Hello everyone!
I just wanted to introduce myself first. My name is Ricky and I'm 28 and currently live in Kingsport, TN. It's about 2 hours from Knoxville. I'll be leaving this weekend for Arkansas State University where I'll spend three weeks training to be a truck driver. YAY!

After that, I've already been pre-hired with USA Trucking Company. Since I'm brand new to the industry, I was wondering what your opinions of the company are or what you may have heard? I was told it's a great company and they pay well.

I'm single, gay, no children or anyone to support and I think this will be an exciting career for me. I have no doubt it will be challenging but worth it in the end. I do have a couple of questions though.

1.) How does a Commcard work? I currently don't have a bank account and was told it's the next best thing. Anyone have any comments on that or know how it works?

2.) For anyone who may currently work for USA Truck Company or know of someone who does, any idea on how often you get to come home?

3.) Any suggestions for me before I head off to ASU for my training? I've been reading over the material that Driving Solutions sent me. They sent me a CDL Study Guide so I plan on going over that quite a bit before getting to school.

4.) Any good information on internet while on the road? I was thinking of buying a laptop in the next few months so that I can get online. I know USA has some kind of Qual Comm system they said you can use for
e-mail to keep in touch with your friends and family but I'd like to be able to get online. I'm assuming I'd have to find a wireless provider. Any good ones out there that work well?

5.) In your personal opinion, what is the toughest thing you have to face being a truck driver? Overall are you happy with your career choice?

Well I think for my first post I'll leave it at that haha! I've been reading some of the posts in this forum and everyone seems very nice and helpful, which is why I registered to this forum. I appreciate any and all responses.

Hope to hear from ya soon,
Ricky

 

good luck with your training ricky!

i'm a local driver, so i'm not much help but i do know that idleair is available in some truckstops around the country. it looks interesting and promising. perhaps some other driver can tell you more about it.

i've used verizon's wireless internet with a laptop and it was decent. sprint and t mobile has their wifi hotspots. it should be noted that tmobile's are usually busines's airports, and hotels.....not truckstops.

 

At first you,ll probably find the long hours and early morning starts you sometimes have to make will wear you out.
And being an OTR driver is very taxing on any relationship,although with you being single, thats not a problem just now.
I can,t really comment on much else as I,m a British driver.
Good luck to you Ricky

 

you know wot, i never had a problem with the early starts i'm a natural morning person my roadblock was working freight. not the physical part, it was staring at 3 thousand cases knowing i had to pull it off the trailer and then seperate it according to product code. :shock: those and floor loads. :? once i got over that mental block and started i could usually get into it.

hopefully ricky won't get too many of them :wink:

 

You know V, I,ve never had a problem wi....ZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzz ops: :lol:

 

you mean i'm boring you already!?????? ops: :P :shock: :wink: :mrgreen:

 

Awww I didn,t mean it that way.....
Shame on you V.
It,s not FAIR! :cry: :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

Hey Wot, send me over a case of Cadbury Flake would ya

 

You serious? :lol:

 

i couldn't resist! :wink: :P

what's a cadbury flake? is that something like a chocolate covered roadhog? :mrgreen: