Making a career change, could use some advice

double post

 

I switched careers from the construction industry to driving a triaxle dump truck class B. I got all the permits and endorsements on my own then took 6 driving classes in total, paid out of pocket and then the road test. My take on the industry, class b only. There's a lot of demand. I was offered multiple jobs without any verifiable driving experience. There's money to be made. I'm paid hourly with benefits health etc. making 55k without OT. If I wanted to work I could easily make 2k/wk with overtime. I was offered a job pulling a hose (too old)for a propane co. starting at 40/hr with a 10k singing bonus. My job is literally 10 minutes from my house and I'm home before 3pm most days.

My experience- love feeling like I'm outdoors without being too hot or cold. Love that there's never a rush and no one ever bothers you. Physically the easiest job I ever had maybe emotionally as well. Like starting early finishing early.

Dislikes- Driving is tiring, really tiring without the proper sleep. I come home exhausted sometimes without feeling like I worked. Trucking is very dangerous at least my job is. My job requires my complete attention all the time, this may vary for other people not me.

The Ugly- Driving a dump truck kills my neck. I have neck pain 24/7, I started seeing a chiropractor and ice daily. If anything is a deal breaker for me it would be this.

 

Try to get on LTL. Line haul is graveyard but home every morning, p&D days, pays around
$27-$30 per hour plus overtime. They are hurting for drivers also so they have loosened the hiring requirements.

 

Guy in Tennessee did the same. Always trying to get his friends to buy a truck because it's easy money. New expensive home, then had a huge swimming pool installed, two new cars, expensive vacations for the family.
Had a major breakdown on the truck and lost every thing he'd been working for. Guess he thought the emergency fund didn't apply to him.

 

You need to sign up for the Jamboree......but you won't get the 10k bonus for singing there. Maybe some Moonshine and an empty jug!

 

O/O 12' Box Truck Seeking Advice
Here's a decent thread concerning owning your own box truck. It's a nightmare!

 

Hi everyone, I really am amazed at all the great information and feedback. So just an update, I have decided to spend a little more time finding out what I want to do in this industry and what area I would like to focus on. I have talked to some people that have many years in the industry and have gained a lot of great feedback. I think the best advice I have received is to put in the time for a year or so and just buy your own truck. I think this might be best for me so I can control my own routes and schedule. If I have to be away from home I can hopefully control how long I am away for. This is just a thought at the moment but I believe this is the best option. Things could change after I have committed and spent some time on the road but I know it will only be for a short time. I will hopefully start at a local company, based on what I have been told companies at the moment are extremely desperate for new drivers and it shouldn’t be difficult to get a local job starting out. I also spoke to a gentleman that runs one week and goes home the other week, so he is home 2 weeks out of the month. He owns his own truck and does extremely well. He said he started off with a extremely used truck that cost him 30k and now drives a newer truck that cost him around 120k. That’s a lot of coin but I guess you get what you pay for. So this is what I have gathered so far and feel a lot better about my next step into this industry. Thanks again.

 

If you have a class-A and don't want to be away from home then an LTL might be a good option. If you have a pulse you can probably get hired at Ward/RMX/Central Transport. I've heard nothing but good things about Dayton. I know FEDEX and ODFL both have NE Ohio terminals. I think Dayton is near Kent, FEDEX is around Akron, and ODFL are in Canton/Cleveland/Youngstown. If you're going with one of the smaller ones I've heard fewer horror stories about Ward than the other two. But Dayton, ODFL, XPO, Fed-Ex, or Holland are probably your best options in about that order.

 

J Rayl's OOS numbers are terrible.
SAFER Web - Company Snapshot J RAYL TRANSPORT INC

 

This company is all local work.
Maybe has something in your area of Ohio. The company is in 48 states. Hires new cdl school grads.
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