I Really Really Really Hate Team Driving

Before you disappear, I have some questions....what branch of the Military were you in and for how long? What was your career field/MOS? Being a Veteran, I'm always curious about other Veterans branch they served in and jobs/career fields.

Laura

Army, 11B Infantry for a little over 2 years

Your solid now and can’t wait to quit

Sorry, I should clarify.

Yes, B class driving is worth nothing to an A class company, but right now you're running the ragged edge of personality and job conflict, JUST like I was. B class was a great way to get acclimatized to some portions of commercial driving in a slightly lower stress situation, and in general gain some maturity. If and when you decided to return to A class you would be starting from scratch with them in terms of experience, but you would back in with a much clearer head.

If I'm not getting through to you, I'm not sure how to at this point. I have been in your shoes, less the co-driver situation.

I probably won't be back out here again. I got my CDL to be a solo OTR driver not a team Regional driver. Foodservice and all that seem like hectic pain in the ass with all the stops and tight schedules you have to deal with. I looked in to trash trucks but no waste management companies are hiring near me. I'll probably find something non driving or maybe try SWIFT out as a solo driver since they don't push teams I don't know yet. If I do stay out here I am going to have to get better about learning to trip plan, slide tandems , and handle fatigue especially while night driving

What do you mean?

Who are these supposed “old timers” that told you this Zack? And nobody would have any good reason to tell a brand new driver that they are not cut for this solely because they are not being “successful”. Because again Zack like everybody continues to tell you. You are new. Nobody is successful at this in the beginning. Everything you are feeling and experiencing is nothing out of the ordinary. It does not matter what your DM may or may not think. It matters what Zack thinks.

All failures are short-term. No failure is permanent.

I haven't said much to Zach because everyone else has said it all much better than I could. But I don't think it's so much the trucking part, I think he is just really overwhelmed with all he doesn't know. The old hands here for as long as I've been here have always said that school just teaches you to drive the truck, the rest comes after. I think that he got tangled up thinking that as long as he could drive he would be ok, then he gets thrown into a ****ty team situation, as well as trying to figure out all the stuff that school and trainers didn't teach. We all know there's a ton to learn on our own. Yeah he might whine and complain too much, but what driver doesn't at times? I know I do, I complain about stuff all the time, I just know the difference between a valid issue and what is just part of trucking.

Zach I honestly think you are being really hard on yourself. Yeah you screwed up, maybe multiple times, but again who hasn't? Screwing up is part of learning. Perhaps the most important part because if everything goes smooth and you just coast along, what do you really learn? I think you need to tell your dm that your gonna stick with it but solo this time so you don't have to worry about anyone else's mistakes. Just your own and you can learn from them. If your dm says no, take the swift offer. Go through training with them, make sure they know you want to be solo and give it a shot. You haven't rolled a truck or hit anything that I remember you talking about so you really have nothing to lose, except the chance that you might actually turn out to be good at this job.

I've had plenty of old timers say that im not cut out for trucking and for good reason lol. It takes alot more then not hitting anything to be successful at this job. Either you have it or you don't. I've come a very long way from where I started but its not enough to make it out here, there's a reason why my DM wants me gone, because I'm not being successful.

Hey Zach, thanks for your service. One thing that comes to mind for a noob like me, still waiting to go to school. If you do stick this out and make a good go of this, in spite of the problems you have gone through, it could inspire us to think "If he can do it, we can too." One of the quickest ways to get my rebellious butt to do something is to tell me that I cant do it. Makes me fight that much harder for it.

Before you disappear, I have some questions....what branch of the Military were you in and for how long? What was your career field/MOS? Being a Veteran, I'm always curious about other Veterans branch they served in and jobs/career fields.

Laura

Army, 11B Infantry for a little over 2 years

Zach, I wish you well. If you can do that ^^^ .. you can do 'this.' Western wasn't the right fit; it happens. Seriously, LOOK into Swift. When I get 'free' of my youngest (he's 17 now!..) They will be my first call. Go against the grain. I had a 'hiccup' with my permit years ago, and it may still haunt me to never getting the chances that YOU ARE BEING GIVEN. Look elsewhere, please.

Thank you for your service; my oldest son is still in the Army in Ga. He's planning on CDL life afterwards, as well. His dad (my ex) raised him, so he's got the grit. I believe you do, as well.

IMHO, you're fine. PLEASE let us know, what begets from hereon out. TYSM;

~ Anne ~