Looking to get into trucking. Research so far says STEER CLEAR

And forgot to take his medication.

 

Every driver I ever met AVERAGED 3,000 miles each week.

 

Another who lost his medication. (The dog ate it...he just looks like a Basset Hound)

 

I agree 150%. I have done both, in fact strange enough I was a milk reciever working in a factory, now I'm a milk hauler. I make better money, get left alone for the most part, and rarely have do deal with the boss. I get to work outside which is both good and bad. Bad in the winter. I am home daily.

There are so many different types of truck driving jobs, this is not a one size fits all occupation. There is likely a job that pays a living wage and fits your own personal needs.

Factory work, factory work sucks.

 

how many miles did you do a week to make that 60k? Home time?

 

Home time = 1 day per week, the industry OTR standard. In my 2nd year I earned an extra 1 week paid vacation. Now beginning my 3rd year I will get 2 weeks paid vacation.

Miles varied week to week. I drive 110k in 1 year so that’s somewhere under 2500 miles a week. I also received accessory extra pay for this and that related to my flatbed job. Also holiday pay for every holiday. Hazmat loads paid extra per mile, same with oversized.

It’s quite easy to make $60k in flatbed. But it’s not for everyone.

 

CT is in a really good spot to look for LTL or even local,you may look into intermodal as well,take u home every weeken or every day if there’s a local option near by,Schneider and J B Hunt are big players I that area and that my help u,is true that at the beginning is though and you will probably have to run at least 6 months OTR before u can get better hometown options, just make sure u can deal with the loneliness of the road,the long miles and time away from home at least for the first 6 mts to 1 yr and if you decide you can the give it a shot,
Good luck

 

I'm 26 and started school on the day of my 21st birthday. Was in college and found out I had a baby on the way and the teaching career that still needed more schooling wasn't gonna work. Sold my car and paid $4500 to go to a CDL school. 3 weeks later got CDL but no company would take me cause of age but mostly cause no experience. Had to go with a major carrier anyway so still not sure to this day if I should have just went with a major carrier CDL Mill anyway. USXPRESS paid me tuition reimbursement anyway. Did 8 months Dollar Tree and 4 months Dollar General. Was supposed to be home every weekend but was more like 1 34 hour reset a month. Ran illegal as all hell as was common practice on those accounts. Finger printed every box and every roll cage. Delivered to places that shouldn't even fit a uhaul. Made 75k my first year and best experience you can get. That experience got me a local job with Kinard (now owned by celadon) for 2 years and then with UNFI in York PA for now 2 years (hopefully forever). 75k with big red, 40k kinard, 45k kinard, 60k UNFI, 72k UNFI and after 5 years top rate UNFI average is 100k+.... Even if I had gotten my teaching degree or tech degree I wouldn't even be close to the salary I'm at now. Also no school debt.

You have no kids and if you don't mind paying your dues trucking can be great. Just keep a clean record and be prepared to earn it... I hope my long story is read and helps you decide lol

 

Are you still working at unfi in York?
How do you like it? Pros cons?
Is it hourly or per piece?

 

That was my reasoning 30 some yrs ago.In retrospect maybe set the bar a little too low. I do like Trucking no regrets however I’ve seen quite a few do much better in Trades. I’m just saying might want to compare pay vs amount of time involved. Trucking is definitely a different lifestyle as you say. Time becomes more valuable as I get older.Still have to give it a lot of my time to earn a decent living.Theres more to life than working. Trucking takes a lot of your time.