Company Sponsorship Or Paid CDL Training W/Pet-FRIENDLY Policy?

So, how do you survive for at least two weeks without your ESA?

If it came to me having to board him for two weeks I'll have to hope the Joliet PetSmart Hotel is back open or use a non-local PetSmart hotel. They allow pet owners to video chat with their pet whenever you need to.

but you will need to find a boarding facility for 2 weeks after Driver Solutions because Pam Transport requires you to team-drive for 2 weeks with a Pam Transport trainer.

So after all that arguing with us . we were correct and you are not permitted to take the dog onto an OTR training truck.

Thank you for clarifying that for us

Did Todd have a son in Illinois?

Exactly. Quite a few contradictions in his posts.

So, how do you survive for at least two weeks without your ESA?

Well stated. I will be very interested in the outcome of this particular situation.

For all future readers....

What you need to take away from this thread is that trucking is unlike most jobs. A typo in an email never kills anyone but a dog jumping in the air or barking and distracting the driver absolutely can. Companies CANNOT be forced to put public safety ahead of personal safety as it is not "reasonable" to accommodate that. I knew a trainer who had to remove their fish tank from the truck because it distracted the student.

As truckers we are held to a higher standard for safety and that is evident by blowing a .04 as a DUI instead of the national .08 for cars and "normal" drivers. Any alcohol in the system puts you out of service. Everything about our job involves safety. We get inspected, have our hours limited and must provide documents and drug tests upon request. Our disabilities CAN limit our opportunities, our medications CAN cause us to be rejected by companies, and our medical and mental history as well as work history IS required and NOT protected by HIPAA (Health Information Portability & Accountability Act). If you refuse to supply information, you will be rejected. If you lie and omit information you can be rejected, and even blacklisted as no company will trust you.

It is contradictory to state "I am not asking for special treatment, I only want to use their normal pet policy"....."but I need my dog at orientation and throughout training, during which I do not want to be OTR". None of that is normal in trucking. It is also selfish and inconsiderate to want your needs met without caring about the needs of others. Such as the trainer, room mate or company.

We went through this whole conversation about depression and suicidal tendencies for nothing. It is quite possible he will get rejected for lack of work history. However, the suicidal tendencies alone would be enough to prevent him from getting a CDL.... Which is a PRIVILEGE not a right.

BTW.... I have degrees in Political Science/History and Human & Social Services. And i tend to get information from experienced truckers and company management over someone who hasn't even been to an orientation yet or held a key of a truck in their hands.

I am starting to believe he just wanted to take his dog with him for free boarding.

but you will need to find a boarding facility for 2 weeks after Driver Solutions because Pam Transport requires you to team-drive for 2 weeks with a Pam Transport trainer.

So after all that arguing with us . we were correct and you are not permitted to take the dog onto an OTR training truck.

Thank you for clarifying that for us

I'm hoping the dog will start his own account on here so me may get a straight answer.

K.O and Jack, we're truly not trying to beat you down. There are just so many red flags. Most of us absolutely love trucking and regret not getting started earlier. The beginning is very stressful just learning how to maneuver a vehicle roughly 70 feet in length. Jack will not be able to be by your side at the most difficult times through this. For me, schooling was a very humbling experience and I was so frustrated with my poor performance that I wanted to quit. I've always been one to thrive at all jobs I've had. When it took me nearly 3 days to just be able to backup a trailer straight I really questioned what I was doing. Thankfully it finally clicked and I passed my state exam on the first try. Jack will be able to stay with you at the hotel by going with driver solutions but that's not going to be the difficult part. The part that you may struggle with is managing your emotions while actively at school with him locked up at the hotel. If you read through the diaries on the other section of the forum you'll find a very common issue. Nearly all of them mention a trainer that in their eyes shouldn't be training, belittling students, using derogatory words and keeping the truck disgusting. All of that behavior is unacceptable but unfortunately there are far more trainers that are strictly in it for the wrong reasons and the company is unaware of what really happens. Most drivers that would make great trainers have no interest in doing it. I'd have no problem taking an experienced driver out for a couple days to show him company specific policies but no way in hell would I take a brand new driver out. Anytime somebody else is behind the wheel my life is literally in their hands. Kearsey has done quite a bit of training and does a fine job at it from what her students have told us. That's the type of trainer you could HOPE for but in reality it won't happen just due to the amount of trainers that aren't as great.

