New To The Journey
Topic 53 | Page 1
Welcome to the site first of all.
Next the main concern I have is not being concerned with your weight until now. Its good you want to loose weight and get healthy but I will warn ya now. Unless you make drastic changes and stick to them then you will become over weight again. Where you maybe active somewhat right now and just gained weight from a bad diet it will become 100% harder to loose weight and keep it off while your on the road. It can be done but the question is will you do it? Who knows but you might be one of the rare cases that can do it. But it will take extra hard work if your already over weight before starting to drive a truck.
2nd thing...what to focus on to study before going to school? Someone else will post a link to our study/test program on the site . Its free and has a unique way of teaching that you can't help but learn. To answer your question ....EVERYTHING in our study course. It will be all covered on the CDL test.
CDL:
Commercial Driver's License (CDL)
A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:
- Any combination of vehicles with a gross combined weight rating (GCWR) of 26,001 or more pounds, providing the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of the vehicle being towed is in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any single vehicle with a GVWR of 26,001 or more pounds, or any such vehicle towing another not in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any vehicle, regardless of size, designed to transport 16 or more persons, including the driver.
- Any vehicle required by federal regulations to be placarded while transporting hazardous materials.
OOS:
When a violation by either a driver or company is confirmed, an out-of-service order removes either the driver or the vehicle from the roadway until the violation is corrected.
I've thought about that quite a bit. The lifestyle of a trucker isnt usually healthy. The way I am looking at it is that my weight usually stays constant (prior to working on it). After looking into the lifestyle of a trucker it is similar to how I've lived. My job currently is sitting for 8 hours. Then I go home and sit more. The foods I ate werent too healthy and included a lot of fast food. My odd schedule keeps me from being as active as I would like. Living out of a truck seems very similar with the exception of the options I have at home to just run to the store and pick something up to cook. So my theory is that if I can drop some pounds prior to getting there I can stay constant at that weight.
Now actually getting on the road will be tough. A good diet will be hard to maintain especially while training and being somewhat at the mercy of a trainer. I think its a matter of making good choices. Not getting the pile of grease but instead get a grilled chicken salad and things like that. If I have a way to keep things cold I can get some fruit and lunch meat and things like that. Excersize will be tough. Id like to think I could take long walks and at least be moving at some part of the day. I don't know how feesible that will be but its my hope.
As far as study materials I plan on taking full advantage of the materials on this site. I havent started the training materials but have printed a few other things I've found here and plan on getting into the training stuff in the next week or so.
Thanks for the reply
Welcome aboard!
First of all, your weight itself will likely trigger sleep apnea testing from a lot of companies you apply to. If you plan on waiting until August or so, you have plenty of time to lose 60+ pounds with very little effort - counting calories is all you would need to do. I'm big into health and fitness and I can guarantee you that using Weight Watchers exactly as they instruct you to even without any exercise at all is highly effective. I know tons of people that have done it, including one guy that lost 160 pounds in 18 months without 5 minutes of exercise the entire time. So don't believe the hype from television commercials - you don't need fancy workouts to lose the weight. Diet alone will do it. At some point you'll want to exercise to be truly fit, but it isn't necessary to lose weight or maintain a healthy weight.
If you're serious about getting into trucking and making positive changes in your life, start with a simple program like Weight Watchers. They have tons of awesome frozen dinners if you're not into cooking. I live alone so I don't bother cooking much. I've lived on Weight Watchers frozen meals for years and I'm not even trying to lose weight - they're just tasty, good for ya, and they're the right number of calories.
As far as when to apply to the various company-sponsored training programs, probably about 2 months before you're ready to get started would be plenty of time. At that point you'll know where you stand with your diet also so you'll know from talking with the various companies whether or not they'll require any kind of sleep apnea testing.
And as far as which materials to study, our High Road Online CDL Training Program has everything you'll need to pass the written exams for your permit and endorsements. It has the entire CDL manual built right in so you won't need to study the manual outside of the course at all.
We also have an awesome pre-trip inspection study guide that will help a ton with learning the pre-trip inspection.
Those are all of the materials you'll need to be very well prepared for getting your permit, your endorsements, and the start of CDL schooling. I would start those training materials about two months before you're ready to get started also, but of course it never hurts to get started earlier.
Pre-trip Inspection:
A pre-trip inspection is a thorough inspection of the truck completed before driving for the first time each day.
Federal and state laws require that drivers inspect their vehicles. Federal and state inspectors also may inspect your vehicles. If they judge a vehicle to be unsafe, they will put it “out of service” until it is repaired.
CDL:
Commercial Driver's License (CDL)
A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:
- Any combination of vehicles with a gross combined weight rating (GCWR) of 26,001 or more pounds, providing the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of the vehicle being towed is in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any single vehicle with a GVWR of 26,001 or more pounds, or any such vehicle towing another not in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any vehicle, regardless of size, designed to transport 16 or more persons, including the driver.
