If you had to start over...

I used to be a spotter in a regular daycab with swing door trailers and had to put jackstands under the trailer. I was in and out of that truck so many times. Was moving about 65 trailers per 12 hour shift. I ate a disgusting amount of food and weight was dripping off.

 

No what if's here, I did. I got out of trucking to start over with the railroad, I'll never complain about trucking again! I miss it, too bad once you're off the road for a certain amount of time your experience doesn't count, and you have to start over again! This is enough starting over for a lifetime.

 

As a newer'ish driver thanks for the insight everyone. 1st long thread were i actually read every page. Good info and advice.

 

1. Avoid union LTL
2. Avoid van
3. Avoid OTR
4. Realize proving you can do it years or decades without an accident has no value pay-wise except with tanker early on
5. Do home every night tanker till 65(like I do now) right out of school

I worked for the top reefer and van companies, and even did melton flatbed a while. They all pay 50k-70k a year solo regardless of how tight your clock is and act like they are doing you a favor

 

I would not recommend the last part of #5 . Pulling tanker without at least 1 year driving is a bad idea. We have a trainee figuring that out now. There is so much you learn in your first year driving that I highly recommend getting while driving dry van rather than trying to figure it all out with tanker much less fuel or hazmat. Tight turns and clearances, traffic, setting up, and learning how to get a feel for the road and general public behavior on the road as far as pre breaking or slowing and many other things.

 

GREAT post....I couldn't/wouldn't say it any better, myself.....!!!

--Lual

 

I agree I got carried away with #5

Knowing about the company-driver pay and home value of it early would of been nice though. I wasted a lot of time hopping around van and flatbed. I lived on the road for 60k a year too much

 

Welp, tanker outfit is the only local hourly that will seemingly give a new driver a chance here. I go for my 2nd interview tomorrow! Woot Woot! Or is that honk honk? Must look up proper truckerese simulating airhorn on interwebzs...
Pay blows ANY otr outfit out of the water until i get 2+ years and that's offering to work for $10 an hour less than what he pays his experienced guys.

Unbaffled tankers on the back roads and byways of Wisconsin or the lunatic death wish of drivers in Chicago. I only have myself to blame if i screw up sloshing about in a tanker. I'm glad it's Milk/Whey and not fuel, nitrogen, oxygen or anything else that will blow up or asphyxiate you in quick order.

 

That will teach him for giving you a rough time on the roadside!

 

Not sure about food grade stuff, but w2 fuel delivery caps out 85k to 92k, but you get there relatively quick. 401k, paid family health and dental, home nightly and weekends for rookie drivers straight outta orientation.. Oh, and you start making about the net of low-layover lease driver with none of the financial risks...

I deliver to a county 15 miles from my house for about 8 hours a day...