Arams Diary!!

Read what I wrote, I said if I would've gotten in the truck and driven with them I would've toughed it out and stayed with them. Trust me man I've had tough jobs over the years, from Turkey and chicken processing plants to being a plumper and having to unload trucks for 10 hours a day. I don't mind staying at a job to avoid red flags on my resume that says I can't persevere. But I left before doing that. I really don't mind being given advice, because you're never too old for advice, ever! But what I don't like is being personally attacked simply because I left to a different company. I mean for goodness sake I just changed from one company to another for a better opportunity at pay and a better career. I'm not packing it up and throwing away my cdl and going back to my factory job. As I stated I'm not just switching blindly, my friend has been here for 7 to 8 months, he and I talked for hours before I made the decision to switch companys. That and factoring in the other reasons I already mentioned. Also he's been telling me Total treats him VERY good, they have a family like atmosphere that he hasn't felt anywhere else. This guy has been driving for 4 and a half years now. So why wouldn't I take his advice and move to a company that a guy with that experience recommends? But Somebody questioning my work ethic, someone saying I'll never succeed in this business another saying I'm a brat who wants things handed to me...huh? They just figured me out inside and out in one post without even knowing me personally, the factors that went into my decision or anything. Just attack after attack....lol jesus! And here I thought it was different here.

As I stated I'm not just switching blindly, my friend has been here for 7 to 8 months, he and I talked for hours before I made the decision to switch companys. That and factoring in the other reasons I already mentioned. Also he's been telling me Total treats him VERY good, they have a family like atmosphere that he hasn't felt anywhere else. This guy has been driving for 4 and a half years now. So why wouldn't I take his advice and move to a company that a guy with that experience recommends? But Somebody questioning my work ethic, someone saying I'll never succeed in this business another saying I'm a brat who wants things handed to me...huh? They just figured me out inside and out in one post without even knowing me personally, the factors that went into my decision or anything. Just attack after attack

Aram, would you please get off of the idea that we are attacking you! Look, here's what we do here. We teach people how to make a successful start in this career. You made the classic blunder that we are constantly trying to teach people to avoid. Here it is in your own words...

That orientation between me and Steven's I considered a interview for me and them.

I don't know where you've been, but that is exactly the opposite way we teach for folks to approach their orientation. It is not an interview for you to size up the company. That is where you made your wrong turn. You certainly don't sound as if you are approaching your orientation for Total in that way. You already sound sold on the company because all of a sudden you have a random buddy who loves it over there. If I had a dollar for every time we tried to point out to people in this forum that they made a bad move, and then they came back all of a sudden telling us of a relative or a buddy who was an authority that gave them great advice, I'd be a rich man. It is a classic move we see people use in here all the time. I actually had to laugh when I noticed you using that same old method of convincing yourself that what you've done was smart.

I don't really know what else to say to you, except the reason we have stayed on topic here is that your mistake gives a great opportunity to help people see why we teach the things we do. So, we keep trying to point it out to you not so much to convince you, but to make it obvious why we teach these things. You think we are attacking you when we are trying to point you to the proper ways of getting this thing off the ground. You keep throwing out this straw man argument saying, "They just figured me out inside and out in one post without even knowing me personally." The truth is that we don't know anything about you, nor do we claim to. We do know what kind of mistakes people make in starting this career that usually indicate a tough road ahead for them, and you fell right into one of those little traps that mess with people's trucking careers on a daily basis.

I'm probably done with giving you advice, but I do want to point out something that you seem to have completely missed in this whole conversation.

Icekold, had this to say, "Best of luck."

Simon D. (Grandpa) added this, "I hope you find the new situation suits you and that you achieve all you wish for. Best of luck!"

I threw this in there for ya, "Of course, we all hope you come out on top."

Rainy stated this, "I think the others are just concerned for you because it seems like a hasty decision and they want the best for you." And then she added this, "i really want the best for you and hope.it all works out."

Brett very generously gave you three succinct and very important pieces of advice...

1. "Stay where you're at for one full year." 2. "Strive to become a top tier driver." 3. "Don't listen to the terminal rats."

G-Town, out of concern for your success gave you some solid advice, "focus on communication, especially listening skills. It's one of the most important parts of this job."

Now, there is only one person in this whole conversation that has gone to a lot of trouble to make you look like an idiot. Everyone else has tried their best to help you. We know this business. We know the common mistakes that people make when trying to get started. We actually care about the people in here. Why do you think we spend all this time trying to share our collective wisdom all while receiving no compensation for it? We don't try to make people look like idiots, and we don't enjoy seeing them come across like idiots, but we do want you to understand how to make a go of this.

