West coast auto painter -turned trucker, got cdl,otr only option???

Just found this site Lookin for Local/ OTR jobs WOW Feeling overwelmed.
Before that was about to settle for 1 of the companies that came to present @ our Truck School ( Swift, U.S.Xpress,) Due to heard bad reports of C.R.England and Knight seemed the same as others Swift and U.S..
Applying @local companies all want 1,2,3 or 5 years experience
Feeling like I don't know whom to trust, what is most pay or even best Benifit.
Started reading earlier post "got CDL now what" got to 5th page totally excited but my brother is on east coast and most of those companies Roehl, Maverick don't / hire here (Hayward, Ca.)
Anybody got West Coast Companies?
Even though I'm new to the Game. My Grandfather, Step-Father and Biological Father all drove for a living. My Grandfather longest, (RIP). Don't have connections or suggestions since who they know are long gone.
Plan on reading more posts later tonight, was just excited to find this site and know I'm Not Alone!

 

Thanks, For the reply
Actually have found Alot of Resources , man I wished I had found/ started before so I wouldn't be... u know waiting.
Found a site last night Jobsintrucks.com, created a profile start looking for jobs, see one you like ,send profile.
Well started last night like 8;30-9 p.m. then finally stopped bout Midnight.
3 responses by 7 a.m, this morning ( hey got your resume messages) , then recieved a call from mid west somwhere asking how much OTR I had when I said none we were pretty much done talking .Iwas just excited that in 12 hrs time I had more feed back/ action than the week prior of driving over here put in application , drive over there thing.

On another note went back to my truck school today to "think out loud" w/ former instructor. gave me a handout flyer thing student driver placement, seems I shoulda got this long ago but to sum up magazine alot of companies ok w/ newbies goto studentdriverplacement.com and see what you find.
Think you and your Boyfriend are in a great place though, driver trainer and all. best of luck...Rob

 

Sent out more Applications on a few different sites,got a e-mail from recruiter @ CREngland (fontana,Ca ) Seems closer than US Xpress ( Dallas Texas )
Said she needed to talk to me to ask ???, 8:10 p.m. I called just to see if she was still in office, yep..asked her questions and now I'm signed up for 7/9 orientation.

I went to this forum bout Bad Companies and read Backroads lastest ( 3 weeks ago ) Nightmare/ Adventure with the company out of same terminal I'd go thru.
Wow, , great post, glad my brother bled for me cause the key words i heard were, "alot of stress, probably wouldn't work out to good if you had a Mortgage, or Family @ home"
Thats what I heard anyway, Not to mention no loads, Trucks , etc.

I Don't mind doing my time, actually cool w/ otr idea/ experience I just want to get paid for what I do, so I can take care of my Family

 

Yeah,
Stay away from CRE.
Got a PM w/ a lead from another rmember, I'll follow that up tonite.
Yes an Auto painter.
I'd say I was one of the luckiest guys you'd know , in that
I got to find a Passion that I love to paint, gild ( goldleaf ) and make graphics for just about anything, (alot of things are painted w/ artistic flare in our house, Clocks, toilet seats you get the idea ) the only thing that made it better was I started the process working for / with my Dad.
Don't get me wrong in the beginning we had ups and downs ( alot of people compared us to American Chopper and the Teutels Jr and Sr ) That was most early on and we both learned to listen and learn from one another ( Pops a Combination man both Metal and Paint was my hero, He could do Anything )
but for 20 years I got to work w/ my Dad and I know 20, 30, 50 men right now that wished they could go back and re-do Smooth out what ever, let alone work or just spend more time w/ their Dad.

Earlier this week Pops gave me a talking to bout that, " Don't want to get caught up in what you want to do (truck Driving stuff ) but to throw away or walk away from 20 years in this trade, You can write estimates and paint, alot shops don't have someone like that.
This all true but I know I don't want to go to next shop, work whatever , no Vacation ( haven't had a week Vacation in 20 yrs, Part of Family/ owning your own Business. and have the rest of my kids grown up w/ out their Dad.
Disney land , conferences, Camping trips. I guess I'd sum it up as spoiling them.
I just feel here, Hayward California, my area slow, insurance/ industry everyone cutting each others throat " the guy down the street will paint it for$200,
Great then go have him paint it, but when he's done and your not happy w/ it don't bring it here for me to fix it cuz I won't.

I still have My spray guns (13, each for something different, flake gun, 2 clear guns, sealer gun, A gun i base kandys w/ and of course a waterbase gun ) so I know I won't lose touch w/ that.
You know the sea container you see @ the port?
Had 2 of them i did work for , stored projects, glass for my glass work. anyway sold one and the other is in my Backyard.
Only thing better than having your own Painting studio Man cave?
Having a walk in tool box w/ lights, sound and temp control
Hey I be up for something Like that If money was Right,
Just haven't ran into it yet

Hope I'm not in trouble for running off topic