Help new CDL grad to optimize

www.OOIDA.com is good for the owner-operator and small fleet owner.

 

I would recommend you slow way down. Get a few years under your belt and then start brainstorming on how your going to buy trucks and hire drivers and all that other stuff. After 25 years i still have no desire to own a truck. I'm probably the last dinosaur but i don't have GPS or any fancy navigation. The man that taught me, made me learn a map and route every load. So many new drivers do not know the basics of a map.Hope that helps.

 

Honestly NY and NJ are two of the worst states to live in when in comes to taxation and cost of living so moving somewhere else even taking a pay cut in doing so you will probably actually have more money since you won't be spending as much on taxes and cost of living.

As far as your future plan goes find out if you even like or don't mind driving truck first. If you think you are going to have own company right off the bat before you even truly enter this industry then you are seriously setting yourself up for failure. Get your foot in the door first then take it from there because you might end up hating trucking.

As far as companies offering long distance trips between NY and CA that is becoming more of a thing of the past. A lot of loads that are long distance like that anymore are just getting placed on trains anymore. The Intermodal sector of trucking has had extreme growth in the last decade and that is where the coast to coast freight has been going mostly.

As far as all the owner operator questions go again first get into the industry as a company driver to see if you like it or not before making that plunge.

 

X10000!!

 

I'll hold off on most of your questions as you're dreaming way to big and will probably quit your first week out.

Every company loves teams. Some that hire new drivers:
ODFL
US Xpress
Schneider
Stevens
Covenant

 

I've also heard a lot of positives from teams that drive for R&L.

 

Great answer!

I still buy a new Rand Mcnally every year. I dunno why.......i'll probably never go OTR again. I know a lot of new and experienced drivers who rely on the GPS a little too much. I used to set my Rand McNally on the steering wheel at the end of every day and use it as a mini desk to update my logs, or route a pre planned load that was set as soon as I unloaded the current load. The "truckers" GPS is very nice, but it does overlook some time saving routes.

 

"Turn left.....in 50 feet"

 

I see the importance of knowing your map and everything but I cant understand why you would purposely choose to do so over a gps. the nostalgia I guess?