Question:
I just passed my Massachusetts CDL test! I want to thank all of you for your great advice and support. You really made a difference and I appreciate it.
I'll be off to Werner orientation on Wednesday and I'll keep you all posted whenever I can. I am looking forward to continuing my trucking education and being a safe and productive driver.
See you on the road. Be Safe!
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Ignorance is bliss. But only for the ignorant.
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Answer:
Originally posted by Willin:
I just passed my Massachusetts CDL test! I want to thank all of you for your great advice and support. You really made a difference and I appreciate it.
Yahhooooeeeee!!!!! --> Congratulations!!!!! See? It wasn't so hard, was it?
Good job and good luck at Werners!!!!
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I ride for those who can't! POW/MIA - You are NOT forgotten!!
Information is power!! The question not asked is the opportunity missed!!
My other vehicle is a '99 Electra Glide!!!!--> --> -->
Lead, Follow or get out of my way!!!
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I ride for those who can't! POW/MIA - You are NOT forgotten!!
Lead, Follow or get out of my way!!!

Answer:
Originally posted by Willin:
I am looking forward to continuing my trucking education and being a safe and productive driver.
I wish more newer drivers shared your attitude about safety and education.
Good luck to you! If you happen to run through Richfield, OH then drop me a post here or an e-mail sometime and lunch is on me!!
http://www.subway.com
From the Teamsters:
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Answer:
Willin CONGRATULATIONS !!!! --> -->
That is great.

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easy on the beer -->
Watch your back at werner and keep your mouth closed,say very little and get through training and get your own truck.
www.wernerscrews.com
I survived almost 3 years with them,you can live through it.
§ 392.3 Ill or fatigued operator.
No driver shall operate a commercial motor vehicle, and a motor carrier shall not require or permit a driver to operate a commercial motor vehicle, while the driver's ability or alertness is so impaired, or so likely to become impaired, through fatigue, illness, or any other cause, as to make it unsafe for him/her to begin or continue to operate the commercial motor vehicle.
http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/rulesregs/fmcsr/regs/392.3.htm
Don't be afraid to say "no" to dispatch if you are worn out.
Opie"Paul Taylor" in the legal forum here at trucknet,knows all about drivers rights under the STAA laws.
http://www.truckingsolutions.com/
If you can't reason with dispatch,ask to speak to the head of the safety department and if he don't say ok driver,inform him that you know your rights under section 392.3 and under the STAA laws and will contact your lawyer.
Just asking to speak to the safety department will most likely cure the problem before it goes that far.Dispatch will suddenly rethink pushing you.
Don't let them screw you by pushing you and ending up like another poster that drove for them for a year,last we heard she couldn't find another job after she arrived at a receiver real fatuiged and hit a few things.
You can't be forced to drive,just because you have hours,got it?You also have to overall go with the flow or they will starve you out,so save your "no's" for when you really need them.
Watch your back,your new friendly coworkers are James Bond,super company spies.Don't believe some driver telling you he is a newbie also,don't believe none of them.
You will survive.99.99% of the time,they are just like every other company,they have you haul freight from point A to Point B,it's a job.Don't forget the person on the other end of the qualcomm knows about as much as you,so if it sounds stupid,look where it's coming from.
They tried to send me to pickup a load without a trailer,right after telling me to leave the trailer I had at Kimberly Clark,they dispatched me on another load,without a trailer.
Don't let them get you bent out of shape,whatever it is,it ain't nothing to worry about,take a break and chill out and than work it out.Don't yell at them people in Nebraska,they don't ever get excited about anything,so why should you. -->
They pray on farm boys that will do anything to please their masters,once they relise you have the northeast attitude of "it's just a job" and you really don't give a crap,but will put some effort into it,you will survive.Do your best,screw the rest.Them farm boys call it having a good work ethic,I call it getting walked all over.Put your foot down when needed,they hire people from the northeast and are used to it.
Remember they are one of the largest most successfull truckload carriers,so they think they do everything right and no truck driver is going to tell them different,go with the flow 99.99% of the time,you ain't going to change their thinking or their ways.
75% of truck drivers are nuts,so just ignore most of what you hear.
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"I ain't paying somebody to work"
Would sooner work and complain about not getting paid for it.
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TruckNets Jobs.Truck.Net Online Application Click here

Answer:
Working for a major corperation is a smart move for your future. Watch out for sniches. Some will tell on you in a sec to try to get a little brown nose action. For example, I had a beer box (old long neck box) in my truck. It was one of the really old ones that were built tuff. It was great for loading and unloading stuff. A driver saw the box (that was full of papers)and called safty. They told me to get back to terminal ASAP. The truck was searched. I explained the situation and was cleared. I still use the box. It has about 1 million miles on it. I have also had safty called saying I had a lot lizard in my truck. After explaining my wife had to go pee at 200 am it was fine. They new she was with me! You WILL see what I mean real quick. Good luck with the new profession. Look into OOIDA
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Wood's Country Store
202 N Main Street
Summerfield Il 62289
TRUCK PARKING AVAILABLE!

