Trucking FL?

If it were me, I would move to New Port Richey. Many of the local jobs won't pay as well as in Chicago, but the cost of living isn't near as high as Chicago either plus the yearly average weather is excellent. There's some good jobs if you get away from the local work. There's some good companies in Central Florida.

Lessors Inc. you should easily make over a grand a week.
Heyl Truck Lines - local/regional/OTR
Indian River Transport - local/OTR
Blue Line Food Service
Southeastern Freight Lines
FedEx Freight

 

China is wrong on Heyl, Irt, and Lessors concerning local or regional. LTL and Food Service jobs will typically pay at least $1,000 gross per week. Very few other things pay that down here. Hourly jobs tend to be around $14 per hour. Most regional gigs and home daily gigs list $850 gross per week. I saw a yard dog job listed the other day for $10 per hour. Florida is different. If you're able and willing to do more than just drive it can be done. Mbm typically lists 55k to 60k 1st year. Dillon running tanker hazmat might make a grand.

 

I've hauled many loads into FL, and rarely a load out. I've deadheaded all the way to Atlanta from Ft. Meyers before. I looked into OTR when I lived there (Panhandle Region), most of the big companies will hire you out of FL, but be prepared to be gone 2-3 weeks at a time. I would check into LTL companies around there, perhaps even fuel hauling if you have an "X" endorsement.

Checkout www.employflorida.com this is probably the best job search engine for that area.


Good luck!

 

I said, those local jobs are there, but don't pay as well.

His wife should do OK taking care of all those little old retired ladies, keeping their hair dyed blue and purple.

 

That's why some of us have different perspectives and experiences in Florida. Pulling reefers, I never, not even one time, was stuck getting loads out of Florida. The company would notify CH Robinson that a truck was on the way to Florida and would be unloaded at an approximate time and it worked for us, every time. Either produce out of the Everglades or juice or frozen stuff somewhere near the I-4 corridor. We had a women in the company that was very aggressive on finding loads, and we never sat around waiting. That's my experience with Florida. I've heard all the horror stories, but never experienced any of it.

 

I agree with chinatown, I'd look into local work with an ltl company. I haul fuel locally out of jacksonville.

 

Chinatown, your last few sentences pegged it. Your company had an aggressive policy to keep the truck moving which benefits the driver. You were fortunate. Most companies take a much less aggressive approach, leaving the driver sit until a more profitable load comes available. My two OTR Reefer experiences were with Heyl and Lessors. Neither would sacrifice profit margin to keep a driver moving. Unfortunately, both companies sent me back to Florida too often.

 

Everybody has different priorities. For me, I prefer to be home every 7-10 days for 1-3 days. I used to stay 4 months on the road and my then-wife divorced my behind after a year.
I'll rather sacrifice some money and be married to a woman. 'coz being married to my truck doesn't work for me that well.
I work for Heyl btw, making $700-800/wk on average.