all Hail and well met

chipwix · #1 (**permalink**) 09-01-2007, 10:39 PM

Thanks to all posters for all the valuable info I've gathered so far. I start driver training in a week for four weeks thanks to WIA and the good people at the Ohio unemployment office. I filled out 10 pre apps and have recieved 10 callbacks. Wow I've never been so popular before in my life. All this attention is not going to my head, so don't worry I know I'm not all that. Heres some back ground info on me. 44 female married my husband likes my plan, 4 boys all grown & out of the house, been employed for 30 years average length of jobs about 5 years and looking to increase my income. Looking for long hauls with reasonable deadlines. Being away from home 2 or 3 weeks don't bother me. No drugs or alcohol but I smoke. Living in NW Ohio. Don't mind driving in adverse conditions, never in a hurry. My last job was lifting 40 lb boxes sometimes over my head. Need some advice on many thing like companies, flatbeds or boxes, trainers and orentation, and everything else. I've been taking notes off of all the forums but only joined this one because you act like you care about each other and the information seems real not just more recruters trying to sell me a job to that makes them money. It is important to me to find a company I will be excited to work for today as well as five years down the road. I don't want my first driving job to be the worst one out there for me. Hoping to find an exceptional trainer after orentation. I don't want much do I. Any comments or suggestions will be appreciated like spell check is located...Thank you for all your support and for bringing me and my family everything we have needed to survive for all these years and years to come.

SevenOfNine · #2 (**permalink**) 09-02-2007, 07:22 AM

Welcome to the boards and good luck.

Just keep reading some of the past threads in this forum as well as the others and ask questions!

JLKKLJ777 · #3 (**permalink**) 09-02-2007, 03:09 PM

Driving has many niches. You will want to consider each and then decide which best matches your personality and desires. Your options as a newbie to the industry will usually be limited due to a lack of experience. Most good outfits will require 3 years of verifiable experience, a clean mvr, no accidents, and a good stable work history.
To get into the business you will probably have to go with a large truckload carrier. They are all pretty similar in their pay structure, equipment, and benefits offered. I would suggest go with a carrier that has regular freight through your home area (or even better) has a terminal fairly close to you.
As for your training period you should request a female trainer that smokes. This will make the training process less stressful and the male female dynamic wont be a factor (as I am sure your husband would not appreciate knowing his wife was cooped up with another man for weeks at a time in a very small space). Sorry to have to say this but male female trainer/trainee matches have caused much tension and conflict in many marriages as well as tension between trainer and trainee.
Some trainers are real top notch human beings (male and female) whose only desire is to teach and promote safe driving habits. While others have less than wholesome intentions and are into training out of greed and an ego trip. Examples of this would be using a co-driver for his/her logbook to rack up as many miles as possible. Not spending much time on backing practice or other aspects of being a solo driver (such as trip planning, time management, city driving, etc.) I have even heard of male trainers pressuring their female co-drivers into sex in exchange for a more favorable report to the companies safety dept.
To qualify this statement I think it is important you know that I was a driver trainer for 3.5 years and have trained both males and females. I also worked in my companies safety department as a log auditor ,took out 2nd seat drivers after their training for their upgrade test, and was privy to accident reports, as well as inside info on some complaints from female trainees directed towards 1 of our male trainers (the trainer resigned rather than answer the allegations).
I would suggest sticking with dry van operations due to the fact it is the easiest of the jobs out there. Most freight will be shipper load and receiver unload. All you will do is open and close the doors, you may be asked to count the freight, put a load lock in to secure the freight (or straps), and drive the truck. Reefer outfits will deal primarily with grocery warehouses which have many inherent problems. Such as: strict appointment times, loading and unloading which you may hire a lumper service to unload for you, and usually lots of waiting time.
Flatbeds are very physical in nature and you will spend lots of time in all types of weather tarping loads, chaining, bracing, binding, and putting up side kits. Many drivers love this work for the physical challenges and do not have to go to grocery warehouses, load or unload their trucks. The freight is usually loaded with fork lifts or even cranes.
You sound like a capable, competent adult and will do just fine. Best wishes to you in your new career.

chipwix · #4 (**permalink**) 09-02-2007, 03:34 PM

JLkkLJ777 Thank you for the reply. This is the biggest move I have made in my life and I need all the advise I can get. I will ask for a female smoker to train me. Might half to wait for a while to get one but I think your right on the money with the advice. Please keep it coming. chipwix

necie67 · #5 (**permalink**) 09-02-2007, 07:51 PM

Congrats on your new career! I just graduated from my community College's truck driving program, and am more than ready to start my new adventure :)
My Husb is also a truck driver, so we were lucky to sign on with a company that is going to let him train me, after he goes through a short "train the trainer" program (3 days) because he has several years of experience driving...
Due to his experience, and the fact that he will be my trainer, they are starting me off as if I have 6 months of experience.. so I will start off at a decent pay, instead of what seems to be the average standard of 350.00 a week for training.

We did have a short bout of bad luck right after I graduated (3 weeks ago). We found a company that seemed "to good to be true", and well, they were. We were lied to from the start, and after we got in our truck, and got the first load, we were expected to run to cali in 2 days, from NC... Now a team can do that no prob... BUT, not a team with one driver as a trainee...My husb would have to sit up with me while I drove, then take over and drive his leg of the journey with NO sleep... When he mentioned that to the safety director, he was told " Sometimes we have to go without sleep". THE SAFETY DIRECTOR told him that!!! so we made the run.. had them change the arrival appt. in cali for a day late, and when we got back, that was it... we quit... they are not a training co. like they said the were.
So we did a lot of research, and since I am brand new, there wasn't a lot to choose from, that would let him train me...
We did find one however, and I hope it turns out good... I have a friend who drives for this co., and she say's that they have treated her and her hubby very well...

chipwix · #6 (**permalink**) 09-02-2007, 09:55 PM

Necie, Sorry to hear your first jobs didn't work out but congrats on the new one. I have read a lot of horror stories about first jobs and hope I have better luck with my first company. I don't like changing jobs (probably no one dose) and will put up with a lot just to avoid it. On the other hand I will not put my safety or others at risk just to meet a deadline either. So I will keep that in mind as I am making my mind up on the co. that I start with. Pay is important but safety comes first. I will check out as much info about a companys safety record on the forums as I can before making any commitments. Thank you for your post and good luck to you and your husband with your new jobs.