And it took me all of a week to find a full time (low paying) job at petsmart. Which is right in line of what I was looking for when I went back to school.

I didn't want to write this until I had a job for sure and therefore a kinda ending to the post.

But I was with PGT straight out of CDL school and was with them just over two years. I would've stayed on until the end of the year but they shut down my terminal and were going to let my dispatcher go. Which was the final straw really. If they would have kept him on I would've had someone who knew what my plans were and who would have helped me get the occasional extra day at home for a interview or to get the ball rolling for school.

But they made the decision to let him go (which I understand why. USS shut down the warehouse that the Lone Star terminal ran dedicated for and PGT had no real reason to keep us around) and I had a choice to make. Quit now or run for the Birmingham guys and risk not being able to get enough home time when I needed it. So I quit en route to Louisville and told my DM what was going on and told him that if they wanted me to drop off the truck at the Louisville terminal I would but would like to get closer to home if possible.

A few minutes after I hung up with him one of the big bosses from Monaca called up and tried to talk me outta of it. I told him basically what I typed above and he said he understood and said that he had no problem with me getting a load to Houston or Laredo. An hour later I had a load from Ghent, KY to Houston.

Unloaded on the 4th in H-Town and drove straight to Laredo to drop off the truck. I had to talk the guy into checking out the truck that night so I could have the sheet of paper saying exactly what equipment I was tuning in. Then I walked my happy ass to the TA for a final truckstop dinner (Thank you double points months) and waited for the girlfriend to pick me up.

Filled out three apps on Wed morning. On Mon Petsmart called up, Thurs was the interview and drug test, and on Fri I got a call with the offer. This Tuesday will be my first day.

And while I can sit here and look back with fondness of some of the places I went to and some of the great people I met-I can also say I haven't missed it one bit. In my own bed, my own shower, my own toilet...I could go on but I think it's all been said before.

For anyone new getting in who might be reading this...it's a great job but have a purpose going in. Weather it be as a career or just to get in save some money and get out. Go in with a plan and stick to it. And don't be afraid to leave when the time comes.

 

I wish you well in the new job and school, Texasspyder.

 

Awesome ! another one made it over the wall

Good luck

 

Dont congratulate him or else they will all want to leave.

 

Good luck Tex!

 

If more leave rates will come up. :thumbsup:

 

Thats what I was thinking.

And thanks for all the well wishes guys.

 

BOL to you.

 

Best of luck to you Spyder...!!!

I wish I had known...I just spent the last 15 days in Houston on that local pipe run to the port.

Yeah...heard about Mark and I can't believe they didn't even offer him a position in B'ham. He was very good and also one of the "good guys".

Maybe has to do with the fact that USS Fairfield is also shutting down June 1st.

Hell...we may all be dispatched out of Monaca before it's done.

My vacation is SUPPOSED to start today...but I'm at the house with a (cheapazz) load of slinky's to drop in KY whenever I get there this morning...then haulazz back home and jump in the pickup to drive another 1265 miles to NH to visit my kids and grandkids.

Since I didn't get home Friday like planned to head up I'll call from there around Thursday and let them know I'll be ready to load SOMETIME next week...whenever I get the urge to head back to the house.

Stay in touch and I'll keep you up on the "goings on"...

 

Thanks Dave. And yeah I've just been hanging out at the house the past 2 weeks getting some things done. It would've been cool to grab a beer or two with ya'.

I didn't know about Fairfirld shutting down. USS bough Lone Star Steel about 7 months after I got there and right away Mark told me to watch out because he's seen happen to other local mills. And sure enough, the price per tonnage went up as did the minimal amount the customer had to buy. A year later they said March of 09 would be the end of the specialty tubing warehouse.

Monaca told mark that he would be safe at first because they really liked the idea of having a shop there. And for a while they had Gibbs looking for land around I 30 that they could buy and move the shop too. but maybe things were worse off up North than we were being told. Who knows.

You have a good vacation (is really a vacation when you gotta drive?) and stay safe.