New trucker please help

Here's one in Meadowview, VA that's home every day and hires new cdl school grads.
Two yrs. experience OR graduate from trucking school. Several drivers on this forum were hired by this company as new cdl school graduates.
`
Click ---> Apply On Company Site
`

 

Best of luck to you.

 

@Devi343 there's a couple schools in Knoxville to get your cdl.
But, look for the ones through the community College... Takes longer, but the longer school is to your advantage hugely.
Tidewater transit is close by, and home daily, and they hire school graduates. You'll need tanker and hazmat to drive for them, but if your background is squeaky clea , it's not a problem.

 

I can't speak for everyone, but I went flatbed for a few reasons:
1. Different and interesting loads that I have to figure out a way to tie down.
2. I was getting a belly after leaving the oilfield, and I wanted that to go away.
3. I do not have the patience to sit around for hours waiting for a hole. I'd rather suck start the business end of a shotgun.
4. Spreads look cool.

 

Get your CDL, and drive OTR a bit get your experience, and go for a smaller company and try to get a regional or dedicated runs. It seems like you'll enjoy trucking alot. All the best.

 

If you want to be home every night that really is the best answer right there.

Find a union LTL company that is near you.

I'm not sure about your location but I know that ABF has their own schooling that they do to get people their license to drive for them.

These are union jobs that you'll work regular days or nights or whatever the case is but you'll work 8 to 10 hours a day and come home.

You will receive a higher wage and you will have full benefits for yourself and for your daughter.

And you will have no schooling to pay back.

 

From what I understand, flatbed equals shorter runs, shorter wait times, and more normal (daylight) pickup and delivery hours; reefer is longer runs, ridiculously long wait times, nighttime driving, oh-dark-thirty pickups and deliveries. I think I'd hate the reefer lifestyle.

 

As Stephen Covey says, "start with the end in mind". Driving can be a financially rewarding career, but unless you have an innate calling for it, you may not last long.

The question is "is driving the long term goal you want to achieve?" Do you see yourself at age 55, tooling around making pick ups and drops for an LTL company, or overnight line hauls, or delivering bulk cryo gases?

If that makes you cringe, don't work towards that goal. Find out what you want to do. Do you like to fix things? Diesel mechanics with all the certs and qualifications can make very good money, working for dealers, independent shops, or even railroads.
Same with welders, plumbers, electricians, you name it. I have a good friend that does really, really, really well installing and maintaining industrial control systems. Great career for someone with a bit of a nerdy, geeky bend. But whatever you work towards, you have to have a calling for it, or you won't last.

 

If I had to start over at 18. I would do this. But I'm a 39 and a owner op.

They will hire a 18 year old on the dock.

Checkout ups too.

 

As another 39 year old owner op, I agree with this 110%. I could be pulling 6 figures with ups and just carry a lunchbox.