Alright guys, give it to me straight (noob questions galore)

ok, now i have a question... why do people bother to post answers to questions that are filled mostly with sarcastic answers designed to show only that the responder believes himself to be superior? the guy asked some questions about something with which he is unfamiliar. could he have found answers elsewhere? sure. but i assume no1 was holding a gun to your head forcing you to waste your oh so valuable time and effort. when asked a good faith question, i see you have two optionsrovide good faith answers or dont respond at all. theres no need to treat people looking for info on this site that way. its no help to them, and makes you look small and pathetic, needing that badly to have strangers think you are better than someone else. grow up mikeeee, maybe theyll start callin ya mike.

 

I was very lucky to get into a local gig after only 11 months OTR. I am home nightly and very greatful, but it was due to my location. Local gigs are available and can be found with some effort. But they like drivers with a year or two experience.

My replies were to a person that claimed to have done "a ton of research" when the post clearly proved otherwise.

This is not a carreer where mommie holds your hand while you are on the road alone. Retrieving answers with the use of the search button is a minor achievement compared to what is needed to be a competent and safe driver.

I'm not sorry to be someone who might weed out those that might not be suited for this career.

Mikeeee

 

ugh. what happened to "there are no stupid questions, only stupid people who cant spell grateful"?

 

You're doing the right path by asking questions and researching.
Since you haven't started school yet, when you do talk to school admissions, ask which companies recruit from the school.
A myth that seems impossible to quash, is that you must do OTR & pay your dues, before getting a good local or regional job. First, you won't get those cozy jobs, if you don't apply. Ignore the, "must have "X" amount of experience, because that rule is not carved in stone; if you like the company, apply.
As others posted, the food service industry pays extremely well, such as US Food Service or companies that deliver to grocery stores, restaurants, pizza parlors, fast food restaurants. Google, Careerbuilder & Craigslist are your friends.
Some major carriers such as Schneider & Marten Transport, have logistics divisions that are dedicated to certain companies. Marten Transport is running ads now for drivers in Central Illinois for dedicated runs & Schneider has these divisions all over America.
Any company like these, call and ask if they accept students from the school you plan to attend. If not, ask which school grads they accept.
Don't become frustrated with "too much information", just take notes as to which companies fit your needs & wants. There are unhappy drivers in every company & in those same companies there will be drivers who have been there decades. Lots of good comments about Roehl & Maverick; any company that interests you , check their website to see if you're in the hiring area.

 

If you're not totally set on driving, have you ever thought about working on a drilling rig? I haul water for Patterson UTI rigs here in western PA and the guys I talk to seem very happy with the career path they've chosen for themselves. You mentioned the 2 weeks OTR and 2 weeks home, I don't know that you're going to find that, but I do know that is the schedule these hands on the Patterson rigs work. They work 14 12's, and then they have 14 off. Their travel expenses to and from the rig are paid, if you're close enough to drive your miles are covered, if not they fly you to and from. Just another life option you might want to consider if you're in the positon to really be able to figure out what it is you want to do. http://patenergy.com/

 

I see you are in Central Illinois. I drove local in Illinois for 7 years. Check into the Harper School. It has truck driver training in and around Wheeling, IL. (I used to see their trucks all the time. Nice equipment). Also, try Millis. They are in Wisconsin and take on new drivers. Chicago has heaps of intermodal LOCAL driving where you would be home everynight once you are trained. Good luck on your decision

 

Bazinga, Is that all you got? Sorry, "have". To retort my reply?

Mikeeee

 

Try Tyson Foods out of Springdale Arkansas, 1-800-933-6442. They have a reputation for treating their drivers quite well. They are NON-union. They also take graduates form company approved truck driving schools. I believe that Illinois is one of their hiring areas.

Good luck to you.

 

Originally Posted by Driving


Hey all, thanks for taking the time to look at the question and for providing any feedback.

To the point. I'm considering trucking as a career but have a potential obstruction.

My wife works for a hospital 7 days on, and then has 7 off. We have 2 kids and because she works nights, it's impossible for me to be gone during any of those 7 days. My question is, is there any circumstance in which a company might hire someone to work bi-weekly?

I have a good resume with no criminal record and a great driving record.

Interested in all feedback.

My Response 12/14/2012:

9/30/2007, my mother passed away. 7/2/1981, 26 years earlier, my father passed away. 2008 and later, I had called various trucking companies and mentioned this to them, along with the fact that I have never married and never had any children. I had been contemplating the possibility of becoming a professional over the road truck driver. Quite often, their response was this: "We can keep you out on the road for longer periods of time".

It took me awhile to realize that a lot of the married drivers often put in requests for more home time to be with their families. This can also apply for drivers needing time to look after an aging parent as well. The sad fact is that trucking companies are not set up for or "geared" for family people trying to be good parents or caretakers, due to the nature of the job, which requires extended periods of time on the road. It is amazing that there is NOT a greater shortage of over the road truck drivers all throughout the U.S.A..

Good luck and hope all works well for you and your family!

God bless you and your family! God bless the U.S.A.!