Hello- Let me introduce myself...

chompi · Nov 29, 2012

Allowme is being generous too! You will be making more like $20,000 - $30,000 your first year.

Brianman72 · Nov 29, 2012

chompi said: ↑

I seriously urge you to find something else to do. For the main reason that you have a family. Take a look at all ten of your fingers, that's how many times you are going to see your wife and kids, if you are lucky for the next year!

Can you make money doing it? Sure, but its the guys who live out there and its the ones that have trucking in their blood. You are a college graduate, there should be no reason for you to drive a truck. If you were single, or if you could talk your wife into doing it with you then I would tell you to go for it. Take it from me, I missed my son growing up, my wife divorced me, I missed all birthdays, holidays, plays and many funerals. Sure I made good money but all the money in the world isn't worth those moments. At least wait until the kids are college bound, then if you still have the urge grab the wife and go!

When you break it down you really don't make more money. Actually works out to be like 2 or 3 dollars an hour. Yes you are going to hear all kinds of stories and recruiters are going to all tell you home time is excellent or be home every weekend blah, blah, blah. Truth is these are ploys to get you to sign on with a company. Sure they do have routes in which you can get home more often and there are some companies that can get you home on the weekends. The definition of "home on the weekends" is usually Sunday from 3-5pm. They can' t force you to stay out and when you ask your dispatcher about the recruiter telling you that you only have to stay out for 7-10 days they are going to laugh at you. They will ask if you want to drive or sit at home. Getting a driver home is a huge pain in the ### for a dispatcher! It really throws a wrench in their planning and makes a lot of extra work for them. The drivers that want to be home all the time will be kept close to home and utilized to make all the pick ups and deliveries. Pretty much doing all the dirty work, sitting to get loaded and unloaded, daily! You will be lucky to get 800 miles a week! 800 miles a week x $.32 a mile = $256 before taxes. You could probably double that flipping burgers and at least eat for free!

Are there exceptions? Sure, but they are rare and I always tell the new guys to not plan their career on these rare hopes. You will hear from all the super truckers on here boasting about their golden career and the thousands of dollars they make a week and they only drive two days a week and are home 6 weekends a month, blah, blah, blah....

Hometime is THE NUMBER ONE REASON new guys quit within the first three months (if that). For some reason it just doesn't click or they just can't fathom what its like living in a truck for 8 weeks straight. Yes 8 weeks! 6-8 weeks is the standard across the board with most companies. Not only that but it is seriously tough to make any kind of money staying out for anything less. Every time you go home it messes up your pay for THREE WEEKS! You slow down trying to get home, messing up the first week of pay, then the second week you are at home for a few days making that check nill and then finally when you head back out on the third week it is slow going until you are able to get back into the freight lanes and are rolling strong. HOME TIME IS COSTLY!!! You really have to budget and plan ahead. (especially if own the truck! but thats a whole other thread)

Trucking can be a wonderful career for the right person, I just think its not your time. There are so many other options out there for you, especially having a college degree. Don't fall for the fantasy. All these recruiters and commercials and internet and magazine ads can really make trucking sound like a dream job. Who doesn't dream of making money and travelling around, seeing the country, nobody telling you what to do, blah, blah, blah. See, made it sound good huh?

Hope this doesn't sound too negative man, personally I really love trucking but I love my family more. I'm just trying to save you $6000.00 and three months of your life. That money could probably really be used by your family instead of giving it to "Bob's BigRig Back-up Academy"! Take the time to really think outside the box and come up with something that will mesh well with your life and your famlies' lives. You only live once and you are going to get back those moments that you missed...
Click to expand...

I appreciate your honesty and your opinion. I have no dilusions of grandeur... I know that the first year will be the absolute worse in regards to family time, or the lack there of. Like I said in the original post, If I am going to bust my hump working two jobs for decent pay, then why not work one job that has the potential to pay the same or better than the two?

Brianman72 · Nov 29, 2012

chompi said: ↑

I seriously urge you to find something else to do. For the main reason that you have a family. Take a look at all ten of your fingers, that's how many times you are going to see your wife and kids, if you are lucky for the next year!

Can you make money doing it? Sure, but its the guys who live out there and its the ones that have trucking in their blood. You are a college graduate, there should be no reason for you to drive a truck. If you were single, or if you could talk your wife into doing it with you then I would tell you to go for it. Take it from me, I missed my son growing up, my wife divorced me, I missed all birthdays, holidays, plays and many funerals. Sure I made good money but all the money in the world isn't worth those moments. At least wait until the kids are college bound, then if you still have the urge grab the wife and go!

