Advice needed for getting back into trucking after 10 years...

Thanks for the reply. I have seen a millis terminal down south and I have already sent them an email telling them of my situation and asking for details. Hopefully I will hear back from them and a couple others in a few days so I can weigh my options. You like driving for them? You said its your first year. Does that mean first year driving at all or just with Millis? How is your hometime and such?

Thanks again, hopefully I will hear back from a few emails I sent out this afternoon.

 

I get home when I want. I typically stay out 6-10 weeks usually. First year driving commercially at all. I love it here, I am treated well. I went to the school in Trenton OH. Had a great ecperience there, and with my trainer. Im in the Chattanooga area often. Truck 2148 names Michael.

 

I would second Maverik if you can. They are fond of saying their guys average 50k and I have heard that their training is some of the best you can get and you won't have to deal with bumping docks. I took 4 years off after only driving 6 months and I went out with a trainer with Swift and after a week She cleared me and I was good to go for solo.

 

Here is an updated ever-popular 'the good, bad, and the ugly' in order of best to worst. The updated CSA scores for December 2012 in the vehicle maintenance and condition category. The lower the better. This does not include the private fleets or LTL, this is truckload only. The good bad and the ugly pertains to vehicle maintenance and quality of equipment, it doesn't reflect all the categories of their CSA scores.




THE BEST:


11.6% Heartland Express (improved from 12.2% last month!)


THE GOOD:


11.6% Heartland Express
19.4% Armellini
21.5% Marten (but 76.3 in unsafe driving and 79.1 in fitness!)
31.4% Maverick
32.7% Roehl
34.1% Con-way (but 59 in unsafe driving!)
34.7% Poly Trucking
35.0% Central Refrigerated (but 74.8 in unsafe driving!)
35.8% Covenant
38.1% Celadon (but 81.7 in fitness)
38.6% Calex Express
39.2% Crete Carrier
40.9% Prime
42.4% CR England (but 87.4 in unsafe driving!!!)
41.6% Smith Transport (but 63.7 in unsafe driving and 87.5 in HOS compliance! YIKES!)
44.9% Stevens
45.7% Boyd Bros (fatigued driving at 70.5 yikes)


THE BAD:


46.8% JB Hunt
46.6% Transport America (and 69.9 in fitness!)
48.5% Averitt Express
52.1% Landair
52.9% Knight
53.3% US Xpress (and 66.1 in unsafe driving!)
52.4% Furniture Row
51.4% Werner (and 57.4 in unsafe driving)
53.1% Decker
56.5% Swift (and 53.5 in unsafe driving, and 60.4 in fitness)
59.2% Quality Carriers


THE UGLY:


60.5% Schneider National
63.6% Pam Transport
62.4% National Freight (and 73.1 in fitness)
65.7% FFE
64.3% USA Truck (and 61.1 in HOS, 54.3 in unsafe driving, 57.5 in fitness - wow)
66.4% KLLM (unsafe driving 74 and HOS compliance 55.1!)
81.2% Dart (and 60.1 in fitness)

 

Most companies will requires some type of refresher or formal training these days. A lot of changes in 8 years.

Prime Inc. has a tanker division in Chattanooga. Check their website. May have to go to school in MO, but it won't cost you any money up front.

Schneider has a refresher course & also a tanker school.

Maverick will probably hire you since you have a CDL; no experience needed.

Averitt has a refresher and a job, but don't know about the pay.

Central Refrigerated and National Carriers would probably hire you, both reefer outfits.

Your best pay annually will be with tanker or flatbed; that's what I would focus on.

Once you're back on the road for 3 years, you can look at Tribe Transport in Cleveland, GA. Reefers & tankers and they keep new equipment with APU's. Check their website.

 

Im not sure if you want to hear this but let or put your wife to work in an office of some sort if possible. Twenty thousand a year is about what drivers make after all the baloney is factored out. I will probably get a harsh tongue lashing from the crowd but this is a really crappy way to live or make a living. If I could find a way out that didnt involve murder or stealing I would have been out of it long ago. As it is I work a few months out of the year with a truck and plink around the rest of the year elsewhere. As long as your license is clear someone will pick you up. My dac file is massive and nobody gives a rip as long as you dont abandon trucks on the road or under a load or Consort with ###### or drunks you will be fine.

 

Twenty thousand? Thats an average of 384$ a week bring home over 52 weeks. Im a NEW driver, and bring home atleast twice, or more a check. yIn a DRY van, run hard you can make money.

 

wife has to work. u cant support family just with driving. after first year it gets better.