Should I ????

First off, don't go with Swift. They're one of the worst companies out there. If you want weekends off, I doubt Swift will truly be able to accomodate this. Search this forum for threads about them and you'll see many who agree with what I'm saying. I've never worked for them, and I never will. If my choices were Swift or flipping burgers at McDonalds, I'd choose the McJob.

Second, my favorite thing about trucking is essentially being my own boss. I've gotta be somewhere at a certain time, but what I do between the time I pick up my load and the time I deliver it is of my choosing. I worked in factories and warehouses before driving and absolutely hated the whole 10-15 min. breaks with a 30 min lunch.

What I like least about driving is the waiting time between loads. Some companies are better than others at this, but there are always times when even the best of companies may make you sit somewhere you don't want to be for a day or two. Good companies, like mine, will pay you a decent amount of layover pay, but it's still not as much as what you would make if you were under a load.

In my 3+ years out here, I've never had another driver start anything with me other than on the CB. I've called them out on several occassions, but have never had another driver pull over to settle it man to man yet.

During downtime (i.e. your required 10 hr break after 11 hrs driving), it's your time. Do what you want with it. I have this laptop and this site to pass my time. I also use that time to do laundry, shower, eat, catch up with family and friends on the phone, watch movies/TV, and most importantly SLEEP! Sleep is a precious commodity to me, and it's oh so important out here. It's amazing how exhausted sitting behind a steering wheel for 11 hrs (usually about 700 miles of driving) can be. Your mind is ready for a break and in desperate need of rest.

There are companies out there that will pay for getting your CDL and your training. Swift is one such company, but see above in regards to them. There are much better training companies out there. Schneider and Roehl seem to be the best per most of the stuff I've read on this board. I started with PAM Transport and found them to be a good company to get your foot in the door. Search my posts to see what I've said about them.

In your first year, you should realistically expect to make somewhere in the $25K-$35K/yr range. What you make after that first year is dependent on you and whether or not you stay with the company you started with. You could also looking into becoming a driver trainer which would almost double your annual income. I personally did this, but in retrospect, I wasn't nearly experienced enough to be training anyone. I'm still not, but it was a way for me to make a better living and the company said I only needed 6 months of safe driving experience to do it.

Finding parking anywhere can always be a problem, but as with many things in this industry it just depends on where you are and what time of day it is. If you're in a heavily populated area and it's after 7 or 8 PM, you will have trouble finding somewhere to park. If you're in a rural area at a small mom and pop truck stop, you probably won't have any trouble at all no matter what time of day it is.

Hope this helps some.

 

I understand what you are saying, but believe me when I say this. A truck driver is the best in the world at complaining. Don't allow all the negativity you see, hear, or read about keep you from joining our ranks. Although, if you're the type who can let this stuff get to you, then perhaps trucking ain't for you. Not trying to be rude, just making a point.

 

Trucking especially OTR is a way of life, it isnt something that should be taken up just to make a pay check or to get away from home. There are lots of complaints about the industry simply because newbies get caught up in trying to get into the business and get taken advantage of.

Drivers with experience usually have found the company that works best for them, newbies have to learn all the in's and out's the hard way.....thats one of the reasons this forum is here, to try and help newbies avoid some of the pitfalls.

Once you get out there and "learn" how things work, its not a bad way to make a living, especially if you have support at home. Read what some of these posters have to say about how a company treated them, talk to other drivers for any company you might consider working for, ask lots of questions, go to a truck stop and talk to the guys/gals there that drive, they will tell you just about anything you wanna know. Avoid going to a company sponsored school to get your CDL if you have any other alternatives.

You will find that most drivers are just normal guys/gals trying to make a living, willing to help out everyone and not out to find trouble. Hope this forum helps you find some answers....just remember this isnt the lifestyle for everyone especially with small children at home, you have to be the judge of that one for yourself.