About Allen
Welcome to our interactive AskTheTrucker Blog for Truckers and Students! Here, you will be able to ask Allen questions and interact with one another concerning topics related to “Trucking.” I will be offering articles here also, for your reading enjoyment and enrichment. Post comments, ask questions…….interact!
Allen is a 30 year trucking veteran whose goal and passion is to aid those in the trucking industry, whether they be students or new truck drivers. Allen enjoys writing, flying, playing the guitar, and talking to those interested in raising the standards of the trucking industry.
Allen is the original author of “The Truth About Trucking” e-book and Audio CD’s, which have saved thousands from the scams within the trucking industry…truck driving schools and trucking companies.
Allen also hosts the website GuaranteeMove.com designed to eliminate the horrors within the Moving Industry. No stone is left unturned in his book, “How to Guarantee a Perfect Move” As far as we know, there is not another book like this available to the general public.
Finally, there is the website AubreyAllenSmith.com which briefly describes Allen and who he is; his goals, motivations, and his passions.
On this website are links to many of Allen’s newest websites which are the home of his latest books,
“So You’ve Got YOur CDL…Now What?” and “The Best Truck Driving Jobs- A State by State Guide”
For those who would like a review of all 3 of Allen’s Books which have helped thousands succeed in trucking, please visit:
http://www.truthabouttrucking.com/3BookSpecial/index.html
© 2007 – 2009, AskTheTrucker. All rights reserved.
: allen smith, askthetrucker, aubrey allen smith, aubreyallensmith, new truck drivers, Truckers, trucking industry, truth about trucking. guaranteeMove
AskTheTrucker
Is it better to go to a free school,or pay for a school your self and pick what job you want.What will best fit a person with bills not everyone can survive 12 weeks of 400.00 aweek then taxes!
Hi Michael,
There is no such thing as a “free” school. You will pay one way or the other, thru lower CPM pay, lower miles, etc. There is nothing wrong with paying for the school yourself, just be certain to understand the school’s policy on “employment assistance”. It would be best to have a “pre-hire” ready for you once the school is completed, but again, a “pre-hire” is still no guarantee of a job. The companies that offer “free” training can help those who may not have the money upfront and can get them in a job, so they do play a part in assisting those to get started in a trucking career.
You’re right $400.00/week before taxes isn’t much, but if you qualify, you can apply for either a grant or a loan. Many students in all areas of education have to go this route in order to keep up with their lifestyle, and just plain survive. Twelve weeks isn’t that bad. People take loans out for 4 years or more while in school.
The main thing is: To choose the RIGHT school.
Lots of rips offs out there., costing a lot of money and offereing a poor education.
Be careful!
Also, you will not be able to “pick any job you want.” You will have to get in 6 months to a year of drving experience before doors will open up for you….this is the usually the case.
Good Luck,
Allen
ARE YOU , Related to the EX – GOVERNOR
OF IL. Mr Joseph Smith I know it”s down the family tree a little bit. thanks for your website Blogs & hits.
GOD Bless you, And thank you again, Mr Allen Smith*
JT the Donkey , may Rider Again!
Hi John,
Smith is such a common name, there’s no way knowing who you’re related to unless you do a family tree.
Glad you like the blog and websites. Thanks for your loyalty and support.
Have you seen the new websites?
http://www.cdlquestions.com
http://www.truthabouttrucking.com/BTR/blogtalkradio.html
I am so glad that I became aware of this professional Aubrey”Allen”Smith. His materials have helped inform me and I’m a career trucker! Thanks Allen and Donna for all you do for other’s.
IR
Allen, perhaps you can help me. I read in one of the trucking magazines several years ago an article dealing with the state of Virginia in particular and their habit of ticketing truckers for parking to sleep on the off/on ramps in their state when they were out of hours. As you are aware their rest areas allow no more than either two or four hours parking. Yes, Virginia has truck stops, but as in many other states there is often not enough parking available and they are not always situated within a reasonable distance of a trucker needing to stop for a DOT rest period. I have searched the internet and can not locate the article. It would have appeared in 2007 most likely in RoadStar. As a former long haul driver I came periously close three separate times to being ticketed for this. The article stated that Virginia was not forcing drivers to run illegal but if their trucks were not moved they would be towed. Mary Ellen
Hey, Independent Realist….thanks for the comment….wishing you the BEST….Allen
Hi Mary Ellen: I do not recall the article, but this situation is growing among states. The parking issue is a big problem for many drivers in certain parts of the country. Seems the Feds wants “safety” but there is no safety in forcing drivers to continue driving when tired and out of hours, in order to find a safe and secure place to park. There has been a big outcry from the general public about VA closing the I-81 rest areas…so we will just have to wait and see. Allen
i am thinking about getting my cdl to start a trucking carreer, i have no job at the moment, wife, 4 kids. i had a man from tdi school, for werner entereprises call to get me in but i didn’t quite have the money to start at the moment. is this a good school, and which is better otr or reg.
