Before buying your own truck get some experience. Don't commit to such a large purchase before you spent time on the road. Need to make sure you can make money to pay for the truck.

Maybe you can see if a school near by will let you pay by the hour and practice or find an owner operator who is wiling to teach you. I learned how to float the gears up to 7th gear. (were I was I ran out of room to go higher) Its not hard its about timing. Once I start working full time next week I would float up and double clutch down until I get a little more comfortable. Ps as time goes by you will slow down.I mean right now we're new and trying to remember everything and our heads are going 100 mph. Once you've been at it a while shifting gets easier,your not rushed or freaking out because you missed the gear and now you can get it back in without having to stop & start. You just drive (safely that is) and do your job.
If you can get a good local job go for it, I heard good things about arrow check the forum & do a search. The info is here.

Come to find out my inlaws nephew, owns a small trucking company, he and his wife own a truck and 2 trailers, a friend owns a truck, leases it to them and the friend drives it. The wife dispaches, she's been doing it for 30 years and more than knows the ropes. SO, I just might be very very lucky....
We are having a long talk this weekend regarding it. Plus I'm lucky enought to be able to buy a truck with cash and have no loans, so I think 1/2 the battle might be won.
Then again I might spend a number of months driving with him an getting hours.....
Dan

Dan it seems to me that this would be the best idea. Spend some time actually doing it before you drop those big bucks into a truck. Even though you can pay cash for it, if you leave that money where it is, it will continue to work for you (hopefully anyhow, unless the economy goes all the way south.)

Get some time in the saddle, doing the job and living the life style before you spend those bucks!

__________________
Until one has loved an animal, part of their soul remains unawakened. Anatole France

Fellow newbie truckers, I left school double clutching a nine speed as well. I started working with a o/o that had a second splitter put in to make his 9 a thirteen speed, he didnt appreciate the double. It intimidated the dog lumps out of me at first. I then realized floating is the same as double but without the clutch. It is the same 1, 2 action, the speed of your 1,2, action from gear to gear is quicker or slower depending on your weight, or grade of incline or decline. Your bottom gears run the rpm's to 12 or 1300 rpm's pull with a little pressure on the stick going to the bottom of first, release the fuel pedal and it kicks the stick out of gear and in the same motion pull it into second. Works the same on all gears. Upper end,run it closer to 14 or 1500 rpm's. Sixth to seventh is a lot faster of a shift, if you miss a gear rev the engine to 1400 rpm's and place pressure on the door of your gear it will suck it right in. Down shifting is similar, accelerate a bit let off the fuel, at the same time pushing the shifter out of gear, now in neutral, raise your rpm's to 1500 while in neutral and push your shifter toward your next lowest gear. If you miss the gear raise your rpm's again and try it over. The big thing to remember is speed, rpm incline, decline. If you you are going down a onramp and you miss a gear your speed will increase if your speed is to fast goto your next gear, that will happen slowly tho. Going up a mountain loaded with 44 in the box,you need to be quick if you miss seventh 2 time hit sixth if you miss it 2 time hit fifth. WORST CASE you hit your 4 ways, hit the shoulder and start all over from first?
Good luck
Nefram

BEST OF LUCK, Sounds Good use your connections

Me Too! Me Too! Taining At Amarillo College Right now. Used to run with a Heavy Duty Wrecker Till I wanted to do it myself They said "I'm Listening" well thats as far as it went. Guess they just wanted someone to pull chains cuz they wouldn't give me the time of day for a CDL. Can't believe people Pay $5000 for CDL Training I paid 2000 + dot physical ($85) And books About $50. They even have dorms. I'm just starting I need a good company that allows riders Would like to haul cars but i think the trucks are to small for riders and your record has to be spotless from what I hear. Any Body Need me to haul a race car? (much nicer trucks)

__________________
"Screw You Guys I'm Goin' Home"

Floating gears does not make a truck driver. In fact any company that tells you they want you to float gears is just stupid IMHO. A new driver may not know how to do it correctly and you can really BANG a gear if you're not careful. I've given many road test for new hires and we don't hire anyone without experience and always require the driver to use the clutch. The clutch is much cheaper to replace than a transmission.

I would hope that you new drivers looking for a job are not just settling for a company that hires new drivers. May I suggest going on line and quarry truck companies in your area and GO to each and every one of those. Even if they say they don't hire without experience. Get yourself a resume and dress sharp and talk with the people. I would stay away from companies that have recruiters unless it's the last choice. The worse 10 companies should be your last choice and not your second or third. Exhaust all your options before you turn to the lower companies. You'll have to do some work and if you're in need of money then you're screwed right from the start.

I, too, have been approached by a local company wanting my services..

That, in itself, makes me a tad nervous. It's basically a belly-dump operation (there are other trucks, but that seems to be the primary focus). Ok, the pay is about what I expected for a noob.

Hours are supposed to be about 08:00 to 16:00 5 days - though sometimes 6 days a week. I can live with that - home every night.

So - good side:
1 - They're willing to at least take me out for a test drive.
2 - home every night
3 - not the worst pay on the planet
4 - I could possibly start Monday (day after tomorrow)

the bad side:

1 - SMALL company willing to take me out for a test drive.
2 - not the BEST pay on the planet
3 - older tractors. The guy I talked to drives a '94 KW
4 - Contracted driver. i.e., I pay all taxes etc on my pay. I get a 1099 at the end of the year.


That last doesn't seem to be all that uncommon... but it make s me nervous.

If the places I've submitted my app to are .. noncommittal, I'll probably deal with this for a while - build expereince, etc. But to be honest, Werner's feels safer at the moment.

Local job is safer than Werner or any other. At least if you don't like it your HOME not 1000 miles away. Best of luck, give it a shot at the least get 3 mo experience then if you want to go OTR you have more options.