[Heavy Duty]

I did get some bad news, that May was on a hiring freeze

That may be a blessing, a high turnover company with a hiring freeze. Something don't smell right.

[RunNGun]

Day three in the books. One thing is for sure.. I am beyond sick of cheesemo 80s instructional videos. We covered basic things, HOS, log books, air brakes, so on. One thing that really pissed me off though is this afternoon we had some jackoff from swift recruiting trying to pry everyone to drive for them. Three of them are already suckered in, sadly.. but he wouldn't leave me be. Had I been paying for this out of pocket, I'd be really pissed. I thought it was for education and all of that, but I suppose in the end, everyone wants their money and results that look good for prospective companies. Tomorrow is rumored to be another stack of videos. Friday we will be going over pre-trips on the trucks, and messing around with a simulator machine. Saturday we will finally get in a truck. They have a mixture of freightliners and petes. Two pete 378, and five freightliner century classics. They're mid 90s or so, and I could only imagine what abuse they have seen. We're also rolling on 48' trailers. I wish they had 53' since that seems to be the most common, but it is what it is.
By the way, since I had spoke with May long before I started and all that good crap, I'm still on with them.

I'll post more on Friday

[golfhobo]

RunNGun:

Okay, I'm NOT one of the "negative" posters here. I got into trucking because I WANTED to, although I have plenty of options. I WAS, however, unemployed at the time, and got my $5000 school (including motel) paid for by WIA. I wouldn't BE here today WITHOUT it!

Your experience with them is almost step by step the same as mine, so no need for you to feel "special." :wink: Of course, being a VET, I am used to dealing with the Gov't. Maybe you weren't. But, it is all par for the course.

My school didn't use so many videos. We had REAL instructors with years of experinece for MOST "topcis." Videos SUCK.... but if that is ALL you have..... you BETTER pay attention to them!

Yeah, I was ALSO shocked when you bitched about the banker's hours! Like someone said..... better get USED to them.... NOT!! :lol:

I see your point about the traffic at 5:30 though..... and would suggest that you DON'T leave at that time IF you have a choice! Stick around and TALK to any REAL instructors you might have.... and spend some time with the TRUCKS!

I don't really THINK you are "expecting" this to all be handed to you on a silver platter..... but so far, it SOUNDS just a bit that way!

Point is.... you are getting training that MOST people can't afford (for FREE) for a job that pays more than MOST people make! And if you take it too lightly.... you'll end up fired from your FIRST job (as MANY here have....) because you didn't take it all seriously enough!

I find your accounts "entertaining," and believe it or not, you sound ALOT like ME! But, I guarantee you that I didn't look this "gift horse" in the mouth, and I have OVERCOME the inefficiencies in the training methods to make sure that I MASTERED everything THEY had to teach me.... in order to become the BEST trucker I can be. And there was NEVER any doubt in my mind that I would BE "one of the best" at it from the first day they let me drive the truck off the lot! But, I never take on ANY new job without the confidence and concentration to be the BEST at it, and trucking is no different.

And one of the FIRST things I did was to read ALL I could on THIS (and really ONLY THIS) forum BEFORE I jumped in! There were NO surprises waiting for me concerning this company or that, or how they would treat us. I FOUND the right company for me from the start, and have been with them for almost 3 years now. IF and when I switch to some other "aspect" of this industry, I will NOT be labeled a "job hopper" or a HIGH RISK driver. I will be able to "write my own ticket!"

If YOU have read any of my posts (and check the numbers) you might know that HUMILITY is not my strong suit! But, that is largely because I was a "driver" LONG before I met a truck! It is 32 hours from my "current" home to my beloved Denver, and I used to do it with ONE 2 hour nap near Mt. Vernon, Il. My family and I "built" nearly every interstate in this country (if you know what I mean,) and after working for Onstar for 4 years, I have a "MENTAL" GPS system that has all the bugs worked out!

You, sir, have a GOLDEN opportunity paid for by tax dollars that I don't begrudge you ONE CENT OF! At the rate THIS Administration is shipping jobs overseas, $5k a head for retraining is CHEAP! But, you COULD show just a bit more RESPECT for a "system" that makes that possible!

The only way I see that being a waste of "our" money, is if you don't take this seriously enough, and become one of the 120% turnover rate (read.... WASHOUT) that didn't survive their first 6 months on the job!

THAT'S what SOME of those questions were designed to prevent! And THAT is what MANY of us here on this board spend HOURS of our free time trying to prevent! :shock:

So, go ahead and ADD your "rookie driver story" to the list! I'm sure SOMEONE will learn from it! And my HOPE is...... it will be YOU!

GolfHobo..... (but you can call me Hobo!)