Imagine this. You're coming down a mountain and your tires start spinning. You're unaware but your trainer in the seat can feel it and immediately starts telling you what to do. They expect you to do exactly as you're told, when you're told to because theres likely a good reason behind it. After the situation is resolved is the perfect time to discuss it and how to avoid it again. Most trainers have been driving long enough to see a potential hazard before it becomes an emergency unlike a new driver can.

I read through your profile and see a couple things I wanted to point out. Your goal is to find Jack a "wife" in 2021 and they can create a family. You also mention trucking for 5 years. Trucking with 1 pet on the truck limits your options. Trucking with 2 restricts that far, far more. You also mention group trainings on Saturdays for him while trucking. Unless you're a local driver that's extremely unrealistic. Being local as a single person with a dog isnt a great idea either. It's not uncommon I'm doing 12 to 14 hour days PLUS the commute. That whole time they're alone inside with no way for potty breaks. You also will not be allowed to bring them with as a local driver. The cabs are much smaller than a road truck. The working hours with most local jobs don't coincide with other businesses to just drop them off for a playdate. My 2 local jobs I had were start times of 3-4am, or currently midnight - 3am. I'm unaware of any doggy daycares that are open those hours for dropoff. After reading your bio I really think you need alot more education on what you're about to embark on. I honestly see atleast a dozen red flags about trucking being a good fit. I'm glad you're not allowing your disability/disorder to stop you from pursuing goals but really I have my doubts about this working out with what I perceive as your expectations. Please take the time to review these links to get a better idea of this career....NO.. the LIFESTYLE of trucking.

• Truck Driver's Career Guide
• Brett's Book: The Raw Truth About Trucking (free online version)
• High Road CDL Training Program
• CDL Practice Tests

Being a truck driver isnt just a profession. It's a way of life that directly impacts nearly everything else in your life. Your business that you run and own will be difficult to continue while on the road. I have a question and please don't take offense to it as it's not my goal. Why do you choose to live outdoors in a tent rather than getting help from a shelter? Your documentation for Jack being a service dog would allow him to stay as well. Also, if you have the $500 for him to be in the hotel with you and roughly another $500 for his lodging while training for 2 weeks why haven't you stayed in a hotel or motel? Also you talked highly about your education and experience surely you'd be able to find a decent paying job that is a better fit. I guess I'm just extremely confused regarding your situation if you're as great of a candidate as you seem to believe you are. No disrespect intended by any of what I've said, but in the nearly 6 years I've been on this forum I've seen MANY people come and go that here that had the completely wrong view

Continued....

All of them have flaked out and blame the company. We all really enjoy this career but understand it's not for everyone. Theres nothing wrong with that. To be honest I'd rather someone NOT try it over somebody trying it and failing only to jump online and criticize everything they perceive wrong with their company or the industry as a whole. Every company, and industry have flaws but nearly every trucking company is "bad" according to reviews which are almost always written by someone who couldn't cut it or just didnt understand what they're getting in to. I sincerely wish you the best of luck, but I feel this is not a good fit for you based on what I've seen. At this point I feel like I'm beating a dead horse so that's all I'm going to say on this subject.

but you will need to find a boarding facility for 2 weeks after Driver Solutions because Pam Transport requires you to team-drive for 2 weeks with a Pam Transport trainer.

So after all that arguing with us . we were correct and you are not permitted to take the dog onto an OTR training truck.

Thank you for clarifying that for us

No, I am allowed to under the law, I was making that post for prospective truckers with pets if you'd pay attention and stop spamming the thread with posts irelivent to the topic.