Any Response Is Welcomed

It's my opinion that all these companies are the same. And with the industry in the state it's in today, I would advise everyone to stay out of trucking!
Unless you are ok with having no family life, no social life, giving up all your hobbies, compromising your personal hygiene, your sleep schedule, your morals, living in a 6' X 8' box, giving up some of your personal freedoms, and most of your constitutional rights, be treated as a common thief by law enforcement, called a liar by your employer, labeled a killer by the media, looked at like a low-life by your neighbors,treated like trash by shippers/recv'rs. In general, be treated like a secondary citizen to make $400-$600 a week. Then, go for it!!!

 

Trucking is what you make of it. I find that trucker dave has a bad taste for some reason or another.
Now with that aside are you going to get a cdl from a outside source or are you wanting to go to a trucking school and earn it that way????

I've been in and around trucking all my life yes its changed but not to the effect the prev. poster made it to be

Fyi i think you would get more of a response if you had this moved to the newbie ask your questions here section.. But I'll help ya anyway I can

 

You live in the wrong part of the country.

I park in my drive, when I bob tail to the house. My neighbors watch my house while I'm out of town. I don't live in the hood.

And at least one of the local businessmen refers to me as Mr MoneyBags. Rightfully so, I'm cheap...but I'm too lazy to change the oil in my car anymore. So I pay to have it done now.

With that said...I get treated like #### in other places, by other people. Who have no clue how much I make, or what I'm worth. And they have the same information my neighbors do....squat.

 

and after we finish with them, the hell we send them to will seem like paradise.

 

There are good, and bad, in every trucking company. Some are worse than others. The question is, after researching, and narrowing down your choices, what you, personally can/will put up with?
Which company/companies have the MOST of what you want/need?

As with any other industry, there are some really reputable companies, while others are on the shady side.

And, THANK YOU, sir, for your service to our Country!!

Judi Kay

 

....Here is my advice to you (for whatever it is worth).

#1)Do your homework on a REPUTABLE outside/independent school and NOT a "company school". If you go to an independent school, you won't be indebted to (stuck/trapped with) any particular employer in order to pay off your education. The school I went to, for example, offered a great course with 2 weeks classroom, 4 weeks over the road and yard training, and they guaranteed your CDL through the DMV. (If you didn't pass the DMV, they would work with you at no extra charge for as long as it took until you did). Additionally, they offer job placement assistance for LIFE, whether you wanted local, regional, or over-the-road and they had six different recruiters come in and talk during the course.

#2)If you are physically fit, which I assume you are with military experience, consider starting out in FLATBED trucking. It has the highest average starting pay and you will get home far more often than your average dry van or refeer company.

#3)Before you do steps #1 or #2, ask yourself a VERY important question - WHY DO YOU WANT TO GET INTO TRUCKING? If the answer is a)big money, or b)seems like easy work or c)I always enjoy watching ICE ROAD TRUCKERS on T.V. then you should d) pick some other career.

IF on the other hand you want to work hard, be on your own and independent most of the time, enjoy your own company and don't get lonely, like knowing that you are the Captain of your own ship and can get the job done without someone looking over your shoulders, then this occupation just may suit you.

I've been in the business now for 2 years. I made about 40K my first full tax year right out of school. I expect to make at least that much this year EVEN in THIS economy. I have great family group health insurance with vision (I could get dental too but opted out). I am home EVERY weekend.

Yes, it is hard on my wife and kids with me being gone during the week. Yes, it sucks big time sometimes. Yes, it is hot as hell in the summer and cold as ice in the winter. Flatbedding is a LOT of physical labor, but being military, you are probably used to that. But, as I said, it's all in what you are looking for in a job/career. Keep your eyes and your options open and best wishes to you!

 

Maybe 'cause he works for KNIGHT!

 

Guess that would do it to me too

 

While you are correct about who I drive for, they have very little to do with my intense dislike of my job. Knight and companies like them are just symptoms of the disease that is killing our industry!
I think if you are honest, you would agree with me that most trucking jobs stink! You are nothing more than a number to most of these companies. They will happily replace most of us with some student right out of the CDL mill or some Mexican simply b/c they want cheaper labor. Instead of charging more to move freight, they have to figure out how to cut costs in order to stay profitable. The biggest cost to a trucking operation is wages! Cut wages, keep more money for the corporate bigwigs!
The 2nd biggest expense is fuel. Anyone remember getting a bonus for good fuel mileage? Now there are companies MAKING DRIVERS PAY FOR THEIR IDLE TIME! Most companies are not going to install APUs on their trucks until fuel gets and stays over $5/gallon. They dont care how uncomfortable you are in the heat or cold! If you dont like it? Tough! They could not care less. I get the distinct feeling that most company execs would pee on you if you caught fire!
There may be a good number of driving jobs out there but ask yourself this question: if company ABC (you name it) is so great, why are they always looking for new drivers? Why are there so many empty trucks at the terminal?
The really rare "good" jobs dont need to run radio/tv ads, dont put listings in the paper or on Craigs list, dont list their phone # on the back of every single trailer! They dont need to. Good companies rarely hire b/c they dont NEED to.