Here I go!

[zorgen]

Well, I've decided to take up trucking as the last career of my life. I'm 55 and I've enrolled into a truck driving school. Fortunately uncle Sam is helping out with a big chunk of the cost so I'm pretty fortunate in that respect.

In my early 20's I worked as a computer operator at PACCAR in Renton, WA. I had an opportunity to tour the Kenworth plant in 1982. I saw where they started with two rails for the frame. We walked all through the assembly line until we came to the finished product. Seattle Kenworth was able to build 30 trucks a day then. At the end of the tour we got into the cab of the truck. They were beautiful and I told myself someday I'd drive of of these for a living. Well, 30 years later here I am getting ready to do just that. School starts September 16th so I picked up the course material from the school and I've read it all. I've always fixed what I can on my own vehicles so it looks like I might be doing some on the road repairs from what I've heard and read. I'm taking the CDL test this Wednesday for my permit.

Anyway, I found this site and I hope I get to know some of you guys and would appreciate any positive advice you might have.

Take care,

Don

[wild deuce]

Do you have a trucking job lined up when you graduate from driving school?

[wild deuce]

Originally Posted by zorgen

Well, I've decided to take up trucking as the last career of my life. I'm 55 and I've enrolled into a truck driving school. Fortunately uncle Sam is helping out with a big chunk of the cost so I'm pretty fortunate in that respect.

In my early 20's I worked as a computer operator at PACCAR in Renton, WA. I had an opportunity to tour the Kenworth plant in 1982. I saw where they started with two rails for the frame. We walked all through the assembly line until we came to the finished product. Seattle Kenworth was able to build 30 trucks a day then. At the end of the tour we got into the cab of the truck. They were beautiful and I told myself someday I'd drive of of these for a living. Well, 30 years later here I am getting ready to do just that. School starts September 16th so I picked up the course material from the school and I've read it all. I've always fixed what I can on my own vehicles so it looks like I might be doing some on the road repairs from what I've heard and read. I'm taking the CDL test this Wednesday for my permit.

Anyway, I found this site and I hope I get to know some of you guys and would appreciate any positive advice you might have.

Take care,

Don

Welcome to TB ... TB Friend. Are you looking to drive for yourself, a broker, a company?

[Cerberus_Kelpie]

Hello Don,

Congratulations for having the ability to choose what you want to do/become as many have not/are not able/do not/can not.

Your Location depicts WEST and I'm curious as to WHERE??

Explore this site and its bounty of information as well as its bounty of humor.

There are MANY here that are most assuredly able and willing to answer your many questions and offering cynicism, sarcasm as well as Major and/or General (hello wild_deuce) whining which is inherent in Trucking.

As has been stated Welcome to TruckingBoards!!

[zorgen]

Originally Posted by wild deuce

Welcome to TB ... TB Friend. Are you looking to drive for yourself, a broker, a company?

Hi there, Well as I start out I'm planing to work for a company. The school I'm taking has an 86% success rate in placing graduates. I hope my spotless driving record helps. I'm prepared not to make much the first couple years and hope my salary improves with time. They work with several companies who regularly hire from the school. As I get to know more about he business driving for myself or a broker may possibly be the route I go but I'm not sure. I realize I have a lot to learn. I have a feeling I'm going to be asking a lot of questions here and on the road from other truckers to gather information and learn the ropes.

If you have any advice in starting out I would love to hear all you have to say.

Thanks for the welcome :)

Don

[zorgen]

Originally Posted by Cerberus_Kelpie

Hello Don,

Congratulations for having the ability to choose what you want to do/become as many have not/are not able/do not/can not.

Your Location depicts WEST and I'm curious as to WHERE??

Explore this site and its bounty of information as well as its bounty of humor.

There are MANY here that are most assuredly able and willing to answer your many questions and offering cynicism, sarcasm as well as Major and/or General (hello wild_deuce) whining which is inherent in Trucking.

As has been stated Welcome to TruckingBoards!!

Hey Cerberus, I live in Bellevue Washington, 5 minutes from Seattle. I was born here in Seattle and have been here my entire life. Yes it's true, we have webbed feet and rain is our common companion. I've been driving in rain, snow and Ice my entire life. I've driven over ice and snow more times than I can remember to go skiing at Snowqualmie or Steven's Pass.

I've been on message boards before, mainly motorcycle ones and I'm used to the positive and off color comments you get from people. Doesn't get to me though, I'm pretty thick skinned.

Thanks for replying to my post. I know sometimes it's tough for some to warm up to a new member. Guess I'll keep trying and see how it goes.

Thanks!

Don