Answer:
Thanks everybody!
Zigzag and daytrader,
I appreciate your advice. You are both more experienced than I and I respect that.
I am going into this business with an open mind and a positive attitude. Perhaps I'm naive about the trucking business, but I had my own business for 12 years. I feel pretty well prepared to deal with the interpersonal issues that arise from time to time.
I intend to drive safely, legally, and productively. I am a family man and I have no intention of hanging around truckstops and getting into trouble. I do not intend to spend a lot of time socializing with other drivers on the road either. I'll do my job, do it well, and collect my paycheck. If trouble arises I will let my record and my reputation speak for me.
I will try to develop and maintain a positive business relationship with my dispatcher(s) and others that I come in contact with. I've found that even if I do not like dealing with a particularly person, it's generally to my advantage for them to beleive that I do.
Perhaps I'll feel the same as you once I've been through the playdough fun factory a few times. For now I'll keep an open mind and do my job.
Again, I appreciate your advice and I mean no disrespect in my reply. I will keep my eyes open. But I refuse to live my life looking over my shoulder. There's too many good things to see looking forward.
All the best to you!
Ron
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Ignorance is bliss. But only for the ignorant.
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Answer:
I too recently acquired my CDLA.
Advice: Make a few copies of your learner's permit - both sides - so you can PROVE you actually passed all the tests in case you lose your original or the clowns at the registry screw things up as they did in my case!
So I'm at the counter at the registry and I present my learner's permit to the clerk for my permanent license - and the first thing he asks me is - "who authorized your testing - the registry or the DTE." I had no idea what the DTE is nor did I know how my testing was arranged as my school did it for me. So I winged it and said "DTE - you know that section of the State Police that governs CDLA testing." I get this befuddled look on clerk's face and now I know I'm in for trouble. So he starts punching away at his termincal and asks me for $150.00 - OUCH! And then throws me what looks like another learner's permit only - it's not - it's a Temporary Permanent CDLA - but - something was missing - MISSING was ALL my endorsements - all of them - so I asked the clerk - "so this is my Temporary Permanent CDLA - right - with ALL the endorsements - right - and he says - yep - without even looking at me or my license - so - then and there I decided to plant my feet permanently as his station and said - "SHOW ME" how my future employer will know that I have ALL the endorsements - and oh - by the way - where does it say that I can ride my motorcycle. So with an attitude of "why are you wasting my time you stupid wannabie trucker" - this clerk decides to take 5 seconds out of his busy day and SHOW ME how to read my Temporary Permanent CDLA and guess what - NO ENDORSEMENTS - none - nadda! So now the "supervisor" gets involved and well - 30 minutes and several telephone calls later and a thousand key strokes on their "state of the art" systems - they finally were able to output a correct Temporary Permanent CDLA with all my hard studied for and trained for endorsements.
Brothers and sisters - when you finally step up to the counter - CHECK - DOUBLE CHECK - TRIPLE CHECK - and then CHECK IT AGAIN to make sure you got what you deserve!
Now I wait for the plastic lamanated CDLA to come in my mail. The waiting just never ends!
cat

Answer:
Cat,
All of my difficulties came with the scheduling of the test and retest. See my post title "I failed my Massachusetts CDL...". Surprisingly, the RMV actually did their job correctly; even courteously and quickly, if you can imagine that. -->
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Ignorance is bliss. But only for the ignorant.
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Answer:
WAY TO GO DOG! LOL
I knew you could do it! Sure you won't change your mind and run for Roehl? LOL That's where I plan to go, but we'll see. We gotta stay in touch, I'll be out there in a couple months, we'll need to hook up. Good Luck, and keep it between the lines! D.
Truth is stranger than fiction, because fiction. . . has to make sense.

Answer:
CONGRADULATIONS WILLIN!!

Answer:
1 Iron,
Maybe we can squeeze in a round somewhere. That is if you don't mind watching me hit the ball in the woods a lot.
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Ignorance is bliss. But only for the ignorant.
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Answer:
Best of luck to ya and godspeed on your travels.... seeee yaaaa -->
sandpiperx

Answer:
I look forward to it! --> -->
Truth is stranger than fiction, because fiction. . . has to make sense.

Answer:
Willin,
Good luck to ya with Werner. Hope you do good & enjoy the road. And when someone passes you on the road, don't forget to give 'em the lights -->
Take care Driver......