Before I sign the dotted line . . .had a few questions

One of the most important things to remember about pay in trucking, is you will make less than what it says on the website. A LOT less. That number is usually what their oldest and best driver is getting because he is driving all the gravy routes.

Pay rates for new drivers varies wildly, and megas are the worst place to go to learn how to drive. You are treated as a number on a spreadsheet, or a dot on a computer screen. They hassle you every minute of the day for updates, despite having GPS tracking telling them where you are.

If you can get the financing, go pay your way through school, find a company that'll take you on that has less than 500 trucks (less than 100 would be even better) and do your best sponge impression. Soak up everything people there are willing to give you. Learn something new every day and always learn from your mistakes. You will make them... just try to keep them small.

 

Did you look into GCC in Glendale? That is where I got my CDL back in the early 90's

So many people are hiring in the Phx area, I would look into a local company that might train.

Made a furniture delivery to Cactus asphalt on 83rd ave & Sherman, had to back in from the street and the guy asked me if I wanted a job. lol

 

I think if you wanted to expand your computer business and make the real big bucks, go into robotic and automated truck repair. The coming thing in the next year or two according to some around here is that we will be flooded with automated trucks or trucks with robots driving them instead of people.

 

Listen to this post carefully. He wrote what I was going to say verbatim. Whatever a carrier tells you is their "average" pay for new drivers, figure you'll come in well under that amount. As long as you go in not expecting to make anything for the first year or two, you'll do fine. Once you get a couple years of clean driving with no tickets or accidents, you can go anywhere and make a decent wage.

Also make sure to ask how much the company charges you for medical insurance. They will deduct that cost out of each of your already small paychecks.

 

Phoenix is a hotbed for trucking jobs. Otr is a job not a lifestyle. It's like a mobile prison, you won't really have time to pull over and site see, most of the time if you're driving and a restaurant looks/smells good there is no parking so you'll have to settle for that God awful truckstop food (subway McDonald's etc)

70k is easy to make in trucking you just have to do more than being a steering wheel holder/door opener

 

Check with all the local ltl companies. Some are hiring drivers straight of of truck driving school.

 

@FryDaddy would you mind keeping me posted on your experiences and choices? I too live in Chandler and I am leaving the IT industry.

 

Local bulk companies will likely hire you out of school. Some of them are a little rough. Some keep you out a few nights depending on how the runs go. They also run up to the mines around PHX, so you'd get road time, including lots of mountain 2-lane.

 

If the computer store is netting you good money don't leave . If your just sick of the boring life indoors and want a change of scenery why not still keep the business have someone manage it then go get your CDL and drive do it for a year if you like it then sell your business if you don't at least you've still got the business to go back to if the driving dream don't work out the way you wanted it too.

 

Thats what I always liked about pulling Dry Bulk Tankers, most of the time you unload (about 45 min) then deadhead back to get your next load. I actually made more money doing a dry bulk than I did any other kind of trailer I pulled. (Van, Reefer, Lowboy, Drop Deck or Flatbed). I always heard that moving Mobile Homes paid really good but never tried it. Also heard that car haulers make good money but I dont think Id want that job in the winter?