well my computer skills just arent paying the bills. ive been begging for work of all kinds for the past 6 months and i just cant get any work. i cant let me fiance' pay all the bills cause that just isnt fair. no telling how long that the job market will stay this low so ive made a decision. this coming tuesday, if everything works out, im going to start training for my CDL class A. ive wanted to be a driver since i was about 19 but always had something to stick around for and couldnt do it. this time granted im engaged and all that but we need the money. hopefully in a month or two ill be working fulltime as a truck driver. any of you that are currently doing this, some pointers would be nice. woudlnt mind hearing some stuff that maybe i should stay away from, thanks in advance guys.
I hope all works out for you!!! Good luck man!
id be trying to get some seat time.. i dont know if you got any hook ups with a semi and trailer but id deff. practice my ass off.. suck to pass book work but fail the road test.. who you gonna work for??
well im actually giong to a training center. they have 12 semis with trailers on campus for us to train on until our trainer thinks we are ready to try. then we go and talk to the actual tester and we do it. if we fail we come back the next day, keep praticing till we think we are ready then try it again. its pretty damn expensive but i think it will be worth it.
good luck ! hope it works out for ya.
Get GPS, take your time, don't speed, get used to being away from home, get a big cellphone plan and DON'T FALL ASLEEP AT THE WHEEL. I've got my CDL. Drive OTR for 2 years. After 2, local run jobs are al;ot easier to get. I'm unemployed right now because I won't drive OTR. If you have any questions lemme know. I just went through CDL schooling last year so i remember what your going through. Good luck!
good luck! you better practice backing up! :)
Also, I will forewarn you, this will put a huge strain on your relationship. Be prepared for the being alone to get to your fiance at the least opportune time. It takes a tremendously strong woman to stick out a trucker's life. Don't ever forget that. ==2cents
Quote from: TBigLug on October 24, 2008, 08:30:31 PM
Get GPS, take your time, don't speed, get used to being away from home, get a big cellphone plan and DON'T FALL ASLEEP AT THE WHEEL. I've got my CDL. Drive OTR for 2 years. After 2, local run jobs are al;ot easier to get. I'm unemployed right now because I won't drive OTR. If you have any questions lemme know. I just went through CDL schooling last year so i remember what your going through. Good luck!
what schooling did you go through? they told me that regional would be easy to get into and they would set me up with a job. do you have your CDL class A or a different class? i dont want to do OTR either. was all but promised that if i was ok with regional they would throw offers at me left and right. or do you specifically want the local job?
I wwent through ABC Training and Testing out of Horton. Three week class, in and out in no time. Costs about $3600 ish. Workman's comp covered mine and alot of times No workwe left behind will cover the cost. I've got my Class A (airbrakes, doubles/ triples, tank). I passed my HAZ-MAT but didn't have the $100 to do the fingerprinting and background check. Regional is just another form of OTR. All it means is you'll stick to a specific corridor (east coast, central, west coast, etc.). If you're lucky they'll get you home one day on the weekend. Most of the time it starts out fine but then you'll find yourself out for longer and longer with more promises of being home more once you get their. I've stuck with strictly local (9-5 trucker) but it's hard to get a job without the 2 years OTR experience. I lucked out on my last job because I've driven for farms for years with my F endorsement. I left there because they started making me drive farther and farther over my hours. It ended when I made a 36 hour straight run with no rest. Whatever you do, don't let them do that to you (force you into driving over your hours). I'll tell you right now it's not worth it. It's a respectable profession though and I've seen alot of places I never would otherwise. Driving the truck's the easy part. Dealing with paperwork, schedules, drop off times and dispatch are the pain. Careful though. The first time you're cruising across the plains, watching the sun rise, listening to those pipes sing, you're hooked!
Also, depending on the company, they might want you to be 25. You're close enough though so it shouldn't be a problem. Most of the hiring regulations are set by the company's insurance company anyway.
TBigLug is telling you straight.. I've been a driver almost 25 yrs.. it's a tuff life to live, and the other half (your woman) is gonna have to be exceptionally strong and trusting individual..
I spent 12 yrs OTR.. the foods terrible, no exercise, long hours, low pay, sit and wait, rude recievers/dispatchers, COPS, laws, hours of service, regulations
THE EAST COAST.. George Washington bridge ($20 bill one way), Canada (more the border than anything else), hot freight, hurry up and wait, tarping loads
finger printing loads, lumpers, log books the list goes on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on....
But.. there is also, the Great divide, Northwestern US, Donner pass, Sisters, Mt Eagle, Florida in the summer (actually the girls in Florida in the summer, sorry ladies) The Grand Canyon, Sunsets and Sunrises like you've never seen... and the list goes on and on and on and on and on and on and on ......... ;D
I'm proud to have logged over 2 million miles accident free (documented) I worked my a** off, my wife stuck by my side (figuritively) and now I'm home, have been for 10 years, I have a great appreciation for home, the wife, my son, the life I built.
good luck to you
Good Luck. Hope everything goes good.
my dad used to own 4 trucks and we ran them otr its a rough life man i used to go with my dad when i was younger i got my cdl A now nut its rough man the one advantage you have is no kids it really does put a hellacious strain on your family life if they offer you east coast regional my opinion is dont take it man you sit more than you run and depending on who your company is your sittin pay is p00 but its not a bad deal all and all stop by my house i got a friend who runs a local truck and he was askin me a while ago if i still wanted to drive for him on weekends and if i can i could take you out there and we can go over the basics of the truck so get with me man and ill talk to ya about it man good luck bro