[Karnajj]

Originally Posted by Malaki86

I spent roughly a year at USXpress, but amazingly enough, I know how to shift gears - imagine that. I also have a GPS in my truck (CoPilot) but would you believe that I know how to read a map??? Wow - I must be pretty amazing, huh?

BTW - I'm not at USX now, but my truck is an automatic. I had the choice of 2 trucks, which were identical other than the fact one is an auto and the other is a 10 speed. Why would I want to make my life harder and make the exact same money?

And your point is??????

[married to the road]

I know how to read a map, but I would love to have a gps unit, mostly to help me find the shipper/consignee. Some of these directions that I get are poor to say the least. :?

[Malaki86]

Originally Posted by Karnajj

And your point is??????

My point is that just because a driver chooses to have tools that he can use to make a crappy job just a little easier doesn't make them any less of a driver.

The automatic transmission isn't going to help me get my 770 Volvo with a 53' trailer into a shipping dock designed for a 35' trailer any easier, but it sure as hell is nice when I'm sitting in traffic.

The GPS unit isn't going to steer my truck around a 135 degree right hand turn from one 2 lane road onto another during heavy traffic, but it sure is nice to know that I have a turn like that coming up so I can get set up properly for it.

I do, however, firmly stand with the fact that any new driver should start out in a standard-shift truck and drive that for at least a year. The experience is invaluable. Same for GPS/map reading. Run for a year or so without any help of a GPS system.

[ROCKYROAD]

Originally Posted by Karnajj

And your point is??????

I think his point is that you often come off as a know it all dick;-)

[omapilot]

I appreciate both points to the argument. I am a private pilot and am working on my instrument rating. There is a choice of two Cessna 172's at the school, one has the basic VOR and standard gauge panel, the other is a brand new 172 with the Garmin G-1000. The garmin is all glass and has a very nice GPS as well as many other features that rival allot of airliners. Now many will only train on the Garmin, and the argument is that it is the way of the future and that is what a regional airliner cockpit has. However, for basic VFR flying, you still need to be able to read a sectional chart because electrical failures can and do happen. Not saying these folks dont know how to read em, just maybe not as proficient.

I drove the 10 speed in school and am not too bad at it, however I can really see the point about getting very rusty on shifting too if all you have is an auto. The GPS in a truck, well that is a nice "luxury" I agree you have to have to have to be able to read the atlas! Not just for directions but for all of the other wealth of information that they contain. Thanks for bringing up that point!

[Scottt]

Originally Posted by omapilot

Malaki86, That is the article that I saw, thanks for digging that up! Sounds like a pretty nice system.

Scottt, I have not really looked at MCT, but I will. Glad to hear that you are happy with their training. Did you go through their school or come in with a CDL?

[/quote]

I went to school at a community college in Iowa. I went to work for a local company leased on to MCT. I went to the orientation at MCT and am currenty with a trainer for 25,000 miles.

You can go to MCT for school for free with a year commitment. Their school is 4 weeks, then they will hook you up with a company.

[omapilot]

Thanks again for the help! I have a Class A already, but it does sound like they offer good road training with local companies. Best of luck to you while you are out!