Setting up residency

Companies don't care what address is on your driver's license. The ones who do are the states who issue them. No state will issue a driver's license with an address in another state, because the driver's license is legal proof of residency.

What you need is to hire on with a company that can base you out of Florida. There are plenty who will. But that depends on where in Florid you live. Some will not hire south of Jacksonville, and others will not hire south of Orlando.

 

Actually, some will not schedule your home time but for out of your home base. I've been lucky the last three months, because my DBL has been routing me to Jacksonville for my home time. I park my tractor at the tank wash and either rent a car a drive Home, or get a cheap flight down to Ft. Laud.

 

From my research back then, I recall the main companies hiring out of Broward with no experience were Werner, Schneider, Stevens Transport, Melton, Prime, Covenant, CRST, Knight, and Roehl Transport. Of those, Schneider, Prime, CRST and I believe Covenant, hire strictly teams, again if you have no experience. Forget CRST and Stevens. CRST's training is not popular with other carriers. Stevens pays low (.28 cpm) and despite their trucks are decked out and they let you take home time anywhere you want, I understand they're not very professional, and Prime usually pushes a lease almost right away. Don't do that. First determine if trucking is for you by doing it as a company driver. Then learn the business and decide who has the best lease options.

Schneider's training is notoriously the best of all mentioned, followed a distant second by Werner. Roehl operates mostly in the northern mid-west, and they usually do 3 weeks on and 7 days off, and they fly you home for home time; you're allowed 2 days travel that do not count towards your home time, but it's 2 days you're not running, thus, not making $$.

Don't believe everything your recruiter tells you. IOH, don't expect to get rich the first year, or the best loads, or the 3,000 avg miles they tell you. Put in your time, pay your dues, and do your best to not refuse any load. Be safe, and by all means, G.O.A.L.!!!

 

Armellini's training is very comprehensive (on paper) and it's 12 weeks long. You'll get paid $10.00 per hour when you're not OTR, and I belive it's .18 cpm when OTR. And, from week 3 - 8, you're a THIRD SEATER!!

Hell no!!!

 

My pleasure! Check out Sheridan Technical College in Pembroke Pines. Not sure if they have a "refresher" course, per se, but it's worth a try. (754) 321-3900.

Hazmat is always good to have anyway, although I think your plan on waiting to see where you end up is reasonable. As a nugget fresh out of TDS, I had to make myself as "attractive" as possible, so I got my X and T endorsements and TWIC. I'm seriously considering getting my P endorsement as well, especially in light of my immediate future plans.