Considering the career

Where is your location so we know the hiring area you live in.
Trucking is a great career!
Concerning the DOT blitz, they have fun with all drivers; they don't care if you're right out of cdl school or been driving for 50 years, all they see is dollar signs.

 

Check into local Community Colleges... Many offer CDL Classes and, in my opinion, it's a better option as you are not tied to any one company ... And since its via a "school"... A real school... You can get college loans and repay over a period of time.

 

Check around for private or community college cdl schools. This way you'll have your choice of several companies that hire new cdl grads.

 

Old Dominion hires new cdl grads that have all the endorsements. Get a linehaul job there and you're set. Don't do the P&D which is pickup & delivery because that's mostly city driving. Linehaul is easy, just drop & hook and the money is real good. Linehaul you mostly will pull a set of doubles from the Dallas terminal to another city such as Oklahoma City or Santa Fe then drop & hook to another set of doubles and return to Dallas. Lots of different scenarios, but that's the simple explanation. Linehaul is a coveted job for many drivers.

 

Never you mind that little DOT Blitz. Even myself, I run into DOT and prepare for battle. There is so much at stake when you cross swords with them. They can totally and seriously f you up financially, time wise and threaten your ability to deliver that load potentially costing your employ.

But who is this they from DOT when the mistakes YOU make detected by DOT enforced against you or the company? Hmm? Your stuff has to be in order. I know in the past Ive said to keep three or whatever number of logs. That is only if they never inspect the inside that tractor and detect them. Or go into states where they don't exist at all. Even states that have weigh stations designated safe havens, you don't sleep there. no sir.

Im not a enemy of DOT. But they let things get so lassez-faire for so many decades that a little bit of blitz will not stop the big insitutional ongoing lawbreaking going on around the USA, usually caused by shippers and recievers demanding and getting delivery dates and times bordering on fantasy.

My last DOT inspection caught a problem which by law Im allowed to correct my current logbook. But what Memphis Scales did not realize was that I was to be fired and am literally two hours away from turning in the truck at Little Rock and going to my house not far away. I could not care less about the inspection problems provided the fines were not too high that night. It was unfortunate.

 

Here's 3 good coast to coast companies that hire in your area:
Abilene Motor Express
Freymiller
Magnum Ltd.

 

MCT Transportation has some type facility in Ft. Worth.

 

Yea, go to one of those local schools. And get the numbers off all those guys you train with. That way, months later, you guys can share what you know and maybe you can share a better job contact for each other. Stick together!