[Fratsit]

Originally Posted by devildice

BZ on the physical AND the scholarship!!:thumbsup:

When was it you're planning on attending CDL school? If you have 2 years left of haze gray and underway, make sure you don't get your CDL too early as many companies will not recognize it if you do not use it and then require you to go to a refresher course.

As far as your list of prospective companies, it looks pretty decent (including Lonestar...they seem to be decent for company drivers). I looked at the Honor Program with Roehl as well as with a few other carriers (same program, different name) and in my opinion, it was not all it's cracked up to be. Just look real close at what they offer you and then compare it in both short and long term to what other companies have to offer.

So is Austin where you plan on retiring at?

Ah....research......my favorite. Many of my friends will give me crap about how thorough I get with research and what not. I guess it's the military in me that does it.

DD,

I start school March 9th. I am on shore duty now and figured I may as well get this done. The admissions counselor did mention maybe having to take a refresher course. I figured I will cross that bridge when I get to it. She mentioned a company that routinely recruits from the school that targets active duty military for some weekend driving. Not sure what it is all about, but I will be on the lookout for it. If anything for the experience.

I agree with ya on the Honor Porgram at Roehl. I just cannot justify burning through my GI Bill as a supplement to pay. And with the new GI BIll coming online this August, I fully intend to convert over to it.

We plan to retire in either Austin/Round Rock or San Antonio. I am leaning more towards San Antone. My dad and his wife live in San Antonio and it would be nice to be near them. I also have aunts, uncles, and cousins that live there. My dad is trying to get me to sell life insurance with him. He is an agent for New York Life. A desk job is not for me.

I am with ya on the research.....when we were looking at buying a new TV in 2006, I researched them for 2 weeks before we finally bought... ...Heck I was on here reading until almost midnight last night....LOL

OH.....I got my 2 year medical card today. Pretty easy. I was a bit nervous since it is the start of something new.

Let me ask you this.... I like TMC because of the securement training I have heard about as well as the "structure" within the company. Does Lonestar offer training that is worth while and attention to detail oriented for a newb or are they more for an experienced flatbedder?

R/

Jeff

[devildice]

Originally Posted by Fratsit

DD,

I start school March 9th. I am on shore duty now and figured I may as well get this done. The admissions counselor did mention maybe having to take a refresher course. I figured I will cross that bridge when I get to it. She mentioned a company that routinely recruits from the school that targets active duty military for some weekend driving. Not sure what it is all about, but I will be on the lookout for it. If anything for the experience.

I agree with ya on the Honor Porgram at Roehl. I just cannot justify burning through my GI Bill as a supplement to pay. And with the new GI BIll coming online this August, I fully intend to convert over to it.

We plan to retire in either Austin/Round Rock or San Antonio. I am leaning more towards San Antone. My dad and his wife live in San Antonio and it would be nice to be near them. I also have aunts, uncles, and cousins that live there. My dad is trying to get me to sell life insurance with him. He is an agent for New York Life. A desk job is not for me.

I am with ya on the research.....when we were looking at buying a new TV in 2006, I researched them for 2 weeks before we finally bought... ...Heck I was on here reading until almost midnight last night....LOL

OH.....I got my 2 year medical card today. Pretty easy. I was a bit nervous since it is the start of something new.

Let me ask you this.... I like TMC because of the securement training I have heard about as well as the "structure" within the company. Does Lonestar offer training that is worth while and attention to detail oriented for a newb or are they more for an experienced flatbedder?

R/

Jeff

I have heard the same things about TMC. As for Lonestar, now that I think about it, they require 1yr minimum experience unless they recently changed their policies.

[Fratsit]

Yep...your right.....I just went back to there website and they require one year verifiable OTR and six months verifiable flatbed experience. I forgot about that. I have been told that TMC is a great company to start out with. Hopefully they will open their hiring area back up in the future. They just closed my area due to the economy I suspect. We live on the wrong side of I-95. Of course Betty and I could always move to Iowa....NOT.

[terrylamar]

Originally Posted by devildice

I have heard the same things about TMC. As for Lonestar, now that I think about it, they require 1yr minimum experience unless they recently changed their policies.

A recruiter told me it was two years.

[Fratsit]

Thanks for the heads up, DD and Terry. I think for the near term I will focus on my goal of GETTING my CDL.

R/

Frat

[devildice]

Originally Posted by Fratsit

Thanks for the heads up, DD and Terry. I think for the near term I will focus on my goal of GETTING my CDL.

R/

Frat

I hear ya'....one step at a time right

[devildice]

I got a call Thursday from a local agent asking if I would be interested in hauling a loaded container from the Union Pacific rail yard San Antonio, TX to Kerrville, TX about 60 miles north and then return the empty container back to the rail yard and paid $700. I said sure why not, thinking this would be easy beer money for a half days work.

