Thinking of being a truck driver some questions?

Currently I am a heavy equipment operator (Dozer, hoe, loader ect.)
With the real estate crash hours are hard to come by, and the job market has dried up, If I get layed off I won't have an easy time finding another job. For years I have thought about and wanted to be a trucker, I'm single, and would love to just get out and hit the open road. This would be a perfect time in my life.
I have a few questions that are hard to find online. I have talked to a few trucker friends but I want to hear from more people and have some things my friends couldn't answer.


First I was thinking of getting hired on and trained by swift, but after reading the hundreds of horror stories online and the video's on you tube I decided that probably wouldnt be a good decision, but if its a final offer I would take it. No job in the beginning is that great, and everybody has to pay their dues, especially when starting a new trade. But I plan on looking at all my options first. Right now I'm leaning towards Werner. I know they have a lot of bad stuff online from them also, but they are local and I'm sure I am strong enough to survive at least one year with them, I can get some much needed experience that will help me if I decide to move to a better company. You never know I might like it there also. If there are some companies with with good reputations that train, or take recent truck driving shool graduates please suggest them. Anyway I have a few questions.
So here is question #1

1: Should I hire on with a company that will train me, or pay my own money and attend a truck driver training school? All the companies that train you hire from the school I'm planning on attending, so Im wondering if people that have gone that route, or know about it can give me help with the pro's and con's of learning from your employer, or from a truck driving school.

2: What kind of pay should I expect? Swift on its web site has incredible pay listed on their web site, I know there is no way I can expect 90 grand a year as a 2 year truck driver but I am wondering about starter pay or experienced pay, and if I can even get some decent hauls what is the typical pay to expect? Werner has more realistic pay listed: 1 year drivers are listed at 37 grand a year.
Im not worried about home time, I traveled a lot as a team member of a skydiving team and I have friends all over the country so I dont mind staying out for long periods of time. But I would like to be driving most of that. So whats the typical pay, and what should I expect as experience builds? Basically, what kind of pay weekly(bi weekly) is normal for an experienced OTR truck driver?

3: Normal things, I would like to shower, and eat healthy. I dont eat fast food, so what kind of shops can I expect to be able to go to while on the road. I plan on buying a powered cooler that you plug in your cigarette lighter, and stocking it. Can I pull into a grocery store? Or is there good food available at the truck stops (fruit, sliced turkey, whole weat bread ect?). Also is there places to shower daily, and if so are they cesspools, or decent showers with, semi-clean water?

4: Im of the understanding that the days of pulling over and leaving your truck running while you sleep for ac or heat are over. So if I get tired while driving how do you sleep? Do you have to drive until you find a rest stop? Is there places you can plug into to run your ac or heat? What is the normal operation here, what do you do for sleep? I have also heard of companies trying to get you to push the rules, is this normal, and can you flat out refuse? Also is there safe places to jog, or work out? I would like to bring my road bike along. What do truck drivers normally do for the mandatory stop driving times? I normally sleep about 4-5 hours a day, so what do you do when your not sleeping but cant drive? Also, is it safe to pull over and leave your windows down while you sleep? I dont see many trucks at rest stops with windows open, it has to be hot as hell in there.

5: I keep reading about extended down time, example (you arrive at your destination and you have a 2 or more day wait until your next pick up is available), I have read about extended hotel stays, who pays for these hotels? If your truck needs service? If your load isn't ready? Im sure there is many reasons why you might have to stay overnight. So if you have to stay in town for a few days, who usually pays for the hotel? Or do you just stay in your truck for that time? I would think that could be quite expensive over the period of a year. Same as fuel, tolls ect, do you pay those and get reimbursed, or does the company usually have an account that covers it.

6: Truck modification? The trucks that I have seen are pretty nice (usually). Are you allowed to instal tv's, Dvd players, ect. You spend a lot of time in your truck, it would be nice to make them more liveable.

7: how does the time off usually work? Do you request a home time and they try to get you home around that time? Do you build up more days off if you have more days away? Like: If I was on the road for a month straight would I get 8 days at home?


Im sure the answers to these questions change from company to company, and person to person. I'm looking for a general idea on this. If you do answer, It would be nice if you could include the company you work for, or the companies you know the answer for. I am not expecting the best job ever, I'm willing to work hard, work long hours, and have to deal with some ######## here and there. Every job has it, so why wouldn't this one. I just want to know the basics, what to expect and most of all if it is worth it. I have a pretty good job now, the market wont stay down forever, but then again if I want to move into this career, I need to start now so I can build up time and experience. I would love to be on the road. It would be a great job in my later years, so now would be a great time to start. There is so many reasons why this job suits me. And I know I will go through a lot of changes. It will take some time to get used to. I expect all of that.

I want to thank you ahead of time for your responses. Any help will do. And any suggestions would be appreciated.

Im looking forward to hearing from you.
Thanks again.
Blue SkiEs
Ray

P.S Relocating isn't a problem, where is the best place to call home, currently I live in Florida, where is the best part of the country to work at? ie: safe to drive, less traffic, long hauls ect.

 

I just thought of another thing, how about vacations? Do you get a week off each year, or anything like that? Would I loose my truck if I took a week off each year?
Thanks