A List of questions from a soon to be student for anyone who has the time

you will learn in the NE real quickly about where to shutdown and all, parking can be a chore if not in a rest stop by roughly 1700hrs. Home weekends is highly realistic for the NE.

 

1. I have looked into trucking jobs being offered. Most seem to offer "Home for the weekend" - I have my son on the weekends, so this is important to me. Is the "home weekend" thing just smoke they blow up your ___s? or is it a realistic possibility?

In OTR this is mostly BS. To get you home they need a load to give you that's going back your way. More than likely they will tell you they don't have a load going back to your home but if you go to point B a thousand miles away you might get one going back to your home. Then, you go to point B and they tell you something else. Your best bet is to go with a regional job where you can have regular hours and be paid by the hour. Don't let anyone tell you it's impossible to find those jobs unless you have 2 years experience because that's not right at all. Look for smaller companies in your local area and forget the big carriers. The big carriers have cheating drivers down to a art form.

2. I plan on attending NETTS in CT (New England Tractor Trailer School) The schooling seems a bit more drawn out than other schools I have looked into. It is 5 months - Monday through Friday 7AM-NOON. And the cost is 10,000.00? I am wondering if a shorter and less expensive program would be just as beneficial. Any thoughts?

Once you have a Class A license in your hands very few companies will care where it came from. A less expensive program would do you fine.

3. Are you paid each week? On a steady payday? I've heard a few horror stories about this.

Each company is different but sometimes offer you options. Direct deposit is the way to go. Some companies pay you from week one.

4. I have read a lot of posts about people taking their trucks home for home time. That wouldn't be a possibility for me. Do the majority of companies just have a terminal where you leave the truck when not working?

Yes.

5. For required 10 hour rest periods do you ever find that it is hard to find somewhere to hunker down?

Yes, especially if you drive on the east coast. In most places this is not a problem unless you're hauling something that is nasty like dynamite. I hauled hazmat chemicals up and down the west coast from California up an into Canada and never had a problem finding a parking spot.

6. Finding a job right after school. Easy or difficult? How long did it take to find employment?

I had 3 offers before I left school. If you contact 50 companies per week (really easy to do!) you will have all the offers you need. Finding employment is not the hard part. Finding employment that you want to take is the challenge--something where you are not victimized that fits your lifestyle.....that's the challenge. As you become more familiar with the different types of trucking you'll decide what fits you best. Flatbedding and tankers pay better but can be physically difficult. Dry vans that "drop n hook" loads are the easiest but pay the least. Local work pays by the hour while OTR pays mostly by the mile. Some jobs pay both by the mile and an hourly. Team driving can earn you alot of money but you never stop moving and live out on the road. Again, stay away from the big carriers and seek employment with the family owned company.

7. One accident that is your fault, and you will never be hired gain. true?

False. Depends on the company and the accident. Accidents that cause deaths are way more significant than fender benders.

8. How bad does the snow need to be before you make the call that it is not safe to push on? Is that even your call, or is it the decision of your employer?

Your call. If an employer pushes you into something that you're not comfortable with you don't want to work for them anyway. Lots of jobs out there and drivers are in great demand right now. Check out the Bureau of Labor stats.....we are golden !

9. Choose One ...... A: This job is somewhat rewarding and enjoyable. B: This job is mostly stressful.

Somewhat stressful and rewarding in most cases.....for me. But then I chase forest fires with a big tank of jet fuel.

10. What if you become seriously ill on your run.... terrible Flu and fevers or something? Do you just wait it out? What if it's too severe to just suck up and drive on?

Seriously dude? Can't you reason this out for yourself?

 

Sure it is, may have to dig a lil bit, but there are lots of companies in the NE and lots are regional because of the area.

 

I'm only 4 months solo myself and the biggest headache I had in my first months was finding a place to park for the night before my clock ran out. My suggestion is to (1) get yourself a good truck GPS (2) go to www.poi-factory.com and download/install POI files of independent truck stops and rest areas on it, and (3) put the free TruckerPath app on your phone or tablet. One thing is certain--you have to stop somewhere every night and unless you end your day at noon you won't always find an open spot at a name brand truck stop. There's a lot of technology out there that can help.

 

Any updates on you CDL schooling? Where did you finally go to school in CT? I'm from CT as well and very interested what you decided instead of NETTS. Thanks.

 

No updates since I'm just beginning to investigate schools. Checked out the website for AB CDL Training Center in Waterford, CT. Seems like a very reputable school with smaller size classses but would be a long drive for me. Have you made a decision on a school?

 

You aint gonna be home weekends. It will cost you too much in payroll. Unless you run a day cab locally which probably will impact you physically. Ima telling you...

5 months is a long time. You are going to experience a range of emotions in that time. 10,000 is too. ##### much. Eff that. I paid 1500 for 4 months 30+ years ago and might expect today's school to be 2 grand... as it was for spouse.

Payday? What's that? You build savings first. In case there is no payday or worse a negative one billed to you because you borrowed a comcheck.

You do take the truck home for your time off because you are gonna get dispatched. They are not gonna wait for you to get to ternimal across the state. Gotta go.

Do not expect a place to sleep between say Harrisburg PA to Knoxville TN along 81 in the night. You can find a spot or two but cannot really rest due to the law enforcement rousting you to move along. Times have changed drastically. In fact people will come out to make you move when your exhaust floats into their bedroom window.

Employment for 21 year olds is a joke, it's cannon fodder to burn them out in 3 months becuase they are young, strong, inexperienced and somewhat stupid to be taken advantage of by bad companies. Immigrants coming here from Middle east are this way now. They know nothing while slowly losing our own American Culture in Trucking built since world war one.

You dont hit a #### thing in a accident. It is going to be preventable. There is a stack of 20 violations reportable to DAC with a penalty against you ranging from a few months to a lifetime black list.

How bad the snow? Stop thinking like that. If the NOAA has a blizzard warning for say Rapid City SD that night you DO NOT go into it. You find a truckstop and wait. Why? I learned that lesson for pushing on into the Blizzard at 14-13 mile marker westbound there west of Rapid city I think it's called Sturgis. I got trapped in a 100 mph river of wind and sideways snow that painted my windshield like covered in white zero as in absolute not able to see the hood, mirriors etc while crying on the CB to stop anyone westbound behind me because they are fixing to hit me really badly I was across the entire interstate feeling for the grooves with the right hand steer. Once I felt them, I keep moving to the side feeling for grooves in the left steer. But trailer hung out for a few hours in that part of the storm. Im a old vet with storms of all kinds I can do 2 feet powder or one foot wet any time and I can hide in hurricane situations and tornados. But ima telling you... you are supposed to be the captian of your truck, your load, your responsiblity. ICE is your enemy. If you can walk on it, you can drive. But if you fall on your fat ### walking from a meal to your truck outside STAY PUT.

Stress, are you kidding? The only time it's enjoyable is few and far in between. But I love it. It's who I am. Therefore it's not stress. Understand?

You do NOT suck up serious ill. If you are too sick to keep it between the lines, YOU GO to the ER. That hour. Not trying to be what is that word... stupid. You go to the ER why? Becuase you are a transmitter from one city to another all sorts of possible really serious infections, virus, influenzua etc. No one wants you kicking 40 ton down the mountain puking your guts out. DOn't be stupid. Hit the ER Fix it. Or... IT WILL FIX YOU and possibly kill a family in front of you.