Some advice about sucess in trucking.

I got into truck driving a few months ago, did the whole school training and got on with a mid-size company Rinaudo Heavy Haul out of Jacksonville, FL. And I must say that by doing my research/homework paid dividends for me when it came to finding a great job right out of school and not having to settle for the "bigger companies". Im on my second week of solo and already have gotten two oversize loads under my belt and I must say Im loving every minute of it...

 

What about learning rates and lanes? pounding the phone lines? getting a fuel efficient truck? Thinking like a business owner and not a driver? mechanical skills?

 

CCJR76 great work you set a good example that can be done in trucking if you really work at it, lots of luck

 

epowers, you said, "(Many do not have the patience to stick it out. I believe this is one of the reasons for such high turnover rates in the trucking industry.)".
Actually the biggest reason for high turnover is the mega fleets that have not figured out that a man or woman should get home weekly! Not stay out months at a time.
In this age of computers, how easy would it be for a company to know that they need several terminals spread throughout the country with enough drivers to leapfrog loads across the same country? Enough local drivers to pick up and deliver loads, etc.?
Thanks
Jack

 

I pefer to stay out and run for a few weeks. If you wanna be home frequently, why go into long haul otr trucking. Being away from home is part of the job. If someone wants to be home , run regional, local or dedicated. There are plenty of drivers who will stay out, but wanna run some miles.

 

Not everyone wants to or needs to be home "weekly". Having multiple terminals in an operation that can't justify it is simply bad business and if you can justify it, that doesn't mean that the "leap-frog" concept is viable with most loads. Today, drivers can hire on to "regional fleet" operations and be home 'regularly'. If they want to be home weekly, but hire on with a coats-to-coast operation with no "regional fleets", then they can not expect to be home weekly, and obviously hired on with the wrong carrier. The business of truckload freight is not a simple business. Between customer demands, carrier demands, driver demands, driver wants, and freight demands, somebody is going to have to run weekends and stay out more than 7 days, irregardless of whatever sort of terminal network is in place.

Swift Transportation has more than 50 terminals across the nation and each has local drivers, but I'm pretty sure they have drivers who stay out more than a week at a time and I doubt seriously it is only because their computer systems are lacking.

 

I get it, I am not one who wants to be gone that long as I have a very young daughter. However given the advances of technology, such as the facetime feature on the iPhone has made life away much easier. I run about 6000 miles a week as a team and get home for a minimum of a 34 each week. It's tough but I was very lucky to find someone I can get along with. Most can't seem to find that.

 

That's great to be able to come out of trucking school and land a gig like that. Take your time man. I done it 10 years local/regional.

 

other tips, dont be lazy, the lazy ones who turn down loads and get picky are the ones you see sitting at the terminal ######## they cant get miles and make money

When your on a load dont stop every hour to pee or eat, haul butt and get the load done quicker to get the next load and you will keep the miles turning and making money

I started with Swift and im not making a crap ton of money but the money is there if you work for it