When you break it down you really don't make more money. Actually works out to be like 2 or 3 dollars an hour. Yes you are going to hear all kinds of stories and recruiters are going to all tell you home time is excellent or be home every weekend blah, blah, blah. Truth is these are ploys to get you to sign on with a company. Sure they do have routes in which you can get home more often and there are some companies that can get you home on the weekends. The definition of "home on the weekends" is usually Sunday from 3-5pm. They can' t force you to stay out and when you ask your dispatcher about the recruiter telling you that you only have to stay out for 7-10 days they are going to laugh at you. They will ask if you want to drive or sit at home. Getting a driver home is a huge pain in the ### for a dispatcher! It really throws a wrench in their planning and makes a lot of extra work for them. The drivers that want to be home all the time will be kept close to home and utilized to make all the pick ups and deliveries. Pretty much doing all the dirty work, sitting to get loaded and unloaded, daily! You will be lucky to get 800 miles a week! 800 miles a week x $.32 a mile = $256 before taxes. You could probably double that flipping burgers and at least eat for free!

Are there exceptions? Sure, but they are rare and I always tell the new guys to not plan their career on these rare hopes. You will hear from all the super truckers on here boasting about their golden career and the thousands of dollars they make a week and they only drive two days a week and are home 6 weekends a month, blah, blah, blah....

Hometime is THE NUMBER ONE REASON new guys quit within the first three months (if that). For some reason it just doesn't click or they just can't fathom what its like living in a truck for 8 weeks straight. Yes 8 weeks! 6-8 weeks is the standard across the board with most companies. Not only that but it is seriously tough to make any kind of money staying out for anything less. Every time you go home it messes up your pay for THREE WEEKS! You slow down trying to get home, messing up the first week of pay, then the second week you are at home for a few days making that check nill and then finally when you head back out on the third week it is slow going until you are able to get back into the freight lanes and are rolling strong. HOME TIME IS COSTLY!!! You really have to budget and plan ahead. (especially if own the truck! but thats a whole other thread)

Trucking can be a wonderful career for the right person, I just think its not your time. There are so many other options out there for you, especially having a college degree. Don't fall for the fantasy. All these recruiters and commercials and internet and magazine ads can really make trucking sound like a dream job. Who doesn't dream of making money and travelling around, seeing the country, nobody telling you what to do, blah, blah, blah. See, made it sound good huh?

Hope this doesn't sound too negative man, personally I really love trucking but I love my family more. I'm just trying to save you $6000.00 and three months of your life. That money could probably really be used by your family instead of giving it to "Bob's BigRig Back-up Academy"! Take the time to really think outside the box and come up with something that will mesh well with your life and your famlies' lives. You only live once and you are going to get back those moments that you missed...
Click to expand...

I appreciate your honesty and opinion. I am still weighing my options at the moment. What keeps running through my head is why work 2 jobs, when you could possilby work one job for the same money of two, after you get that first year of experience under your belt?

I'm not saying it is the right thought I have, but it's the one I have to answer for myself.

chompi · Nov 29, 2012

Your two jobs now allow you to see your family.

Even after your first year over the road, its going to be hell to find a good local gig! Just about every driver out there, even the very experienced, wish to be home and have a good local gig. Once you come off the road, if you do get a local gig, you will most likely then have to work a second job. Local gigs rarely pay of any significance. In your case, being from Houston will be helpful but the waiting list will be long.

There has got to be other options in your area. Like I said, I'm not trying to be negative or bash your dreams but I've been in your situation and have lived that dream. If I can persuade anyone else to do differently, I will do my best to do so.

king Q · Nov 29, 2012

I remember my eldest daughter who was about 6 at the time asking my wife "Where does daddy really live"?
By the time my youngest was about the same age I was no longer driving and she asked "Why are there no photos of dad in the party's and vacation albums"?
Statistics show the damage caused to young ones when the father is absent.
The extra money you may earn will probably be spent running 2 homes (Truck and House).
Give this a lot of thought before you make the jump.

Brianman72 · Nov 29, 2012

WOW!!! I am glad to see all of the responses so far on this thread. Thank you to you all for your input. This is by no means an easy decision. I am still weighing my options. If I could find a job that paid even $52k and allowed me to be home every night, I would be on it like white on rice.

My wife and I make decent money, but the cost of living in Houston is crazy. When you spend $215 per week for day-care, plus $900 per month for a crappy 2 bedroom apartment, plus utilities, it makes it difficult to get ahead.

