Here am I putting my toes in the water

Research & current drivers tell me Jim Palmer gives you good gear & support & then expects you to make responsible decisions, not micro-manage you. That is less common since Qualcomm & cellphones where dispatchers often see you as a remote-controlled drone for them to move around. Oh yeah Jim Palmer pulls reefer trailers if that's important. Just fuel em, set em, wash em out on ocassion.

 

Yup, those are not real jobs. They appear to be jobs but they aren't. I don't know if I can convey to you in just one post what those adds are about but is not what you think. Honestly you got to follow along this forum to find out what really goes on in trucking.

Most of the trucking adds you see are not to fill a position or need. They are from companies that turn over their entire fleet 100% in one year. They make their money selling training and milking government subsidies. The do hire and put drivers in trucks but less then 1 in 10 or even 1 in a 100 make it their (depends on what you call the starting point.) And then the day after the christmas seasonal surge, the fire a the whole lot of drivers for "safety reasons" so they don't have to pay unemployment when their freight drops off to nothing.

The actual hours away from home will be greater. Then their will be the hours you 'donate' to the company without pay. And none of the hours will be overtime.

If you had $0 income you could still loose money going in trucking. And people do just that. Do what you want. I am not here to discourage you if that is what you feel you need to do. Just, see people come to this form everyday without a good understanding of what their getting into. If you got a career paying the bills you got more then a lot of truck drivers out there, especially ones without any experience.

 

Definitely don't skimp on drinking water. That will set you up for kidney & bladder problems. Worse pain than childbirth.

 

Sorry, wrong thread

 

My advice? Stay away from the big companies that have been suggested to you. Find a locally based company that operates less than 100 trucks. You'll do much better there.

 

If u want nice trucks and plan to stay out that long. Big M transportation out of Blue Mountain, MS check them out

 

McElroy is a good company that hires in your area.

I was in corporate world until a few years when I made the move. I drove for a year as company driver and recently added 2 trucks and 3 trailers.

While i have had some challenges along the way, Ive been very happy with the move into trucking.

Send me a pm with your number if you want to have a candid discussion about it.

 

Don't they just run Eastern states?

 

• In trucking, a smaller company doesn't mean it's a better company.
• Jim Palmer is good and they will run you coast to coast if you want. They prefer you attend their inhouse cdl school.
• If you attend a private cdl school, get all the endorsements while there; don't wait until after graduation. Also get a passport card for Canada runs and a TWIC ID Card for entry to sea ports, chemical plants, rail yards, military bases. Do this before graduation because it takes a while. Google for nearest TWIC Office.
• Freymiller is a good company and hires new cdl grads. The website has "experience required" but that's incorrect, they hire new grads. Has APU that you want and other driver ammenities.
• Start job applications during the first week of school, don't wait until graduation. Job offers will be contingent upon you successfully completing school and having the required endorsements.

Do you want coast to coast or just eastern half of USA?