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I need help

Discussion in 'Experienced Truckers' Advice' started by LDH26, Sep 11, 2008.

Page 2 of 2
  1. Sep 12, 2008 #11
    25(2)+2

    25(2)+2 Trucker Forum STAFF Staff Member

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    the road less travelled
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    As long as you are physically able, do that,and just having the job and a good reference will help you later, that goes for any bona fide job. Livestock hauling is something as well, it's more like OTR than hauling sand or dirt, you could transition more easily from that, some aspire to run the stock racks from other driving, they like it.
     
    25(2)+2, Sep 12, 2008
    25(2)+2, Sep 12, 2008
    #11
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  3. Sep 12, 2008 #12
    GasHauler

    GasHauler Master FMCSA Interpreter

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    Look to see what kind of pay you could be making there in a few years. You might want to stay there once you start. And not all companies want just OTR experience. When I came to tankers I had a hard time because I had no in town experience, just OTR experience. So it all depends on the company and what they do.
     
    GasHauler, Sep 12, 2008
    GasHauler, Sep 12, 2008
    #12
  4. Sep 12, 2008 #13
    rocknsand

    rocknsand Medium Load Member

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    Dec 28, 2007
    Tonganoxie, KS
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    I started out doing the mixer thing (was 58 at the time) and moved over to the rock bucket after about year and half. It was good big truck experience but the contractors were a pain sometimes. The rock truck was semi experience and since we had 6 plants it was usually different every day.
    Now hauling concrete pipe and do get into IA and NE every so often and home every night. If it is a overnighter we get a hotel, with pool,with hot tub, free breakfast...Ah, life is good in a day cab on the road.
    I would stay with the mixer for now,and one of those rock truck seats will open up when you least expect it. Keep buggin em about it and show you are interested in moving over. But,make sure you are doing above and beyond on the mixer,and keep it clean. Get in that drum, yeah its a tight squeeze, and beat the fins with a 5 lb hammer to keep the build up down.

    Have fun and good luck
     
    rocknsand, Sep 12, 2008
    rocknsand, Sep 12, 2008
    #13
  5. Sep 13, 2008 #14
    LDH26

    LDH26 Light Load Member

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    I think I will stay with the mixer and do what you said RockNSand. I ran it for 7 hours yesterday and I don't have any complaints at all. I know you have to start out at the bottom and work your way up, regaurdless of what you're doing in life. I think the mixer will give me good experience in a truck, getting used to the 10 speed, the size of the truck, the mirrors, etc. and once I prove that I can drive one for awhile without tearing anything up or having an accident, they'll move me over to one of the semis. As for now, I have a good job, a good boss, 4 or 5 fellow mixer drivers that are good ol boys and easy to get along with, im making a good wage, and im in a truck getting some experience. I'm content and happy with that. My long term goal is to drive a semi full-time OTR.
     
    LDH26, Sep 13, 2008
    LDH26, Sep 13, 2008
    #14
  7. Sep 13, 2008 #15
    Brickman

    Brickman Trucker Forum STAFF Staff Member

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    As some one that owned a successful landscape maint company and selling it because the grass looked greener on the trucking front I would have told you NOT to move to trucking. But thats just me.

    I now work all yr to make what I could have been making in maint in 9 months.
     
    Brickman, Sep 13, 2008
    Brickman, Sep 13, 2008
    #15
  8. Sep 13, 2008 #16
    LDH26

    LDH26 Light Load Member

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    Sep 7, 2008
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    Well Brickman, I do have to agree with you a little bit. It's hard mentally, to work 40 hours for the same amount of money that I can make in 1 day of mowing. However, it's security for me. With the trucking and having my class A cdl now, I know that no matter what the weather does, I will have income coming in. I've recently went through a divorce and finances have tightened up for me quite a bit since then. I still have my maint. company and I plan on keeping most of my accounts for the time being, at least until I go OTR. That will be a few years though from the sound of things. By then ill have my truck paid off and things won't be so tight.
     
    LDH26, Sep 13, 2008
    LDH26, Sep 13, 2008
    #16
  9. Sep 13, 2008 #17
    kaiwren986

    kaiwren986 Light Load Member

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    Aug 9, 2008
    Lowell, IN
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    Im sort of regretting leaving the company I was working for last week. Was a lawn maint. foreman. He told me he'd give me $13.50 an hour if I had my CDL A... good place to work, crappy job, couldnt stand it anymore though.

    I guess I'd rather be happy than have a fat paycheck, hopefully I can do both trucking :) After a while. Im not going to delude myself into thinking Im going to make a ton of money, esepcially right out of the gate.
     
    kaiwren986, Sep 13, 2008
    kaiwren986, Sep 13, 2008
    #17
  10. Sep 13, 2008 #18
    doubledragon5

    doubledragon5 Road Train Member

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    For someone who works for a concrete co, driving a dry powder tanker, trust me a opening will come sooner that you think. This type of business has a huge turn over rate, mainly because the weather affects when you work or not..
     
    doubledragon5, Sep 13, 2008
    doubledragon5, Sep 13, 2008
    #18
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