buying a truck. bad or good idea? please read

Looks like you've got plenty of advice already here. All I will add is that in the Owner Operator section there are a couple of threads about getting yourself set up which will help you see the basics of what is involved. Something to help you plan things out when the time is right after you have gotten in the seat and gotten some experience.

 

Ditto on what olhand said.I'm retiring soon with a good State pension plus a 403 with more than enough $ to buy a truck for my 23 year old son.But I'm not rushing out to do that. My son went to school got his CDL A and is currently with a training co (48 states)since 1/3/11. I want him to spend a few years working as a company driver to learn the ropes and decide if trucking is what he wants to do with his life.It's more of a lifestyle than a 9-5 kind of job;and not everyone is cut out for it.If he really wants to do this after a few years, I might buy him a rig,but in the meantime I'm on here daily soaking up whatever I can learn about the industry and I suggest that you do the same. Just because you want to and have the $ to do it,doesn't make it a good idea.

 

If it's a choice between Swift and Covenant, take Swift.

 

To be honest i think its more attitude than the company. All mega carriers are the same. But, if you go in there thinking the company is bad, your going to have a bad time adjusting. Then you will leave and the attitude would start all over again. Just be positive and eat crow for the first year or so. just my .02

 

A lot of the bad reviews are by people that got into this industry thinking that it was going to be more like a 9 - 5 gig. Trucking is a lifestyle, contrary to what some try to say. Some people are not willing to take responsibility for their own actions, so they end up bombing out and blaming the company.

That being said, Swift is still a better choice than the other one you mentioned. I got my start with Swift, and while we parted ways sooner than I was originally planning and ended up with a trainer that should not have been allowed to train (they did put me with a different trainer at my request, and he was much better), they do have their good points as well. There are several members here that are with Swift, and it is working very well for them.

Covenant, well they are one of those that just doesn't seem to be able to get things right, kind of like CR England.

 

For the original poster:

The above advice is spot on. As a current trucker with a finance degree this is the very best advice you could have gotten. Follow this plan and not only will you be in a good position when you are ready for a truck, but for personal life as well.

Find a local community college that offers the eight week course. In AZ, I don't know which ones those would be, but the tuition is less, normally the time behind the wheel is increased, and the curriculum is better than the three week wonder schools. The learning curve can be very steep the first few weeks learning this profession. It seems easy enough prior to doing it, but it is more than just driving from point A to B. You have to learn time management, dealing with stress, bad directions, many things that you do do think of before you actually perform the service of truck driving. The added stress of bookkeeping, blown tires to pay for, deducted funds for a late delivery, and other financial issues would put this learning curve over the top and make you absolutely hate what you have been dreaming of doing. Use other people's money (be a company driver to learn) to put you in a knowledgeable position.

Please, please, please follow your grandmother's mindset on dealing with finances. I am sure she understood that success takes time and patience. Saving for a rainy day, or in other words, make sure that money is working for you by a reliable and trustworthy financial planner, interview many and go with the one that is not happy until YOU understand exactly where your money is and why.

Cut your teeth on someone else's (company) equipment for a year. Get a good feeling for what you are doing. You can live your dream driving a truck someone else supplies while your money is working for you. Then after you feel comfortable you know what you are doing, that is the time to start researching how to operate as an owner operator. After that, it is time to buy your truck....

 

Research several companies on here. I am happy starting a Schneider, they have done everything they said, but that is me. After searching on here about some of the starter companies, you will start getting a gut feeling for where you feel the most comfortable going. Just trust that gut, keep your expectations low, and realize you are one of many drivers...just another cog in the machine. And most important, keep a positive, patient, and professional attitude. Contrary to what many believe...you are responsible for your own attitude regardless of circumstances.

 

Do they have an NTTS near you? The thing is, if you go through a carrier to get your cdl, you may end up with a trainer with about 6 months more experience than you and not learn much at all, much less sleep while he/she is driving. I got mine when I was 18, started at a small produce place washing trucks, within a couple months I was out delivering produce...the rest is history