Am I crazy for considering trucking?

Go for it. Only you can stop you. Good luck and stay safe.

 

Many companies will put you through training. Schneider does it off and on so give them a call. Plus, they have Tankers and that is a great way to truck.

The dangers out here are a bit exaggerated. There are also plenty of female drivers, they aren't exactly a rarity these days.

As for being gone, well you either learn to deal with it, find a local job or quit. Honestly, that is about how it plays out. Do your research, ask questions about specific companies and don't limit yourself to vans.

 

Hammer down!! If you dont want to be gone long there are many local jobs driving truck. I own my own log truck and am home by 6 most every evening. Getting initially into it is difficult, but once you have a year or two of experience being jobless will never be a worry

 

Evergreen Transport in Evergreen, AL pays for cdl school.
WIOA Program in Alabama pays for private cdl school.
Here's a few that will ship you to another state and provide meals and lodging to attend their cdl training.
Roehl Transport - will actually pay you $500.00 weekly to attend their cdl school, plus provide meals and lodging. Their nearest school to you is Conley,GA
KLLM Transport - school in Hinds Community College in Mississippi. Meals & lodging provided.
CFI - www.cfidrive.com - same as the others listed. School in Joplin, Missouri
Jim Palmer Trucking - same deal. School in Missoula, Montana
Millis Transfer - excellent reputation. Nearest school is Cartersville, GA & need $500.00 for school.
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There's more, but these are a good start.
Can you pass a drug test? Some do urine and some do hair follicle.

 

Yes, a young woman in Birmingham just went through a private school for Schneider.

 

Best decision I ever made and I'm just a little old lady. Word...otr is a life not a job but the only way to know is to try. Don't sell yourself short...oh! Ha ha! I made a short pun!

 

If you ever have been prescribed pain killers for a pulled tooth or something similar for a period of time within say the last 9 months, it probably will be in the hair if they test that. Be prepared to show that you were legally prescribed that a long time ago (From specific doctor with specific dates stopped using and reason)

As of Jan 1 Pain killers and similar drugs are on the list. You are however allowed after been through a period of time equal to 7 times half life (The amount of hours a drug is in your body) from last dose used. Then you can generally be restested by urine to be clear that you can begin work again.

Some states such as ours, some of our gas stations sell gummy bears with Pot inside of them. Not necessarily the kind that gets you high (It's a form of oil derived from it) but none of that is yet legal here so they are working on that problem. We are a medical pot only state which goes without saying that if you hold a pot card by a doctor for a limited set of medical problems. You are already too sick to pass a DOT medical to go trucking anyway. It's a Federally Schedule One drug which automatically makes a CDL driver DQ from touching a Semi.

Im glad you don't take drugs. But reevaluate your various things you consume in daily living. For example Mouthwash. It must not have alcohol in it. Period. You cannot have alcohol anything inside a 18 wheeler. So for example wipes used to remove makeup etc.

You will be in good company. I am going to guess you are in Flatbed country so that will be pretty good steady work for you there. You wont have to endure the physical lumping involved in grocery too much (And sometimes the filthy minded people around them)

If you intend to ever have children and do get preganant, your truck will be given to someone else to run while you stay home to raise that baby. It is a very good chance you probably will not get back into trucking after a while.

Trucking is a journey. What you think and plan on happening today might be something totally different and not going well later on. You will learn as you go.

It's not for everyone. And not everyone should get into this industry. We go through so many just to get a few who will stick around 5, 10 or more years. You are what? 30? That's prime. Call it another 20 years of useful trucking if you are lucky to maintain your health on the bad food out here. (There are places you can go for some really awesome food. Around the USA... but you will pay up for it)

Whatever load they give you, keep back a portion of your wages in your savings ready to go any time. You might be told yer fired and now have to walk home 2000 miles around the USA. You will literally be on your own. One company when we turned in our truck, we went and got a rental car, threw the stuff into it and got home our own self. That was probably some of the easiest leaving a company we have ever seen in those days.