- Any vehicle required by federal regulations to be placarded while transporting hazardous materials.
Sleep Apnea:
A physical disorder in which you have pauses in your breathing, or take shallow breaths, during sleep. These pauses can last anywhere from a few seconds to a few minutes. Normal breathing will usually resume, sometimes with a loud choking sound or snort.
In obstructive sleep apnea, your airways become blocked or collapse during sleep, causing the pauses and shallow breathing.
It is a chronic condition that will require ongoing management. It affects about 18 million people in the U.S.
Company-sponsored Training:
A Company-Sponsored Training Program is a school that is owned and operated by a trucking company.
The schooling often requires little or no money up front. Instead of paying up-front tuition you will sign an agreement to work for the company for a specified amount of time after graduation, usually around a year, at a slightly lower rate of pay in order to pay for the training.
If you choose to quit working for the company before your year is up, they will normally require you to pay back a prorated amount of money for the schooling. The amount you pay back will be comparable to what you would have paid if you went to an independently owned school.
Company-sponsored training can be an excellent way to get your career underway if you can't afford the tuition up front for private schooling.
HOS:
Hours Of Service
HOS refers to the logbook hours of service regulations.
I don't plan on anything fancy. Just head out to the trails and to and eventually run. I'll take some flashcards to study and use the fresh air to harness my chi and all that hippy stuff. I'll look into weight watchers. How much do those meals cost? Do you happen to know any specific requirements for the sleep apnea stuff? I thought I read something at one point but cant find it anymore. I thought DOT would have some info but haven't found any. Im just trying to find a target to aim at.
DOT:
Department Of Transportation
A department of the federal executive branch responsible for the national highways and for railroad and airline safety. It also manages Amtrak, the national railroad system, and the Coast Guard.
State and Federal DOT Officers are responsible for commercial vehicle enforcement. "The truck police" you could call them.
Sleep Apnea:
A physical disorder in which you have pauses in your breathing, or take shallow breaths, during sleep. These pauses can last anywhere from a few seconds to a few minutes. Normal breathing will usually resume, sometimes with a loud choking sound or snort.
In obstructive sleep apnea, your airways become blocked or collapse during sleep, causing the pauses and shallow breathing.
It is a chronic condition that will require ongoing management. It affects about 18 million people in the U.S.
HOS:
Hours Of Service
HOS refers to the logbook hours of service regulations.
Those Weight Watcher's meals are like $2.50-$4.00 and they're pretty darn good considering they're good for ya and help ya lose weight.
The DOT doesn't set the standards for sleep apnea. There are no regulations about it at this point. The trucking companies themselves are setting their own standards voluntarily. I think Prime sets the BMI at about 39. Anything from there up they require a sleep apnea test. Other companies have similar standards but not all companies will have you tested for it.
There are a bunch of BMI calculators on the web - you can Google it and figure out what your BMI is.
DOT:
Department Of Transportation
A department of the federal executive branch responsible for the national highways and for railroad and airline safety. It also manages Amtrak, the national railroad system, and the Coast Guard.
State and Federal DOT Officers are responsible for commercial vehicle enforcement. "The truck police" you could call them.
Sleep Apnea:
A physical disorder in which you have pauses in your breathing, or take shallow breaths, during sleep. These pauses can last anywhere from a few seconds to a few minutes. Normal breathing will usually resume, sometimes with a loud choking sound or snort.
In obstructive sleep apnea, your airways become blocked or collapse during sleep, causing the pauses and shallow breathing.
It is a chronic condition that will require ongoing management. It affects about 18 million people in the U.S.
BMI:
Body mass index (BMI)
BMI is a formula that uses weight and height to estimate body fat. For most people, BMI provides a reasonable estimate of body fat. The BMI's biggest weakness is that it doesn't consider individual factors such as bone or muscle mass. BMI may:
- Underestimate body fat for older adults or other people with low muscle mass
- Overestimate body fat for people who are very muscular and physically fit
It's quite common, especially for men, to fall into the "overweight" category if you happen to be stronger than average. If you're pretty strong but in good shape then pay no attention.
HOS:
Hours Of Service
HOS refers to the logbook hours of service regulations.
I am looking at going into truck driving, and have Sleep Apnea wiith a CPAP Machine. I have to get the information from my CPAP machine downloaded and a letter from my Doctor before I can be cleared for my DOT Physical. I was suppose to start CDL School on MArch 4th, but I had to pospone it until I get my Doctor to write the letter. The process is slow due to working with the VA.
CDL:
Commercial Driver's License (CDL)
A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:
- Any combination of vehicles with a gross combined weight rating (GCWR) of 26,001 or more pounds, providing the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of the vehicle being towed is in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any single vehicle with a GVWR of 26,001 or more pounds, or any such vehicle towing another not in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any vehicle, regardless of size, designed to transport 16 or more persons, including the driver.
