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Nomad_ · Joined: 07 Mar 2006 Posts: 416 Location: Central Maine

First of all, I have been living on this board off and on for the last 3 months trying to absorb as much info as I can. Thank you, there are a ton of knowledegable folks here. Anyway, I start my CDL course on "1 April". I am an old dog trying to learn new tricks. I retired 6 years ago from the military after serving for 22 years. I spent most of my time overseas (18 of 22 years), and I have NOT seen as much of the USA as I would have liked to.

I interviewed with Schneider about 7 years ago whilst I was stationed in Germany, as I was tempted to dive in cold turkey and do the training and low pay OTR for the first year with them (you know the story/routine). Anyway, the kids are older now, and I feel that I am about 2-3 years away from doing OTR full time (if I can cut the mustard?). At least I will have the advantage of having paid for my CDL. It does seem to present better options.

Also, my CDL course runs over 10 weekends, as I will be keeping my current job and try to work part time (weekends) for the next 2-3 years.
Lastly, I will try to keep good notes and contribute back to this board (lessons learned/etc..) if/as they merit. Hopefully, I can build up enough miles so I can be at least be considered experienced. Albeit maybe only 6 mos - 1 year when I go full time?

Bottom Line: Thanks again for the good, bad and ugly insight. I have had some chats with some of the recruiters and posters on this board. They have been "straight up". I have been wanting to chase this passion for over a decade and things are finally starting to lineup. It's Time!

yoopr · Joined: 01 Dec 2004 Posts: 12866

Congrats on the 22 yrs-Now you have the best of both worlds-Drawing your pension and are able to pick and choose-You CAN teach an "Old Dog"? new tricks and of course you can "Hack it"
Good Luck

Nomad_ · Joined: 07 Mar 2006 Posts: 416 Location: Central Maine

Thanks Yoopr. I enjoy reading your posts.

GMAN · Joined: 13 Feb 2005 Posts: 9398 Location: Tennessee

I think you can sometimes do better after you have a few years on you. Some of the pressure to run will be off of you with your military pension. As we age, we learn better how to pace ourselves. You will do fine. Good luck. 8) My first travel trailer was a Nomad. :wink:

DeadMeat · Joined: 04 Aug 2005 Posts: 24 Location: Altus, Oklahoma

Welcome to the club, Nomad. 20 years military here and 7 years civil service. An injury led my to have to leave civil service or drive a desk. Guess which choice I made. I'll be starting driving soon so we can exchange experiences as newbies here. Good luck to ya.

Nomad_ · Joined: 07 Mar 2006 Posts: 416 Location: Central Maine

Hey Gman,

I may be getting repetitive but thanks for the well wishes!!!

Good luck to you too Deadmeat. I think it is going be a case of the tortoise (me) and the potential hare (you). Unless something unexpected happens I will be taking the slow road, so I hope to read your success stories. All the best!!

golfhobo · Posted: Thu Mar 09, 2006 12:16 am Post subject:

Nomad, I think I "get" your Avatar. We are kin of sorts. I'm known as Hobo. GolfHobo actually. That's because I'll go anywhere to play a new golf course. (but that is just a facade.)

I really envy your 18 years abroad. I've done some, but squandered part of it. But, I've seen nearly ALL of the U.S! It's probably the most beautiful country in the World. Not that others aren't more so in some respects. But, over a great spanse of geography, we have bits of ALL forms of terrain and fauna.

I meet people everyday, in the 'other world,' who've NEVER been out of the state they were born in! :shock:

The best part of this job is getting to drive through this beautiful country! I hope you get time along the way to meet some of the "natives." :lol:

One question. When you were growing up, stateside... did you move around or did you enlist from smalltown, USA, and go to see the world?

Hobo

Nomad_ · Joined: 07 Mar 2006 Posts: 416 Location: Central Maine

Hey GolfHobo,

I think we are on the same page concering the Avatar. :D

I am still getting used to this site as far as posting picks/links go, so I will attach one of my favorites. Europe was a blast. I am married to a Britt (brought the Limey back...lol). She is a great lady. It took me awhile to adjust. Especially since I did not return the USA much. I went for an 8 year stretch once (being away). I was born in New Hampshire. When I was 10 my dad (a baker) decided to try out LA $$$$$$ (Calif). He worked at VONS bakery for over 20 years. That worked out for him. I would have to complete my book to explain the rest, but lets just say that we arrived in LA just in time for the Watts riots and things did not get much rosier afterwards. All but one of my 3 brothers left as soon as they could. Two of us joined the Air Force after High School (escape from LA...lol).

