Hello to all!

I've been reading various postings in the forum for several days and I have found it to be informative and entertaining. My thanks to all of you for sharing your thoughts and insights gained from your experience in the trucking biz.
I'm a male age 58, looking to finish out my working years in a different field. I have not taken the CDL training at this point though I have spoke with the folks at Road Master about doing so. I've signed up on this forum to learn from thos of you with the experience, what might be the better route for me to take in this pursuit. As in what companies are better to start with, what equipment is preferred and what reasons for the preference... etc. I get the impression that living along the I-4 corridor of central FL may not be the best location to live and be able see home often in the trucking business.
As for my hobbies......travel, specifically road trips long or short. Trips to no where are great on a motorcyle (my preferred way to travel) however I have driven coast to coast in cars, pickups, large rental trucks, Class A motorhomes and riden a motorcyle well over half the US but not C to C yet. I'm a laid back guy that enjoys sitting on the porch while watching the cows graze, the fox play/hunt, the hawks pick off the mice for lunch and the gopher tortoises move from one borough to another at....Swift speed. After reading so much about Swift here I may put some little Swift decals on the backs of those gophers. All kidding aside about Swift, any of you that drive for Swift, I would like hear from you as I have an open mind and would be eager learn why your company is a good place to work. As for the speed of these trucks it appears to me most all of these big companies have governed their rigs down to very tame speeds. It doesn't take a math whiz to figure out the govenor and DOT driving hours add up to less in the paycheck than you folks deserve for the hard work you do and the long stints away from home you must tolerate.

Any advice on the pitfalls of the business would be greatly appreciated as would advice/encouragement as to best way to get started and the best company's to start with. I don't get my feelings hurt nor offended easily, so say it like it is. While on this subject I would never intentionally say or do anything to hurt or offend any of you and should I ever do so please accept my apology in advance. Thanks for allowing me on this forum and thanks for sharing your knowledge on a subject which I have much knowledge to be gained.

Stetson

 

Thank you for the kind welcome and helpful advice on finding my way around.