Hello! New Member Here, Army Vet And Have A Serious Set Of Questions And Need Big Help

John, I can see that you've got the personality of true flat-bedder. We take a great deal of pride in what we do, and that's one of the things that makes a flat-bedder do the things he does, it's his integrity on the line with each load he hauls.

Listen, you're gonna do fine wherever you land at. Don't let yourself fall into the false premise that there are good companies and bad companies to work for. The companies you've mentioned are great operations, and I could name you a dozen other flat-bed companies that would work just as well.

Here's the deal: wherever you start, make up your mind that you are going to be the best flat-bed driver that they have ever had come through their doors. This business is performance based, and if you prove yourself to be professional and dependable you will always come out on top in this work. I ended up working for a company that I couldn't find anything positive about on the internet, and I love my job and they love me. They treat me with respect and give me all the work I can handle.

I see Boyd Brothers and BTI drivers at all the places I go, and they are all quite happy in their jobs. You will be the one that determines whether the job works for you or not, it's your responsibility to see that the job is working out well, not the company's. I can't stress this enough. It's sad how the internet forums have evolved into portraying such a bogus criteria for searching for trucking jobs.

I think from the little I've read from you that you've got what it takes to make a great flat-bedder. Just get on board somewhere and prove yourself. After you've got at least six months experience if you've got the itch to move on then you will be glad to see that there are a lot more open doors for you.

Best of luck to ya! And I'd really be interested in hearing where you get your start at, so please keep us posted.

Hey John, welcome to TT.

I am also an army VET and went through a pre-hire rejection from Millis. It really took the wind out of my sails. But I just let it go and am moving forward in my plans to enter the industry. As soon as I relocate from Germany, I am going to get the ball rolling with school and VA assistance. Many times, I have heard, companies come right to the schools and hire from the graduates. So I know if I am rejected again for whatever reason, there are a lot of other companies out there that I can sign on with. I have my short-list preferences, but I will sign on with anyone just to get my foot in the door and show them what I can do. Once I finish my first year, it will be a buyer's market!

Man, with your military flatbed stories, you almost convince me of going flatbed! It is actually my second choice as which division to drive. You ought to check out the Maverick web site. They look like a really fine flatbed company. They may have what you are looking for, at least as a back up choice.

John, I can see that you've got the personality of true flat-bedder. We take a great deal of pride in what we do, and that's one of the things that makes a flat-bedder do the things he does, it's his integrity on the line with each load he hauls.

Listen, you're gonna do fine wherever you land at. Don't let yourself fall into the false premise that there are good companies and bad companies to work for. The companies you've mentioned are great operations, and I could name you a dozen other flat-bed companies that would work just as well.

Here's the deal: wherever you start, make up your mind that you are going to be the best flat-bed driver that they have ever had come through their doors. This business is performance based, and if you prove yourself to be professional and dependable you will always come out on top in this work. I ended up working for a company that I couldn't find anything positive about on the internet, and I love my job and they love me. They treat me with respect and give me all the work I can handle.

I see Boyd Brothers and BTI drivers at all the places I go, and they are all quite happy in their jobs. You will be the one that determines whether the job works for you or not, it's your responsibility to see that the job is working out well, not the company's. I can't stress this enough. It's sad how the internet forums have evolved into portraying such a bogus criteria for searching for trucking jobs.

I think from the little I've read from you that you've got what it takes to make a great flat-bedder. Just get on board somewhere and prove yourself. After you've got at least six months experience if you've got the itch to move on then you will be glad to see that there are a lot more open doors for you.

Best of luck to ya! And I'd really be interested in hearing where you get your start at, so please keep us posted.

thanks again old school! im lookin forward to growing in this forum, and being top notch in the industry, with me bein young, ruthless and so determined to trucking since its in my blood i'm that one young guy that is already on the hunt for 3 million miles or as many as my able body will allow me to handle. i dont let anything get in my way, not married, no kids, no ties. i'm in this for the long haul and everything i have on my plot of land will be the prime example of what success you can achieve in the truckin world.

Hey John, welcome to TT.

I am also an army VET and went through a pre-hire rejection from Millis. It really took the wind out of my sails. But I just let it go and am moving forward in my plans to enter the industry. As soon as I relocate from Germany, I am going to get the ball rolling with school and VA assistance. Many times, I have heard, companies come right to the schools and hire from the graduates. So I know if I am rejected again for whatever reason, there are a lot of other companies out there that I can sign on with. I have my short-list preferences, but I will sign on with anyone just to get my foot in the door and show them what I can do. Once I finish my first year, it will be a buyer's market!

