What can I expect

The answer to almost all your questions will depend upon the company you choose. Don't go to school until you research companies and have a plan. Per Diem is what you can claim on your taxes. Do a search on this forum, there are many threads on it. I wrote one, based on facts, titled "Per Diem as part of your pay". There are other things that are tax deductable but you should get tax advice from a professional. If I were you, I would spend a lot of time reading on this forum to see what I was getting into and what to look for in a company.

 

OPPS, i didn't mean to ansewer in the quote but I'm to lazy to fix it!

your welcome, but keep reading on here and other forums and do your homework BEFORE going to a school! Good luck

 

I have been out for several years and wanted to see what has changed so here's what I did. First, thanks to Sam and everyone else who make this forum possible - great work! It will take some time but it is worth it to read. Read threads in "good companies" and "bad companies". Read everything you have time to on this forum. You will learn what is going on in the industry and what to expect. You will develop realistic expectations for your goals. You will get a feel for what companies you want to stay away from. Then you will come up with more specific questions to make your final decision.

When you read entire threads, you get a feel for the credibility of the person giving the information. There will always be opposite opinions and advice. If you spend enough time researching you will figure out who to listen to and form your own opinion. You have no idea if I'm credible. If you read enough of my posts you will make your own decision as to whether you should believe what I say.

After you do your research, starting out, it often comes to choosing the lesser of the evils. Pick a company that fits your needs and goals. Don't expect it to be like recruiters tell you. They make their money on head count. Stay with your choice for a year and new doors will open.

IMHO, the number one reason for failure, as a truck driver, is unrealistic expectations. It's a lifestyle not a job. It has a better than average earning potential but it requires sacrifice from a family. It is about moving freight for a profit and everything else comes second.

 

Thanks CJMorey.

Honestly, I just honed these skills I'm trying to pass to you on this very forum. You will find the same guys showing up over and over spewing crap and trying to force their opinions down your throat. You learn to ignore them.

However, you will find ten times as many smart guys willing to share their knowledge and help you. As far as the good and bad company threads go, you will often find the same companies listed in both. To me this may prove several things:

1) Some drivers expect or settle for less,
2) Some drivers are luckier than others or
3) Some drivers make the best of a bad situation.

If there are ten times as many complaints as there are compliments then you probably want to steer clear. Some folks can make sweet lemonaid from spoiled cabbage so they do great with lemons. Life is too short to make unhappy choices, just know it's a tough industry and have realistic expectations and goals.

 

It's a job...the lifestyle description is used to rationalize having to be away from home working many hours for no pay... we used to call this slavery.

Find a driving job that pays by the hour... they are out there. And don't go to work for the Mega carriers....