Nick V

by Nick V
(San Antonio, Tx)

Wussup everyone. Well I am a recent graduate from Roadmasters Driving School in San Antonio, Tx. I am leaving for orientation very soon to hit the road with Covenant which I am very excited but very nervous about.

For the past 9 years I have been doing construction work, remodeling houses from top to bottom, doing insurance claims. Some alright money but I have no insurance or benefits for the long haul and that really scares me. Soo here I am, ready to get this "newbie" tag behind me and move on to veteran status. I know it will be a while but its always nice to be top dog and I am giving up that position to start somethin new but

I have learned that if you don't take chances in life its easy to look back and beat yourself up over it. Hope this gives some insight to whats going on with me. If anyone wants to ask questions about school or whatnot I will be happy to answer but these guys on here are pretty well educated about the whole thing.

Read this site, soak it all in, and I mean all of it. This site helped me out a lot in my decision and these guys on here are all cool dudes with a lot of knowledge. Also this isn't some b.s website where you ask a question and get an answer a month later. Of course these guys are working so it wont be immediate but they are all very prompt about answering your questions.

Cool site, cool drivers, good info, what more do you want.

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Jun 01, 2015
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How is life? NEW
by: Dale

It's been a few years I see since you posted this. Was curious as to how trucking life is treating you?

Mar 28, 2010
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Proud of my man
by: Brenda

I am so proud of you Nick. You wanted to be a trucker and you stayed with it and now your dreams are coming true. I will always be fighting in your conner to achieve help you achieve your dreams. I love you sweetheart

Nov 30, 2009
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Is Nick V big trucking?
by: Hervy

I am so happy for ya Nick, how are things going ya solo yet?

I knew you would eventually get something going cause you kept your eyes open and and knuckles knocking on doors.

Good for you man. Hope thing are still moving forward for ya. Holla back when you get a chance.

Nov 18, 2009
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Nick V. hung in there.
by: Jimmy

Good deal. Perserverence works, right? Jimmy

Nov 17, 2009
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Good news boys!!!
by: Nick V

Doing my regular routine this past sunday searching for jobs. Craigslist, bubbajunk, truck stop magazines, local newspaper website.

Saw a CRST truck earlier that day so I said what the heck, I have filled out an application twice, maybe a third wont hurt.

Called yesterday and left a voice mail with the recruiter but same old news, no call back.

Call again today, leave a message and I guess someone must have had their coffee today cause I actually got a call back!

Lady tells me that everything looks great and im freakin ready to go!!! Said I had to take a refresher course and maybe Roadmasters had one but they charge 40 bucks an hour and I need 40 hrs. Sooo CRST provides one for 500. I have to pay 250 up front and they take the rest out of my check on down the road.

Not happy about the money but hey I got my foot in the door! FINALLY, I get to fulfill my goal that I set so long ago.

Id like to say to anyone out there that is having trouble finding a job, KEEP TRYING. I graduated in April and trust me I have sent out over 100 applications and finally I got one. Now here it is November, almost a year later and everything is finally coming together.

Thank you guys for giving me so much advice and reminding me not to give up. I didnt and its about to pay off.

Thanks again guys and I will be sure to keep you posted as much as possible.

Jun 25, 2009
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Hi Nick
by: Jennifer Schnittker

Welcome to the site, I realize I am like way behind on the happenings of this site, but I intend on taking care of that as of this moment.

Nice to meet ya ;)

Jun 05, 2009
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Shooter, Nick V.
by: Jimmy

Keep your head up, Nick. There are no guarantees in life. Covenant is only one of 1000's of trucking companies. When you search for a job, talk to many companies, the reason being, if one company jerks you around, you have other companies to apply to,like right now.

When the application process takes some time, you're wasting time starting all over again from square one. Apply at 10 or 12 companies at the same time. Don't let this get you down, don't be a quitter.... Jimmy

Jun 05, 2009
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Severly bummed
by: Anonymous

Well I got bad news and I am gonna try and watch my mouth as good as I can for you Hervy. Yesterday morning my recruiter called and gave me my confirmation number for my bus ticket for Sunday. Great news.