I am curious about your friend. Where was he when you were doing all this research that led you to attend orientation at Stevens? All of a sudden (like overnight) Total Transportation is high on your choice of great companies to work for?

Do you see how you have spun a little web that makes us bang our heads against the wall? You keep wanting to point out how tough you are to us, and how you have stayed at terrible jobs, which means nothing to us. And it will mean nothing to you in getting started at this career either. This is a whole new chapter of life for you. This is not a tough job, it is a tough change of lifestyle, and you already stumbled at the first step.

We're still pulling for ya, but you sure have frustrated us with the way that you don't seem to assimilate anything we say, or incorporate any of our advice into your approach. After all, you have this "friend."

Read what I wrote, I said........

...... I don't mind staying at a job to avoid red flags on my resume that says I can't persevere. But I left before doing that.

Errrr....no you didn't! That's exactly what you did do! First red flag now raised.

You obviously have already secured another position that you believe will suit you better...that's truly excellent! And; again, all of us hope it is so!! BUT....the whole point of what is trying to be put to you is that, whether or not you accept it or like it...that flag is there. Should you have a similar experience with Total, you may not find it so easy to get another position. Why would another company believe that " third time's the charm"?

There have been no personal attacks...only justifiable questions about your motivation and tenacity....which to be fair, you answered.

I love to see new guys succeed...In many ways i am one myself. I love to teach and attempt to pass on what little wisdom I have accumulated, if any. I believe this holds true for the others that responded to your posts.

Go back and reread all of your posts on this site...I did....You started out requesting help and profusely thanking Brett. Rainy, OS, G-town et al for their help and collective wisdom.... Nothing's changed about that...except maybe your perception.

My last words on this subject are another piece of friendly advice. Feel free to disregard this also...but I would politely suggest that you try to be a little thicker skinned and not believe that everyone that disagrees with you is involved in some sort of personal vendetta.

Best of luck to you. Truly 👍

I've got several friends in the trucking industry, one drives for prime inc. One drives for DM Bowman, one for Swift, the one for total and one for Maverick. I've been picking their brains just like I have with yall. Once I decided that Steven's wasn't for me I talked to all of them, I was actually considering going with my original first choice which was Prime Inc. But having talked to all of them Total seemed like the best choice, and this guy and me go back to elementary school so I know he wouldn't lie to me. Look man I'm not sitting here lying to you or saying I know everything or that anyone owes me anything, if that was the case I wouldn't even be on this forum. I'm not trying to say how tough I am, and I really don't care what you think of me. I was simply answering because all of you just figured out I'm a quitter, the world owes me because I've got a CDL , and I want things handed to me on a silver platter in a matter of a post. I mean jesus christ I just decided that company wasn't for me and decided to go with one that seems like a better fit. Why stay somewhere where I'll be miserable? I understand yall wanna give advice but saying you're never gonna succeed, or you feel the world owes you, you're entitled, deflating someone's confidence or whatever simply for switching from one company to another that's not encouraging to someone trying to make something of themselves. I understand if I had driven for them for a month or a week and then quitting. That would be an idiot move, but I prevented that from happening. But anyway I'm done man, I wish yall and yalls forum nothing but the best, i appreciate it all, thank you and yall have a good one, wish you all nothing but the best. God bless!

Ok....absolutely last words on this particular thread.

No more advice...

Just a friendly request.

Please prove that you are 'not a quitter'....your words. Please do not 'quit' this site. While we may have had a disagreement...there was/is nothing personal in any of it..whether you believe that or not.

So...stay with us. And; please document/blog your experiences with Total.

a. It will be interesting and informative to everyone, 'old hands' and 'newbies' alike.

b. We will all learn something about Total.

c. I would bet that any of the guys are still willing to help should you come across a situation where you feel some advice may be useful.....It's what they do!

Can you see past the disagreement and still contribute and even possibly learn?

I sure hope so. 👍

Again; I wish you all the best.

Cheers.

Yeah I'll stay on and blog my experiences. Except now I'll be prepared to be bombarded by ya'll if ya'll consider I've made a wrong move or think me otherwise 😁. Anyway ya'll have a good one, and God bless.

Aram...dude you just informed us you left Stevens for two of the silliest reasons I can imagine.

