Finally Made My Decision To Get My Cdl

Well. Today I made the decision to get my cdl and become a truck driver. After 8 yenot affriadrs working in a prison and being constantly depressed and sick going to work, 2 X wives (crazy, I know) I need a change. For about a year now, I've been researching the highs and lows of driving a truck. This site has been a tremendous help. I realize that it will be hard work and all (not afraid of that) but I need a change. I'm cashing out my 401k, paying for cdl school andgiving my 2 weeks at my job and going to school. I can't wait to start this exciting and rewarding career change. I realize that this isn't a rose garden. I know hard work (was a marine). I've worked for the state and have not had a raise in 8 years. I'm excited to get started. I'll try to keep everyone posted on my progress, good and bad. I've read ALOT of negative info on the trucking industry And trucking companies. Wish me luck

Welcome aboard Carl!

After 8 yenot affriadrs working in a prison and being constantly depressed and sick going to work, 2 X wives (crazy, I know) I need a change

Wow....I'm not sure how long 8 yenot affridsrs is but it sure sound like a long time!

My dad worked at the famous Attica Prison back in the day and I currently live in Attica, NY so I know what life is like for the guards. I don't blame you a bit for getting out of there. That's a poisonous environment for all involved.

I know hard work (was a marine).

Ha.....well trucking is indeed considered hard work.... but not for a Marine! Let's say it will be a roller coaster ride with a lot of ups and downs. There will be a lot of policies and procedures that will make no sense whatsoever as a new driver. And there will be personalities you will clash with. Life on the road will be nothing like you imagined it to be, but that's not necessarily bad....just different.

But you'll go as far as you want in this industry with a great work ethic, a great attitude, and the ability to get along well with most people. It's a performance-based industry that awards the most miles, best runs, special favors, and fair treatment to the best drivers. So you have to go out there and show em what you can do.

The two things you should do right away are:

1) Go through our Truck Driver's Career Guide from beginning to end and follow all of the links you come across. That will teach you a ton about getting your trucking career off to a great start. It will also take you throughout our website to all of the things we have to help you get that career underway.

2) Get started on our High Road Training Program. It's an amazing online CDL training program that will prepare you for your CDL permit test and all of your endorsement tests. It also has two special sections we've build on the Logbook Rules and Truck Weight & Balance. That stuff isn't covered nearly well enough during training but is crucial to doing your job out there every day.

Get started on those and dig in. There's a lot to learn but we have it covered for ya. And ask a lot of questions. We're always happy to help out.

Wow....I'm not sure how long 8 yenot affridsrs is but it sure sound like a long time!

Brett, you are so mean . . . but I was thinking the same thing . . . just how long IS yenot affridsrs??

My best friend was a Washoe County (Reno, NV) Sheriff's deputy and just retired . . . he was usually a jailer or bailiff but never a patrolman. However, I could see the years around problem people take its toll . . . hey Carl, good on you for wanting to make that change . . . you'll be a lot better off not having to deal with the "dark side" if you know what I mean . . .

Jopa

Good luck Carl, in trucking you will go through weeks at a time where you won't ever even see anybody you know, it will definitely be different than prison guard work. You will still run across the occasional hustler at the truck stops though. There's no escaping the dark-side completely.

Carl.....I want to thank you for putting in the time to keep the public safer...Its a thankless job....I know, believe me. But...now you have a new adventure !!!!! So get your time in on the High Road...it will serve you well....and keep coming in here...theres a wealth of education, hard won by all the drivers that contribute to these forums....all you need to do is take advantage of it...Read...ask questions..and study study study.... WELCOME TO TRUCKING TRUTH !!!

. . . in trucking you will go through weeks at a time where you won't ever even see anybody you know . . .

Old School, I've seen Brett make the same reference and I know it is true. But something struck me the other day that takes some of the sting out of that realization. And that thought was I already feel like I know people like you & Brett & Guy & Daniel & Bill & Starcar & Redgator and all the others I read on a daily basis. I have to admit that logging in to TT on a daily basis and reading all of the posts and the friendly banter (who you calling SLOW?) has become a very important part of my day. And I'm not even in school yet! (getting close, though). So I can see where this online community will be a big part of keeping that "dislocated" feeling at bay while on the road. Of course, I have more time on my hands now than I will driving (hopefully I'll be a lot busier soon) but, still, feeling like I am part of a community of like minded people will make me feel a lot less on my own, if that makes sense. I'll give you an example. I have never met Brett - probably wouldn't recognize him if I passed him on the street - but some guy recently made a post, got a response from Brett and proceeded to flame Brett because he didn't like that response. It took all of five minutes for several people to jump in and let that guy know he was way out of line. I really had to wait my turn to get a word in edgewise but I felt the same thing - just who does this guy think he is making those uncalled for remarks when he didn't have the right to make judgements since he just showed up. Know what I mean? Nobody defends a total stranger but you feel obligated to defend a friend, right? That's what I mean.

Jopa

I can see where this online community will be a big part of keeping that "dislocated" feeling at bay while on the road

It really is amazing how well you feel like you know people just from talking in a forum like this. I've tried to enhance that by adding features like the photo gallery, nicknames, status updates, profiles, and the TT Tracker App and I'm constantly using those features to try to get to know people a little bit.

I've always been a loner by nature and I live alone way out in the country. So this community really is a blast for me. It makes me feel like I have friends at the ready anytime and I love checking in to see how things are going for everyone.

Jopa, I understand your sentiments completely, and that's why I poked some fun at you - I tend to poke fun at my friends.

You wouldn't believe how often I log on to Trucking Truth each day. Any time I'm sitting at a shipper or receiver waiting, I will log on and just check on my "friends". I have a feeling this is an added benefit for drivers that Brett never even intended or envisioned when he started this, I could be wrong, Brett is a thinker, but I kind of think he more was thinking about the helpful educational benefits of this site than he was thinking of the social aspect.

It really was a shock to my system when I first started this career. I was well known in my town because I had a business there for thirty years. My daughters used to laugh about how we couldn't go anywhere without me running into somebody that knew me. They found it comical that we couldn't even go out to dinner and have some private time together without some of the other diners coming over to our table and greeting us. I've been out here for almost one year now, and have yet to see any one I know, nor have I run into any of my Trucking Truth friends. It's part of this life, and it takes a little getting used to. Another oddity to this work is that I don't know anybody at the company I work for. I have met my dispatcher , but as far as anybody else, I don't even have a clue who my boss is. I actually got a call one time from somebody that told me I was doing a great job, and then he told me his name and asked if I would be willing to switch loads with another driver because they were needing to get the driver home. I did what they needed and didn't think a thing about it. Later that week I asked my dispatcher who that was, and he was surprised to realize that I had been talking to the vice-president over the flat-bed division.

THanks to all for replying. I know the first year is going to be a challenging one to say the least. I look forward to keeping you all posted on my progress, ups and downs!

THANKS!