I have debated posting on here for some time, but after messaging - TopicsExpress



          

I have debated posting on here for some time, but after messaging Tim Graham I think it is time to make the post. (BTW, thanks to Tim for still messaging me even after leaving) I am in a unique situation presently and have looked for several years at the possibility of making an attempt at driving a truck. I obtained my Class A (with T endorsement) in April 2012 and drove in a special situation for two months before coming home. I can elaborate about that if anyone is curious. After leaving that job, I worked in the IT field for three months last spring. I think they only needed me for a project and cut me loose. Over the summer, I worked toward obtaining my School Bus and Passenger endorsements and started driving a school bus in September 2013 and have been doing it ever since. I like driving my bus, even though the kids can be trying at times (take 60 middle school students and lock them in one room for an hour and you will get an idea). There are literally jobs everywhere for driving a school bus, and the pay figures up decent hourly. However, since the time working is so short every week, you dont make a whole lot (I get around $1,300 a month). I have thought about moving into coaches (charters or tour groups), but really anything in the bus industry has no guarantee from one trip to the next. I am trying to decide if it is time to finally make the leap and go on the road. I have been doing research for quite some time. I have followed this page for a while and have done a lot of reading online. Lately, I have read lots of posts on The Truckers Report and honestly have more questions than answers now. The biggest thing I am worried about right now is the driving. The last time I was in a truck was June of 2012, with an exception of a small day cab (Freightliner FL70) for a couple months when I didnt have any other work. The longest conventional semi trailer I have pulled was 42 if memory serves. We never had to back into anywhere we hauled with our hopper bottoms, so about the only time I backed a semi trailer was for my DMV examiner. I back trailers in with the day cab I mentioned, but they were 24 goose-neck trailers inside the building next to a loading dock. I have no problems every day with my bus. It is over 40 long (GVW 36,200 lbs.) and I take it some places that it probably shouldnt go. I do have turn-arounds on my route where I have to back at a cross-street to get out of the subdivision, but there is a difference between something like my bus and a combination vehicle. I know someone that just signed a lease with one of the mega-carriers and he said that he would help me get on with his company. His recommendation was to go through that companies training academy for nearly $4,000 like I didnt have a license at all. If that is the best option, then I will just have to forget the whole thing. I dont want to get everything lined up and end up failing out because I couldnt back a trailer on the first try. I believe that if you put yourself in a situation to do poorly, then it is hard to change the outcome. I dont like going into a situation completely blind and not knowing how it will turn out. I do apologize for being long-winded, but I wanted to explain my concerns. I know how hard it can be to offer advise without knowing the whole story. I know from reading that Maverick wants to be up front and truthful, so that is what I am trying to do here.
Posted on: Sun, 16 Mar 2014 04:23:47 +0000

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