Is Trucking for me? What are the hours really like?

Where is your location? You might be in an area for those high paying tanker jobs.

 

If you have your heart set on trucking get your tanker endorsement. Better pay better lifestyle

 

It really comes down to the person. Tanker might be great for you, but to me it's the same as pulling a reefer the only difference is instead of waiting in line to load at a produce shed you are waiting in line at a chemical plant or refinery.

I'd rather be chaining down a counter weight or strapping a crane boom. Or better yet, picking up that backhoe with my flat with no loading dock in sight. Another guy would rather be waiting in line at a port to get his can. There is no "best" job in trucking. Different strokes for different folks.

 

You will probably like tankers or linehaul.
Linehaul is just drop & hook. By that I mean you pull a set of double trailers from point A to point B then unhook and pull another set of doubles back to your home terminal. Old Dominion hires new cdl grads to do this.

As for tankers, anywhere along the Gulf Coast is good and have better weather year round than where you now live.
You can start right out making $60K plus with linehaul or tankers.

 

i got into this almost 2yrs ago, not by choice. i have made decent money to pay off all my bills. do i like it? no. just cowboy up and hang on, making the best of it. you gotta be like Jesus, kind forgiving and work miracles. oh and take abuse with a smile. good luck

 

Here's some good companies that hire new cdl grads:
SVTN
Tidewater Transit
Superior-Carriers
CTL Transportation
McKenzie Tank Lines
Trimac Transportation

 

My apologies...I did not know that this is another one of those "new posters looking to get ears tickled" threads. The recruiters will love you.

With the current HOS it is almost impossible to 'work yourself to an early grave.' Well, the exception is if you follow the footsteps of those effeminate YouTube fat guys who are web surfing when they should be asleep.

BTW, I too am glad that I not review your application.

@Chinatown, next time warn me not to respond to an ear tickle post.

 

Start preparing now. Study the cdl practice tests on here; access those at the top of this page.
You will need:
original birth certificate
original social security card (not laminated)
TWIC ID Card - Google for nearest TWIC office. This is for entry to sea ports, rail yards, military bases, chemical plants.

Houston, Texas is excellent trucking country. Any type trucking you want is there and most trucking companies hire from there. No personal income taxes in Texas! If you don't want to live right in Houston, there's plenty of smaller communities in the area.