's happened and happening. And again, I'm grateful for those who replied to this thread. And like I mentioned, we don't have to be buddy buddy, but it's still nice to see people care enough to at least say hi. :)

God Bless those helpful hands out in this world.

Be good and God Bless, until next time.....

Awesome lol, I just took the "High Road Training Program" - Section 1: Rules And Regulations: Test

100%

I remember when I first checked out the practice test and took it a month ago. I scored 60%, and it told me something like ' loser, keep studying ' ... Lol ... ah well, it had been 24 years since I first learned all of this stuff. I have to admit, I was a bit worried about having to learn all of this again.

I had actually studied this in the Texas Manual a month ago, and went ahead and took the test to see how much I could remember. I was shocked to make the 100. Cool beans .... :)

Onward and upward....

By the way, I haven't willingly gone without studying the manual. I know I mentioned that it had been a month since I last studied. I made it through air brakes I believe, and a few other parts I believe. And you pick stuff up on the forum and other sites while your browsing around. I've actually read quite a bit.

:) My Uncle passed away not 2 weeks after I'd started studying and researching trucking. And let me tell you, it's been a mess. They, he and my aunt, took on my grandparents property after they'd both passed, and you'd be surprised at the amount of stuff that (was already there-and) has built up over the years. We've been trying to get all of this stuff off of the property (me in between work, and my mom and sister. I have to work, but mom is retired. My sister, well, what can I say about her, once a punk, always a pain.) My aunt needed the money to pay for bills built up because of my Uncle.

Sooo, as you can see, not one thing, it's another.... oh, and my car needs work done on it. It originally needed the passenger windshield wiper fixed. A bushing came off of the wiper transmission holding the arms together. Soo, I've been working on that. Can't seem to find a bushing that will fit, or one at all. And I was informed that I need Lower Control Arm bushings. The tires are wearing out after around 3000 miles. Not good, not good at all. And all of this has to be fixed before the end of the month because it needs to be inspected.

One headache after another.... :) my saga, and journey towards my Class A CDL. lol To be continued......

If or when I actually make it, if I make it, and get my cdl and a job, I think I'll just stand around looking up at the sky bewildered, like as to say, ' wha? '

Well, crap.... my boss has 2 routes down. She actually already had one down already, but another one is going to go down in a couple of weeks ( a lady is leaving because of medical reasons).

route gone down= I mean that the courier has quit.... or is going to and the route needs a courier to fill it.

Sooo, that leaves me thinking, ' well, crap, here I was trying my best to tie things up so I can start edging towards school '. But, I can't leave her with 2 routes already down, so it's just going to have to wait.

It's not really a bad deal though, because I've ran part of one of these routes before (it's only 1/3 of the route), and it pays pretty well. Better than what I make.... I mean the route itself as a whole pays more than what I make. But, still that 1/3 would definitely help me out. I'll have to offer my help running that part of the route again. It coincides with my route. That particular 1/3 does.....

The only probably is, that I have to wait..... more waiting.... yup. :)

I still haven't gotten around to putting the lower control arm bushings on yet. Which is fine I guess, I think it'll pass inspection. Oh, I did manage to find linkage bushings that I believe will work for the wiper blade linkage problem.

Had to help my dog out today. I have a 2 year old pitt mix.... and he has flees. I really hate flees with a purple passion. And he will gnaw and gnaw and gnaw until he brings blood. I've tried a few things, nothing really helps or works, so far. Sooo, I go to the Farm and ranch supply store and this guy swears up and down that this latest product I bought will kill the flees dead. We'll see....

I'm seriously considering or really have it set in my head to go ahead and get my CDL learners permit and medical card before I go. I believe that this would be best. It's not like I was ready to hop a bus to school yet, but still, I'll have to find the blessing in this.... well, maybe I already have, the extra money. I mean, yes, it definitely is a blessing.

Greg...

I read your recent post and although I understand your loyalty to your current employer, isn't your personal happiness and job satisfaction ultimately more important than helping her to cover an open route? She is a business person...employees come and go. I am sure she'll figure out a solution, likely has several in mind regardless of what you decide to do. In the end is it your problem to fix this for her?

I know, I might not understand, etc., but for me if your are not 100% committed to "getting-on" with trucking, there will always be a "reason" blocking forward progress. I also sense a bit of a comfort-zone issue...are you sure you want this? I mean, once I knew trucking was what I wanted to do as my second career (and perhaps the remainder of my professional life), nothing and no one stood in my way. My ball...and I took it and ran. Try to think about what you really want here, cause to me seems like you are perched on the fence toying with the idea, but maybe not yet serious about it. Not that you asked, but my two cents.

So...your point about getting the permit now, in hope the future need? It's potentially a waste of time and money considering the medical exam must precede the permit. The CLP (permit) has an expiration date, a shelf-life and a limited amount of extension time available. I'd wait, until you have committed to a company and know your start date.

Good luck.