Man, with your military flatbed stories, you almost convince me of going flatbed! It is actually my second choice as which division to drive. You ought to check out the Maverick web site. They look like a really fine flatbed company. They may have what you are looking for, at least as a back up choice.

hey steven, awesome man! heard some good stories about germany haha. so you're gonna be goin into CDL school right? easy as pie lemme tell ya, make sure before you get out, switch your montgomery GI bill over to the post 9/11 bill, that will pay 100% of the cost, AND pay you BAH for the time at the school upon completion. my BAH payment was like 800. nice chunk of change for goin through a fun school and gettin my CDL.

a lot of guys just take their military licence and have it written off to get their CDL, that is so wrong and exactly what you DONT want to do because there is so much you learn in the school that you need to know, and the hours of driving/backing/ and other class hours and tests really pays off in the end.

as for flatbed on the miliatry side, wow man. all of it was a blast and like i said, its a sense of pride. on the civilian side, you'll always get paid more doing flatbed. separates the men from the boys when comes time for nasty weather, cold or hot. thats the thrill im goin for. it is way more work, but so much better than dealin with the ole drop & hook or backin into docks and waitin for hours to get loaded/unloaded.

now as far as maverick, im avoiding them for one reason and one reason only and i know its not really a legitimate reason,, but here it is. they have automatic transmissions. ask many truckers out there how those autos work, theyre annoying, cant pull worth a crap, and have too many problems. in my opinion for most driving a 13 speed is amazing. fun to drive and can get a rig rollin with any common load. heavy haul its obvious you want an 18 speed, but no automatics for sure lol

Hey John, welcome to TT.

I am also an army VET and went through a pre-hire rejection from Millis. It really took the wind out of my sails. But I just let it go and am moving forward in my plans to enter the industry. As soon as I relocate from Germany, I am going to get the ball rolling with school and VA assistance. Many times, I have heard, companies come right to the schools and hire from the graduates. So I know if I am rejected again for whatever reason, there are a lot of other companies out there that I can sign on with. I have my short-list preferences, but I will sign on with anyone just to get my foot in the door and show them what I can do. Once I finish my first year, it will be a buyer's market!

Man, with your military flatbed stories, you almost convince me of going flatbed! It is actually my second choice as which division to drive. You ought to check out the Maverick web site. They look like a really fine flatbed company. They may have what you are looking for, at least as a back up choice.

hey steven, awesome man! heard some good stories about germany haha. so you're gonna be goin into CDL school right? easy as pie lemme tell ya, make sure before you get out, switch your montgomery GI bill over to the post 9/11 bill, that will pay 100% of the cost, AND pay you BAH for the time at the school upon completion. my BAH payment was like 800. nice chunk of change for goin through a fun school and gettin my CDL.

a lot of guys just take their military licence and have it written off to get their CDL, that is so wrong and exactly what you DONT want to do because there is so much you learn in the school that you need to know, and the hours of driving/backing/ and other class hours and tests really pays off in the end.

as for flatbed on the miliatry side, wow man. all of it was a blast and like i said, its a sense of pride. on the civilian side, you'll always get paid more doing flatbed. separates the men from the boys when comes time for nasty weather, cold or hot. thats the thrill im goin for. it is way more work, but so much better than dealin with the ole drop & hook or backin into docks and waitin for hours to get loaded/unloaded.

now as far as maverick, im avoiding them for one reason and one reason only and i know its not really a legitimate reason,, but here it is. they have automatic transmissions. ask many truckers out there how those autos work, theyre annoying, cant pull worth a crap, and have too many problems. in my opinion for most driving a 13 speed is amazing. fun to drive and can get a rig rollin with any common load. heavy haul its obvious you want an 18 speed, but no automatics for sure lol

Hey John, thanks for the heads-up on the VA stuff. I was talking to a VA rep and he was telling me that I have to make a decision on the Montgomery GI Bill or the Post 9/11 GI Bill. I remember him saying that once you choose, there is no going back. So that made it kind of "spooky" to me. You cleared up the fog on that one. He also told me about the Apprenticeship program in which the GI Bill pays you up to $1,200 or so every month for a year (Roehl advertises that their apprentice program lasts 2 years). I know that the extra money per month with offset the starting wages most companies are offering. The way I look at it, starting wages without the VA money is going to almost double what I am making now.

The flatbedding sounds intriguing to me and I am an anal-retentive perfectionist anyway. I can see myself working my way into flatbedding sometime in the future. I've always taken pride in my work, whatever it was. I can see that flatbedding allows you to take pride in your work in a special way. I would like to have experience is all the divisions eventually, but I'll have to see how that pans out.

I was looking over the Maverick site and they impressed me in their own way. But I did not know about the automatic transmissions. I must have overlooked that. But I can see where that would be a legitimate show-stopper for you and there's nothing wrong with that. I know I want a manual transmission to learn on and to get my CDL on. I'm looking to be in school this spring sometime. Of course it all depends on my relocation time line. I will have to move myself and do all the "PCS" logistics on my own. But once I am boots on the ground in the USA, it will be fast moving: get the permit, attend school, pass orientation, pass company OJT. Then it's OTR solo time! I can't wait.

Keep us posted on who you sign on with. Maybe you will end up with Schneider, who knows? Then you, me, and ThinksTooMuch can get together somewhere and have a coffee or something; park our rigs next to each other at the truck stop.

Hey John, don't know if you have thought about Melton, but they have excellent equipment and like people who show a little initiative. Let me know if you need more info.

From one vet to another, thank you for your service!

John, Melton did the same exact thing to me. I am medically retired USMC and had an average score of 96.4% in my CDL school. Melton set me up for Orientation the week after my graduation. When I called to let them know I had received my CDL they told me that my application had been denied. When asked why, they told me that they decided to hire a more qualified applicant. That applicant was my friend who finished his 5 week training with Stevens Transport. I asked who his recruiter was and it was mine. They called him 10 MINUTES to offer him a job before I called. So yeah.....totally a screwby.