Where One Door Closes Another One Opens And With The Help Of The Safety Director!

The whole reason I came back to trucking was 1. I love the job and life style. 2. I wanted to get better at flatbed 3. I could save money more for University. 4. To prove to myself I am not a quitter.

Maybe God is trying to communicate something to me. Whether its not to do trucking or something else He is setting up. I dont know. Right now I am just emotionally aggravated. So forgive me if I am a bit jumpy. I copied a email I sent to someone for advice. I will post it here but between talking to my parents and God this is how far I have come.

So this Payne transport is going to hire you as a rookie driver to work there for three months (May, June, July)? Then you leave that job and go to college for a semester for what? Then there's the AF pilot part. Is this the reason for the college work?

I may be the only one confused, but just what are you going to be? What's your end goal with all this?

Email that I sent to Mutha Trucker who does Asian Mai Show.....please be undersranding where I am coming from. Thanks so much for being here.

Good afternoon, my name is Victor Canfield II, and I have been trucking on and off for five years equaling up to a year and a month and I have really seemed to have a really hard time with either a company is not a good fit, or I have not been able to perform as well as I should have been able to. This last company Melton Truck Lines was a company and is a company that I absolutely loved. I have a lot of good friends and flatbed was fun and challenging. Well I had injured myself on my third load and was on workers compensation for 2 months. I come out of light duty and I get my truck after meeting with safety Russell Robertson. So I get my load and prepares my truck to go, and then I get rolling. Now the gps said I was going along my route to Virginia but it was not. So I was out of route. Russell brought up too that when I was yet on light duty that I turned in two pieces of equipment that I personally thought needed looking after and found out that I had just switched the lines on the trailer and the van needed nothing to be fix of so I wasted some time and money without intending on it. Those combined plus my light duty Russell said led to my being forced to resign. And I was and am quite upset about it.

Now I must say that I am a Christian and a follower of Christ. I am also VERY stubborn which takes a lot to admit. But I am a very hard working man and I try to do the best I can and get on myself when I do not do the best I xan do. After listening to my parents advice I am prayerfully considering whether or not I am to be in yet one more trucking company or if I should be finding a local garbage or dump truck job. Payne Trucking and Bennett Motor Express are looking into me. Payne Trucking is actually looking at me knowing I am to be in school in August on the 19th.

What is your perspective on this whole situation? Do you think God is wanting me to leave trucking? Am I wrong to pursue trucking?

I know that lately today, I have had on my mind, Transport for Christ. Now I am pretty certain of one thing, the Devil that liar would not be bringing up something like that, that would glorify Christ. I am not sure of other similar convoys. I think I would need to own my own rig. Which another item of desire that I wanted to achieve.

Another option I think is working at another comoany while owning my rig and working on the weekends or working part time while owning my rig. All I know is I want to be where He wants me to be. This trucking has certainly been on my dream list since being 8 years of age and the degree was to go commission eventually as a officer in the Navy or Airforce and go to pilot training.

Im just frustrated and confused and am in need of some brotherly advice and outside perspective. Thank you for your help! God bless😊.

Personally, I wouldn't be mentioning to potential employers my plans of quitting in the fall for school. It's almost giving them an excuse to not hire you. I mean this in a nice way but given your track record with past employers you need all the help you can get. A potential employer is going to see you need additional help. Most won't be willing to give it knowing you're going to quit for school in 3 months.

I sincerely hope you're able to achieve your dreams whether it's trucking or military.

Very true words of wisdom. Depressed and dreary are two good words for me right now. Im just drawing a blank on how to get enough saved without driving a truck and if it worked out with Melton I had that covered. It didnt though and I am at a lost. Like Mrs. Annemarie said it may not be my forte but I am going to be very sad saying goodbye to something I love to do.

Maybe I should consider canceling my Liberty application and go to like a flight school or a business specific school. Not sure.

Personally, I wouldn't be mentioning to potential employers my plans of quitting in the fall for school. It's almost giving them an excuse to not hire you. I mean this in a nice way but given your track record with past employers you need all the help you can get. A potential employer is going to see you need additional help. Most won't be willing to give it knowing you're going to quit for school in 3 months.

I sincerely hope you're able to achieve your dreams whether it's trucking or military.

Very true words of wisdom. Depressed and dreary are two good words for me right now. Im just drawing a blank on how to get enough saved without driving a truck and if it worked out with Melton I had that covered. It didnt though and I am at a lost. Like Mrs. Annemarie said it may not be my forte but I am going to be very sad saying goodbye to something I love to do.

Maybe I should consider canceling my Liberty application and go to like a flight school or a business specific school. Not sure.

