And before I start, let me say that I am not looking for suggestions of "don't do it", because I know there are plenty of those that will say this.

A little background:
I started back in 1992/1993 through J.B. Hunt and a truck driving school they sent me to. I stuck around after graduating the school and the several weeks of driving with a trainer for about 2 months before leaving what was not a good place to work for at that time. I grew up around people in the trucking industry so I knew enough then that this place was doing things very wrong.

From there, I bounced around from driving job to driving job, left places for multiple reasons (slowing their trucks down, not enough miles, etc..). I have leased trucks (for Prime Inc.) which I really enjoyed back in the mid 90's. Made a lot of money with this company, but this was my last driving job for a while as I decided to get off the road.

After a few years, I decided to get back into driving, and immediately went to Prime again (this was in 2002), and boy was I in for a surprise. The money simply wasn't there and I quickly hated the situation I was in. I turned my truck in on good terms, said goodbye, and gave it a go with a couple regional companies over the course of the next 18 months before deciding to get back off the road.

Getting Back In The Industry:
Looking back, the happiest I have been was driving a truck. Since I got out though, much has changed including hours of service, and much tighter regulations. Given how the industry is now, what are the best options for me?

A few things that interest me, and things I don't want;

• Dry Box - I have pulled flatbed and reefer, and I have little interest in either. I could go back to reefer, but never flatbed. If I did go back to pulling a reefer, I do not want to haul produce. (had my fill of making 12 pick ups over the course of a day or two, and having next to zero time to get the freight to the grocery warehouse without those nasty wet boxes crushing and falling.
• Plenty Drop & Hook - Something I never did much of in my past jobs, would like to spend less time at the shipper and receiver.
• 48 States - If I do this, I am not looking for regional work unless it is a good paying dedicated job. Irregular route regional work has never worked for me in terms of pay.
• Good equipment - I like to operate top notch equipment, including the trailers. Not into spending my time waiting on a wrecker to come drag me to a truck stop and fix things constantly. (This goes for the tires as well, great equipment on bad tires = bad equipment)
• Online Access - Not sure what the situation is for truckers now, but when I last drove, some truckstops had internet access, but it was a very new thing and there were many problems with it at the time. I run a couple websites and would like to continue that (I even helped set this forum up with the vbseo software a few months back )

There is the background and basic information. I have been thinking about this for a while now, currently working at home with my websites, and getting very bored.

you might need to be "re-trained" for any company to hire you on, since you have had an absence. then again, maybe since you did have a lease, maybe you can just jump right in again. the money just isn't here in trucking, was it ever, really...??

a local job like maybe dump truck or rubbish truck, cement truck, or some other vocational job may pay more, but the hours will be longer as well.

for dry van, maybe a dedicated account would work out, but i did that too for a short time and the customer can and will get rid of any trucks not needed for cutting exspenses, so you'd be out again.

since you were with Prime, i'd give them a call, at least you left on good terms and they know you. you could even be a driver-trainer, earning more money.

I left Prime during my second go around with them because the job was not nearly as good as what it was previously.

As stated, I am looking to go back OTR, pulling a dry box if possible. I would pull a reefer, but it would be my second choice.

When I drove during the 90's, the money was there. Many complained that it wasn't, but at the same time, it seemed that those complainin were the same ones that were choosy about where they drove to, and which loads to take. I learned that no matter where I drove, to just go with what was given as long as I could safely deliver it. Even if it was a short haul, most often times I would end up with something nice in the next couple of loads. I think it is really just what you want to make of it.

Oh yeah, and as you mentioned, I am resigned to the fact that I will be sent out with a trainer, which isn't a big deal for me. It is only a few short weeks, most likely 2-3 at the most in my situation. I can deal with this without a problem.

were you able to obtain your CDL before you left.......??

do you have all the neccessary endorsements.......??

have you thought about getting that FBI background check (or do you have some time left on your CDL till it expires?)........

I have had my Class A CDL since 1992 when I first started driving, along with endorsements for Double/Triples, Tank/HazMat.

To add, I don't want to jump out as an Owner/Operator right now. I would rather get the feel for the industry again as a company driver.

as i suggested about Prime, don't they have a van division as well..? i thought they did, unless there is another "Prime" trucking outfit i'm thinking of.

anyhow, you might be trying to go with Schnieder, they have dedicated accounts, unless you have to start as an OTR driver first, but with your past experiences, you might be able to "squeak by" some of those details.

Last I remembered, Prime was just reefers and tanks. They may have added dry boxes as well though, not sure.

I will look into Schneider and see what they have to offer.

i just checked thier website (Prime), and they have reefers, flatbeds, and tankers.

i think schneider would be a better choice anyway.

best of luck let us know what you think is/will work out for you.