I just migrated here in the US, and is seriously considering Truck Driving as a career. The thing is I don't know where to start.

I don't have a lot of money to spare and since I just migrated, I don't have any credit history to get a loan, is there any way I can get CDL without having to pay so much? I figured I can pay 500 as a downpayment but I can't afford anything more than that for training.

I would also like your opinions regarding being an owner/operator vs. being company employed, some said that owning/leasing is too much of a hassle and that being a company driver would be so much simpler and in the end, having to pay for your own repairs, insurance etc. your earnings wouldn't be far from being a company driver.

Other thoughts would be, is there any GPS navigation device made specifically for truckers. I'm asking this because I know there are roads doesn't allow trucks to pass. So having a device made specifically for truckers can be a major plus.

And finally, what would be the average yearly earning for someone who would be entering this type of career/business for the first year.

Would any investment like GPS Navigation device, training fees, lodging, fuel be tax deductable?

I would appreciate any advice from your experiences.

Happy & Safe driving to all.

Hello Tag, and welcome to TheTruckersReport! You'll find a wealth of info on this site as you probably have already discovered. And welcome to the U.S.A ! I'm not yet in the trucking industry as I am still in school. So far from lending you my "expertise", I'll give an opinion and invite others to do same.

There are major national trucking companies that will sponsor your training to get your CDL. But they'll naturally require you to sign a contract obligating you work for them for a period, usually at least a year, before your "debt" is paid off. This would leave you vulnerable to any of a number of abuses newbies sometimes suffer, lousy miles being the most common. But you may find the challenges to be managable and the employment satisfactory. So if you stick it out it, your training would be "free". But if you break your contract either volluntarily or by company termination with good cause, you'd be on the hook for what THEY claim is the value for your training. This is often times greatly exagerated in comparison with the cost/effectiveness of the training you might find at a local community college etc. So conventional wisdom dictates paying for training yourself, but as you stated, not a viable option for you right now. But I would suggest you really consider all your options in terms of finding your own financing and getting your CDL on your own. My school's pretty decent and only costs $1,700. Your LOCATION would be helpful for others to offer assistance. And of course you've seen the section here dedicated to all things school. Either way, if you are determined and work hard, you will succeed!

Other things you can do for your betterment would be working and establishing credit. This would greatly influence a companies decision to take you on as a wannabe-newbie.

Be safe, have fun, and good luck!

Also, how'd you make yourself blink like that?

Welcome! I am another person who is considering trucking as a potential career opportunity. My advice: read, read, read, and then read some more about trucking. This site has great information. Another interesting place is this one: http://www.newbiedriver.com/

If I were you, I wouldn't look into becoming an o/o until you have a solid knowledge of - and experience in - the trucking industry.

Thanks for the advice munrkr and Rocket, I really found the link you gave was very helpful. I would take this into very careful consideration. I guess the best way would be to pay for the schooling in full, and that way no one will take advantage of me. I also read in other threads that being a company driver is the way to go especially if I'm starting out.

Great forum! I learned a lot by just reading the other informative threads. I really love the review of Roehl, but too bad I'm based in California and I don't think they have a terminal in or near the Bay Area.

Incidentally, do you guys know of any good trucking company that has at least a good review similar to Roehl near the Bay Area?