THEN, about 4 hours later she called and said they couldn't accept me cause of a couple of misplaced words on my application.

See I have a prior DUI that was 6 years ago and I regrettably have a marijuana charge from about 10 years ago. On my application I put that
I was pulled over for the weed charge which wasn't the case but I didn't think it would make such a big deal.

Well they ended up considering that as a DUI also and so they dont take people with 2 DUI's. I told her I wasn't driving when the weed thing happened and she tried to pass it through to the safety manager again and said that is what I wrote so that's that. Pissed me off. I have been calling in every week for a month and a half to check in like I am on some kind of probation with Covenant and they drug me along until 3 days before I was supposed to leave.

Hell they just started calling my prior boss's on Wednesday. Bunch of jerk offs if you ask me. To top it off I had a party set for kind of a going away thing. Family, friends, people I work with and had to call it off due to the fact that I AINT GOIN NO WHERE!

YESH man this has really bummed me out. Called Roadmasters and they are talking to Arrow and KLLM for me but we will see. Bad thing about all this is the loan payments for school are rollin in and im still not behind the wheel of anything other than my Ford.

Maybe it was Gods way of saying it wasn't the right company, maybe I am seriously screwed cause of my teenage years of being an idiot and its coming back to haunt me.

Anyway sorry to unload on you but maybe you could give me some advice on my next plan of action. Hope your doin better than me. Stay safe out there.

Jun 02, 2009
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Nice Feedback on the truck driver training
by: Hervy

Thanks for that info Nick. Very interesting, sounds like you ended up with a clown. Lol. Oh, well you made it through.

"I just want to get these strangers outta my truck so I can do my thing ya know."

LOL. Yep, I remember that feeling kinda, but I was in his truck (my trainer's).
3 weeks, we were supposed to go 4. When we got back to the terminal, told him I wanted to test, he didn't want me to. I went to his boss and told them I wanted to test or switch trainers cause I wasn't going back out with him. They asked him if he though I was ready he said no. I told them, "He is saying know because he doesn't pay enough attention to my capabilities to have a proper assessment. This guy only wanted me to drive. I would try to practice parking at the truck stop and he would say we don't have time."

After going back and forth a few times I won the argument. They said If I didn't make it I was going back out for 3 more weeks with him. I said ok. But I wasn't going back with him, I would have left but I was pretty sure I could pass the driving test.

I passed the test and I became a trucker. Hopefully your ordeal will be better. This guy was alright, I don't think he should be training though.

Note: I did not argue with him or criticize him on the road or make demands. I did have a conversation with him about what I expected to gain and that was that. I took instruction, learned all I could, got as much driving as I could and waited for either his attitude or training technique to improve; or until we got back through the terminal and we got back to the terminal first! LOL

Don't let that scare you. Most trainers are pretty good. If you are not satisfied with the professionalism of your trainer, go to his superior and explain the problems your having they will usually work with you.

That company I was with "Direct Transit" went out of business. (Who would have though!)

Actually Swift bought them back in 1997 I think it was.

We are sure glad you won the CB handle toss!
I think you right, muffin would have been a little suspect!

Aight shooter,
got to go do some work to the site.

Later
Hervy

Jun 01, 2009
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Uhh
by: Anonymous

Not sure how to take this

Jun 01, 2009
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Shooter edges closer.
by: Jimmy

This just in...."Shooter", better known to his close friends as "Muffin" (aw, ain't that cute) will be boarding the Greyhound for the big "D'.

Upon arrival to the luxury hotel that he's booked at for orientation, He will met by the Covenant cheer leaders in the reception area.

Then, it's a night on the town in the limo with food and fare. Upon return to the hotel and a hot tub party with the cheerleaders, he'll turn in and have breakfast served to him in bed. At that point in time, he awakens from the dreamland he has been in, and proceeds to get down and funky.

