First Step to get back in the saddle again !
Well,
I do not post much but I thought I would for some-one thinking of getting back into trucking like myself. I will try & be brief. Although I still hold a Class Cdl A in good standing since 1978 when at age 18, I obtained my TT License and ran over the road for Mayflower Moving & Storage and then went on to hauling Scrap Steel before entering Gov service. At 46 and after 26 years with the Federal Gov working on one of the stealthiest first line of Defenses this Country has, I attained my goal there and now want to achieve my other goal, and that is to eventually become and O/O, but more importantly, to be a successful one.
After many phone calls to different trucking companies it appeared I had basically two options. Get my own rig/authority and run on my own or take a training/refresher class to gain re-entry into trucking. Although owning my own truck right now and running the road sounded best at first, much conversation with the wife and we both realized hat I need to get my feet wet again before diving in head first.
So, I start Monday class/training thru ''American Driving Academy' sponsored by Cypress Truck Lines out of Jacksonville Florida which is right down the street from me. ...and yes I did my searches and read lots more negativity that positives about the Company but after many very frank conversations with Cyress recruiter I feel that this serves my short term needs and possibly more.
Fifty Five percent of the tuition will be paid by limited grants that they have and the rest by myself. However, If I work for them I could get the total amount that I pay reimbursed. Now, another Company made me a nice offer in that they would send me to paid training at 500 per week, hotel and flight accomodations paid and because I have a current license and past experience, training would be based on a possible shorter time-frame and then my assigned truck to take home. This with no comittent to the Company after training. This company was Maverick based out of Ark. Although this deal seemed sweeter, I am not of favor of riding shot gun for a few weeks otr. Not that that is beneath me, put I am a loner, and that did not appeal to me, especially since I have several years past experience and never had to ride shot-gun with anyone, this is just how I feel and it doesn't make it right or wrong. I am sure the pluses are you could get a cracker jack driver and learn things you were not aware of. So I know there probably are good points, but not for me.
As always, thanks a bunch for many posters that have been very helpful to me including but not limited to ''Gman, Btinc, Solo'' and several others.
I will keep you posted !
Joe
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