30 years retired Cop - aspiration in becoming a Truck Driver

I came into trucking from aviation (pilot & mechanic). It cultivated a sense of professionalism that I really liked. It enforced the same. After 28 year of trucking I retired because 75% of trucking companies, customers, drivers would more likely rub wet trash over their face than act professionally. My last few years in trucking were during the Covid supply chain crisis. MOST customers were treating drivers like stray dogs with rabies. There was a flood of 3rd world drivers into trucking who thought sharing a truck with 4 others and relieving themselves through a whole in the truck floor was almost as good as winning the lottery. I couldn't take it and retired. I haven't missed it for a minute.

I'm just saying if you have a strong sense of professionalism it may work against you in modern trucking. THERE IS NO DRIVER SHORTAGE but the media keeps running that fake story. If "driver shortage" is part of your equation beware hiring is very very slow now and the profitability of trucking companies is declining. Ignore stories about automated trucks to replace everyone in 5 years. That story is about 20 years old and also fake.

If you get into trucking get all of your endorsements, especially tanker and HazMat, and move into tankers as soon as possible. It's the professional section of trucking. Dry van and reefer have the most volume and employee the most uncivilized and least experienced drivers. There are great people in both dry van and reefer but they are almost the exception. In tanker, the civilized people are the rule. After training, when you have a solo truck, if you work at a company with enough freight you can live in the truck and save whatever money you spend for housing, if you want to do that.

The most important thing I can suggest is to find the job you want to do BEFORE you decide about getting a CDL. Not all companies hire from all areas. Not all companies accept graduates from all CDL schools. Some trucking companies have their own CDL schools. DO NOT go to CDL school and then start deciding about where to work. Find the job you want and that will hire you and then go to the CDL school that makes sense for that job. I know it sounds like doing the process backwards but it is the best way to go from no-CDL to working truck driver.

I'm assuming you have zero criminal history, zero speeding tickets/accidents, no DUIs, and can document your last 3 years of employment, and can pass any drug test. Those all put you ahead of the crowd in todays hiring process. You have time and it's easy to rush into the industry in a way that promises to kick you out in much less than 12 months with very little to show for it.

There are many of us willing to help you do this and avoid the scams and false stories from company web sites and company recruiters.

 

I wonder about something, and it would be something I ask in an interview: What do you mean by accomplished?

I would also preface this with another question - what do you think this is all about?

Not trying to be a smart *****, many times this isn't a job for the bored because it can be frustrating.

By the way, TSCOTTME wrote a great post that everyone should read.

 

Like said, Indy has a lot of options.TMC has a presence there I believe, if you want flatbed. Schneider was mentioned, another option. Fraley and Schilling, runs vans and flat.Rushville, I believe.

 

Jump on in, the waters fine.
Number 1 rule, Not my business, not my problem.
There are any number of things you'll see that would offend civilized society. That said, it doesn't mean you have to participate nor consider it. Glance at it, be amused or revolted. And move on.
When I ran, I pretty much kept to myself. I saw things that I didn't agree with, but I felt like it was their life and they could live it as they wished to.
Finally, don't let these old guys get you all jacked up on "the way it used to be". Keep in mind that these were the same people running illegal logs on bennies. Trucking has always been a hore sport, and it always will be so.
Get on with a good, solid company and you'll be fine.

 

You’ll hear a lot about OTR (over the road, the guys that spend anywhere from a couple of weeks to many months at a time out on the road) and local work (home every night). There’s a third way to go, regional. That’s kind of a middle ground, it’s what I’m doing. I roll out on Sunday afternoon and get back Friday afternoon, spending my weekend at home.

During the week, I’m sleeping in the truck just like the OTR drivers. I drive out of Dallas, and most of my work is in Texas and Oklahoma, but I occasionally go as far as California to the west and Ohio to the east. As a regional driver, I’m on a salary rather than getting paid by the mile, so I get paid the same regardless of how far I drive. I’m not getting rich, but I’m doing all right.

 

We had a retired officer come to work for us.The company teamed him up with another driver for training.They got into a lot of AA&E hauling,so they were top team earners for a couple years.Anything is possible.