Newbie question. All advice welcome

No house, no car, no bills.

Technically I'm homeless.

 

If you served in Iraq or Afghanistan, you remember the feeling that everybody hated you? Well trucking is the same with the caveat that you ain't allowed to shoot these ones. J/K.... mostly.

 

ArmyGuy with you attitude and approach, I'm certain you will make the right decision for yourself and your family and enjoy success in whatever you choose.

 

Do does companies hire student graduates ?

 

conway and fed ex do have apprentice driver programs. Other companies may take a chance just because of a lack of drivers in the area.

Personaly I have not checked to hard into it. I personaly am wanting the long haul. More driveing less time handeling freight. more highway less city.
just my preference.

 

Like someone else said try the smaller companies first. The best decision I ever made was not going to a mega carrier. I've never had less than 3000 miles a week if home time wasn't involved and couldn't stand it to be otherwise. Don't settle for a place that's going to send you on 250 mile runs and being lucky to pull 2000 miles in a week.

 

If you want to make money , you are gonna have to stay out for more than 10 days at a time, since you were in the military, 3-4 weeks should not be a problem. No company is gonna give you more than 2000 a week if you want to be home everyother weekend, be willing to stay out you will eventaully get more miles , you have to prove yourself first. Have a little cash set aside for bills and such the last thing you need is a bunch of crap from home when you call home. Find a company that fits your needs, what works for you may not work for me and so on. Try to get 29 to 30 cents a mile so even on a slow week you can have a chance. When I was OTR I averaged around 2400 to 2700 a week 80 percent of the time, hated every #### mile of it, now I am local out of Chicago and home eveynite, and that was my goal. Did I do a poor job while OTR no where would that get me, no where. Point is do your homework be prepared put in your time and you should be able to have a fighting chance at getting what you want. I had only 6 months OTR when I went local, I was persistent as hell and had more than one door slammed in my face and a few laughs, the rumor about 1 year OTR is somewhat true, and please all of you I am not calling anyone a lier, I know it is the norm but it can be done. Most companies told me no a few interviewed me and some said lets see what you got. Point is do the best you can do and always keep learning, because most of us newbies will not make it past a trainer or 6 months, I am closing in on 1 year and do not have any real complaints to speak of, was any of it perfect, no, did I want to quit on more than one occasion, yes, did I think I knew it all, yes, but did I have fun and meet some very interesting people along the way, yes, I know I said I hated every #### mile OTR, It was more I wanted to home than anything else, but I sucked it up and stayed out 3-4 weeks at a time, did what I had to do to get it done. Money is not that great in the beginning, but give it time , you will never get rich, but do it right and you will make some money. Now I get to deal with city traffic, low bridges, and alleybacking on a daily basis, but I am homeevery nite. Good Luck and have fun

 

You can make a decent living driving OTR and no, you don't have to stay out for weeks at a time to make it.
Your first year is going to be hell and may/will involve being out for a couple weeks at a time due to training. Stay with that one company for 1 year and the opportunities will open up for you. Rates are on the rise and if you stay clean for that 1 year, there's no reason why you can't hook up with a company that will pay you 40 plus cpm.
Good luck.