truck drivers

[OnWisconsin]

isn't there a truck driver or 2 here? i'm looking at getting a CDL, the company i was talking to can get me in, my tuition would be picked up by a trucking company but i would be obligated to drive for them for a year. it didn't really sound like i could make much money going this route, so i decided to use my GI Bill to pay for the course, but the company that i go through has to be an accredited institution, which this one is not.

what's the best way to go when you're first starting out? i don't mind being away from home for long stretches of time.....although i may have RX withdrawals

 

[ALSportsJunkie]

I might be wrong, but I think the only way to make money driving a truck is to own your own rig. This could be a full size or something smaller for hauling what they call "shotgun" loads across the country. My brother-in-law is a truck driver, has been for years, and he doesn't make jack shit - but he drives for some big company. Hope this helps, lol.

 

[FairWarning]

I have the license one step down from a CDL. I would preferably go to the accredited place, and you would get more offers. If this company doesn't work out, all you have is training from a place that places may not recognize as good training.

 

[OnWisconsin]

I have the license one step down from a CDL. I would preferably go to the accredited place, and you would get more offers. If this company doesn't work out, all you have is training from a place that places may not recognize as good training.

true.....there's 2 companies this school trains for -- one is P.A.M, the other is U.S.A trucking. from what i have read, these types of schools basically churn out as many students as they can, and then these students are stuck driving for one of those 2 companies for a year unless they want to pay 3 or 4 grand for the tuition costs. the recruiter i talked to said i could use my gi bill to pay so i wouldn't owe anybody and would be free to take a job with any company i want after training, but after doing a little research A) my gi bill will only pay for education from an accredited institution and B) there are very few accredited institutions for truck drivers, although there seems to be a ton of "company sponsored" schools......the guy told me that they're accredited, but i can't find anything to back that up.....i guess i'd find out when i start the gi bill paperwork?

hate to tap into my college fund for something that's gonna suck.....before i left ft. stewart they had a free cdl class on post, but i didn't get into ithno:

 

[slapshot]

is this one of the schools that don't teach you how to back up hno:


most places want exp drivers 1 year at least

you could do a year or 2 then move on

 

[OnWisconsin]

experience really isn't an issue.....could use a refresher in backing a trailer, although i never really had a problem with it.....the smaller shit was always more of a pain in the ass, the longer trailers i got pretty good at, but it's been a couple years.....i just wanna get my liscense (why can't i spell that fucking word tonight) and be able to do a proper job search and not be stuck making $800 a month because i'm stuck working for the company that sponsored my training

and this guy i talked to seemed like everything was perfect for me.....i was hoping he would give me at least one caveat so i could tell myself he wasn't trying to suck me in.....

 

[nhoj]

Alot of different thing you can do as a truck driver. I know my wifes company pays pretty good for drivers and they are only one day out or local stuff only. CDL is not a bad thing to have in times like this.

 

[FairWarning]

Alot of different thing you can do as a truck driver. I know my wifes company pays pretty good for drivers and they are only one day out or local stuff only. CDL is not a bad thing to have in times like this.

Its a great thing to have. So many places use Just-in-time delivery on parts, there will always be demand for drivers. Just make sure your driving and criminal record are clean.

 

[nojuice9]

I have been around trucking my whole life, you can make a good living as a driver but you might have a crap first year; entry pay, bad runs, etc. One thing is alot of these big companies will have you make a certain number of runs with a experienced driver before cutting you lose, that can be good and bad. Once you get some experience you can have alot of control over you career, there are alot of good smaller companys that take care of there drivers and have steady runs, very nice. If you do become a owner-operator ( own your own truck ) you can make real good money, but you responsible for you rig. One thing you might have going for you ( i don't know you ) is you might not be "meat in the seat" meaning some dumb-ass who tries to become a driver, if your not one of those guys you'll shine in comparison and move up rapidly.

 

[ConansHammer]

I am not so sure how long this line of work will remain viable.

I heard news that detailed a super highway going from Mexico to Canada that will be used by 3rd world truck drivers working for peanuts. Local deliveries will still be good but long haul will be dead.

 

[RoofTop]

http://www.bgdailynews.com/articles/2010/03/26/news/news1.txt

 

[OnePocket]

I've had my CDL for 17 yrs. I drive for a flooring manufacturer locally. Your best bet would go to a Truck Driving School or get on with a OTR (over the road) company drive for them for their 1 yr. bullshit that they require and then find a local driving job driving for many of the local freight co. AAA Cooper,Siai,ABF,Averitt,UPS,FEDEX, etc....... You will make the same money driving for the local freight co. as you will OTR.

Only advantage is locally you sleep at your house every night, OTR you sleep in a Truck Sleeper on the side of the road,truck stops, etc.....

It's true you can make more money owning your own truck but I would advise you to buy plenty of Goodies,Tylenol etc... because most of the time it can be a major F@&*KING headache, and being a owner operator you are responsible for all your taxes, fuel permits. ICC Authority permits, which aren't cheap permits alone are high as hell, ALL repairs to the truck Tires $150 each....Motor Job $15-20 thousand dollars....I can keep going on and on but you get the ideal.

Drive as a company driver and you show up time of your shift driver 8-10 hrs. and go home with no responsibilities or head aches.

And most truck driving jobs you will make some where around $45-$60 thousand dollars a yr. as a company driver depending on where you work.

Owner Operator you may make $100 thousand plus a yr. depending on if you want to be a road warrior and stay gone OTR 52 weeks a yr. with all the responsibility,cost, headaches...etc.

 

[EinsteinSys]

My nephew has been with a trucking company for about 5 or 6 years. He works out of central New Jersey. Makes deliveries to Northern New Jersey and New York City. Delivers mostly to fast food restaurants like Taco Bell etc. Works 4 days a week about 10 hours a day and made about 75K last year. I'm sure that includes some extra days of work. He started out as a helper. Going on runs with experienced drivers to help unload trucks. The company let him practice parking in the lot. After about a year or so he finally got his own route.

I'd suggest you get your CDL and get the experience. I hear all the time on Sirius radio the need for truck drivers.