Using a bad trucking company for entry into trucking?

Well, you're in a good life situation to fire sell all your worldly possessions and hit the road.

A cell phone is all but required anymore. A smart phone makes this job considerably more bearable than in years past.

Truck rent? Not sure what you mean by this. Not sure what you mean by insurance either.

You aren't thinking of signing a lease purchase are you?

*edit - You're speaking of renting a truck to take your cdl road test?

 

Nope. Plenty of W2'd company drivers out here and I'd strongly advise you go that route.

The only insurance I pay is for myself. As a company driver, it's not my burden to insure their truck.

 

The tickets are going to be the biggest stumbling blocks. They are too near in the past for the majority of companies, even the self insured ones. Don't get your hopes up, it may take a while.

 

You won't be able to rent or lease a truck to get your cdl.
With those tickets, you're only option is attend a cdl school, then work for a less than desirable trucking company.
Contact the unemployment office and they can set you up with free cdl school which the state actually pays for.
In the mean time, go to the top of this page and click on "CDL Practice Tests" and memorize the questions & answers. You need this to get your CDL Permit before enrolling in driving school.
Google : "Free CDL Practice Tests Florida" and start memorizing as much as you can.

Carolina Cargo is a second chance company that hires new cdl grads with less than stellar driving records or criminal history.
Might find someone to hire you on Craigslist "Transportation"

 

Ouch.

I don't know OP's work situation, but going from 60k/year to teaming with a stranger for .10 a mile is pretty terrible.

What about PTL or Pam? I think I'd go to Western Express before I went to Carolina Cargo. At least you wouldn't be trying to sleep while Larry your new cell mate ...errr, I mean, driving partner, gets you both killed.

 

The problem is, he has a list of tickets he received during the last few months.
The pay is low, but it's a second chance company and he's paid for all miles the truck runs whether he's driving or sleeping; he's paid for all miles he drives and all miles his team mate drives also.
PTL or Pam won't hire anyone with that driving record and unlikely Western Express will but he can apply anyway. Maybe Florida Beauty Express will hire him.
All this is a big maybe after he gets approved for cdl school. If the state agrees to pay for his cdl school, they may require a couple of pre-hire letters from trucking companies before they agree to spend tax payers money on cdl school tuition. At that point he can do the online applications and find out if he has a chance.
I'd try:
Carolina Cargo
Western Express
Florida Beauty Express

 

There's dozens of former IT people that post on here that went through the same experience as you. $100K per year down to zero because some H1B took the same job for $30K and no benefits.
It's easy to get back to at least $60K in trucking within a few months if you have all the endorsements and a passport. You're case is different in that you have so many tickets. $60K+ is still achievable but will take you about 3 years when those tickets drop off and no more tickets.

 

When you take test for your permit...do all the endorsement test at same time. You will pay the same price. Haz mat requires a fingerprint check and backgroumd with a seperate agency. Dont lnow but someone here can let you know the price. You can wait on hazmat... since some companies will reimburse you for that.