Will he survive orientation? Paperwork? People barking orders constantly? A trainer that pats him on the rump when he meets him? (Just kidding, Shooter!).

Tune in next time when "Shooter" reports in to the website. A continuing saga..... Jimmy

Jun 01, 2009
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Gotta love it
by: Nick V

See this is why I love this website so much, you guys are all too cool. Well here we go. As far as the Roadmasters thing I would give my personal experience a 3.

If I would have known what they were going to teach me and how they were going to do it I would have signed on with Swift or someone else but I just didn't want to get locked into a contract. With Roadmasters its just like financing a loan and you can move freely.

I went to weekend classes and they just dont give those students the attention for the amount of money you pay. I had to do my own recruiting, had to remind them of everything every time I would accomplish something.

I just had a really bad experience with them. Not saying everyone will but I for one did.

As far as Covenant goes I am going to be leaving on Sunday.

I take a greyhound (not happy) to Dallas from San Antonio at which point someone will pick me up and take me to my hotel room which is all paid for.

3 days of orientation, all which are paid for and meals provided as well as my room.

4th day I will be assigned my tractor and of course inspect very carefully and then receive my first dispatch.

Says on the paperwork I will be with a trainer for 35 days but my girlfriend works at a T/A here in town and she talked to a Covenant driver who said you are with a trainer for 2 weeks and then with a new student as a trainer for 2 weeks.

I dunno nor do I care I just want to get these strangers outta my truck so I can do my thing ya know. But I will be taking notes cause I know there is a lot to learn out there. You don't learn any of the road code in school so I am a little worried about that. Just hope this trainer isn't a nasty mofo who never wants to shower haha.

Other than that I am ready man. Its been a long time since I have been in a truck so I miss it a lot. Been waiting to get into orientation for a month and a half so im ready to hit it.

My best friend's step dad drives and they had a going away party for me this past weekend. We ended up drinking alot and I finally talked him into handing me over the keys...DONT WORRY we didn't go anywhere!!!haha

Just wanted to hear that baby purr and try out my new handle they decided to give me on his CB. Let me try it out on ya...Shooter. Whatda think? He said cause I am always shootin whiskey and plus I am a hunter so it goes hand in hand. Better than what the girls came up with. I tried to tell them muffin just wouldn't go over well.

Anyway I hope I answered all of your questions you had for me, and if I missed one let me know.

I will still be connected for the week and I check everyday to see if I can help people in any way.

Always a pleasure chattin with you ladies and gentleman on here and thanks again for puttin up a site that truly helps alot

May 31, 2009
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Convenant gets a new driver
by: Hervy

What's good Nick,

The adventure begins huh?

Was school what you expected it to be?
How long did it take you to be comfortable once you started driving in school?
On a scale of 1 to 10 how to you think Roadmasters did, 10 being excellent.

How will your driving schedule be with Covenant?
Will you be with a trainer there, if so for how long?

LOL, hey you asked for questions! (No, really I think those are some questions that others thinking about jumping in behind you might be wondering)

Man, I think you are right, I remember when you were asking questions back in the day. If you hadn't of went to school and came on out here you would have always wondered what it would have been like. (10 years from now, woulda, shoulda, coulda, ya know)

So now your here, welcome to the wonderful (sometimes) world of trucking.

Thanks for the compliment on the site, without the help of Jimmy, Keith, Jennifer, Julie, Onespeed, Becky, The big stick and some anonymous person (lol) it just wouldn't be the same, and now it seems that you are here to add.

What a deal, I love my visitors.

Later man,
catch you on the road.

Hervy

May 29, 2009
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Nick V. goes truckin'
by: Jimmy

Thanks Nick for the compliments on the website. This is Hervy's website and he is an OTR driver. Me, on the other hand, is retired and most always get questions answered pronto.

Keep us posted on your adventure with Covenant. I remember your Name but can't find your original post. Jimmy

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