I'm not looking to be rich. All I am looking for is when the end of the month hits, there is still money in the account to do things with. Thats it.

bubbanbrenda · Nov 29, 2012

All the stuff everybody says about home time and missing your wife and kids are true, you and your wife are the only ones that can decide if you want to live that life style.(You have to let your wife have a big say so in this because she is the one that will be dealing with the kids and everything that you cannot because your not there) Your kids are young enough to adapt, it will be rough at first but kids adapt a whole bunch better than adults. Now IF you and your wife decide to do this your schooling/training WILL make or break you. Crappy education/training makes for a crappy driver, In MY opinion (and only my opinion,not looking for an argument or debate) Millis Trucking has the best school/training program out there right now, barr none.They have top shelf instructors and top shelf equipment. You will be contracted to work for them for a predetermined amount of time to repay your education.(1 year I think)

Brianman72 said: ↑

Hello everyone. I wanted to take this opportunity to say and introduce myself.

I am 40, married with a 4 y/o and 2 y/o, college graduate who is currently working two jobs, 60+ hours a week, and my wife works full time as well. My dilema is that if I am going to be working that much, I want to get paid a good wage to do it. My full time job is a government job and my part time job is grocery.

Eventhough the government job is steady with set hours, the chances for advancement are limited. By limited, I mean you are waiting for someone to retire or die before you can move up. With the part time job, it is good but the pay is crappy. I don't mind working the long hours, what I do mind is not having anything to show for it. With that being said, I have been thinking about doing a career change and start a driving career.

I have been doing a lot of research on getting my CDL and the different ways to do it and the different companies that will hire a noobie driver. I found a lot of very good information on this forum and look forward to learning even more. Ultimately, I am looking to earn more money from one job driving, where I am working the same amount of hours for the two jobs I have now. I have never been opposed to working hard to provide for my family.

I know that a new driver starting out is not going to get paid very well that first year. But after that, the opportunities to make more are greater. I have also read some threads that mention it is possible to get local jobs with little or no experience, but they can be hard to find.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated and thanks for all of the info on this site.
Click to expand...

Dinomite · Nov 29, 2012

Here's a few of my last bank deposits from driving 14 years over the road. Now 191 for child support and insurance and taxes have already been taking out. But this is what I work with and I still live check to check. My wife is an RN and we still struggle with bills and we don't live a lavish life at all. The 1,000 plus check from a couple weeks ago is wrong they forgot to take off the comdata advance. The 812 was the correct amount underneath it.

nb629 · Nov 29, 2012

Brianman72 said: ↑

Hello everyone. I wanted to take this opportunity to say and introduce myself.

I am 40, married with a 4 y/o and 2 y/o, college graduate who is currently working two jobs, 60+ hours a week, and my wife works full time as well. My dilema is that if I am going to be working that much, I want to get paid a good wage to do it. My full time job is a government job and my part time job is grocery.

Eventhough the government job is steady with set hours, the chances for advancement are limited. By limited, I mean you are waiting for someone to retire or die before you can move up. With the part time job, it is good but the pay is crappy. I don't mind working the long hours, what I do mind is not having anything to show for it. With that being said, I have been thinking about doing a career change and start a driving career.

I have been doing a lot of research on getting my CDL and the different ways to do it and the different companies that will hire a noobie driver. I found a lot of very good information on this forum and look forward to learning even more. Ultimately, I am looking to earn more money from one job driving, where I am working the same amount of hours for the two jobs I have now. I have never been opposed to working hard to provide for my family.

I know that a new driver starting out is not going to get paid very well that first year. But after that, the opportunities to make more are greater. I have also read some threads that mention it is possible to get local jobs with little or no experience, but they can be hard to find.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated and thanks for all of the info on this site.
Click to expand...

Think of your family and don't quit your job. If you have govt health benifits they alone are worth at least $8,000 a year that you pay $.00 for. Trucking industry healthcare will cost you about $400 a month for less coverage and higher co-pays. With two young children your current coverage is priceless.Also it's very difficult to lose a govt job if you are doing your job. In trucking one accident can finish you and leave you unable to find work.

Chinatown · Nov 29, 2012

Maybe job satisfaction is also part of the equation; if you dont have that, you cut years off your life. You're in a good area, with all the ports & refineries nearby. I've hauled many, many loads of tanker product, drybulk & liquid into the Houston area. Yes, a new driver can get a tanker job, even though many will tell you it's impossible. Tanker/hazmat is where the money is.People on this forum have landed tanker jobs right out of school. The OTR tanker company I worked for, not in Texas, hired 2 drivers right out of school & they did as good as anyone. Start looking at that option. Companies saying "X number years experience required" is not a requirement carved in stone. You will need a good CDL school to land one of those jobs though. Schneider puts new drivers in their tanker division, as some on this forum have mentioned. FFE has a tanker division working the oil fields, maybe in Midland, TX, and has their own school. Most tanker drivers will easily make $60K annually & some I know make $72K. Some make much more. I stayed around $65K. Well, that's the best I can do for you. Best wishes.

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