Military Veteran, Seeking Non-stop Work.

One big thing to look out for being a vet. These companies that tell you that you can use your GI Bill while you attent there school . They will take advantage of you , they will have an inflated school fee , they know how to work they system to take YOUR money .
Also the 3 week schools that are located around military bases , they have retired military as trainers , yes they will use that avenue , they know how to work the system to get YOUR money . Yes they will help and train you to get YOUR CDL , however it's just the basics , they will set you up with shady companies that will higher you , but those companies are bottom feeders , you are better than that .
Set up with a local community college , and with the VA and the GI Bill before you get out . Go home to family , take the 8 week course , visit , hang out , unwind while you go to school , in 8 weeks you have a good CDL , that you do not owe anyone for .while you are attending school you get paid as a full time student , around 1k a month ( depends on the area the school is in ) pulse they give you a one time check to pay for supplies for school .

 

Go get your CDL and BUY a truck. Pay cash, you have something stashed away or something available to do just that. Find something that is 2003 or OLDER and go to work. You need OWNERSHIP. I'm a vet, a Reagan vet, and I cannot imagine what you guys have been through, if you have seen combat. Just saying. Driving cures allot of ills.

Oh, on edit, you will need tools, wrenching is another very good therapy. Not saying you need therapy, but you need to occupy your free time, tools do that, especially when you have the correct and proper ones to get the job done. Tools are very important. I have a sheetload of them.

 

I can't recommend any company's. But from the little I do know the bigger the company the more they look at you as just a number. Ultimately your safety and professionalism will be what determines the pay.
One thing I can recommend since you said you don't have a family to come back to and your trying to drive, drive , drive. I would say just drive as simple as that might sound. Usually a company offers you hometime. But if you don't feel like you need any home time the company will not force you to go home. I personally like to stay on the road for 3 months at a time but that's only cause of the pay and my responsibility back at home. 3 months and I'm itching to go home tho. It's nice being on the road and all but it does get a bit tiring.

 

@BuffDavid since you are a veteran you can go to a community college and have the school paid for it, I went to a community college here in houston and I didn't even use my gi bill as they had funds for veterans who wanted to obtain their cdl. Also look up LTL jobs in you area as you are in the metroplex.

Good luck

 

Dallas; you're in a great place for trucking.
Trimac Transportation has terminals around Dallas. They'll let you run as hard as Elogs allow. Start out at maybe $65K and move up fast to maybe over $100K in 24 months. Coast to coast and border to border running.
Locate the Dallas terminals and make a face to face visit with the terminal managers and tell them what you're looking for. Ask which cdl schools they hire from; the terminal manager will have a list of schools.

 

If you live near one of the Estes Express terminals, check them out!

They have a "Earn while you learn" program to earn. CDL A. They'll hire you on as a dock worker, etc and you train for your cdl during work hours!

I see them practicing all the time at Estes.

And Estes pays extremely well with great benefits. No micromanagement either!!

Estes Express Lines.

 

I don't recommend Melton..........too much sitting and too much tarping. You can make ok money running back forth between Laredo and Toronto,but if you ever get out of that lane you dang near starve!! Tanker....more specifically chemical tanks is where the money is.

 

I do have one little quibble about the idea of "Drive, drive drive"

It's going to be more like WAIT WAIT WAIT for a dock, WAIT for dispatch, WAIT for the payroll, WAIT for the DOT to finish a comprehensive exam WAIT for the physical WAIT some more.

If you don't know how to wait, it's going to eat you up. I admire your motivation and spirit. But you are going to be at risk of being run into the ground in 90 days just like a kiddie fresh from school and actually get nauseated looking at a big truck.

Hometime wherever it might be for YOU is a good thing. To park that semi, don't even look at it, think about it or do anything or touch papers etc related to that truck for a while allows you to decompress and live a little. Once you have had a period of rest however long it takes you your first day at home.

Don't stress about finding that perfect spouse for trucking. Mine joined me for a year (Former Marine..) who actually escaped a hot bed office of federal employ. She did good, but eventually nutrition and other factors pre-cancer caused her to stop it.

One final thought. If it is work you want, go into Reefer and haul meat. They load 550 boxes on the floor and you will be moving that 48000 pounds to pallet when you get somewhere to unload on a priority basis.