Changing My Career To Be A Truck Driver

Hello to everyone and to all drivers. Im currently driving for Disney Cruise Line Motor Coach Buses. I enjoy doing it and have been doing it since January, 2009. Im 35 and have a wife and 3 kids. I just think its about time I try having a experience on driving a truck. Its something that interests me. I want to do long distance driving and out a few months at a time, no longer. I have a CDL Class B and was thinking about how can I get into truck driving. I was also planning to add all the endorsements after that. Also wanted to know the good starter companies and I hope I will be making the right choice. Any tips/ideas, or advices on the change would really be appreciated. Thanks in advance

 

N Central FL is not a "bad" place to live as on OTR trucker, but it will limit your prospects. I'd begin looking at some of the food grade tanker haulers and see if any have a training program. The typical mega-carrier (Swift, Knight, Schneider, etc) dry van options will probably leave you with some regrets sooner rather then later coming from a bus driving background that seemed to work for you.

A few of your options will rule you out with an address below I-10 in FL. Not to say you have no options, just fewer. A wife and 3 kids and you want to be out a few months at a time??? Don't get that very often but if you're sure.

 

Thanks and to be honest I like it here. I've been through a lot of other places but im more comfortable in this city where im at now. I was doing some research and found Roehl, CRST, Central, Knight Squire, Millis, Prime, PAM, Swift, Stevens. But I want to do reefer just like my friend is doing right now. I wouldn't have a problem with tanker, but I don't know if I would get trained right away with one , but I prefer flatbed than tanker. For home time, Im looking for the max 5 weeks out. But what I would be most comfortable with is 2-3 weeks out often

 

Stay out a few months at a time,what r u thinking,you have a family at home.Or am I reading that wrong.What exactly do you mean out a few months at a time?

 

What I would prefer would be 2-3 weeks out. But I wouldn't have a problem if I would have to stay out more than a month but the max would be 5 weeks for me

 

oh ok so I did read it wrong.You would probably have to stay out a month.Oh the ad says you can get home every 14 to 17 days but don't count on it.You're only 35 so I imagine your kids aren't too old.Hows your family feel about this?

 

If you can, attend a private or community college CDL school that's at least 160 hrs.

If you do this route, you can pick and choose which company you want and not be stuck in a contract.
If you chose a trucking company CDL school, then choose the one with the shortest obligation so you can move on to something better sooner if you decide to.

If you really want to do refrigerated, after gaining 6 months experience you can move into Heyl Truck Lines right there in Florida. What's good about this company is they offer OTR, regional, local. So, look at the big picture and take the steps necessary to get where you want to be.

Of those you listed for CDL training, Millis would be excellent.

 

Crete carrier has a terminal 40 miles away in Deland, fl but you will have to have a CDL from a school that they approve of before they will put you with a trainer for 8 weeks. They had a Coke dedicated account that would have gotten you home once a week 7 years ago but I don’t know if they still have it. They also had a


I don’t see how you can be away from home for 12 days with little kids at home and yet you are talking about being away 5 weeks at a time.


I would take CRST, Prime, Swift, and Stevens off of your list and keep CR England off of your list. Any company that will lease you a truck 2 seconds after you have your Class A CDL is not a reputable company. There are plenty of stories on here about drivers getting training from these companies thinking that they will be company drivers meaning driving company owned trucks and are told that there are no company trucks available and that they will need to therefore sign a lease.

 

Have you seriously looked at the pay difference/benefits of going to some OTR mega versus your current employment?

 

My wife actually mad at me for the moment but she said go for it. She said theres nothing wrong with leaving a job making 700-800 weekly for a truck driving job. She said the job im doing now is good, but I told her I just want to try something new and gain that experience. I'd probably be looking into local after a year or regional. And as of right now, my kids don't know about how long I will usually be out yet