CDL Training / Drving Career....options / advice!

Hi, new to the forum but learning fast with all the good posting here!

I may be a little premature, don't know if I can swing this or not, but I have been looking into driving and have gotten a lot of info here. (I'll try and keep it short).

I am in what has turned out to be a dead end job working nights with no improvement in sight, not what I was told originally. Anyway, I have seen jobs from northern IN driving RV's or pulling trailors with a dually pickup across country. I kinda thought this may be a good way to start into driving. Then I started doing research on the demand for drivers and thought about driving for real. Still considering options if I have any.
I live in southern IN and we have a very good 2 year college that offers a 8 wk driving cdl course for $4200. We also have a local trucking company, Bestway Express, and a small ConWay terminal that is always looking for drivers. Personally, I have a wife and three 8-yr-olds at home, so hometime plays into the equation. I pretty much HAVE to work right now, and cannot take 8 wks off to do the school thing and it would be pretty tough doing both class for 8hrs, & work nights for 10 for 8 wks. Another point in this conversation is the fact that 3 yrs ago (thanks to cholesterol / genes) I had a heart attack and had to have a stent placed. I am on like 7 pills/day but everything is solid now. I have driven farm grain trucks, tractors, and even a 22' box truck (non-commercial) east coast weekends for about 5 years, so I feel I could do the driving if trained properly.

With all that background said, I am trying to figure out a way to make this happen while still bringing in the cash for the family, as long as my health problems wouldnt stop me with DOT.

Just throw this out there too - I have a childhood friend that has been o/o OTR trucking for 20 years. Havent talked to him in a while, but wondering if he could help somehow. I think he is at home a lot more than he used to be. He mentioned before about running another truck, but that was just talking too, so ???? We also have local stuff that required cdl, - coal bucket, grain, produce, lumber, expedited manufactured goods, a Toyota truck factory 1/2 an hr south too.

I look forward to your ideas/advice/opinions!
Thanks for the help!
Foo

 

Sorry for the double post, no replies, but I got some news none-the-less.

Well I got ahold of my buddy (childhood friend) today, he was rolling thru N. AR on his way to TX. He has 20 yrs behind the wheel so getting input from a person I know was great, and alot of what he said is mirrored here on this forum, alot! He has done very well trucking and has gotten some very nice work over the years.

I told him my situation with my current job and that I was looking into trucking as a career change. Now I have done my share of traveling, going out west in a Delta 98 with the grandparents LOL, and touring the east coast with a rock n roll band during the 80's, which I drove the 22' box truck on the 16+hr drives between gigs on Sundays, but I had not been in a Semi since I was a kid and my neighbor who drove Mack's for Emge Meats took me out with him on a trip from IN to PA n back. That was a blast, but I was only 10, 12 yrs old, LOL.

So anyway, I am gonna line up a ride along with my buddy on a trip to TX in his rig maybe in 2 wks. I am pretty fired up about it, so I think I can get a lot of info from him as well as seeing what it is like to be out for a few days on a truck.

I have also had some ideas about just getting the CDL B and driving local stuff for a bit or pulling RV's in a 3/4t pickup just as a start into a truck or life out on the road. What y'all think?

 

Thanks, yea the classes are 8am to 5 pm, 5 days a week for 8 weeks (not to mention the $4200).

I work 2nd and 3rd shift (3rd till end of April), so going to school and working would be very difficult, but maybe not totally impossible.

Like you say, if you want it bad enough, you find a way to make it happen..... which I would. I guess thats really the bottom line.

 

Thanks, it would be nice to work something like that out.
He is gonna take me on a run sometime, but doing all that would probably be pushing it, lol.

It would be cool if he got another truck going and set me up in it, running for him, but I think he is pretty happy just doing what he is doing, but dream on right?

 

I know, I was sayin maybe later on. (like a pipe dream, )
I have no illusions of the difficulty of the job drivers have. It is a huge responsibility and requires much skill and determination.
I think that is why there is a need for schools to start off with. Then the trainers put the polish on the turd. LOL.

Take me, I have no idea what its like doing all the things involved. There is a lot more to it than driving. That is the part I feel most uncomfortable with.

My buddy was a close childhood friend, but we havent seen or talked too much in 25 yrs. When I talked to him the other day, he said to start with, i needed to ride along to see what it is like. He didnt offer any other help, just advice from his 20+ yrs on the road. He is a good guy, a hard worker, without much free time. I really dont know how much he is willing to help me out. He knows I am just feeling the water right now.

Thanks for the advice, all is welcome. The more I read = The more I learn!