NC from IT field to Trucking

Sleep apnea is ok as long as your CPAP machine can document you're using it as prescribed.
I'll post some companies that let you take the wife as a passenger, if she doesn't want to drive.

 

Here's a good one and your wife can ride along with you if she doesn't want to drive. Can also take a pet.
Home - Leonards
Terminal in Hickory, NC
CDL A SCHOOL GRADUATES
Recent CDL A Graduates have a home at Leonard’s Express!
We offer an 8-week training program that prepares you for a safe and successful start into the industry!
Leonard’s offers a cdl school tuition reimbursement program up to 10K for new cdl school graduates.

@xlsdraw drives for Leonards and gets lot of miles.

 

Just so happens that I spent some time in the Farmington NY terminal yesterday questioning a new driver. I had been wanting to know about the process of bringing on newbies.

He got his CDL A down in Haines City, FL near me. He lives between Kissimmee and Poinciana.

He came to Leonard's as his starter company. He's been off his trainer's truck and on his own solo for about a month.

He said that once they had a trainer lined up, they agreed to fly him up to Farmington for a week of orientation.

He then went out with his trainer for a little over 5 weeks. The program is apparently not a firm 8 weeks with a trainer. If both the trainee and the trainer are confident that the trainee is ready to go solo that can happen prior to 8 weeks.

I asked if he had to do anything with the school here on site, and he said no. Just orientation and then straight out with the trainer.

He did say that Leonard's has a reimbursement program available for newbies coming aboard.

He did say he was paid for orientation and training. I didn't feel comfortable asking what his orientation pay, training pay, nor Solo pay were.

To attempt to answer your questions, I like it here better than any other trucking company I've worked for.

I think the pay is reasonable and fair. It's neither on the high or low ends of the industry. Pretty well in the middle.

Being that I am semi-dedicated long haul OTR, I am away from home between 2 to 5 weeks. Usually around 3 weeks. So I'm usually home around a week.

Leonard's has numerous driving opportunities, not just what I do. You should inquire as to what All your options are.

I haven't used their rider program, my wife just don't like the road, we've tried it with other companies in the past. But I believe Leonard's is both Rider and pet friendly.

I'd recommend that you read my thread. It's called Leonard's Express Gamble. The title is because my start here was working for an O/O that leased on to Leonard's. I came on board with Leonard's as a company driver in September.

 

Driving the big trucks is a big pain in the ###. Use your best judgment, if you can make it five years in, incident/accident free, and keep it that way; you will always have a strong income.

Getting to that five years, you’re gonna have hiccups, and problems. How you handle that is entirely up to you, and your ability to manage those issues.

I remember when I started. Jesus where to even begin? At least you have the benefit of wisdom and age.

If you’ve had a career, previously, and understand this is a business, and you are a provider of service, you’re gonna be fine.

Also, getting out and looking at my hood, is a lot cheaper than paying for it’s replacement.

 

@eclipsetrucker -- I see where Leonard's Express also offers dry van duty, in addition to reefer.

Suggestion: having done both of these myself--to make your transition into the trucking world as smooth and easy as possible--I would recommend you spend 6-8 months (or even more) doing just dry van--first.

Then try reefer/temp-controlled, if you like.

Reefer is a significantly tougher segment of trucking.

If you do reefer--say "goodbye"....to a regular sleep schedule.

If you don't like the idea of delivery times at all (different) hours of the night (and day)--with no set schedule (especially for your sleep time)--then seriously reconsider reefer, before you go there.

Also--there will be LOTS AND LOTS of waiting. And waiting. And still more waiting.

Combine all that with many deliveries up in the northeast (with the lack of parking up there)--and you can see why I would advise otherwise.

Many people apparently thrive in such an environment.

Personally--I have the utmost respect for those drivers that do.

Anyway--just some more food for thought....

--Lual

 

I think that....especially given your location....the suggestions Chinatown made in posts 8 & 10 above are tough to beat (Old Dominion). Find out what schools they hire from in your area--then go there. You may then get a world-class LTL job--right out of the gate.

The info given above in posts 18 & 19 is also pretty much spot on--figure out what you want first--then work backwards from there.

As you exit CDL school--get all those endorsements: tanker, hazmat, & doubles/triples. You will need all of them for most of the better paying gigs (like LTL).

The suggestions made about Covenant Transport are worth a look--they are real big into teams. But the pay & benefits will probably be much better over at Old D.

Avoid any/all intermodal-type job positions--until you have at least a year of experience (or more).

If you decide you'd like to try tanker duty sooner rather than later, then given your location you should know about Tidewater Transit:

CAREER OPPORTUNITIES | tidewater-transit

They consider newly minted CDL grads. Call them to find out what CDL schools they prefer.

If you decide that neither LTL nor tanker is for you, then you should know about US Express. US Express is REAL BIG into team driving, and is mostly dry van duty. I think they are based out of Chattanooga, TN.

Here's a link to a US Express job, via an Asheville zip code:

CDL-A Teams: TOP TEAM PAY IN THE NATION & $30,000 SIGN ON BONUS/SPLIT! | U.S. Xpress (usxjobs.com)

US Express will (currently, at least) require 3 months or more previous driving experience--for a team situation.

You might call them and ask what they offer for new CDL grads.

A while back, I spoke at length to a gentleman who drove team with his wife for US Express. He told me that they made so much money with them, and saved so much of it...that they were able to retire in less than 10 years. Think about it (and no, he was not a recruiter ).

If all else fails (repeat: if all else fails)--you could try out my old alma mater--Schneider. They have a terminal over in Charlotte, NC.

They will start you out team driving with zero experience:

Team Van Truckload truck driver | Top drivers earn up to $99,000 | Up to $20,000 sign-on bonus per team | Schneider (schneiderjobs.com)

For CDL schooling and payment options (including paid CDL training), you can check this out:

Paid CDL training | Schneider (schneiderjobs.com)

You could get started out with Schneider (dry van duty, almost all "drop & hook"--VER-RY LITTLE sitting and waiting), then move on to a better paying gig--like US Express.

Many people love to "pile on" and badmouth Schneider (and the other so-called "mega-carriers"), but hey, I got my start there....and (wow!!! ) I survived.

I speak from experience--being on-board with a mega-carrier during a recession is actually not a bad place to be--they will have plenty of freight to keep you moving.

Plus--their terminal network and dropyards offer end-of-shift parking options you won't get at a smaller carrier--this availability has saved my bacon on many a day, as a newer driver.

If I can do it....I think you probably could, too.

What's that old jingle...."whatever doesn't kill you, makes you stronger"....?

--Lual