Re-careering

[Fabrux]

Having been out of work for the past eight months and not having much luck finding anything, I've made the decision to change careers. I have enrolled at a local driver's training college to get my Class 1E driver's license, which in NB gives me a CDL. It is a 12 week program, four of which are interning with a carrier. The company I've signed up with does all flatbed hauling. Could be interesting!

[gatorincebu]

 

  Good luck in your career change . What kind of work were you doing before ?

 

  Be Well

  Gator 

 

[10thumbs]

Hi Chris, I think it takes a lot of guts to go back to school to learn a different direction, good stuff!  Good luck to you.

[cowboy rich]

Good luck with the change, is it local or long hual, long hual can take some folks a bit of getting used to. Back about 20 years ago when I worked for family we ran flats step deck and vans I always liked flats and steps better, even when you do have rain spitting on you from a rouge storm and pulling the tarps out!

Rich

[signguy2108]

Chris, good luck! Here's a site that might interest you, truckersreport.com  I've been out of trucking for quite a while, but I still look at this site everyday, a forum for just about anything trucker related!

[Dave Ambrose]

Good luck. It should be fun to learn something new. Good idea to pick something that can't be offshored.

[purepmd]

Another skateboarder is born. Good for you! Always tarp with the airflow in mind, strap / chain as tight as the cargo allows, watch your overall height, (no built in limiter, like a trailer roof), and flatbeds can be a great way to go trucking.

Best of luck to you!

Mark.

[Fabrux]

Thanks for the kind words, everyone. 

I have an engineering degree, but a I've found that I don't like the work as much as I thought I would and the work doesn't seem to like me. In six years I've worked less than four total years. And that's involved travelling halfway across the country anyway  my wife had a stable career so it's not fair to her to uproot the family so I can find a job. Re-careering into something that is always in demand seemed like the best course of action.

As for a progress update, I have gone through the first week of in-class training and now have my learner's permit and air brake endorsement.

[Fabrux]

We finished our in-class training last week, today was our first day with the driving simulator. Here I am searching for gears. It is setup with a Fuller 13-speed to match our real truck.

[Fabrux]

Wow, its been a while since I updated this thread! I finished my course at the end of August, finished my internship last week and now I've been cut loose with my own truck. I leave for my first trip tomorrow morning, headed to Greensboro, GA.

I was a little spoiled by my trainer's truck. It is a 2015 Kenworth T680, Paccar MX-13 and an Eaton 13-speed.

Some pictures I took during the last four weeks...

A very tight spot I parked a trailer in:

Literal steaming piles of poo at a mushroom farm in Temple, PA

Driving into a building and backing to a dock at the Wegmans distribution center in Rochester, NY:

And now my assigned truck. It is a 2013 Freightliner Cascadia, Detroit DD15 and a Detroit DT12. It currently has 621939km on the clock.

Edited September 30, 2016 by kataranga

[Tesla]

Wishing all the best on your new career! 

[landman]

Sometimes a change is like a vacation. Doing what you like is therapeutic. Enjoy!

[dsldriver]

I retired last year after 37 years of driving. It was a good career and I saw a lot over the years. My best advice to you is take care of your body. I sure wish I'd done better at that for myself!

[10thumbs]

Hi Chris, a great and positive update!

How's it feeling to be on the road now?  Are you gone from home for long?

[Fabrux]

I'm enjoying being on the road so far! I have about 16,000 km in now. I have been down as far as Georgia and as west as far as Iowa. Most trips I get are on the 5-7 days range, usually home for two days. My most recent trip had me out for 12 days. My company is really good at letting drivers decide how much home time they want. 

I got to visit the Iowa 80 truck stop, what a place! Unfortunately the museum was closed when I was there; hopefully I can get back when it is open.

Edited November 1, 2016 by kataranga

[kilrathy10]

Man, that is awesome.....Glad you've passed everything and are out rolling.....Sounds like you are liking it pretty good, too.....Amazing how you went from engineering to engine steering....I'm happy for you, Bud....May God keep you safe while you're out there on the road......

[Truck parts]

Hope  everything is going well for you