A few questions from a prospect

Hello,
Just started posting out here on the forums, though I've been browsing/searching for a couple weeks.
I was recently terminated from a nearly 3 year long job in the medical field. While I love the medical field, and am very good at the actual work and patient interaction, I find that I am not the best at dealing with the co-worker drama. I can take crap from a patient/customer all day long and not be affected. I can take crap from a co-worker here and there and be fine. The problem, for me, is when that drama is shoved down your throat 8-14 hours a day, 5-6 days a week relentlessly. I actually spent the last year and a half doing the transportation, so while not a CDL, I have experience being on the road and transporting some precious cargo. Granted not on the road nearly as many hours and of course, for all I know that may not count for anything.

So, I've been considering trucking as a change of pace and lifestyle. They say you have your freedom and whatnot. I understand you still have load managers/dispatchers/whatever but it sounds like you don't have to deal with them 2-12 hours a day, day in and day out. Sounds like a better match for my personality, if that isn't a false assumption. I'm curious if it is a true line of logic or not.

Another thought, which again I don't know if this is doable or just romanticizing trucking: I'm hoping that if I can essentially 'live on the truck' and work my ### off for 2-3 years, I might be able to buy a decent home and property and have it paid off very quickly, if not purchase straight out. So, if I so choose, I could live off of a part time job in the future as most of any checks these days seem to go to rent. Do you think this is within the realm of reason?

So, I've spent the last month doing my best to research the industry, companies and whatnot.
Sometimes it seems like I am more confused than when I started, but I'm pushing through.

I do not currently have a CDL, I might be able to get into a regular CDL school (Continental in Dallas) if I move fast enough so I have the deposit, and manage a co-signer, or I could just through the many hoops of Workforce and maybe get it paid for. Otherwise it's company training.

As I am unemployed currently, I find I have a lot of time on my hands, so would it be beneficial for me to study on my own and go down to the DMV and take the CDL tests before I go to any of these schools, or would that be more harmful than beneficial?

So I think I have narrowed down the companies I am really wanting to go with to Prime, Maverick and Stevens. I was looking at Roehl, but I have read that they predetermine your route up to and including where you're going to be fueling at, as well as have driver-facing cameras. So that pretty much turned me off. I'm looking to learn, but once I'm primarly self-sufficient I want a company that will be there when I have further questions or issues, not a company that spoon feeds me for my entire time with them.

For the camera thing, I understand how they are supposed to work and have seen the arguments for and against, but I would just be too creeped out by a camera staring at me all day and night. Even if there is a curtain between us. Road facing cameras I don't mind though.
Though of course, I understand that I may have to choose otherwise if they don't accept me, and my recent termination has me a bit concerned, especially with Prime. Also, feel free to speak up for any other companies you think are worth a look. I'm in the Fort Worth, TX area.

I'd love to hear everyone's opinions on those three companies (and/or one you may be mentioning) good or bad, especially regarding new driver training, new trucker earning potential, and how they treat their drivers. Are drivers abused and taken advantage of there, or are they treated with at least a modicum of dignity and shown the best ways to succeed?
Do they have any benefits that they don't tend to advertise?
Hell, anything you can offer on them I'll take, except venom. I'm not trying to start a ####-talking thread, so please, keep it honest, but civil.

For the earning potential, I am aware that a new driver won't be 'making bank', and in the end what I make is based mostly on my own work ethic. I'm intelligent, have a good work ethic, and work hard. At least I like to think so. I'm willing to do what it takes to get the job done. Legally. I'm asking about who has the best potential if I put in the time and hard work. Who will give you the miles, who has (if any) you sitting around for days.
Does one have a higher CPM, but less miles, so the lower CPM and higher miles with another company could be better potential?
I understand there are a plethora of other threads regarding these companies, and have read several, and will be reading more. There are just so many it can get difficult to wade through without an overload of information. Then sorting out what is current, what is old, what is still in effect, has this changed since that was posted? Etc

Another question I have is regarding driving record. If I got a minor speeding ticket less than 3 years ago and paid it and completed deferred disposition. From what I understand that should make it like it never happened on my driving record, so am I supposed to claim it on my applications?