Training pay. Amounts to peanuts. Plus do the math, 11 hours of driving plus a 30 minute pre trip and your hourly rate is less than $8.00. Does Total pay you the full $90 of sitting for 8 hours waiting to be unloaded or taking a 34? Might want to ask that...

Regardless please help me and others understand the remarkable difference between Total and Stevens training pay. In the big picture this amounts to noise, head-trash.

But it gets better, "your words", the primary reason for your jump to Total; loads coming in from Mexico. In addition to what Rainy said; if you do a thorough pretrip, and you find something suspicious; report it. You are only responsible if you don't report it and drive off with a "bag" wedged up inside your tandems. Customs already checked your trailer. Brilliant!

Four days of orientation with Stevens, poof, gone. If they gave you a driver number your hasty departure might be reported on your DAC. You went from "excited to meet your trainer", then you quit. You'll need to go through orientation all over again...have fun watching the same videos.

All these friends you mentioned, if they were friends and had a half-a-brain between their ears; they would have emphatically suggested to stick it out at Stevens.

Here is what I think happened...

Your "friend" got a referral for you and offered to split it with you... nothing you say will convince me otherwise. JV move,...totally JV.

Good luck...you are going to need it.

"Nothing I say will convince you otherwise." ok cool man.

Aram...dude you just informed us you left Stevens for two of the silliest reasons I can imagine.

Training pay. Amounts to peanuts. Plus do the math, 11 hours of driving plus a 30 minute pre trip and your hourly rate is less than $8.00. Does Total pay you the full $90 of sitting for 8 hours waiting to be unloaded or taking a 34? Might want to ask that...

Regardless please help me and others understand the remarkable difference between Total and Stevens training pay. In the big picture this amounts to noise, head-trash.

But it gets better, "your words", the primary reason for your jump to Total; loads coming in from Mexico. In addition to what Rainy said; if you do a thorough pretrip, and you find something suspicious; report it. You are only responsible if you don't report it and drive off with a "bag" wedged up inside your tandems. Customs already checked your trailer. Brilliant!

Four days of orientation with Stevens, poof, gone. If they gave you a driver number your hasty departure might be reported on your DAC. You went from "excited to meet your trainer", then you quit. You'll need to go through orientation all over again...have fun watching the same videos.

All these friends you mentioned, if they were friends and had a half-a-brain between their ears; they would have emphatically suggested to stick it out at Stevens.

Here is what I think happened...

Your "friend" got a referral for you and offered to split it with you... nothing you say will convince me otherwise. JV move,...totally JV.

Good luck...you are going to need it.

Aram wrote:

Got my trainer today, we'll be heading out tomorrow at 9 am. He has a automatic KW. I'm nervous and excited to get this adventure going!!

Based on the chronology of things you actually went out with your Stevens trainer two days before you informed us of quitting...

This just gets more and more strange...

Your "friend" got a referral for you and offered to split it with you...

This is the only thing that would make this entire situation make any sense. He talked about the difference in training pay between Stevens and Total, as if that little bit of short term money should make any difference at all. Yet he first chose to go with Stevens who pays far less than other companies he was considering, then he chose Total over Prime even though they pay less.

???

I also thought it was odd a couple weeks ago when he said he was considering driving his car to Stevens instead of taking the bus or the plane because:

The thought of driving it down there free as a bird is intriguing

???

Then suddenly he decides to quit on a dime and head to Total where he has a "friend" that somehow never recommended them until just now? Where was this friend two weeks ago when he chose Stevens?

???

Total also pays less than other companies he was considering, but he already sounds convinced that Total is the place for him. He also has "friends" at a bunch of other companies, but the "family atmosphere" at Total is what made him choose them.

???

That all sounds like a pile of baloney to me. The referral bonus theory is the only thing that would make this entire story suddenly make perfect sense. He listened to some Terminal Rats floating around the Stevens terminal and it scared him, which is exactly what happened to ChickieMonster back in the day when she was ready to bail on Stevens her first day of orientation. So he decided to get out of there and the "friend" with the referral bonus at Total sounded like as good of an idea as any.

That's a much more plausible scenario than Stevens lying to him or the better training pay or his "friend" at Total touting their family atmosphere. Of course it would be way too late for him to admit any of this even if it were true, but I'm pretty comfortable saying the story we got isn't the full, complete story.

All of this sounds to me like someone who fully bought into the free agent myth in trucking. But of course these are all just theories because the story we're getting just doesn't add up.