Another newbie thread--Hi yall!

Well, you won't get rich driving a truck, but if---and that's a BIG if---you're with the right company, running long, literally from coast to coast (not in 5 short hauls, but literally picking up in CA and delivering on the East Coast, and vice versa), you can make decent money and, more importantly in my estimation, enjoy greater freedom than you've EVER experienced before in any position. Some will disagree... I couldn't care less. To me, less time spent sitting at docks and more time spent touring this great country is what OTR trucking is all about, straight up... it's not a job, it's a lifestyle, as well as a grand adventure and a separate reality, and don't let any schmuck tell ya otherwise. You wanna see how it's done, check out posts by my good friend "The Railsplitter" in that "Got Chrome??? How about Armor???" thread at truckforum.org (more of a four-wheeler site, but "The Railsplitter" knows no boundaries, except in the hetero breeder sense). THAT'S what trucking is all about, believe me... as for learning the basics, you can't go wrong by checking out "bumper2bumpertruckbook.com"---heaps of useful info and diagrams there. For future reference, companies are listed by state at "fleetdirectory.com" and many have links to websites with hiring area diagrams, company requirements, etc., etc. Local and regional listings can be found in the 'Transport' column of Craigslist, although these listings generally call for drivers with some experience... C/L is also a good barometer of economic activity in any given area, in case you ever think of relocating. Alright, enough said, time to crank on the news and grab another cold one... "ADIOS!!!"

 

A couple of weeks ago I was ready to back off on my CDL training, just because I had a lot of questions about what to do after I got my license. I gave it some thought, spent some more time looking at local job ads and reading threads here. I decided to go ahead anyway, and now I have a better idea of what I want to do, and how to get there. So I'll start school next week.

A big part of my decision is that I'm going to school at a local community college, so I'll be at home while I'm learning, and I can make my decisions on where to apply for jobs down the road, instead of having to jump into a company on day 1. So that's something to consider as well.

Take your time, it's a big industry, and there's more than one way to approach it.

Good luck!

 

It is a big decision - and its good you are thinking things though and not just jumping in. I'm glad you're sticking around on the forum too - a great learning tool in itself

 

Hey skeet...LadyK...oo7...I too start school Monday, and I agree, this forum for information is a great resourse for information, and it is refreshing to see such a "brotherhood" among fellow drivers. I have done alot of prep work before chosing a school, and have been accepted for orientation with Watkins/Shepard when CDL is in hand. Good luck to all of you and may you all be blessed in your chosen paths!

 

That's not a sweater he's wearing, is it?