I've been a mover/driver (primarily residential) for the past four years and have long thought about upgrading from the box truck day job to 18-wheeler OTR O/O. Some of the salaries I've seen online and heard about from others in the business have been pretty impressive, and aside from the $ draw, furniture moving is just what I'm good at and I don't see myself enjoying much other work the way I do this. What I don't have is a lot of connections on the van line side of things to help me navigate the business as it stands today. I don't want to get suckered by a company and end up working for a carrot I never catch up to. Right now I do not have a CDL but I have been studying online for the permit exam. At some point, I'll need to get actual behind the wheel experience to prepare for a skills exam and actually being on the road. Going to trucking school is not a practical option with my current schedule. If it's a viable option, how should I go about getting on-the-job training from a van line? Basically I'm just looking for advice on how to best get from here to there. Thanks folks
I got out of the moving business after 18 yrs and I'm glad I did . I ran HHG and had 4 trucks at one point but I was running one of those trucks . Good money but the wear and tear on the body isn't worth it . As far as getting your CDL your best option is to see if a moving company will help you out ( train you & borrow truck to test ) . Other options are to pay in full for a CDL school . You can also study on your own , get a permit to test and rent the truck from a CDL truck rental company and test on your own . What ever you do don't sign a contract if someone offers to pay for the schooling , you will pretty much be an indentured slave till paid off . If you want to continue moving I would try alternatives to moving ( conventions , concerts and events ) that still pad wrap and strap down loads , alot easier but still physical enough to keep you in shape. Don't grow old moving furniture, back surgeries, knee surgeries and paint in the joints are just a couple things old school movers have to look forward to . Just some advice from a old mover , good luck.
Thanks... So at one point I quit my current gig to work as a mover for a van line, with the expectation they'd be training me to drive. Long story short, they jerked me around about my pay and when I realized I could study on my own, I took that as my cue to leave. So now I'm back to square one. I'm still hoping to take the route of learning while working for a company if possible, but getting my permit by myself first. I didn't realize renting a truck to test in was an option though, will definitely consider that. When selecting a van line to work for, how much does distance matter? I've heard of drivers working for agents several states away, and I'm not really sure how those logistics work, especially when starting out. Also, in this day what is a realistic income for HHG truckers (company and O/O)?
