please steer this wannabe trucker in the right direction

Well, if you go to a private school, you ARE on the hook for the whole thing.

Most company schools aren't that expensive. Swift Academy is $3900, paid back at $75/week for 52 weeks. Prime's school is in the same ballpark. Neither requires money up front for the actual schooling, though you may need $100 or so for various fees.

 

How old are your kids?

 

Forget about buying a truck. You are not in any condition to make owning a truck work. It will dig your hole deeper.

Can you give a detailed pay and benefit structure for these two companies you are considering? If you don't know, you need to be pushy and find out. That average starting wage means very little. How you get to it means everything.

Keep in mind you are really just a variable cost like fuel to the company if your on a millage wage. They need to run that truck enough to cover fixed costs plus variable cost enough to break even. Can they give you the miles and keep giving them to you? Enough for you to make a good wage. Their break even point is likely to be lower miles than what you need.

I have heard from drivers that did not get enough miles. They where stuck at truck stops for days. Living on the road is expensive.

You need to look into these companies more. Go to some truck stops and seek out their drivers and talk to them. Find out how much they sit, how many miles they get, how much they get home, and what they think of the company overall.

Sitting time costs you money. You need to be running. Forget about seeing the country, you can't see that much from the road anyway. If you want to make money you need to be moving.

I took my son a few times on local drop or pickups a hour from home. Safe area. Trucking over the road is not safe. Don't take your kids on the road with you. I remember a few years ago a grandpa had a grand kid riding with him. He got tangled up in a tunnel accident. Both were killed plus others. Drivers have been killed for their loads. You have to go through or stop in very unsafe areas many times.

Trucking looks so easy from the outside. In today's economy many flee hard times hoping for a new start. Many think it is going to be easy and it looks like you can make good money. Many times though it just makes your life more difficult. Some make good money others struggle.

Personally I think your making a mistake. Don't sell your business background and education short. You may need to take a lessor job at first.

How old are your kids?

 

Well you have already made your mind up. It is just which direction to go.

No way you can make it buying your own truck. If you get one what do you do with it? No experience. Who would take you. You still need to get a cdl. Poor financial situation makes it impossible for you to stay on the road if you some how find away to get out there.

You need to find out more info on these two companies. Both situations look workable. If home time is important find out which one looks best. How positive are you that they can deliver on those income estimates?

Either school seems workable.

Learn trucking on the other man's dime. Especially considering your financial situation.

Good luck either way. I hope it works out for you.

Ps. Don't take the kids on the road with you. Don't put the burden of your life style change on them. It will be bad enough on them that you are going to be gone a lot.

 

Being in a big truck is not as safe as you think. You can be the safest driver in the world and still be hit by someone else. We log so many more miles than the average person that sooner or later something bad can happen.

You have no idea where you will be running yet. You can be in dangerous area crime wise. Like I said drivers have been killed for their loads. Robbed in the parking lot of truck stops. Crazy things happen out there. What if something happens to you while stopped somewhere? Many variables you can't control, except one, leave her home. I just think you have way more risk when you go over the road even for a couple of days.

Hey that grandpa was probably a super safe driver. He just had things go terribly wrong when he had a grand kid riding with him.

What do you think his last thoughts were?

There is a element of danger in this job. Should a cop take his 12 year old on patrol with him?

This is my advice to you. But it is your choice. I pray nothing ever happens and I am just a worry wart.

In your situation I would choose the one that gets me home more.