Looking For Advice From Experienced Drivers

In 1980 I was just barely 19 years old I started hauling grain and cattle for a local company in Colorado but only intrastate ever once a while they’d send me to New Mexico or Nebraska sneak around a little bit but that’s how I got started .

 

If you can only drive intrastate, consider moving to Texas. It's a big state. There's plenty of work in agriculture or oil field.

With agriculture you have an exemption to go interstate. There are companies that haul combines and other equipment based in Texas that follow the planting or harvest seasons on up to the Canadian border, then come back down to Texas to start again with the next piece of equipment.

 

The trouble is and I know this from my own experience in the limo business, you’ll get held up on insurance and equipment payments. Also you’ll have to decide if you want you’re own operating authority or to lease on to a company and run under there authority getting operating authority and license plates for the truck while not impossible by any means is a bit of a pain, there are companies that can help you navigate the paper work and channels with the DOT.

The thing is if you become an owner operator you have to, have to get working the minute all you’re paper work and stuff clears and it’s hard to say but you might spend 15-20 days of the month working to cover insurance, truck maintenance and truck payments.

Then another question is what kind of freight do you want to haul? Because you may end up having to buy you’re own trailer that’s another payment although trailers in general aren’t the same kind of money a truck would be.

I would recommend you work some place because you need to learn how to work with dispatch, shippers and receivers. And also how the hours of service clock works.

 

The difference between Employer A & Employer B is likely to be far more important than the type of work they do. Nobody here can tell you if farmer Brown is honest, pays well, and understands his employees need some time off. The same applies for construction boss Smith or whoever in your area you might work for. You should talk to employees at the farm or the construction company. There is no substitute for that info.

 

You would do some OTR in convoy yes. But you would learn about heavy haul, and heavy trucks. Super heavy haul in fact.

Landstar is very tough. You will have to do a year over the road, with a winter, with someone to qualify.

Let me say this--

When you start driving a truck, you will learn that almost every move you make starts with a set up. How you take a curve. How you take a ramp. How you turn. How you park and back up.

And the set up will make it either easy or really tough.

This also applies to your situation as a career. You're in the set up. Do it right. Should you go Air Force or Army, keep your nose clean, you'll have you're CDL, experience, and knowledge. Probably have all your endorsements as well.

I'll bet money your job application will mysteriously fall to the top of the pile at any place you choose.

Landstar heavy division does lots of DOD stuff. You getting a clearance would be a snap.

It's what I'd do.

My cousin did a similar path. He drove bombs and stuff around Nellis for an enlistment. Got out, did flatbed for like 2 years, then got on with Dolly Madison as a teamster, and stayed there 28 years. He just pensioned out.

Plus you'll be a vet. You'll have all the entitlements that comes with that.

I was in the Navy. Even back then, there was like an 18 month wait to become a CB, and learn truck. My roommate did it.

Think about a building. If the foundation is ####, it's not gonna last.

Build yourself a solid foundation. Especially at 18. I mean if that's what your goal is, is the big equipment or step decks. You'll make more money than you ever thought possible.

Good luck.

 

Go to college of find a trade until you're 21. Don't do any dead end ######## jobs. Save your money. If you still want to drive truck, use the money you saved to go to a good school, one with a skid pad (where they teach you how to correct skids and slides). Get all of the endorsements, and don't use an automatic. when you go to get hazmat also get a TWIC and a passport.

Start in a van, preferably reefer. Second year go tankers or flats, 3rd year decide what you want to do in trucking for the rest of your life and find a good job accordingly. Save your money. Around 5 years decide if you want your own truck or would rather be a company driver.

Drive in the rain, sleet and snow. Don't be a #######, get out and look, don't hit things, leave following distance, get off your God #### phone. Don't be an #######, help other drivers out if they let you, accept help if you need it.

EDIT: Also, instead of college or a trade school, military is a very good option.

 

My thought to add: you know you like that truck. You have no idea whether you like trucking!

I like trucks. A lot. Have a real passion for the industry. I love to drive. Once in a while. Really I am not put on this world to do nothing but trucking. It would be a straight path to the rubber room for me. I don't know how the pros do it.

But I love trucks. Own a couple. Have drivers to drive them. Best paid employees we have. I drive them once in a while on a relief run or some such.

Moral of the story: better figure out if you like trucking

 

Driving a truck won’t cost him $90,000 in student loans to go along with those failed dreams. I am just joking, nothing is failed, it is all part of living and growing