anyone a truck driver?

[bigcory18951]

Well my 21st birthday is comming round very soon, and i have had my mind set on becoming a truck driver, i enjoy the open road and enjoy driving large vehicals, now where can i get the total hookup? schooling etc everything needed to become a truck driver? I'm looking for a company that pays for the CDL classes, as im a broke SOB. thanks for the input!

[Exbiker]

Swift or maybe Scnieder. Most companies that have free training are sucky outfits. If a company is top notch they don`t need the liability of training drivers. Once trained you`ll be obligated to work for them for a certain time period or you have to pay them back for training that isn`t worth the time. They teach how to pass the test not real survival.
I`ve driven for 34 years and over 3 1/2 million miles. I`ve been all over the US yet never had time to see a damn thing. Time is money, roll at night, grab sleep when ever, revenue is generated when wheels turn, you`re a commodity like fuel and tires.

Get the book "Sweatshop on Wheels" and read it. If you still insist find a vo-tech or community college with a good program.

[Bib]

I drive locally (fuel tanker)....I'm home every night. Can't help you with the training part....I wandered in off the street 30 years ago (no CDLs back then) and I'm still working there.

[Paradigm]

Before enrolling, talk to drivers and ride with some (if their insurance allows passengers). That "dream of the open road" can lead to a brutal awakening if you aren't ready for it.

A lot of times you don't see vast open country when you work for a carrier. You get a dedicated run. Yeah, that first trip to Orlando, Houston, etc. is really cool, but after 30 times? Not so much.

A lot also depends on what you haul and how. Tankers? Need a special license for that. Lowboy with oversized equipment? Need special permits, etc. for that. Box? Are you the one unloading it? Covered wagon? Do you want to break down a side kit when it's 25 degrees and windy?

Then there's the regulations. If you think Uncle Sam has a woody for the way a common man lives his life, wait until you see the hoops truck drivers deal with. Luckily, a lot of those will be dealt with by the company, but there are tons of regs for how the driver spends his day.

If you're a fan of sitting on your butt for hours, then working really hard when you aren't sitting, then truck driving is for you!

Ideally, talk to as many drivers as you can and take some rides. Make sure your eyes are wide open. Actually, that's pretty good advice for any career...

[bigcory18951]

i appreciate the words of wisdom! A few reasons why im intrested in truck driving, I work for a company where we drive 30 ft boxtrucks, all over the northern part of the country, hell for the past 3 weeks ive been up in massachusetts, ive also learned 287 north is your best friend instead of I95 lol! I enjoyed it quite alot, been doing it for about 3 months now! i do understand how hard it is behind the wheel, hell after my 11 hours, *we are governed the same unfortunatly* im beat, we usually spend an hour or so at each job site, so im boxing then loading then driveing, so my 11 hour day is a 14-15 hour day, so like i said i understand the whole Speel, was just wondering what you guys would suggest for my first company, we do have a VO tech school that does CDL testing, so i was wondering if that should be my route into the business, Im going to invest in a copy of Sweatshop on Wheels to get an idea past what i allready know. THanks guys and stay safe!

[ChrisF4i]

I drove trucks for a couple years, and am glad that I stopped. You think other drivers are inconsiderent toward you now, wait until you drive a tractor trailer. The good thing about truck driving is that there is always going to be jobs anywhere you go. "If you bought it, a truck brought it."

Local is the way to go. I drove over the road for 6 months and couldn't wait to get a local route. I hated not being home everynight.

[Chazman321]

It sucks. Honestly and truely, it sucks... I drove for Transport America and Werner. werner sucked a big one... They gave me a regional run doing Dollar General. So I drove all night, unloaded the truck, and then my partner drove back to South Boston, VA where the distribution center was. Transport America was the same every week, Youngstown, OH to Las Vegas, NV. I've seen more of I-80 and I-95 than I care to remember... Most dispatchers are nuts and crazy, give you 10 hours to complete a 1200 mile haul (my truck went 65, not 120!), and I won't even get started on the lot lizards that won't let you sleep at certain truck stops...

Just starting out OTR, look to makeing about 6-700 a week. Eating and showering at truck stops can run you $200 easily. Invest in a cooler, buy food at Wal-Mart... Pop the hood of your truck, peel off the label of that family sized ravioli can, and throw it next to the turbo. Drive to the next rest stop for your time off, get the can with a pair of vice grips, and enjoy... It sure sounds glamorous, but with all the companies having Qualcomm's and keeping track of your every move, it's hard to see anything but little white lines. I would rather make the 1200 a month I am now over the 800 a week I did then, than to ever do it again... lol I surrendered my CDL and never looked back. Besides, unless you're driving, no reason to spend $135 on my driver's license every 5 years...

-Chaz

[ChrisF4i]

It sucks. Honestly and truely, it sucks...

This was what I wanted to put, but figured that I would hold back a little. Yes, he is right.

I drove for...Werner. werner sucked a big one...

Worked for Werner also, had an AmeriCold account, and yes I agree, they do suck.

Most dispatchers are nuts and crazy, give you 10 hours to complete a 1200 mile haul (my truck went 65, not 120!)

Yes and those damn governed trucks.

Eating and showering at truck stops can run you $200 easily.

I never payed for a shower. At almost every major truck stop, you get a free one if you purchase at least 50 gallons of fuel.

[4XLT]

go into a different lien of buisness !!!

ask my knees my back my shoulders and the lack of sleep !

[DCChris]

I'm a dispatcher for a NE regional company. If you're going to do this, truly make sure this is what you want. If you want a family life, down time, anything that resembles the rest of the world, don't do it. Know that you'll spend the equivalent of 3-4 solid days in that truck, you'll never see your kids grow up, and you'll never want to take a shower without wearing flip flops. Seriously, you can make money doing it, but it's a hell of a way to make a living.