So as far as the States go. First 10 years in NH, Next 10 LA. Two years in Spokane Washington (military), Two years in San Antonio (mil). I am now in Maine (semi-Gods country 8). I did travel quite a bit while in the USA, but not the way I want to. "Not Like TRUCKING".

Hope that answers your "good" questions.

I always had to adjust my pacemaker before entering j/k

whodat54321 · Joined: 08 Oct 2005 Posts: 475 Location: Phoenix, AZ

welcome to the board nomad.

btw, where in europe is this traffic disaster pictured located?

Nomad_ · Joined: 07 Mar 2006 Posts: 416 Location: Central Maine

Thanks Whodat,

Here is the link on the Roundabout. In Swindon England.

http://www.swindonweb.com/life/lifemagi0.htm

I was stationed at a base called RAF Fairford (in the Cotswolds) about 20 miles away, but I lived near Swindon.

Cheers,

Nomad

golfhobo · Posted: Thu Mar 09, 2006 11:53 am Post subject:

This is scary. I think I actually understand it! And I've never driven in a backwards country before. :lol:

The outer circle (normal for Brits) allows quickest access to the 2 spurs to your left.

The inner circle allows quickest access to the 2 spurs to your right.

The tiny circles allow you to merge into the inner circle and also to perform a U-turn to go back down the street you started on, and to go from the inner circle back to the outer circle if you change your mind (or lose it!) or from the outer to the inner. :shock:

Hey! I think I saw this in a T/A truckstop in Amarillo once! :roll:

Do I get a T-shirt now?

wot i life · Posted: Thu Mar 09, 2006 6:21 pm Post subject:

ha ha ha . the magic roundabout. scary in atruck i can tell you! where,s he? how did she get there? is she gonna hit me? is he an idiot or what? help i want me mum! :lol:

Nomad_ · Joined: 07 Mar 2006 Posts: 416 Location: Central Maine

Funny stuff, but I have a serious question or two.
As I mentioned I will be starting my 10 Weekend CDL course in on 1 April.
I will be training with Northeast Tech Institute in Scarborough Maine (near Portland). It is a 200 hour course that includes the following endorsements:
Hazardous Materials
Tank
Doubles/Triples
Air Brakes

The difference is I will only be seeking to work part-time for a few years, and I do not see a lot of conversation on this board about part-time opportunities for INEXPERIENCED CDL drivers. Places like Fedex and UPS are probably out as I am not a student. I have a 8-5 job and unless I have a bad hair day or get the SUPER MAD itch to dump it all and make a lot less money initially doing OTR -- getting experience is going to be tough. Especially living in Maine!

I will only be able to work for 6PM to midnight and or Weekends so OTR and Regional is out. I have researched some potential places, and I have not started to network HARD yet.

One of my questions is what will local miles count for later?
Any OTR credit? I am sure that depend on the company?

Example: somebody that interviewed at my company (non trucking) was putting in 400-600 miles a nite throughout Maine (18 wheeler) while he was going to school. I wonder how much OTR credit he would get since he was doing it for 2 years -- were he to take up Trucking as a profession?

Anyway, I am sure I will network and learn more during school, but I was wondering if anybody here (the board) has been "been there -- done that":

1) Paid for their schooling (versus the school mill)
2) Gained experience through part-time work (versus the school mill)
3) Succesful in getting OTR credit. If so, how much? What was your experience?
4) From the endorsements above, what do folks think the is the best for getting SEAT TIME as a part-timer?

Cheers,
Nomad

yoopr · Joined: 01 Dec 2004 Posts: 12866

Looks like some of the Roads on the Base I was out of north of Baghdad with the exception of the Green Grass :P

Nomad_ · Joined: 07 Mar 2006 Posts: 416 Location: Central Maine

yoopr wrote: Looks like some of the Roads on the Base I was out of north of Baghdad with the exception of the Green Grass :P

So Yoopr, was that recent times or when places like Libya ran resorts? :P

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