I get to the rail yard at 7am and immediately knew this was going to be a pain in the you know what :eek2:. First off, the rail yard is smack dab in the middle of a residential area (must suck to live there) and therefore the streets are just barely wide enough for 2 cars to pass and definitely were not designed for big trucks. Secondly, the yard looks empty and almost abandoned making me believe there is definitely something wrong.

I manage to get squeeze into the yard without hitting anything and proceed to look for someone, anyone, that could help me. After wondering around for a few minutes I find a guy (looks like some sort of a foreman) and explain to him why I am there. He in turn tells me that the intermodal yard was moved to 2 different locations years ago to the south side of San Antonio :roll:. I call the number listed on my paper work only to have it go to a fax machine. I then call the consignee to see if they could help me since it was their freight. After several attempts, I finally get through to them only to have them tell me the exact same address I am currently at. Mean while, I had left a voice message for the agent that booked the load and when he finally calls me he too is baffled with the issue at hand and is now attempting to get the correct address.

At 9am, 2hrs after arriving, I call the agent back and let him know that I can no longer stay at this current location and need to get moving and has he found anything out. He says no and apologizes for the "screw up". He then says that he is going to scrub the load since he can not get a hold of anyone with the correct location of this container. He thanks me for my professionalism also says not to worry as he will process this as "Truck Ordered But Not Used" thereby getting me some compensation for my time and effort.

So although it was a waste of a few hours of my time, at least I'll get that weekend beer money! :thumbsup:

[Jumbo]

Like momma says "It bees that way sometimes, Have mercy"

[dewercs2]

Originally Posted by devildice

I got a call Thursday from a local agent asking if I would be interested in hauling a loaded container from the Union Pacific rail yard San Antonio, TX to Kerrville, TX about 60 miles north and then return the empty container back to the rail yard and paid $700. I said sure why not, thinking this would be easy beer money for a half days work.

I get to the rail yard at 7am and immediately knew this was going to be a pain in the you know what :eek2:. First off, the rail yard is smack dab in the middle of a residential area (must suck to live there) and therefore the streets are just barely wide enough for 2 cars to pass and definitely were not designed for big trucks. Secondly, the yard looks empty and almost abandoned making me believe there is definitely something wrong.

I manage to get squeeze into the yard without hitting anything and proceed to look for someone, anyone, that could help me. After wondering around for a few minutes I find a guy (looks like some sort of a foreman) and explain to him why I am there. He in turn tells me that the intermodal yard was moved to 2 different locations years ago to the south side of San Antonio :roll:. I call the number listed on my paper work only to have it go to a fax machine. I then call the consignee to see if they could help me since it was their freight. After several attempts, I finally get through to them only to have them tell me the exact same address I am currently at. Mean while, I had left a voice message for the agent that booked the load and when he finally calls me he too is baffled with the issue at hand and is now attempting to get the correct address.

At 9am, 2hrs after arriving, I call the agent back and let him know that I can no longer stay at this current location and need to get moving and has he found anything out. He says no and apologizes for the "screw up". He then says that he is going to scrub the load since he can not get a hold of anyone with the correct location of this container. He thanks me for my professionalism also says not to worry as he will process this as "Truck Ordered But Not Used" thereby getting me some compensation for my time and effort.

So although it was a waste of a few hours of my time, at least I'll get that weekend beer money! :thumbsup:

Just got to love those type of loads! I kinda had one of those today....

I picked up in AZ 2 pallets of Roof Curbs that weighed 1900 pounds. I was suppose to take to Culver City. When the guy gives me directions to 405 and Venice Blvd. Before he hangs up I told him that I know some areas are tight but that my total length is about 68ft. about 10 mintues later he calls and says that I should probably take to Anaheim instead and gives me directions of 91 to Kareem/Glassel exit and head towards the Embassy Suites Hotel and hang a left on that road, He'll be on the road with a yellow hard hat.

[devildice]

Originally Posted by dewercs2

about 10 mintues later he calls and says that I should probably take to Anaheim instead and gives me directions of 91 to Kareem/Glassel exit and head towards the Embassy Suites Hotel and hang a left on that road, He'll be on the road with a yellow hard hat.

:lol: Yeah those kind of directions are great. :lol:

In my case, I had a print out that was faxed to me. When I got a hold of the consignee, he said all he had was what he sent the agent, which is exactly what I was holding in my hands.

Funny thing about all this.....the load originated from Cali, and according to the agent, he had tried to set up the pick up and delivery of the load via truck but the consignee decided it would be cheaper to send it by rail to San Antonio and then truck it to Kerrville. Well I guess they're gonna pay more now because the rail yard charges $100 a day "storage" and up until I left, no one, including the consignee, knows where the container is located.....