Newbie here out of South Florida.

Good evening,This is my first night on as a member to this site. I am currently looking into starting a career in the trucking industry.I am 27 years old and live in South Florida/Palm Beach County. I have no trucking experience other than when I was younger when I use to hit the road with my father during summer vacations from school. I'm hopefully looking for a decent company to start out with that hires from my area and that also offers training. It may sound like I'm asking alot but it's about my only option. I am working part-time right now for a repo company.I transport vehicles with a flatbed wrecker and it's not cutting it. So talked it over with my father and settled with trying a career in trucking.I have a very clean driving record and criminal background so I know that won't be an issue. I just heard that it is hard to get loads to South Florida and most companies shy away from hiring from here. Would any of you know anything about this and or any of you from South Florida that could give me some advice to get me started in the right direction.Thanks for any and all help ~Ron~

 

Haha small world. I'm out near 441 on Lyons between Hypo and Boynton. 10/4 on the reefer suggestion I'll look into that. There's is just so many companies out there that I'm gonna have to sift through to find the ones that will hire me on and also offer the training.Money is tight for me right now so only option is to sign a contract with a company.

 

Thanks for the advice and help from yall so far. I've been researching Stevens most of the evening being that they will hire outta Fla and offer paid training for a year of service.I've heard some bad and good and keeping my options open.My big thing is I have a big fear of flying so I like the fact that Stevens is only a few states away in Texas I can just grab a bus and roll.But I'm trying to keep other options open as well before I settle and screw myself out of potentially better options. I'm looking for other companies that will hire outta Florida and that will offer training with their own center on site and or a school center nearby along with an orientation area that's either in Florida or near by where I can get to by bus . I would hate to go half way across the country and get stranded in the middle of now where, heard it has happened to some people. I am only working part-time and money is very tight for me.I have enough to get going with this but not enough for getting screwed around stuck somewhere paying for hotels,food and a way to get back home.So I have plenty of time to really research and get a few companies lined up to compare between.

 

Here's a question I forgot too ask earlier. Do these companies that offer training once you complete their classes and you go out with trainer require you to run through states with mountains with steep passes? I use to hit the road with my dad when I was younger and have been through the Pocono's,Smokeys,Appalachians,mount eagle in TN and some out in Utah and Colorado not any of the big boys in Colorado though.No experience with the ones in Arizona,Montana,Washington,Oregon and California.I just got back from the Smokeys out West of Boone,NC and had a little bit of anxiety being that it was 15 years prior to the last time I went through mountains. I'm going to doctor soon to get a script for it. I'm just worried about freaking out on a huge mountain with an axiety/panic attack. I have a fear of heights so gotta get something to control it.It was only like 3,900' altitude where I was in Nc and know the ones out west are way higher.I usually don't have an issue with the anxiety on a normal basis just when I get in a plane or in the mountains.Guess i'm just intimidated by them.I from Florida where it's flat and at sea level lol