West Coast Vs. Northeast

Most of the "money" insofar as the carrier is concerned may be in the SE or midwest. As a company driver, you should focus on where your company has ample freight that keeps you running (miles), not ample freight that keeps you sitting at a dock waiting on high per-mile freight for the carrier. I'm unusual in that I'd rather run NJ and MA as opposed to GA and SC because GA and SC here mean shorter haul both in and out. NJ/MA on the other hand means longer hauls going in and going out. The issues of NE running don't bother me because I've done it long enough to know all the ins and outs and knowing I'll probably be in and out very quickly, setting up to do it again next week.

For some carrriers, you may run more miles running west but that is highly subjective. Many carriers who operate western fleets struggle to get drivers moving once they land in SoCal or Phoenix and these are 2 areas you will see regularly on a western fleet, so beware.

 

East coast is not even as hyped up as people make it to be. 95% hype.... Don't believe it.....

 

now i run wi to so cal and back
i like the roads without huge traffic every mile
born and raised in new england
ran 95 corridor for years
not a problem just busy
if you drive company and want the best miles
not stuck in traffic
to me west of chicago is the deal

 

It's not a one size fits all. Some actually prefer the Northeast. I really dislike runs to the Northeast; congested, terrible during winter months.

Are you looking for trucking company CDL schools?

If you want a mix, but mostly Western runs, then look at Midwest-Coast Transport in Auburndale. No problem getting runs into and out of Florida since they're based there. I think their CDL school is 3 weeks then OJT.

Southern Refrigerated Transport also does lots of FL/West coast runs with a little mix of Northeast and every where else. Their CDL school is 4 weeks and provide bus ticket, hotel room, 3 meals a day.

Both those companies is tuition free if you stay a year.

 

I stay out of the northeast as much as I can. As an O/O it's good paying freight going in but the tolls kill you if you can't get a good reload out. Deadhead is the devil. Especially out of NYC. I'll only go in if I got something lined up going out so I can bill the tolls.
I usually stay on I40 and south but I avoid dropping below Orlando, FL.

 

Actually most carriers will say theres more money in the northeast, some even pay you more to run the northeast, but driver wise the northeast sucks, especially if you don't have prepass. New York and PA don't want you idling your truck. Tolls can be over $100.00 a trip up there and you cannot make any time up there. Theres a lot of places you cant be with a truck up there. Mostly all you have to deal with out west is mountains. My ideal running area has always been the southeast, Midwest and southwest. I don't mind New Hampshire, Conn, R.I., Del and Maine, don't even mind upstate New York and PA (as long as I can stay west of 81 and don't have to layover there) and don't mind parts of New Jersey but if it were up to me, I wouldn't have run anywhere but the southeast or Midwest/southwest. That's just my opinion though.

 

Comcar website has info. on Midwest-Coast CDL school.
I'll Private Message you an 800 number for Southern Refrigerated. TTR doesn't want phone numbers posted on the open forum.

 

Driving in cities in the northeast is a lot worse than other parts of the country. I've only been driving about 7 months, but I did my first few in the northeast. The first time I went to Wyoming and back, I decided I hated the Northeast. The cities in the Northeast are tighter. Roads are smaller. I don't have nearly as many close call turns on the west coast, even in their big cities, as I do nearly anywhere on the east coast. The west is newer, and land isn't as scarce, they didn't have to make everything so compact.

Only nice thing I'll say about the North East is that wind seems to be no where near the problem it is in the west. Crazy out there in Wyoming, lol.