Sorry for rambling on, I know the thoughts in this posting are probably scattered like buckshot. I am just really nervous, anxious and a little excited at the idea of just turning my life upside down by jumping in a truck and taking off. Thanks for your time, and even more for your answers.

 

You had a lot of questions. Maverick is a good choice.

 

Yeah, sorry, I do have a lot of questions. For every answer I dig up, I seem to get even more lol. Thanks for your input.

 

Just don't rush into schooling, the costs, and the training phase before you're absolutely sure you want to make the leap. It's not for everybody, even getting into your "ideal driving job" early on can prove to be more difficult then realized.

Lots of ways to get started and these various avenues also need to be considered before jumping in to keep the unnecessary BS as minimal as possible, given where you want to begin your career.

 

I can speak in regards to Prime on the company driver side. I went through their school last year to get my CDL since Springfield, MO was my original home town. I went company for the sheer fact I don't know enough of the industry to be successful at leasing. I actually just turned in my two weeks in a couple days ago, and am transitioning to something local to where I've since moved in north central Tennessee (getting married in July and OTR isn't the best way to start a new marriage).

I went through orientation the last week of January, and started out the first week of February with my instructor. Came back in at the beginning of March (I was ready beforehand, but weather kept us out), and tested out for my CDL. That left 30,000 miles to complete with a trainer. Once you are hired on, the pay is $700/wk guaranteed minimum while you are with your trainer, plus $0.14/mi for every mile over 5,000. My trainer and I were running between 6,500 and 7,500 miles per week. Coming from a regular garbage retail job, that was a nice change! I solo'd out and upgraded the 1st week of May.

The pay is $0.38/mile, plus $0.05/mile if you go with one of their 'lightweight' tractors (short sleeper instead of a condo). Typically, I understand they push solo company drivers to go for the lightweights (Freightliner Cascadia or International ProStar). However, I planned at the time to have a passenger some of the time and didn't need the lightweight bonus so I requested a condo and I got it with no questions.

A few months ago, I switched to a baby International which I'm currently in. That got me the extra $0.05/mi and the International's get the best fuel mileage of our fleet. Bumping my governor, the thing will get 9.0-9.5mpg fully loaded on level ground, which (at the time) translated into an additional $0.05-0.06/mile fuel bonus. Due to the lower diesel prices lately and the projections of low prices over the next 18 months, Prime has redone that fuel bonus program...and it sucks.

I have typically ran anywhere between 2,200 and 2,700 miles per week. A couple weeks I have been over 3,000 miles and one week I hit 3,500 and pretty well maxed out my 70 hour clock. I've always had great miles, and when I have taken home time, my fleet manager has always gotten me either a day (or two) early, or right when I was supposed to get home.

Personally speaking (and there are always different stories no matter who you talk to), from my instructor, to my trainer, to the fleet manager I was placed under (who is also the fleet manager for both my instructor and trainer), my experience was top notch. All three of those men are still close friends to me. From what I have read on here, perhaps my experience overall is unusual, but that's the experience I had! Hopefully some of the drivers from the other companies can chime in with some good information, too. Helps to know all aspects of the picture to make a good decision.

 

I like your post.

Do you know the difference between Studying and Reading? Study is work. Reading is recreation. We read because we enjoy reading. We learn easier when we enjoy learning.

You have two kinds of drivers. One driver hates driving, the other enjoys it. Which one will you hear complaining? I started out local, but went OTR because local wasn't enough for me. I prefer they road, love the road. I am doing what I want to do. It's not work, it's recreation.

Will learning as much as you can and studying aid you when you start school? Sure it will.

Can you live in a truck for a few years then buy some property? You can do anything you set your mind to. No limits. I wouldn't do the cameras either.

 

I do appreciate the warning, and you are right it isn't something that should be taken lightly. Where I stand now, trucking seems the best option for my personality. Even when I have a job, I'm generally either at work, working my ### off, or at home, alone, playing on my computer or sleeping. So I essentially live a solitary lifestyle anyway.

