New guy needs some advice

Living in the San Antonio area. You should be able to find a company who doesn't normally hire rookies out of school. Since a lot of the local guys have went to the oil field. I will say backing your trailer is the hardest part of driving and doing something local or regional you will be backing up lot more then you would otr. Also San Antonio is one of the cities I hate driving a car in let alone a truck. So you always have to be on your P's and Q's and an accident even minor can keep you from getting a decent job in the future. The trucking school you go to. No matter how good it is. Really can't train you for what you will see when you get out on your own.

Most of the otr companies who will hire you have a certain number of weeks you will be out with a trainer. They can careless if you want to make money. Its all about them making money so having that truck rolling is their only concern. There are a few companies out of San Antonio that run up to Dallas and to Houston and down to the boarder, and they can probably get you home more, but I'm not sure if they train. The best bet is to see how much experience some of these companies want that do regional and local. Then find an OTR company who will train you if you took that route. Since you say you will pay for your own schooling. Then leaving after 3 or 6 months won't be a problem. Most will require you to stay out 3 weeks and they don't break there neck to get you home either.

If you are a fast learner then I would try to go with the local companies who will train you and have you backing up 20 times a day. This job isn't easy, and the companies will steal from you with a smile on their face. Me personally I wouldn't pay the high trucking school prices that they charge now, because its not worth it for all the junk you have to put up with.

The LTL companies like Conway,Roadway and such are the high paying companies that I know are now hiring rookies. Work probably won't be that hard. I personally would of loved to drive for HEB. Think you need experience for them.

Getting your CDL is only going to give you the experience to get in lots of trouble real fast. So if you can handle being gone for 3 to 4 weeks at a time. To get use to how the truck drives. Then That's what I would do. You are more likely to get in an accident and get fired doing city driving right away. Very hard to get a job when u have had an accident and little experience as well even with an otr company. Sorry so long but I hope you make a good decision.

 

first let me start with i dont know the trucking companies in texas but around here thete are quite a few of the big companies that will get you home on weekends or out 7-10 days then 3 days home. i am going to disagree with the lst post about paying your own way through school. i know i wd glad i did. if you go with the ones with there own school you have to sign a contract that youll say for a year. hen they know they have you by the bells. if you leave b/c they r treating you bad or your unhappy youll have to pay them back for the schooling and at a higher rate then just paying in the first place. if you can pay your dues like u said it only takes 6 months to a year for most local or regional jobs to give u a look. dont limit yourself to just local unless thats what u really want as it will usually take longer to get those. i ran regional for 8 months and i was home weekends and 1-3 nights a week. sorry about long post guess i m a airbag tonight but hope it helps

 

Your absolute best bet would be to get your wife her license and go team together. You would make incredible money and wouldn't have to come home that much.

Yes there are companies that "offer" short runs or less time out. This is most usually a ploy to get you to sign up for them. Once your realize you cannot make any money you are trapped having to work for them to pay back your schooling. When you want to be home all the time companies will utilize you to make all the pickups and deliveries keeping you close to home so its not a pain in the butt to get you home time all the time. Getting a driver home is a big pain to a dispatcher. So if you do run this type of schedule you will find yourself making much less than minimum wage. Its not worth spending $6000 for school if you are going to work for less than minimum wage.

Yes you can land a local job. I won't say its impossible but your chances are very slim and luck will be a factor! I wouldn't attend school in hopes of driving local. I have 16 years experience and to this day haven't found anything decent local wise.

I would maybe put some serious thought into this before signing on the dotted line. In my personal opinion it sounds as if trucking may not be your calling.

 

Do to your location in Texas and since you are married I would get my year exsperience then my X endorsment and look for a gig that keeps you close to home or regional. Lots of good tanker work in your area.

 

I too am making a career change as well to trucking and I just turned 43. Is it possible? Absolutely! As far as schooling, before you plunk down money, find out of you can get local help to assist with paying for school. I wouldn't recommend CR England or other companies that require a commitment to drive. Besides you won't be doing my backing on this OTR jobs.

There are some companies that offer free training:
http://jobs.wm.com/job/San-Antonio-...-TX-78201/2205656/?feedId=4&utm_source=Indeed

Others will train you for Flatbed, etc once you have your CDL:
http://www.maverickdrivers.com/flat...648e0aa97384c8aabed6d106a4b20&mm_replace=TRUE


There is some state sponsored training available:
[TABLE="width: 98%"]
[TR]
[TD="width: 10%"]CIP[/TD]
[TD="width: 90%"]CIP Title[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]490205[/TD]
[TD]Truck and Bus Driver/Commercial Vehicle Operator and Instructor[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]A program that prepares individuals to apply technical knowledge and skills to drive trucks and buses, delivery vehicles, for-hire vehicles and other commercial vehicles, or to instruct commerical vehicle operators. Includes instruction in operating gas, diesel, or electrically-powered vehicles; loading and unloading cargo or passengers; reporting delays or accidents on the road; verifying load against shipping papers; arranging transportation for personnel; and keeping records of receipts and fares.[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

Find more information here: http://www.texascaresonline.com/pos/cipinfo.asp?cip=490205 and here: http://www.twc.state.tx.us/customers/jsemp/training-education.html

