Newbie FAQ

I'm 42 and left the corporate world last spring because I couldn't take the lies and politics anymore. I tried running my own business but couldn't make ends meet. I have been wondering about trucking for years and saw the hiring notice while scanning for general work. I'll probably find something else eventually but I'd rather get busy working and I have wanted to try trucking for a while. I don't have enough money to pay for trucking school but CRST says they will pay for my school in return for an eight month contract. I live in Portland, Oregon and haven't found any schools that will train for less than about $5000. The recruiter says I'll make $525 per week to start at $0.22 per mile and more in six months. Something tells me a job that pays by the hour would be safer....

Michael

 

Just research all the Crst threads before you jump into anything with them.

 

If you don't have the money to pay for school you can't afford the bill you get for "free" training if you get terminated for committing a petty infraction before the contract requirement is met

 

Read every word of every post you can find on the TTR.com and other online trucker forums. You will read a lot of garbage and you will hear things repeated over and over. Somewhere in what you learn from what you read is YOUR truth, which is what's important.

And keep in mind there really is no "free" lunch. There's always a cost and there is always plenty of BS, no matter what company you study. You just have to decide what flavor BS you want to consume for the first year.

 

Read everyhting, I went PRIME and I absolutely love it. They have done all they told me they would do with no BS. I made $600.00 a week or more while training. Been on my own for four months averaging 3k miles per week. That clears me close to 1K per week clear as a company driver. NO other company is beating that. I got a brand new Cascadia as a rookie not the old leftover from someone else

 

GOOD JOB...

 

Hi,

Are you a company driver ?
thnx

Are you out 3 weeks home 2 ?

 

I went to school in NJ and live/tested in PA. It depends on the state. For the most part you need to check witht he stae your travling to and your home state. For me a pa permit is valid in NJ, but an NJ permit is not valid in PA.

 

Its important to most, butt here are companies that will hire with less then ideal record. I'm starting with TMC soon and they don't seem to care about driving record to much. DUI, is the big unforgivable one. Recklass driving is also a biggie.

 

I enjoy driving places but sometimes get turned around when driving in unfamilair locations. How important is it to have a good sense of direction as a trucker? Would a GPS compensate?