Chicago Area looking to become a trucker. Options?

I am in the Chicago, IL area, and looking for OTR Trucking, Covering the 48, and Canada, Potentially Alaska.

What options would you suggest?

The Back Story: 1 Ticket for speeding in a construction zone w/ Workers present in last 3 years. Suspensions about 10 years ago for multiple tickets before turning 21. No DUI's ever. All wrecks have been either not my fault, OR, are listed on my clue report as my fault due to it being my policy, BUT I was not the driver in the claimed vehicle, and can show insurance documentation to prove such. I married the worlds worst driver (8 total losses in under a year) No Felony, Able to freely enter Canada without much of a problem, Will have a passport renewed within the month.

I am currently a newspaper carrier, so driving 7 days a week doesn't phase me. Previouslly have been an computer tech for a company that required a 2 hour commute each way. Worked there for 10+ years. I've done road trips for years, and have covered every state east of the Mississippi except for New England.

NO CDL, at all. Want a company that covers schooling

I've been told Schneider or Werner would be my best bets over the years reading Diaries of guys who left whatever industry they were in Circa 9/11. I don't know if this still stands true, but from what I've read, Schneider would be my best best until I get my 1-2 years Exp, then go anywhere.

 

Everyone keeps talking about this home time thing. I don't want to be home..ever again if possible. Hell, For all I care, find me a highway into Europe and let me drive there for the next 20 years of my life.

I've spent most of my life being harassed by the small suburbs I live in's city government because of working shift work, and taking or not taking my garbage cans out at the exact right moment that won't make these Garbage Can Nazi's off.

I think about driving and criminal records because I used to work for the 3rd party company called ChoicePoint which is now Lexis Nexis processing DOTs for Bekins/Berryman & other driving companies.

As far as company paying for driving school. That is fine with me to commit a year of my life. I've committed much more time in my life to seeing the same crappy town for the last 32 years of my life (pretty sure I hated it when I was a twinkle in my dad's eye)

I want to move anyway to the west coast, but like some other writers on here. I'm not sure where to commit to so I think this will be an easier way to see some parts of the country, even if briefly.

My ideal job trucking would be 3 months away from home at a time, as far away as humanly possible from where I live now.

 

Joliet, the ####### of the Universe. I got out once to Toronto. But ended up back here due to families failing health. Now. I'm ready to tell the spouse they can have the house, and everything else. They just have to take care of my family. I just need out*NOW*

 

31 actually this August. Live in Joliet. Have no desire to ever ever deal with the people from North of 88. Most of my family is split between south & north siders. I just want out of the area. I'm tired of the climate. and tired of the rut. Don't get me wrong, the paper route is nice and all $850 a week cash for what amounts to 4 hours of work 7 days a week, but I'm looking at the same ugly houses 7 days a week for the rest of my life it seems.

I want to see the scenery change. I'm tired of staring at the same thing every day.

45K is the sweet spot for me. I don't want the head ache of owner operator. I don't want to lease the truck. The only thing I *MIGHT* consider is owning the truck outright, and leasing it back to the company. A lot of people here talk about how much money they can make etc etc. I'm signing my house over to my partner. Will only have student loans & credit cards as bills, So everything else will go into investments. Do the trucking "adventure" for 5-8 years, take my money and go live overseas.

That being said, to understand my hatred of the area I currently live in, I would work for free as long as I didn't have to come back except quarterly for my medication refills slips from the doctors, and even then, that might just change once I get out on the road.

Most of the job ads I read say home every 2-3 weeks. That disappoints me. I don't want to come home once a month. Heck, The only thing I would miss about living in "Chicagoland" is Rax, and from what I understand, they have those out east.