New To Trucking Just Finished Training School

Tug Emory

New Member
CRST Cedar Rapids.

They sending me home first then I gotta be ready because they put ya with driver trainer on a team truck.

Actually I am sorta skeptical of living with someone else.

How do ya think I might get along?
 
Stick it out for now and once you get that solid year or two of verifiable expirience and no issues or wrecks you can call almost any carrier or trucking company get a job next week.

Yeah it's gonna suck for awhile although think ahead to the future.

Don't let these guys knock ya for Crst either.

Watch and listen to your driver mentor and absorb absolutely everything.

Sometimes it's going to be touch and go.

Another thing is just have faith in yourself instead of being scared half to death imagine yourself like you have been doing this a decade or so.

Truth be told most of us got out start that way weather it be Crst, Schneider, Swift, or Werner.
Let me tell you what a wise trash covered man once told me. You are the stupidest son of a bitch you know.
 
He was walking across an overpass muttering something about a change shortage.
LMAO that was sort of me earlier today.

I had to wash the salt off the van. It's something that we yanks have to do frequently in the winter.

I was using the manual bay where you do it yourself, and the damn thing only gives you 25 seconds per quarter.

Takes 3 dollars to start it, then you get like 3 minutes and then you have to keep pumping quarters in it. One cent per second. $36 an hour.

I was cussing at it. 🤬
 
LMAO that was sort of me earlier today.

I had to wash the salt off the van. It's something that we yanks have to do frequently in the winter.

I was using the manual bay where you do it yourself, and the damn thing only gives you 25 seconds per quarter.

Takes 3 dollars to start it, then you get like 3 minutes and then you have to keep pumping quarters in it. One cent per second. $36 an hour.

I was cussing at it. 🤬
I despise those.
 
Legit question. Can you not get started trucking in the states without shackin up with some dude?

I never had to do that. When I first had my license I walked pretty fast away from one that said I would be doing that.
 
Legit question. Can you not get started trucking in the states without shackin up with some dude?

I never had to do that. When I first had my license I walked pretty fast away from one that said I would be doing that.
You can get your CDL a number of ways but doing the mega fleet training program and sticking with it also gives you a year or two of verifiable on the job experience which is also very important to insurance companies as far as if a place can hire you.
 
Legit question. Can you not get started trucking in the states without shackin up with some dude?

I never had to do that. When I first had my license I walked pretty fast away from one that said I would be doing that.
You don't have to team. I got my CDL and started local right off the bat.

They pretty much all want seat time with a trainer though. So you're gonna probably be stuck doing it for like 6 weeks at least for an OTR gig. My seat time was work a shift and go home every day.
 
You don't have to team. I got my CDL and started local right off the bat.

They pretty much all want seat time with a trainer though. So you're gonna probably be stuck doing it for like 6 weeks at least for an OTR gig. My seat time was work a shift and go home every day.
I will only do over the road anymore.

Had afew local jobs but man they run you into the ground and they want your Saturdays too much of the time.

I was home everyday sure but as soon as I walked in the door I made a bee-line for bed and before I realized it it was 3:30 am again the alarm clock buzzing and oh crap I gotta go back already.

While I miss my home I have found over the years that long haul gives me much more flexibility in how I run my day and believe it or not I actually get more free time out here than I did at home running local.
 
I will only do over the road anymore.

Had afew local jobs but man they run you into the ground and they want your Saturdays too much of the time.

I was home everyday sure but as soon as I walked in the door I made a bee-line for bed and before I realized it it was 3:30 am again the alarm clock buzzing and oh crap I gotta go back already.

While I miss my home I have found over the years that long haul gives me much more flexibility in how I run my day and believe it or not I actually get more free time out here than I did at home running local.
Another nice thingy about living in the truck is that I have no commute.

After that day job it was 20/30 miles each way so add an extra hour or so to my day.

When I hit a hole at the truckstop or rest area why I'm already home I kick my shoes off and figure out what I need from the store and make the hike.

If I am bone dead collapsing tired I just climb under the covers take afew hours nap first then figure out my meal plan.

I'm already home.

Plus I ain't beating up a car.

For 6/8 weeks at a stretch my 4 wheeler sits at the home terminal in the parking lot .

I only put 4300 miles in my Jeep last year.
 
I will only do over the road anymore.

Had afew local jobs but man they run you into the ground and they want your Saturdays too much of the time.

I was home everyday sure but as soon as I walked in the door I made a bee-line for bed and before I realized it it was 3:30 am again the alarm clock buzzing and oh crap I gotta go back already.

While I miss my home I have found over the years that long haul gives me much more flexibility in how I run my day and believe it or not I actually get more free time out here than I did at home running local.
I feel that in my soul. I'm positively suffering through that bullshit right now but it lets up considerably in February or so.

The occasional trip out even if only for a night or two is more welcomed than usual this time of year because it's the best sleep I get and I know I'll be starting at a humane hour.
 
Yeah my next truck will have a sleeper for that reason. I'll run more regional style than daily local.
In a daycab I reverted to the Grayhound bus method of sleeping.

Fold up my sweatshirt as a pillow and head against the window.

Actually afew years back they got these Ryder Leasing International cabs.

Was actually set up quite comfy for a daycab could even stretch my feet out..

 
How do ya think I might get along?

This really depends on your attitude, the trainer will not change their life or methods they've did for so long as they've driven, so you must adapt.

I don't know if they will be in any operation much longer. You are going to have less and less people learning with them, and they already have 18 speed autoshifts. Won't be long until the folks looking into the specialized jobs will have never shifted a manual in their entire career

Doubt I’ll ever go back to a manual.....

My personal opinion if going manual, 18 speed is the only way to go. The rest are a sh1t show when you really need shifting, I know how to shift all but the 18 is the only driver friendly in a crunch mode in the hills.

As for Auto's - I'll say they're a different way of driving vs manuals that you'll need to get used to how they respond on hills an ice - know how they shift or prevent shifting.
As for the mention of never going back to manual, job wise I'll drive whatever that pays me a living ! Though after driving a Volvo hybrid a manual want to be auto changed my mind & loved it, it's a auto but can still be used as a manual very driver friendly, the Western Stars auto were fully autos. If I could drive a Volvo hybrid forever I would, forget manual shifting !
 
What’s that old joke about what CRST really stands for. Can’t remember student training. I think there are others.

I got my CDL at a private school I paid for myself. At the time I worked in retail management and was sick and tired of customer service and wanted a job where I didn’t have to deal with many people. I had more options and didn’t want to shack up with some dude for weeks on end during training so I got a local job right out of school.
 
What’s that old joke about what CRST really stands for. Can’t remember student training. I think there are others.

I got my CDL at a private school I paid for myself. At the time I worked in retail management and was sick and tired of customer service and wanted a job where I didn’t have to deal with many people. I had more options and didn’t want to shack up with some dude for weeks on end during training so I got a local job right out of school.

That is what I did too. I went to school on my own dime. I finally found a local company that would hire me, working in the yard in the morning and few P&D's later in the day.
But, I came up in the time of if/when you got hired they tossed you the keys and said here ya go kid, good luck!
 

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