I appreciate the response, this is exactly the kind of thing I am looking for. Plain, simple and honest perspectives to help me see these companies through other peoples eyes to assist in drawing my own conclusions.

Thanks, I almost didn't post it because it was just so lengthy and I expected 100 "Use the search feature" responses.

I'm not gonna lie, there were days when I was driving the van (Ford E250 modified with a high ceiling and wheelchair lift, not a trailer reference) when I just wanted to hop on the freeway and just keep going. I'm a brat so moving is no stranger to me, and I will also get this urge to just move once in a while. I'm pretty set on at least giving trucking a shot, I'm just wanting to give myself as high a chance as possible of flourishing and enjoying it at least enough to want to stick around and take as little #### as possible. I'm sure everyone knows how difficult it is weeding through this information online and trying to sort the legitimate issues from those who are angry for their own failures or because the company didn't live up to their sense of entitlement. You get that in the medical field too, but it is much much more prevalent in trucking apparently.
One of the things I would like to do is work as an EMT again, but they are so poorly paid that I would probably never end up with a home. So I'm hoping that if I work hard, and do a good job in trucking and not spend all my cash at truck stops then I could get a home. Then I could keep trucking if I absolutely loved it, or get my EMT again and save lives without truly having to worry about what I'm getting paid since I own my own property, and vehicle. So all I have to worry about is utilities and insurances. A few hundred a month would sustain as opposed to the $1k+ if I were renting or still in a mortgage.

 

I've read on here that Prime and Maverick won't hire anyone that's been fired. Is this true? I don't know. Call and ask. Were you fired or just laid off?
Here's some pretty good options for Texas residents:
Prime - tanker division
Millis Transfer - Burleson,TX

Western Dairy Transport - school in Abernathy,TX (www.wdtmilk.com)

The reason I mention Prime tanker is because one of their drivers lives somewhere in Texas and sometimes posts on here. Says he does lots of west coast runs hauling wine. Seems to be doing pretty good financially.

 

I was in your shoes a month ago. I had been researching well over a year and finally took the plunge and now have my CDL from my local community college. Many applications and recruiters later...I still have nothing set in stone but still hoping to start training and orientation later this month. I certainly hoped to get on with at least a decent company but now I'm thinking I'll take what I can get just to get the experience, yet not totally be taken advantage of.

Putting what little I have in storage and going OTR flatbed. I submitted many applications before I even classed up. Although I don't have real experience with any of these companies or trucking really, I submitted applications to companies to include...Maverick, Keim TS, Melton, TMC, and many others. For what it's worth, these companies seemed genuine (the reps I talked with anyway).

I have a company who is waiting on their insurance to approve me and another, which I consider my back up. This back-up company says I'm good to go and can start when ready but throws around the 2100 miles per week thing, mandatory per-diem, and not a great track record as far as reviews go. Now, I'm almost considering throwing flatbed out of the picture completely in an attempt to get better mileage. Like STexan said above, ideal may not be viable at first. However, since I've been denied by what I thought were my dream starter companies, I may very well have stumbled upon my dream 'forever' company. Hopefully, I'll know by the end of the week.

What are your thoughts on tanker vs van vs flatbed? That can help narrow your choices a bit.

 

Jodans , I have no info on the companies you asked about , but , I can tell you that you'll have just as much or possibly even more " drama " in your life as a truck driver than you realize. You'll 1st have a dispatcher , whose job it is is to get you loaded , moving , and gone. His job isn't to make sure you'll be legal either. Then you'll have recivers that aren't easy to deal with either , you'll have folks employed by those folks ( fork lift guys , wharehouse guys ) that can and will cause trouble. So if you sometimes have trouble playing with others don't think you'll avoid it by driving a truck.

My advice to you would be to stay in the medical field , go get your RN , then work towards a masters in nursing , then if you want move onto becoming a CNRA , I'm sure you're familiar with that term. My wife did it , and she's been happy for almost 25 years doing it. Great money , always a challenge , and very , very satisfying knowing your he helping people.

Not trying to rain on your dream , just being honest , about both ends of your question. Good luck moving forward.