3rd Generation Trucker, Applying To Wilsons’s.

I’m going to start this off where it all started. I left my welding job because when I applied I had dreams of making it a career. When the union contract came through, I had a rude awakening. They shifted our pension to a 401K taking away our union dues that we paid into our pension on top of what we already put in. What we paid into our pensions, our union dues doubled. So after the contract, I would lose half of what I put in. But because of how our pension was set up, I wouldn’t see a dime if I quit because I wasn’t vested into the pension. Once the contract was about to go through, I quit! I went into this company with hopes of relying on a doubled pension for retirement. I had to work for them for a total of 5 years to get what I put in, without the double, but the rest was supposed to turn into my 401K. **** that! Take my money, I’m out! Especially if you’re stealing my pension money from my union dues.

So I took a framing job for cash. An went to live at my boss’s cabin in Wisconsin. Bad idea! The guy I worked for hassled me into coming into work on a weekend when he was **** faced. I didn’t know this at the time. I got to the job site, seen he had tall cans with the other guy who only worked a half day. The boss said we needed more material an he wanted to get lunch. So material first, then a stop at the local watering hole. Well the Vikings were playing an every time they scored everyone got a Jell-O shot from the bar. Yay! Well I wasn’t drinking, I told him I was done eating. Went to the truck an waited, called, waited, called, an after an hour, went in after him. He wasn’t where I left him but his wallet was, he was on the floor in the bathroom.

Once I dragged him back to the job site. I could tell he wasn’t in working or driving condition. I took his keys an drove him an hour home in an hour the opposite direction from where I lived. At the time I was in the middle of moving to his cabin. So when I got home, I packed up what I could. Got a few hours of sleep an went back to get him for work Monday morning. I tell him he’s driving cause I need some more sleep. I wake up to someone smashing into the back of my truck that I had only had for about 4 months. Spend the day at work, take my busted truck up to the cabin an unload. Neighbors come by an tell me I gotta go. Turns out after the few years he’s had it, he didn’t legally own it. So I call my mom an tell her to come grab the other half of my ****, the rest was left for the new owners. Chalk it up as a loss, quit working for the drunk ******, and back to living at home with mom. Broke, unemployed, and soon after, no truck to make money with since insurance totaled it.

I spend the next few months plowing snow, an framing houses in the winter. As cool as these houses were, my friends company didn’t make much money. Spring comes an I’m now doing oil changes with a bunch of young bucks with no life experience, an ****ty attitudes. This lasted a month. Figured it’s time to make a life change, sick of framing, sick of ****ty jobs, an me an my dog (potato) needed a home. So I inquired about Wilson logistics. The recruiter Ty pointed me in the right direction, told me what I needed to do to get onboard. So within a month, I got my motorcycle permit and endorsement. And then got my birth certificate, an CLP. Today I passed the tests with flying colors. Ty sent me an email, suggesting I download the DMV genie app. Within a day I pounded the info into my head to pass the tests with flying colors. Which wasn’t hard coming from a family of truckers.

I applied immediately after I talked to the Wilsons recruiter today. So now I wait! I shortened up everything that’s happened this last year, trying not to bring COVID into the **** storm that has been my life. Cause we all know the troubles that has brung. Just giving the finer points of terrible companies an coworkers. But from everything I’ve heard an read. Wilson logistics is the route for me. They have a CDL program for new OTR truckers, and an amazing pet policy. Which for me is hard to find because I have a big dog that most companies restrict. Not just because of his size, but his breed too. Tbh I’ll be homeless an hungry, as long as I have him, he’s fed, and happy, I’ll be whole. Because my sweet potato is my world.

So from here, it’s just a waiting game. I hope I’ll have more to this diary. I hope tato an I can be a part of the Wilson family. But becoming a 3rd generation trucker, I know would put a smile on my grandpa’s face. If all goes well, I’ll be putting a lot more posts in. Thanks for reading, but also stay tuned cause we aren’t done yet.

Hey 2Thumbs ... I’m also going to Wilson ... I’m booked for the 10/5 class in Springfield,MO. I was initially going to Roehl Transport flatbed division but I stumbled upon Wilson and they’re everything I’m looking for. Keep your head up despite all the BS .... nothing but up from here.

Thanks Anthony, appreciate the positive words. Good luck with starting at Wilson. I had looked into Roehl too. But the pet policy at Wilson is just what me an my dog need. Trying to live my life like a sad country song. Just a man, with his dog, in a truck. Lol

So, I jumped through the hoops. Worked with an awesome recruiter. They looked past my recent accident an gave me a shot. Because of the rona, I got a rental an didn’t have to take a greyhound bus. Forgot to get the receipt for gas. So I won’t get reimbursed. But that’s fine! I got my own room with a king size bed. Guess COVID had a couple upsides to it. They couldn’t pair us up, and they couldn’t have us take a greyhound because we’d have to be quarantined for 2 weeks.

But I got down on Sunday night. Got to my room an pretty much crashed after driving all day.

Monday was good, sat in the classroom for most of it. Then went out an went over pre inspection. Did the agility test. Nothing too exciting. Biggest nerve racking part, was being told this is the longest interview you’ll ever have. That we are not employees. Pretty much just prospective hires in training until we get our cdl. Which I get, I don’t have a cdl , this is a training program, and it’s up to me to pass.

Today being Tuesday, we got to hit the simulators an some actual experience with backing maneuvers on the pad. That was fun, just gotta remember these techniques when I hit the road Friday. Our trainer went over the whole pre trip today while someone was testing an beat the script into our heads, corrected us when we were wrong, and reminded us to get this down. It’s the easiest part of the test, it’s all memory. After the driver was done testing, we got to practice more offset backing to finish out the day. Got back to the hotel and did some studying with another person from class. Now I’m just getting ready to crash out.

I probably won’t post again until I hit the road Friday and meet my trainer. Hope everything goes smooth until then. Stay safe out there!