We Have Lost Our Focus
- Thread starter TeamPaul
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To update this thread; We have about exhausted our research save for a couple of burning questions with regards to insurance and cell phone coverage areas etc etc... But It would seem that my wife and I have a planned intro date in mind for our journey. Before we can reveal that date, we have to go to the Expo and get a feel for where the industry is at. We want to talk to drivers and owners alike during the two-day event, in hopes to set the wheels in motion.
Currently we have plans in place to keep healthy while on the road, as some of you know about the issues I ran into back in 2017 (when I ventured solo into OTR). We also have a plan to be 100% debt free by our planned entry date. Our sights are set on FedEx Custom Critical at the moment for a number of reasons, as CC has some services that we find exciting to work with (i.e. White Glove; Refer etc).
Recently we received our passports (we opted out of the cards, and now wish we hadn't), and we are going to start studying for our Hazmat (tanker endorsement for Beth). Once we have the Hazmat, we will apply for our Twic cards. Alabama does not have an Enhanced Drivers License, but rather a "Star I.D." Applying for this feature will put a "Star Upon Thars" drivers license, which is supposed to ease traveling on all domestic flights... we are not sure if we will get the Star I.D. yet on our licenses when we go for the Hazmat.
So yeah, we have never been more focused... Hope to see you at the Expo in a couple weeks!
Currently we have plans in place to keep healthy while on the road, as some of you know about the issues I ran into back in 2017 (when I ventured solo into OTR). We also have a plan to be 100% debt free by our planned entry date. Our sights are set on FedEx Custom Critical at the moment for a number of reasons, as CC has some services that we find exciting to work with (i.e. White Glove; Refer etc).
Recently we received our passports (we opted out of the cards, and now wish we hadn't), and we are going to start studying for our Hazmat (tanker endorsement for Beth). Once we have the Hazmat, we will apply for our Twic cards. Alabama does not have an Enhanced Drivers License, but rather a "Star I.D." Applying for this feature will put a "Star Upon Thars" drivers license, which is supposed to ease traveling on all domestic flights... we are not sure if we will get the Star I.D. yet on our licenses when we go for the Hazmat.
So yeah, we have never been more focused... Hope to see you at the Expo in a couple weeks!
Hi Guys,
Just read thru this thread, it's been a long road for you both but glad you are getting towards your goal of becoming Expediters. Our journey has been a long one as well, for me over 12 years, my wife not as long but is very excited about this opportunity. We too have our sights set on FedEx Custom Critical for many of the same reasons. You are to be commended on all of the research you have done and are continuing to do.
Regards,
Mike and Carrie
Wow, 12-years a long haul, it is quite exciting to follow your current progress. Researching was frustrating at first, as there seemed to be a lot we needed to know, and I felt I had very little time to learn it... turns out, that was a time constraint I put on myself. Fast forward, I have learned a lot, and I can pretty much l keep up with changes after a couple hours of searching...
Last year I struggled with keeping my CDL, but my company, a defense contractor firm no less, offered to pay for my license and DOT physical, in essence keeping my dream alive. This year I got a scare from a guy from my company, who gave up his CDL because his physician, who was giving him the DOT physical, required him to get another sleep study done before he would sign off on his card... he has been compliant with his CPAP machine, but that just was not good enough. He told me I would face the same road blockage... I am happy to say, that I am compliant and in good standing with the Occupational Health Group, as I passed another physical just last week. All this to say, I will use it before I lose it.
Last year I struggled with keeping my CDL, but my company, a defense contractor firm no less, offered to pay for my license and DOT physical, in essence keeping my dream alive. This year I got a scare from a guy from my company, who gave up his CDL because his physician, who was giving him the DOT physical, required him to get another sleep study done before he would sign off on his card... he has been compliant with his CPAP machine, but that just was not good enough. He told me I would face the same road blockage... I am happy to say, that I am compliant and in good standing with the Occupational Health Group, as I passed another physical just last week. All this to say, I will use it before I lose it.
One of our memorable research trips came on the heels of our wedding anniversary trip across Tennessee. I called ahead first, but we made it a point to stop at the Knoxville Freightliner dealer to drive the only Expediter straight trucks on the lot. It was a smelly old truck that was rusting away and was laden with miles, but the objective was to let my wife drive this beast, and practice a little backing... with care and ease, just guided this old truck around like it was an extension of herself. Unfortunately the interior smell ran us off, but it was a fun hands-on research trip.
We have hit a snag in our quest, a pretty large set-back really; our debt is all consuming at times, especially now. We have knocked down a fair amount of it, roughly a third or so, but it is still not enough. Our plan to announce early retirement with our companies has been put on hold, and for very good reason. I work for an ESOP company, and as the acronym emplies, I am an Employee Stock Owner. My original plan was to retire, and when the company buys back my stock, I was going to pay off our debt in full... I failed to understand how an ESOP plan works, in that disbursements would not begin until a year after retirement, and then every year for 5-years there after...
So, knuckling down, we are employing smarter methods to keep reducing our debt the Dave Ramsey way... simply "snow-balling" it.
So, knuckling down, we are employing smarter methods to keep reducing our debt the Dave Ramsey way... simply "snow-balling" it.