Over The Road Pros and Cons

It's 56 degrees in Las Vegas; I'm freezing to death! It's BEDDY-BYE time; Good Night!

 

50 degrees here in Myrtle Beach so I know how you're feeling. Good night

 

Spot on !!! Thats the same advice i got and its been my advice too.

 

I get you . When i started (95) i was in same boat ( ie- no attachments and no real dream)
People i knew and respected drove trucks , so i got a cdl , and all these years later still do it daily.
You can make money if you want ,
You can get things too ( cars , house, etc. too) . You have a dream so go do it and good luck

 

I never had anyone in my family truck drive so it's been a new thing to really dig into and learn about. I've had some people that knew someone in the trucking business and said how great they did with trucking and what they managed to get from all the hard work from it. I've had people tell me don't do it, stay where you're at cause you won't make any money and it's nothing like you expect. I always had a passion for landscaping and loved it and thought big but it was something I got in love with when I did it with my grandpa. Once he passed away in July, I lost all the passion for it and didn't care to really work in this industry anymore cause it was something him and I always did when I was younger.

 

Keep focused on your goal. Go for the money and travel through the 48 states. You know how to do that now; we taught you.

 

Mind what China said in reply to this....

I was same at first, wasn't so much concerned with pay. Go for the pay.

Anywhere you go, training is just going to consist of what it takes to get you going on your own. Some better, some worse. But, all just get you out there.

Most everything you are going to learn is going to be from actual experience as you go along. They can't teach you everything, as there is just too #### much that can occur.

Trial & error is how we all have learned. Sometimes head smacking easy, sometimes very hard lessons. Key is to learn as you go & NOT to repeat the big bone head mistakes.

10yrs out here & I'm still learning every day. Buddy of mine has been out here 50yrs. Know what? He still says he's learning something new all the time. Still might have a screw up from time to time, however so rare.

Go for the money. Your going to learn everything on your own in good time with experience.

 

That's a solid argument.

Where I depart from it....is that I am now witnessing the current CDL market is really throttled for new drivers.

Most carriers that previously took new CDL holders now want 3 months experience -- or more (reefer fleets -- or not).

I think new drivers (for now) need to face the music, & realize they need to find a true "starter" carrier who is hiring new drivers in their area -- & go from there.

-- L

 

Are you allowed to park and sleep in the truck wherever you want? Is it sometimes ilegal? so sometimes you don't want to be at a truckstop? What about pulling over for a few minutes? Do the companies know your every move? Or only the ones with driver facing cams? Does it depend on the company?

 

Myself , i fuel and shower and go .
When i started east coast and the south , i stayed at truckstop cause i didn't know area and it was supposedly safer , once i got to know the area ( maryland , virginia and georgia ) then i was able to park other places ( and talking with other drivers that knew that area ) thats ojt experinse .
When i headed west ( across mississippi river ) i already knew good places , ie- dallas , kc , chicago area , denver . Same for oregon wash idaho and cali . The big thing was being able to plan route , do prep work ( truck and myself ) and being dependable.
Dispatcher's who knew me trusted me and i trusted them
Now the big but - this is all ojt and exp , not something a school can teach. Good starter companies , which have been mentioned have to balance profit and new drivers , so you follow there rules there routes etc till you move on or if you stay you move up ( from trainee , 1st-3rd year , veteran)
You learn , thats there purpose , then you do other stuff if you survive long enuf.