You can read some comments about TDI here: http://tinyurl.com/kp2389 – Every school and every company will have good and bad things said about them…just the way it is. You can do a search for “reviews” about them and if you find a lot of bad stuff, then chances are, you would do best to stay away. I was not able to find much “bad” about them…overall, they appear to be a decent school. As far as Werner, you can read my post about Starter Companies: http://www.askthetrucker.com/starter-companies-for-cdl-students-and-graduates/ – Also, be sure to check out this post just for your information ! – http://www.askthetrucker.com/cdl-training-how-students-can-end-their-career-before-it-begins/ – One thing to keep in mind about a CDL school is that the average cost for CDL training should be between $3500 and $4500 … this can vary of course, depending on your geographical location … but when you start seeing charges of 7-8-9 thousand dollars …. RED FLAG !! Good Luck – Allen
Thank you very much. i couldn’t find very much on the school i would be going to in IL. i don’t know if thats good or bad? The cost of the school is 3999.00. i applied for the WIA program to help with this, but found out it’s about 2 months till i get an appt….i can be making money by then, but i guess if i don’t have 4k falling out my pockets….but i’m still researching while i’m figuring out what to do.
i have been in real close contact with Bill Burnes at TDI, in IL. he has been helping me with options and decisions about getting started in trucking, i have to wait about 2 months for an interview for my WIA grant. anywho….is there any other information i should consider researching while i wait? any good deals on the iphone for the trucker app? i got a cdl book to study for the time, does anyone know of any sites to check out to aid in all this? thanks
Really the CDL book is all you need. Study it up and down and you should pass the exam with no problem. The iPhone trucker app is only .99 cents…I would suggest that you go ahead and go for the HazMat endorsement as well. Always a good one to have and will make you more marketable as a new driver. Good Luck!
very nice, thank you. Would the HazMat info be in the same book or will i have to find something else? also….i will have a choice of over the road or regonal. my recruiter, bill from tdi suggested over the road for the experience for the year, then if i wanted to switch to regonal…would this be a wise thing or would it be just the same to stay regonal?i have about 6 more week to find out bout the grant, you have been a huge help…thank you
The booklet will have the HazMat study info in it as well . . . I agree with Bill . . . I would suggest OTR for at least one year . . . then go to Regional, if that is your choice. Regional is still, in a sense, OTR, just not all 48 . . . that first one year is critical and running full OTR is a must for gaining experience out in the real world. One year of OTR, at minimum . . . good luck . . . AS
Thank you very much for all the help and info. i have some questions on the iphone app? is this app only for the iphone or will it also work on the blackberry or any other data type phones?
Right now the TRUCKER application only works with the iphone. We would like to expand that someday to more smart phones.
The language is different for each phone, so every time you create an app, it must be in the specific language of that phone. It would be great if they all used the same, but unfortunately they don’t, so for now TRUCKER is for the iPhone.
Hi Allen, I didn’t want to be a pest. is there a certain GB iphone needed to operate the trucker app? Also i am still waiting to hear about anything on the WIA program, been almost 2 months and am still unemployed and still waiting. thanks joe
Not really … just the normal 3GB iPhone and the iTouch … here’s the main link for the WIA – you may want to contact them directly with any questions and try to get them moving for you … good luck –
http://www.doleta.gov/USWORKFORCE/wia/
They just sent me an interview date….WOOHOO….but it’s not till oct.23rd. so i’m looking at almost dec. till i can make money, and it’s been extremely rough to get through. Will this be a good choice to wait it out? most places i can apply at are paying about 10-13 per hour? just want to make sure i will be doing the right thing. Wife doesn’t work( takes care of the kids when i’m gone, ranging from 9-16 but act like 2-5…lol) getting nervous….thank you
Hey Allen
I just recently discovered your website. Great information here.
I don’t drive professionally any more just because of crap that the state gov’t do to drivers. I consider myself lucky because I have another trade I can fall back on, which I have done. I still like to read about the industry to see where it is and where its going, it still effects me indirectly.
I run a website myself (www.denfilipinohelp.com)
With your permission I would love to link it.
David