Coastal Bend College has a 3 Day CDL course that is a lot less expensive than your typical school, specifically designed for the oil and gas industry. I would bet if you spoke with the program director, you will find that they place graduates right out of the school. It's not far from you and you can get a hotel for 2-3 nights.
Website: http://www.coastalbend.edu/ce/

And a .PDF file to the classes they offer: http://www.coastalbend.edu/uploadedFiles/Oil Gas PamphletV2.pdf

Here is a link of Texas trucking companies. Many of them are working all throughout the state. Best bet is call each one (there are a lot) and find out if they work out of your area. http://www.quicktransportsolutions.com/carrier/texas/houston.php

The kind and full of information, Mr. http://www.thetruckersreport.com/truckingindustryforum/members/83476-nicholas_jordan/ posted this list of companies in an attachment. But they are out of Victoria.


Baker Oil Tools
7301 US HIGHWAY 59 N
VICTORIA TX 77905-5515

Select Energy Services, LLC
11001 N NAVARRO ST
VICTORIA TX 77904-1408

Halliburton Service Division
101 HOLT RD
VICTORIA TX 77905-5565

Baker Petrolite Corporation
5901 US HIGHWAY 59 N
VICTORIA TX 77905-5514

Spectrum Fluid Services, Inc
1351 INDUSTRIAL PARK DR
VICTORIA TX 77905-0700

Key Energy Services, Inc
6001 US HIGHWAY 59 N
VICTORIA TX 77905-5599

Select Oilfield Trucking
117 JOHN STOCKBAUER DR
VICTORIA TX 77901-3761

Nabors Well Services Co
6204 US HIGHWAY 59 N
VICTORIA TX 77905-5505

Luhn Lease Service Inc
405 WINDING WAY DR W
VICTORIA TX 77905-4171

Boss Oil Field Service Inc
117 RIO VISTA DR
VICTORIA TX 77904-3721

Holladay Oil Field Service
101 CHARLESTON DR
VICTORIA TX 77904-3824

Cbs Svcs (Security Dbs)
1904 Stolz St Ste a&b
Victoria, Texas 77901-6248

Total Productions Service Inc
539 HILL RD
VICTORIA TX 77905-5568

Genco Services
1805 STOLZ ST
VICTORIA TX 77901-6245

Petro Oilfield Inc
3971 SW MOODY ST
VICTORIA TX 77905-3943

D & S Lease Services
2042 BURROUGHSVILLE RD
VICTORIA TX 77905-5536

First American Vacuum Service LLC
22905 NW ZAC LENTZ PKWY
VICTORIA TX 77905-3255

Jens Oilfield Service Inc
807 N EAST ST
VICTORIA TX 77901-6727

J4 Fluid Services [361]485-2710
4602 US HIGHWAY 59 N
VICTORIA TX 77905-5503

Hraco
905 BOB WHITE RD
VICTORIA TX 77905-3550

Xtreme Energy
4408 LILAC LN
VICTORIA TX 77901-2651

Weatherford Als
7506 US HIGHWAY 59 N
VICTORIA TX 77905-5508

Aero Oil Fill Service Inc
991 INDUSTRIAL PARK DR
VICTORIA TX 77905-0679

Drilling Rig Instrument
2806 DELMAR DR STE D
VICTORIA TX 77901-7468

Windwehen & Windwehen
208 WOODRIDGE DR
VICTORIA TX 77904-1169

Vitex Wireline Service Inc
3802 E RIO GRANDE ST
VICTORIA TX 77901-1726

Key Fishing & Rental Service
6001 US HIGHWAY 59 N
VICTORIA TX 77905-5599

Packers & Service Tools Inc
159 ENTERPRISE DR
VICTORIA TX 77905-3273

Specialty Rental Tools & Supl
3804 E RIO GRANDE ST
VICTORIA TX 77901-1726

Lanco Well Service
299 LEEPER LN
VICTORIA TX 77904-4901

Victoria Equipment & Supply CO
603 E MESQUITE LN
VICTORIA TX 77901-3935

P & S Perforators Inc
1163 WESTPARK AVE
VICTORIA TX 77905-3762

Gulf Coast Lease Service
603 E MESQUITE LN
VICTORIA TX 77901-3935

Pawlik Enterprises
2908 CATALPA ST
VICTORIA TX 77901-4628

Prime Lease Service Inc
2607 E RIO GRANDE ST
VICTORIA TX 77901-7375

Boss Oil Field Service Inc
117 RIO VISTA DR
VICTORIA TX 77904-3721

The Coastal Bend Workforce Development Board has earmarked $100,000 to train people for CDL jobs in a partnership with Coastal Bend College. There's some red tape involved; the applicant must meet certain criteria under the Workforce Investment Act pass a physical and drug test and a written CDL test to be eligible for the training. The workforce board will pay the $4,200 tuition for the training for those accepted in the program, Coastal Bend College's.
http://www.twc.state.tx.us/dirs/wdbs/wdb22.html

 

Here's another site that will help you find the smaller, mom and pop companies:

http://www.truckdrivercentral.com/Truckingcostate/TXtdc.html

Good luck man..