Looking for sound advice on where to start.

Sleep apnea is not a problem as long as you have a cpap machine with a chip to record your compliance.

Please give a list of companies you are considering and it will be easier..

Stay away from c.r.england....crst... and anyone who tries to get you to lease a truck....

Dont believe anything a recruiter tells you...

 

I seriously doubt any of the mega carriers that visit driving schools can guarantee you to be home every other weekend. Most training companies will keep you out 3-5 weeks at a time and forget being home for any of the holidays for the first year. You may luck into one but don't count on it. Also, the companies that train are usually not the ones that you will want to stay at for 10 years. So, pick the best training company for the first year, time off and pay will be bad with any of them and then pick the your next company for the next 9 years. Another option is to pick a training company that has multiple divisions within it, ie, tanker, intermodel, flat, van etc. When training is done it will be easier to transfer within the company to get the better pay and time off. Sorry, but the first year in this industry is rough, you pay your dues and then it gets better. Good Luck.

 

Take everything a recruiter says and subtract about 50% add a dash of BS, and there ya go. I asked something similar, I was advised to go to some local truck stops and speak with drivers and ask their take on their individual companies. There are a lot of companies who will hire on new drivers straight out of school, however there are others that will straight up screw and treat you like dirt as well. Use this forum to research the companies. I have prehires with several right now, 2 of which I am pretty sure I am going to go with one of. If you have any friends who are professional drivers, ask them to be on the look out for certain companies and see if they can get the skinny on some of them out there. That is what my dad has done for me when hes out.


Welcome to TTR, watch for the potholes

 

Welcome aboard. mega companies will take you after you finish driving school. as far as every other weekend off. that won't happen for awhile.
i say this because after school you will most likely be put with a trainer. take your apnea machine with you, with an inverter it will work in the truck. good luck

 

Okay. I'll be 100% straight up honest with you. The first year of trucking will be te toughest because of lack of experience. People will give you a hard time but ignore them. I highly reccomend is Raven Transport. They will train you. There's 2 guys I know there that train trainees. If you're on YouTube, look up "TheLittleGuyTrucker" and "TrainerJames2013". They both do Youtube videos of trucking and can give you complete details on Raven. If you're on Facebook, the Little Guys name is Matthew Eso. Trainer James is James Hill from Spring Hill, FL. They both say nothing but positive things about Raven. You may even be able to request them as your trainer. Good luck and keeps us updated!

 

LMFAO!!! Thanks for the good laugh man

 

Wasn't a joke

 

Over the road trucking means that you jump in a truck and go over the road. It is not a job for those who need to be home at certain times. Regional truckers get home more and local jobs get you home daily. If you are wanting to drive a truck and be home more then look into those jobs.

My first job was for a roofing supply company. I was home every night. It only paid $16 per hour but was nice to get experience with. None of the Mega's would hire me. Something about being on Parole. Anyway, my next stop was with an automotive parts company. I ran team from KC to Houston, TX. Home every other day. Weekends off. Good pay. Good benefits. But it didn't maximize my income like going over the road does. I was raised in a small business environment and I like to make as much money as possible. That is only possible by working for a company that pays you a percentage and allows you to run legal and hard. So, I have worked for $16 an hour, $45,000 per year and $114,000 per year. I am now starting the owner operator thing.

It is possible to find a job that pays well and it is possible to find a job that gives you plenty of hometime but I am not sure it is possible to find one that does both.

 

Watkins Shepard hires new CDL grads every week.
2 week orientation, then out you go.
No ride-along trainer.
They hired me 2 years ago at 49, w/zero exp.
Awesome staff, and right now all new hires are getting brand new trucks.
Mostly Volvo's w/auto.
Like driving a Cadillac.
Best company I have ever worked for.
wksh dot com is their website.
Highly recommended.