Besides The Info On TT, Do We Have Any Jim Palmer Truckers Here?

OS and G-Town

Like I said "If you haven't tried Lima Beans, how can you say you don't like them?"

Ok if I get on with a company that has Autoshifts then I will keep an open mind!

I guess I should have done more research on them.

I bow to your knowledge.

Autoshifts are always a lot nicer than anyone imagines. I think every experienced driver is leery of them at first, but you'll quickly find that they're fantastic. There's really no disadvantage to them. In heavier traffic it's a breeze to just kick back and let the truck do all of the work. In the mountains or in other situations where you might want to do something a little differently than the transmission wants to do it you can put it into manual mode and do your thing.

I drove standards for almost 10 years before getting into my first autoshift and wound up driving autos for the next six years. I loved them almost immediately. Pretty much everyone does.

Hey Robert, I get the whole idea of...

I like sticks!

I enjoy driving a manual transmission myself. Last week my truck needed to go to the dealer for about a week and they temporarily seated me in a truck with a manual transmission until mine was ready. I went right back to shifting just as if I'd been doing it forever. It was fun, but it also heaped me realize how effective these new auto shift transmissions are.

Here's an article I wrote awhile back that you might want to take a look at. The auto shift transmissions are here to stay.

Do Real Truckers Drive Automatics?

I wish Old Dominion would buy a automatics, they had some years ago and it didnt work out, so now they are avoiding them. I had a auto Volvo at West Side and loved it, especially in traffic which I am in a lot of near Chicago. Backing takes a few times to get used to, but I didnt seem to have the same lurching problem others complain about with them.

OS

I will be open minded. I did look at your article, "Do Real Truck Drivers Drive Automatics?"

Good article and will approach it with optimism.

First of all let me apologize for not replying sooner. It has been a bit of a whirlwind the past few weeks.

From what I've seen you have a voice in what you get but it comes down to what's available.

Concerning the manual vs. automatic debate... I've driven both in the past 3 months. About 7k miles in a manual and 31k in an automatic. I tested in a manual so I don't have the restriction. My opinion is that I like the automatic especially in heavy and stop and go traffic. Plus the automatic is easy to use and takes stress out of the equation so you can concentrate on driving. Think Atlanta, Dallas/Fort Worth, LA. BUT, a manual has some very strong benefits like backing and up and down grades because it gives some precision.

Hope this helps.

Dave

I have been talking to Logan and have filled out most of my application, been in trying to get all the pre-trip and airbrakes stuff in my head for this morning's cdl test. I have been looking into Jim Palmer for some time even before I found this site. Anyway I'm babbling. If I get through today's testing and get my CDL A, what can I expect from the rest of the training? I know they have some Peterbuilt's but do you get a choice when it's time for upgrade to "A seat?" I'm trying to get myself out of California and the only way is to go OTR. Lots of companies here in California, but I would prefer to go OTR for now.

Really enjoyed your diary. Really inspiring.

Thanks Dave for any help.

Raptor

Yep it does. Well, Logan gave me the thumbs down. He didn't say why, but It is what it is. I will keep a positive attitude about this, B/C I will do this again. There are many companies out there. And I will be patient.

Thanks all for answering this post.

Yep it does. Well, Logan gave me the thumbs down. He didn't say why, but It is what it is. I will keep a positive attitude about this, B/C I will do this again. There are many companies out there. And I will be patient.

Thanks all for answering this post.

Yeah, don't sweat it a bit. Everyone gets turned down by a bunch of companies, and they rarely tell you why. It doesn't mean anything. It's a numbers game. All of the major companies that hire new drivers are the best of the best in this industry. You honestly can't go wrong with any of them. So all it takes is one company to give you a shot and you're off and running.

Commit yourself to putting in one full year with that first company and your career will be established on solid footing. Most of the time you'll be quite happy right where you're at, but if you decide there's a better fit elsewhere you'll have a ton of opportunities as a driver with a solid year of OTR experience with their first company.

The name on the side of the door means very little when you're talking about the major carriers. Look at our moderators. All of them have great experience and could work at any company in the nation, yet they all happen to work at different carriers and they're all super happy where they're at. That shows you that happiness and success in this career will depend upon your abilities as a driver, not the company you work for like so many people seem to believe.

Hey Robert, I could fill a paragraph listing all the companies that rejected me. It's funny how many of them are trying to recruit me now. You can't take it personal. It is really a guessing game for them when we don't have current job history within the industry. There will be someone who hires you, and then it's up to you to prove to them that they at least guessed right about one new recruit.

Stay at it for that critical first year. That's a commitment that reaps tangible rewards.

I'm thinking I got really lucky when I applied to Jim Palmer because it was the only one I applied too. But, I had a short list that I was considering but didn't do the application. Prime, Warner, Schneider and Roehl where on that list.