What is the best way into a driving job?

First read about all companies here before making a decision. I have read eveything here and made a decision to go through a CDL school, I am starting on Monday. From what I have heard, these free trainings are various type traps. As far as the pacemaker, take a look on DOTs website for their requirements.

 

Here you go.......

http://www.thetruckersreport.com/tr...s-health-corner/131812-cdl-and-pacemaker.html

 

Welcome to the TTR Forum. First check on the Pacemaker issue in regards to the regulations and whether companies will hire you. You need to research and find out what the important questions are. You can make an above average living but you will make sacrifices that other jobs don't require. Read the "good companies" and "bad companies" section on this forum and get an idea of what company you want to work for and what kind of trailer you want to pull. Don't just go to school and then try to figure out where to go.

I don't know your financial situation. Don't take training from a company if you can afford it or get it with financial aid. You will be their slave for up to year. If you leave they will trash you DAC and credit record. Check out your local community colleges and employment office.

Just know that most training and trucking company recruiters will do nothing but lie to you. They will let you talk about what you want and then tell you what you want to hear. Trucking is about moving freight to make money for the company. Your home time, family, paycheck and everything else comes second.

It is not like any other job. Local is usually backbreaking delivery work 10+ hours a day, 6 days a week. Often you unload dozens of times a day or you are a salesman. In my area most dump truck jobs pay less than a good factory job. Regional is lots of loading and unloading time, fewer miles than OTR and not as hard as local but will wear on you and push your HOS limits. OTR is out 3 - 5 weeks with 3 - 4 days home, less manual labor and more miles.

You'll probably have to pay your dues before you get the gravy job. Weekends off, if you are lucky enough to get something like that starting out, may be home Thursday afternoon and leave Saturday night or home Friday night and leave Sunday afternoon. Loads deliver on Monday early and you leave in time to get them there. Often your home time will be in the middle of the week.

Regardless of your driving choice, after school you will go through company training. For OTR this can be six weeks to three months with little or no home time. The first phase is usually $400 a week and the second phase is $500-550 a week. Some pay less. One company pays 12 CPM for training.

One last thing, you don't want to wait around too long after training or you'll have trouble finding a job. If you get out before you have a year in, when you try to come back a few months later you will find they want you to start over.

 

2 things I would like to add. Check with your local unemployment office about state paid training. Here in Illinois the state will pay for you to be retrained 1 time in your life if the job is considered in demand which truck driving is.

Second do not rule out your local companies that are home every night. I can not stress this enough. A lot of local rock hauling or log hauling companies pay really well, will train you if you have schooling, and you will make the same if not more than road driving.

Just because they do not advertise it does not mean they will not hire you. Make calls and a lot of them before your final decision.

 

When I read that I remembered my first job as a Lot Boy at a car dealership. I was sixteen and it was 1973. I grossed $62.00 a week and my net was about $51.00. Cleaning, fueling and moving around cars was not a skilled profession!

My buddy and I worked there together and had a $50 a week gas bill to split.