[RunNGun]

Another two days further in. I still have to go tomorrow, this week being my only six day week I have for the duration of the training. Yesterday and today were rather lax, though I did absorb quite a bit of information. We only had to watch four more videos, so that was a bonus. Might I add that "jumper" was by far the most entertaining one. As far as the paperwork goes, I passed on with a 97%. From now on it's all hands on, and I look forward to it.

To add on with the WIA.. I understand why they do what they do. I appreciate what they do. I'm glad I got the money for this. I am, however, rather displeased with the stretch of time that they take to do it. Wait a week for a ten minute paper pickup. Rinse, lather, repeat. It really shouldn't take that long. In reality, it should be done in two weeks tops. Oh well though, I'm on my way, and just a few weeks shy of getting out there with a trainer.

I'll add more as I go along, as per usual.

[golfhobo]

Just a further note on WIA, and why it can drag on. They have to work from a budget. I can't remember whether they get their money monthly, quarterly, or annually, but sometimes they are "setting up" training for the NEXT budget cycle. They can't wait until they GET the money to start recruiting for that cycle, because sometimes it takes the applicant awhile to get their info together... or they may not qualify. So, they start a few weeks before the next budget cycle, and can't actually "pay the bill" until they get the money.

Hope that helps you "let it go." :wink:

If waiting on the gov't is a problem for ya, wait til you get to DOLE in Yuma!! :shock: :shock:

I'm not a patient man, and that is one of the biggest things about this industry that one must get used to. Good luck. Don't worry.... the money will come!

Congrats on your scores! I hope the hands on goes well for you.

[BigDiesel]

Originally Posted by golfhobo

Just a further note on WIA, and why it can drag on. They have to work from a budget. I can't remember whether they get their money monthly, quarterly, or annually, but sometimes they are "setting up" training for the NEXT budget cycle. They can't wait until they GET the money to start recruiting for that cycle, because sometimes it takes the applicant awhile to get their info together... or they may not qualify. So, they start a few weeks before the next budget cycle, and can't actually "pay the bill" until they get the money.

Hope that helps you "let it go." :wink:

If waiting on the gov't is a problem for ya, wait til you get to DOLE in Yuma!! :shock: :shock:

I'm not a patient man, and that is one of the biggest things about this industry that one must get used to. Good luck. Don't worry.... the money will come!

Congrats on your scores! I hope the hands on goes well for you.

Yet more crying from a welfare recepient....

:lol: :lol: :lol:

[RunNGun]

Ignorance sure is bliss. Welfare, WIC, WIA.. they are different programs for different purposes. But it's alright.. you can be proud that you paid out the ass out of pocket for it, or had a company give you their version of "welfare" to start out.

Originally Posted by lurchgs

there are thousands and thousands of truckers out there. I refuse to believe that these guys (and gals) couldn't get a different job if they REALLY hated trucking.

Sure they could, but Western Sizzlin' or Harris Teeter won't work them 70 hours per week. With all the oustsourcing of low-skill factory jobs, there's not many careers that truckers can transfer into anymore that pay a decent wage. It used to be construction, but the housing bubble burst and much of that work is done by illegal immigrants now. A few might get lucky and land a decent local gig, but those are few and far between. And nobody wants to start at the bottom of an LTL board getting 30 hours per week or sitting by the phone waiting for work.

Alot of people get stuck in trucking because it's nearly impossile for them to train into a different profession. How does one go to trade school or college living out of a truck for weeks on end?

Be careful getting into this line of work as you may find it difficult to get out.

[kc0iv]

Originally Posted by LeBron James

Sure they could, but Western Sizzlin' or Harris Teeter won't work them 70 hours per week. With all the oustsourcing of low-skill factory jobs, there's not many careers that truckers can transfer into anymore that pay a decent wage. It used to be construction, but the housing bubble burst and much of that work is done by illegal immigrants now. A few might get lucky and land a decent local gig, but those are few and far between. And nobody wants to start at the bottom of an LTL board getting 30 hours per week or sitting by the phone waiting for work.

Alot of people get stuck in trucking because it's nearly impossile for them to train into a different profession. How does one go to trade school or college living out of a truck for weeks on end?

Be careful getting into this line of work as you may find it difficult to get out.

Depends on what trade school. Many could be done while their in a truck. Same goes for college. There are all kinds of online colleges.

I do agree however, it is hard for the unskilled driver to get in another profession.

kc0iv

[golfhobo]

Yet more crying from a welfare recepient....

Another non responsive comment. How is explaining the WIA process considered "crying?" :shock:

Besides, WIA isn't welfare.... it's guilt money, paid by the government to help "retrain" people when their jobs have been shipped overseas. Without it, Dubya couldn't have stretched the truth as much as he DID about the number of jobs he "created."