Is ANYONE happy?

If you are not happy with what you are doing, find something to do that makes you happy.
I do love to drive!

 

First thing I'd do [if there were any way possible] is to leave California and never look back. Doing OTR [for a year or for a month] and leaving a disabled wife at home is going to be hard but I guess you'll do what you have to do to survive here in Obamaville.

Yes, it's posible to find local driving work and may be possible to find local work as a new CDL holder following a mentoring program of sorts with someone. Good luck

 

A lot of the doom and gloom here is due to SOOOO many coming in wide eyed thinking they are going to make 60k that first year, and there is an "easy" button in the truck.
With a solid head on your shoulders, picking the right training company, as well as having the fortitude to stick it out, you'll go far. As far as local or regional opportunities, I've heard of several companies that just run I5, and some that have Phoenix-LA regional like Heartland. You have to put in your time first though. Good luck.

 

Don't Know about The Southern Cal Area but here in Indiana Local jobs that are decent takes 2+ years Exp. I was happy being OTR but my wife wanted me home more even if it Ment less money.

 

Sounds to me like you have a good plan. I am the disabled half of a married couple and my husband just started OTR. We live about 100 feet away from his parents, brother, twin nephews and niece, so I have plenty of help if I need it. It sounds like I may be more capable of the "activities of daily living" than your wife might be. For example, I can still drive - just cannot do "gainful employment" due to my pain levels and needs to take sometimes frequent naps and tendency to faint if I stand for too long.

 

I'm new here but if I'm not mistaken you should look for the pale young lady with the seven short guys.I think one of them is Happy.

 

You can make $50k/yr easy in Canada to start out, but you might have to work hard for it. From what I've seen, jobs in the US don't pay as well as north of 49 do.

 

I'm pretty happy......

1st year, driving a brand new truck, getting miles for the most part, and on track to make 38-40k first year and home every weekend....pay will be in the range you're looking for by the end of the 2nd year and probably level out between 50-60 but that's a decent living in my part of the country.....but my experience is a little better than most.....I did my homework on schools, and options in my area and didn't go with one of the mega-bottom feeders......

it is possible, but you're going to have to go out there and get it, it isn't going to come to you.

my company doesn't really advertise or look for drivers as much as the drivers look for it and they're real big on driver referrals........the better companies don't advertise because they don't have to.......anybody that looking for you is actively LOOKING for drivers for a reason......look around locally and see what's in your area and you'll do better than going with one of the mega carriers

it is possible it won't fall in your lap, you have to go get it

 

we have a terminal in Santa Fe Springs, CA and hire new drivers. $40,000-$50,000 gross first year. They ask OTR drivers to stay out 3-4 weeks at a time, and we get 1 day off for every 6 on the road. Our Santa Fe Springs terminal also has local jobs that are availible once you get some experiance.

Not sure what your looking to do but if you want Dry Vans check Watkins Shepard out. I like it here.




American Trucker