"Mature" Newbie needs some help!

Hey Texomastyle, I just found this website while waiting at a dock so here is my two cents. The two year mark of safe driving is the key. Once you get that, your options expand. If you want to be home don't hire on with a big company. They don't care about you getting home, they want to keep you in the truck because you are cheap labor. Consider running container freight, dump trailer or Coke/Pepsi truck. The best experience I had in my first two years was driving a heavy duty wrecker. I have my own authority now and pull containers and I use that wrecker experience almost every day. I have fixed many items on the road that I would otherwise have had to call a repair truck.

Good luck and be safe.

 

Sounds like these guys have given you some pretty helpful advice! Nothing more I can add. I run my business legal. Having my own Authority dictates it and that is reflected by good insurance rates from having a clean MVR.

From one 50yr old to another.....good luck to you!

 

I want to keep giving a future warning. The majic "get a couple of years and go local" goal is not so great anymore.
The economy is not getting any better and the glut of experienced drivers is holding down local wages. Plus a lot of local jobs have few or no benefits (like retirement).
When I was on the road all those years I wanted to work for Roadway and you see what happened to them.

 

Flash, U mentioned 2 avoid TransAm. Like u I am over 50, and was thinking driving autoshifts with them would be good for my bad knees. I understand might be hard to get accustomed to the reefer noise trying to sleep. Also have heard they push leasing option. What are your reasons for not going with em? Thanks.

 

Blues...
You're gonna hear good and bad about EVERY company out there. My advice is to give them a call and talk to a recruiter. Do that with every company that you're considering.

 

Bluestech, I am with them. Like Gears said, you'll hear both good and bad about every company. Have really had a rough one this time out with OS&D issues and with the guaranteed home time that really isn't, so am kind of down on them at the moment.
Only 2 hrs from my sister's house at the moment and that pesky little 14 hr rule got in the way of making it there on time. Grrrrrrrrr. lol

 

That is a bummer for sure. TC/peace bro