Trucking's the Answer

like anything in life it is what you make of it.

many MANY times I had students tell me they were going to run like heck and save every penny and get out of a hole they were in ...

but the problem was not the hole - but rather the fact that they kept digging!


if you are not financially savvy now - you will still be broke in 10 years.

- evaluate your needs and set goals.

with a stubborn resolve and a tad bit of anger and resentment that my former career had been outsourced and destroyed by foreign companies and cheap labor - I was able to go from rookie to company driver to lease operator to independent owner op - to small company owner (7 units) to sell it all and pay off my house and bills.

after all my toys were liquidated I took a job with a cushy union outfit - and coast thru my week making "real" top rate.


my life is set - and I thank it all to this industry.


I never NEVER considered trucking growing up.

I never knew a trucker prior to taking a dare from fraternity brothers

"go ahead mikey - get your cdl!!! it will be cool"

but I was in a hole - and had to do something.

turns out if you are motivated and have any business sense you can make a pretty quick buck.




lots of myths and rumors can be dispelled too.

- you do not have to go weeks without a shower... even a day. It is a choice that drivers make.

- an apu / inverter and a microwave will save you a ton of cash - BUT your daily tax per diem is over 50 bucks (do you really need to eat 50+ dollars worth of food a day? or CAN you? (save from lobster etc etc)

- companies will use you and take advantage of you.... you only get used if you allow yourself to get used. (live by the "fool me once" manta and be vigilant.)


- its a hard life - and a lifestyle not a job ( crap. it is what you want it to be. all too often I hear the whining about being gone from family etc etc - there are local jobs that pay more than long haul OTR - you just have to know where to look)


- Long haul is the only way to make money... (crap. I know trash truck drivers making 70K.)


- you have to run illegal to make money... (CRAP. you will get caught - and pay dearly i.e. loose your cdl / or life.)


anyway - there is a wealth of knowledge on this board - and hopefully you can tap into the good ideas - and upbeat people who love what they do...

(don't let my avatar fool you - I am really not a bad guy...)

some of us may seem cranky towards new guys - but the fact is too many get into trucking to solve problems in their lives that would be there if they made 2 million a year - or if they had everything given to them.

make sure your hole and being broke is not the result of an issue unresolved and you will do fine out here!

 

Did anyone notice the guy is from New York? I don't think he will have too much trouble finding a company that will put him to work.......

As for training........ you mentioned that most of the companies train only for a few weeks....... you might want to get a few more details...... usually the carriers train just for the license for several weeks....... then you go out on the road with a trainer......... four weeks out with a trainer (for OTR) seems average from the posters on this site........

Welcome!

Probably....... but you can always go back to being normal if you don't like being a trucker......hehehehe

 

Good Luck. At your orientation ask alot of questions. I choose flatbead, cause of the work involved, learning to secure the load and those tarps. TMC is an excellent outfit to get started with. They will teach you well, and those black pete's. Have fun out there and be safe.

 

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE read this over and over!!! Matter of fact, I'm going to post it again....... and again....... and again......


you do not have to go weeks without a shower... even a day.

you do not have to go weeks without a shower... even a day.

you do not have to go weeks without a shower... even a day.

you do not have to go weeks without a shower... even a day.

you do not have to go weeks without a shower... even a day.

you do not have to go weeks without a shower... even a day.

you do not have to go weeks without a shower... even a day.

you do not have to go weeks without a shower... even a day.

you do not have to go weeks without a shower... even a day.

you do not have to go weeks without a shower... even a day.

you do not have to go weeks without a shower... even a day.

you do not have to go weeks without a shower... even a day.

you do not have to go weeks without a shower... even a day.

 

You should go to TMC right out of school. They do prefer recent graduates, and even started a CDL training school in Des Moines, so give them a call and ask about it. That way, they can train you to secure the RIGHT way from the get-go and wont have to train bad habits out of you. I started there three days after I finished CDL school. Should have stayed but my kid got pneumonia and I had to take time off. Tried to come back a month and a half later and they just blew me off.

You'll run hard at TMC to make $60k first year. If you want to make that much money, forget about getting home every weekend. The linehaul guys can get home every weekend, but you'll make much more money (over $1k/wk) if you go long haul (2 weeks out, two days home).

You are definitely right about being able to cut all of those strings. I personally like being out on the road and think there is less stress than the job you do, no doubt. If you do linehaul at TMC, you'll be picking up in the early afternoon, running overnight (until your hours are up) and trying to be the first one at the consignee the next morning. Four or five a week will make you some big bucks. Longhaul is a bit more relaxed.

 

That is actually funny....... I currently teach high school boys who have very few career options at this point in their life...... one of the options I always tell them about is being a copy machine repairman........ I mean, com'on, I'm a teacher...... I deal with copy machines daily and can you honestly tell me about any other job out there on this planet that has more job security than the copier guy???? ......LOL...... those machines are designed to break .......... constantly!!!

I know you have a child, but if you are going to drive then you are willing to be away from the east coast......... have you considered moving to a cheaper part of the country? I mean, you can even live in California decently on 40K........... lots of copy machines too!!!

Start a new thread titled "Can a driver get work in New York?" and see what happens!!!

If you have been accepted by SNI......... go with them! Even if you leave later, their training program is respected by ALL the other carriers! Search this site........ think long and hard before you turn them down....

You're up for a challenge aren't you?

BTW...... do you know about your test(s).......pre-trip, parallel parking?

 

Wow Latanea- I never knew this. It's always great to hear a success story, and it sounds like you deserve it!

 

Like you i have read the info here on this site. Talked with drivers and have had a chance to digest the info. I'm looking for the good training. Schneider has the best reputation as I have read it. From what I've read it appears to be real training. If I were to go with them but I would have to move back to Mexicfornia aka Californication.
Some companies will keep you on the road as a student for quit awhile as a way to achieve their goal of getting someone to team drive. It is not much different than OJT. Trainers, as there called, are really not anything more than a driver taking you on the road with them. You are just an inexperienced team driver. This kind of training is done because most drivers don't like team driving. It is 22 hours in the truck. Imagine that.

As for you not being able to imagine something worse than copy machine repair. You may want to work on that imagination.