Personally, I wouldn't be mentioning to potential employers my plans of quitting in the fall for school. It's almost giving them an excuse to not hire you. I mean this in a nice way but given your track record with past employers you need all the help you can get. A potential employer is going to see you need additional help. Most won't be willing to give it knowing you're going to quit for school in 3 months.

I sincerely hope you're able to achieve your dreams whether it's trucking or military.

This is 'Momma Anne,' checking in for 'arrival!' (at the 'home 20,' of course!!!) LoLoL.. Victor, you know I've got a special spot in my heart for you, son! Seroiusly ...heed the words above, the powers that be, and in all seriousness......is there any reason you have an aversion to going military, to fly? Had I had the opportunity, I sure WOULD have went to 'some' sort of avionics schooling, with an A.S. (or higher?) in ATC. My cards didn't line up that way.

I'll respond to your other message as I can, for sure. Yet, for now .... a reminder. Did I mention, my daughter is in ROTC, Air Force, and making $21.00/hour at PR Machining in Mansfield, Ohio? Look them up. She's a recent graduate. She did the KCCC route (Knox County Community College) for CNC machining, and the year AFTER she graduated, they THEN instituted the CDLA class! Would she have gone with the CDL first?!?!? We don't know and neither does she.

She still has plans of obtaining BOTH; Her Pilot's and CDL. You young folks HAVE that opportunity, and latitude! You've got some AMAZING advice above, man. Read it. Over. And Over. Get bored? Go to Old School's 'on the web' blue hyperlink. Read. It. ALSO.... look at Rob T.'s stuff! How about that????? Honest start, lumping groceries, eh? Yessir! Personally, it's a GREAT start...especially with a family (or not) and/or, just to stay FIT!

Look at Pianoman, too! Started w/Swift, and is now with System Transport! Around your age; maybe a few years older. Y'all have your YOUTH in your favor, LoL!

More later, but best wishes is all I have, for now & today. Let it 'simmer.' Sleep on it. Listen to Yaweh, listen to your mom, and your higher power!

~ Anne ~

ps: Feel better, here's US!!!! Winter, Spring, Summer or Fall . . .

aka: NO dreary or depressed! MANY of us folks have emails in profiles, if not more!

Why not find another online school that will take you? Why Liberty? I will hold my tongue concerning Liberty. If you like trucking stick w it for a few years. Save up go to non-military flight school. Check out Gaines Motor Express also. NC operation. Check out Freightworks. Not sure hiring requirements w Freightworks. No flatbed but strong small faith based carrier out of Rutherfordton, Nc.

Why do you have to go one semester on campus? Im confused. They claim to have 100% online degrees. Largest online college in the country! I am researching some things for you. I have a friend who works at Liberty in online admissions dept. (I think he still does)

What again was the point of emailing Asian Mai? Why do you keep dropping the safety directors name? You were not wronged Victor. You went to Melton, you were unable to perform, you got fired. It’s that simple.

Victor:

Like many others I have questioned your approach to reaching your goals. If a Aviation/Military career is the end goal I think you need to put the truck driving on hold. The amount of money you earn driving brief stints between addending school just will not be enough to make a difference.

Personally I see 3 paths you could start right now that would be more efficient than your current attempts.

1) Monday morning go into a military recruiting office and see if it is possible to enlist and be guarantied a spot in helicopter training. This would get you in the military and in the air quickly. To the best of my knowledge the requirements for Army aviation do not require a college degree. Once you are a trained pilot numerous other professional and education opportunities will open up. In addition military "boot camp" will help you develop the maturity and mental toughness you will need to succeed.

Best parts about this plan is no out of pocket costs, military pay and possible signing bonuses and it can all start happening now.

2) Find an affordable school with a military ROTC program and apply. There are also ROTC scholarships that will help with tuition and you will earn a monthly stipend. With this plan you may even be able to find a part time job using the CDL.

3) Apply to the airline sponsored flight schools that offer a direct path to a first officer position with an airline. This will leave you with a lot of debt but with the projected pilot retirements coming up you will be in a great position for a long career.

In closing you seem like a decent young man but you seem to be waiting for someone to "fix" your problems. That is not going to happen. Anything from now on depends on you taking deliberate steps to make things happen.

Good luck to you.

Victor you’ve gotten some good and thoughtful advice here.

This is like the movie Groundhog Day. IMO you are still searching for the right company, unaware or possibly in denial of the real issue here. As an example; you let your GPS take you down the wrong path. You know better!

Is trucking for you? Is trucking the right fit for you? You must look within for the answer.