How Relevent Is Brett's Book Today?

I have to agree with Brett on this.

Another thing that is still highly relevant is my feeling that the largest carriers are the best place to work. They have the most opportunities, the best perks, the best equipment, the most money behind them, and the strongest support structure for drivers.

Support system is essential when your in BFE who cares you? Them! They can and will help you.

Now take what I say lightly I am a rookie with a family I would very much like to see to butt...

Do you want to be that driver we see in the plains or crossing the appalations that every driver can tell you never crossed the Rockies?

The driver entering the Chicago area that never spent a winter in Wyoming?

Dust storm? Blizzard? Flooding?

OTR is the standard for a reason it's crazy out here. Not saying it can't be done local or regional from the start but these are braver and probably better drivers than me to start that path. A few are on here. Safer for me in my situation. Does the wife like me in certain states with less than 15,000lbs? No but it teaches limitations I never learned local class B for 10 years. Brett and these old school drivers are telling reality. Things may change but the truth doesn't.

That's one of the things I worry about right now, I start CDL class at the end of June but I only have 175 hours of behind the wheel time to do in July with a trainer. I'm thinking that with how fast I usually learn things that optimistically I should be on my own truck by mid August, that means no real world experience with throwing chains, frostbite prevention, ice driving, keeping engine liquids from getting too cold during a shutdown for something like a blizzard, and just a million other things that im sure I will have to contend with during the winter months that I will be driving through solo maybe 2 months after leaving the trainer. I think I know how to throw the chains well enough now since I have watched quite a few videos on proper technique but I know its going to be different when the snow is trying very hard to bury the tire and to make matters worse I havent even seen snow before. I have no idea what to expect a snowstorm to be like, I probably wont be able to see one coming in and i'm most likely not going to know most of the dangers involved with walking and driving in snow.

Steven, don't over think this stuff. Nobody is expecting you to be an expert from your time with a trainer. The reality is that you'll just know enough to barely get started as a solo driver. That's how the training works. It's by design. You will spend the next seven to ten years developing yourself into a professional. You'll find we always talk about that first year of commitment being critical. That year will be the steepest part of your learning curve.

Trucking requires independent creative thinking. There's no way a trainer can develop that in you. Being alone and exposed to the challenges of trucking will either bring out those characteristics in you or establish that you don't have them. Without them you will struggle.

Most trucking companies hiring inexperienced drivers have volumes of educational/training videos available to their employees. Many of them insist on a continuing education program that requires you to go through required training on a regular basis. You will be in training for much longer than your 170 - 200 hours with a trainer - you will just be doing it on your own.

As far as throwing chains goes, I've never chained up and honestly don't plan on it anytime soon. If chains are required it's generally time to park it and stay safe.

Don't let me scare you this is fun, exciting, and you will learn. Other drivers out here are your best resources I promise. Even that guy talking crap on the radio will help you If you ask nicely. Umm probably there are some Daffy Ducks out here. Just saying don't short change the training. While your doing it you will wish you had your own truck. For the first month in your own truck you'll wish you had your trainer. It gets easier but you will never have it all figured out.

Don't let me scare you this is fun, exciting, and you will learn. Other drivers out here are your best resources I promise. Even that guy talking crap on the radio will help you If you ask nicely. Umm probably there are some Daffy Ducks out here. Just saying don't short change the training. While your doing it you will wish you had your own truck. For the first month in your own truck you'll wish you had your trainer. It gets easier but you will never have it all figured out.

Yeah i'm going into this as prepared as I possibly can be, i'm in 2 different trucking groups on FB plus this forum. I went out and spent $200 on brand new clothing, a 24 in duffel, an 18 inch shower bag, waterproof flashlight, shower shoes, slippers, waterproof boots, waterproof work gloves, and a lot of other stuff that youtube drivers are saying that they expect people to bring. Now i'm moving onto basically making a list of questions that I feel I should ask since every video I see has the trainer complaining if the trainee isnt asking a million questions a minute about everything since they apparently take it as a sign that your not really interested in working. So i'm only nervous at best and thats about stuff like the broker thing and I heard on FB that something like 300 students got let go during training when US Xpress canceled their pre offer letters and i'm set to go to work for Total Transportation which I have been told is now owned by US Xpress. Other than that i'm going in with the attitude that I am going to pass my CDL and my solo test and this is going to be my career. Also i'm very glad to hear that you can stop when they want chains on, I keep seeing that everyone pretty much considers you to be the top guy on here for experience and advice so I will probably try to avoid chains as well.

Steven S. Bookmark this link if you go across WY: https://www.wyoroad.info/highway/conditions/RoadClosures.html or download the WY511 app

I get text messages from WYODOT, but if you're not out west much, it can drive you crazy at times with all you can get just from I-80 and I-25. Most States have 511 apps and I download those that I travel through the most...really helps in winter.

Laura

Steven S. Bookmark this link if you go across WY: https://www.wyoroad.info/highway/conditions/RoadClosures.html or download the WY511 app

I get text messages from WYODOT, but if you're not out west much, it can drive you crazy at times with all you can get just from I-80 and I-25. Most States have 511 apps and I download those that I travel through the most...really helps in winter.

Laura

Thank you for the link, im never against having more access to information.

Steven wrote:

Now i'm moving onto basically making a list of questions that I feel I should ask since every video I see has the trainer complaining if the trainee isnt asking a million questions a minute about everything since they apparently take it as a sign that your not really interested in working.

If you focus, pay attention and study during school and training, the questions will surface naturally. Let it happen at the right time.

I agree with Old School’s point about “Try not to overthink this.” This is very much; a “one step at a time” process. It’s okay to be excited and a bit anxious, but not good when you look too far ahead possibly causing a distraction in “the here and now”.

Invest some time in the blog section of trucking truth. Tons of great information about school and road training.

Good luck!

Steven wrote:

Now i'm moving onto basically making a list of questions that I feel I should ask since every video I see has the trainer complaining if the trainee isnt asking a million questions a minute about everything since they apparently take it as a sign that your not really interested in working.

If you focus, pay attention and study during school and training, the questions will surface naturally. Let it happen at the right time.

I agree with Old School’s point about “Try not to overthink this.” This is very much; a “one step at a time” process. It’s okay to be excited and a bit anxious, but not good when you look too far ahead possibly causing a distraction in “the here and now”.

Invest some time in the blog section of trucking truth. Tons of great information about school and road training.

Good luck!

Great advice.

Now that I'm out here, I beginning to understand this advice better.

Just when you think you've anticipated every contingency you get the Monty Python of trucking:

"Now for something COMPLETELY different."

So you have to adapt and overcome.