- Any vehicle required by federal regulations to be placarded while transporting hazardous materials.
DOT:
Department Of Transportation
A department of the federal executive branch responsible for the national highways and for railroad and airline safety. It also manages Amtrak, the national railroad system, and the Coast Guard.
State and Federal DOT Officers are responsible for commercial vehicle enforcement. "The truck police" you could call them.
Sleep Apnea:
A physical disorder in which you have pauses in your breathing, or take shallow breaths, during sleep. These pauses can last anywhere from a few seconds to a few minutes. Normal breathing will usually resume, sometimes with a loud choking sound or snort.
In obstructive sleep apnea, your airways become blocked or collapse during sleep, causing the pauses and shallow breathing.
It is a chronic condition that will require ongoing management. It affects about 18 million people in the U.S.
CPAP:
Constant Positive Airway Pressure
CPAP is a breathing assist device which is worn over the mouth or nose. It provides nighttime relief for individuals who suffer from Sleep Apnea.
I am looking at going into truck driving, and have Sleep Apnea wiith a CPAP Machine. I have to get the information from my CPAP machine downloaded and a letter from my Doctor before I can be cleared for my DOT Physical. I was suppose to start CDL School on MArch 4th, but I had to pospone it until I get my Doctor to write the letter. The process is slow due to working with the VA.
Just remember with Cpap not all companies let you idle the truck and there are so that do not allow inverters so no way to plug one up.
CDL:
Commercial Driver's License (CDL)
A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:
- Any combination of vehicles with a gross combined weight rating (GCWR) of 26,001 or more pounds, providing the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of the vehicle being towed is in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any single vehicle with a GVWR of 26,001 or more pounds, or any such vehicle towing another not in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any vehicle, regardless of size, designed to transport 16 or more persons, including the driver.
- Any vehicle required by federal regulations to be placarded while transporting hazardous materials.
DOT:
Department Of Transportation
A department of the federal executive branch responsible for the national highways and for railroad and airline safety. It also manages Amtrak, the national railroad system, and the Coast Guard.
State and Federal DOT Officers are responsible for commercial vehicle enforcement. "The truck police" you could call them.
Sleep Apnea:
A physical disorder in which you have pauses in your breathing, or take shallow breaths, during sleep. These pauses can last anywhere from a few seconds to a few minutes. Normal breathing will usually resume, sometimes with a loud choking sound or snort.
In obstructive sleep apnea, your airways become blocked or collapse during sleep, causing the pauses and shallow breathing.
It is a chronic condition that will require ongoing management. It affects about 18 million people in the U.S.
CPAP:
Constant Positive Airway Pressure
CPAP is a breathing assist device which is worn over the mouth or nose. It provides nighttime relief for individuals who suffer from Sleep Apnea.
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I have found a ton of info on this site that has helped me realize that trucking very well may be what I was born to do. I have a few questions that I am hoping you guys can help me with.
Im looking to go into primes cdl training program. Still not 100% on prime but it looks like a decent fit and is relatively close to me. How long does it take to get enrolled in these program. Im thinking that I need to wait until august because my lease at my apartment will be over then and that is less to worry about during training. Should I go ahead and start applying or can I wait?
Next. Im fat. Im around 300 lbs and am 6ft tall. Im healthy aside from the weight. I've seen some things about sleep apnea and something about getting a study done or something. My fear is that i quit my job get down there and either get turned away or have to pay a lot of money for the study or whatever. Does anyone have better info on this? Ive already changed my diet and have started to work out and will hit it hard when the weather warms up. Because I have a job with decent benefits now can I do anything prior to going to school? Whether getting a note from a doctor or doing the study prior to coming down would be a big weight off my shoulders. Maybe I can lose enough weight by then that it wont matter but I don't even know what the limits are or anything. Nothing in life has motivated me to really care about my weight until now and I will be crushed if I put in months of hard work for this and still get turned away.
Lastly, because I have a long time before getting started I plan on doing a lot of studying for the testing. I figure if I can study all of that then by the time I get to the actual schooling I can focus on the physical driving more than being overwhelmed with the bookwork. My question... what should I focus on? I've already got some materials from this site and others but are there areas that seem to be more difficult I should look out for? My plan is to make a lot of flash cards and maybe even make a lifesized cardboard replica of a truck to familiarize myself with the gauges and things like that.
Thanks for your time and if you have any other info that would be beneficial to my scenerio please pass it along.
-B
CDL:
Commercial Driver's License (CDL)
A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:
Sleep Apnea:
A physical disorder in which you have pauses in your breathing, or take shallow breaths, during sleep. These pauses can last anywhere from a few seconds to a few minutes. Normal breathing will usually resume, sometimes with a loud choking sound or snort.
In obstructive sleep apnea, your airways become blocked or collapse during sleep, causing the pauses and shallow breathing.
It is a chronic condition that will require ongoing management. It affects about 18 million people in the U.S.