Graduated to a new forum

Wasted Thyme · Jan 30, 2020

Yeah you are in the Panhandle that is southern Bama, not Florida. lol I grew up in Orlando, and have lived in Tampa, Clearwater, Plant City. Plant City is the only place in Central FL that still has some small town feel.

bryan21384 · Jan 30, 2020

MericanMade said: ↑

Wiley Sanders looked pretty good to me, except for the 10 weeks with a trainer making $0.16/mile training pay. Not a deal breaker, but definitely a factor in my decision. Is 10 weeks overkill for OTR training?

Stevens Transport has approved my application, but OTR refer is probably the least "best fit" for what I want out of my next career.

Schneider gets you out there making money in 17 days, but the pay is low, and is 17 days--including orientation--adequate training?. There are better options.

Superior Carriers I'm giving up on. My Driver Pulse application has had no activity in weeks, even though I applied for a specific tanker job in Mobile that stated new drivers were welcome. I called the terminal manager three times over two days to try to sell myself to her directly, but my calls haven't been returned. They pay $0.56/mile, but one recent graduate said he would go out for two weeks, then come home for a week or two (?!?). Too many drivers and not enough freight, maybe?

Anyway, I've decided on Cypress Transport Lines is the best fit for me. Most loads are pre-tarped. Guaranteed weekends home. $0.48/mile loaded, $0.40 empty. $500/week paid training. The only thing that is going to blow is the Greyhound trip to Jacksonville. As soon as I wind down my business, I'll go to orientation.

There is some delightful irony in that when I was in middle school and junior high school living in Jacksonville, all the boys--including me--had this obsession with semi trucks, and we manifested this obsession on the long bus rides to school. The game was to be the first to identify the make of the trucks we saw on the interstate, and we'd shout it out. It annoyed the heck out of the girls and the bus driver. Marmons were the special ones. We'd sing the song Convoy, and I remember the lyrics to this day:

"Was the dark of the moon, on the fifth of June, and a Kenworth haulin' logs.
Cabover Pete with a refer on, and a Jimmy hauling hogs.
We were heading for blah buh de blah about a mile out of Shakey-town.
I said Big Ben this here's the Rubber Duck, I'm about to put the hammer down."

I know. I'm showing my age.

So after graduating from Annapolis, eight years in the Marines flying in jets, a failed attempt to fit into corporate America, then 25 years as a one-man kitchen remodeling show--over 40 years after leaving Jacksonville--I'm heading back to become a truck driver.

Cosmic, right?
Click to expand...

Keep this in mind. Dont pay so much attention to cpm. Pay attention to freight volume. Can they keep you busy? That's the most important thing with OTR. The check that hits your account on Friday regardless of OTR company is going to be in the same general ball park. 10 weeks with a trainer ain't overkill man....believe me. Wiley Sanders is definitely worth a look. They arent trying to rush you out there, and they arent so big that you slip through the cracks. They've been updating their equipment in recent years

Eggroll'n Trucker · Jan 30, 2020

MericanMade said: ↑

Superior Carriers I'm giving up on. My Driver Pulse application has had no activity in weeks, even though I applied for a specific tanker job in Mobile that stated new drivers were welcome. I called the terminal manager three times over two days to try to sell myself to her directly, but my calls haven't been returned. They pay $0.56/mile, but one recent graduate said he would go out for two weeks, then come home for a week or two (?!?). Too many drivers and not enough freight, maybe?
Click to expand...

Lol Lynn is a one woman show at that terminal.... she is interesting. I got a buddy over there now and it's been slow. Out 3-4 days, home 3-10 days but he said it should be picking up pretty soon

MericanMade · Jan 30, 2020

Eggroll'n Trucker said: ↑

Lol Lynn is a one woman show at that terminal.... she is interesting. I got a buddy over there now and it's been slow. Out 3-4 days, home 3-10 days but he said it should be picking up pretty soon
Click to expand...

Leslie German.

Eggroll'n Trucker · Jan 30, 2020

Oh man, long day. For some reason I was thinking service transport not superior. Maybe give service transport a call. They take recent grads and they are a tanking outfit. Their home time might be what you're looking for

MericanMade · Jan 31, 2020

Eggroll'n Trucker said: ↑

Oh man, long day. For some reason I was thinking service transport not superior. Maybe give service transport a call. They take recent grads and they are a tanking outfit. Their home time might be what you're looking for
Click to expand...

I already called them, too. Not training new grads.

Chinatown · Jan 31, 2020

Try Freymiller for a few months, to keep that cdl active.

MericanMade · Jan 31, 2020

Chinatown said: ↑

Try Freymiller for a few months, to keep that cdl active.

Click to expand...

I've decided on Cypress Truck Lines. I wanted regional flatbed/home weekends from the get-go, so it will be the best place to start out. I only have about $2500 in monthly expenses--which includes about $500 in my fun money and $500 to pay off my tuition in a year's time--so income won't be an issue (hopefully) after I get my own truck. If they only run me 2000/week, I'll still gross over $4000/month.

I put that tuition on a 0.99% APR until March 2021 credit card promotion. Just got to make sure I pay it off in time, or it will cost me $800. But that keeps another $5000 in my emergency fund.

Chinatown · Jan 31, 2020

I have a decent credit card from www.usaa.com and Navy Federal.
Glad everything is working out for you.

Texas_hwy_287 · Jan 31, 2020

@MericanMade since you have all your endorsements look up LTL companies on your area. Southeastern, Estes, Old Dominion, Xpo, FedEx freight and AAA cooper.

Good luck.

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