Some solid advise to the "newb"

So your about to jump into or atleast thinking about jumping into a career as a truck driver. I say good for you! Trucking can be a very rewarding career in many ways. That is if you let it be. Trucking isnt for everyone!
Lets talk about the PROs: Financialy Trucking can be very rewarding. After just one year of experience you will be considered a "experienced" driver. More companys want you and are forking over pretty good money to get you! After a few years all kinds of Opportunitys open. This is when you want to specialize in something. Tank, Flatbed,auto just to name a couple. I personaly made 71.000 last year hauling plastics in a bulk tanker and was home an avg of 3 nights a week.I have been out here 10 years however my company only requires 3yrs. You will see parts of this country (and others if you choose) that in simple terms will wow you! You will see things that only other truckers would believe you have seen! From the Docks of LA to the paper mills of Maine this country is amazing!
CONs: First and formost! There are A Lot of negative truckers out there that want to spread there missery! Dont listen to them! turn your CB off, find a new seat in the Diner, do what you gotta do to get away from these people! Quick story. I caught up with another driver heading into our term and we ran the last 45 miles together. During this trip we talked about our likes and dislikes about the Company. Over all we were both pretty happy and realized it could be alot worse. We were making decent money and our checks always seemed correct and on time! We walked into the term together and sat in the driver lounge waiting our turn to see or DM. While waiting some drivers were talking about how terrible our company was and how everyone that worked there was out to get them! (very typical convo for a drivers lounge) I didnt care to hear all this and went outside. About an hour later I walked to my truck to find that same driver I ran with cleaning out his truck! I asked "thought you agreed you liked it here"? He said he was going with the other group of drivers to a New Company where they promised him he would be treated better. Are you kidding me? Ill explaine why this is a bad idea in a min.
No matter what company you drive for your going to have times when you sit! Trust me when I tell you this: Your DM or your Company doesnt want you to sit! its just bad business. Your gonna deliver freight to places that have no freight coming back out! Thats just the nature of this beast! Trucks are gonna break down, trailers are gonna get flats! Your gonna sit my friend and not make any money doing it! Unless your a team, your gonna spend a lot of time alone! your gonna get home sick. Your gonna look for ways to amuze yourself! Dont become a CB rambo just to pass the time! Shippers and recievers are gonna get attitudes with you and not be so nice. The reason for that is all those negative salty drivers I spoke about earlier! Dont be one of them! Just keep in mind you only have to deal with that person for a very short period of your day. Be the driver they remember because of your kindness! Kill them with your charm!

Heres my Advise: Research all the companys that you want to drive for before going to work for them! Most companys are pretty much the same (believe that or not) When you find that one then stick with them! Dont go from company to company looking for greener grass! Do everything you can do to stay with one or atleast as few companys as possible. If you have problems with a DM, and believe me this will happen. Ask your company for a new one. Most companys will work with you on this! if your a good driver they wont want you to leave. However dont expect them to go to great lengths to stop you from leaving. IMPORTANT: switching companys cost YOU MONEY!!!! Lets just say you make 900.00 per week. On the avg your going to lose two weeks pay from the time you clean out your current truck untill the time you load up your new one. Thats 1800.00!!! If you spend say 6 months with a company you get to know their customers and customer locations. You are saving so much time just by knowing where you are going! How many missed turns, one way streets,and every other nightmare did you go through to learn these locations? TIME=MONEY. or at the very least more rest! Switching just two companys in a year will cost you about 5000.00 per year! Thats alot bucks! Try to work out your troubles before cleaning out that truck!!! I could go on and on why its a bad move!

Good luck to you all! God bless and keep the rubber side down! My name is Gator I drive a 2006 Black Pete 379 hauling a bulk tanker usually east Of I35. Hope to see you all out here soon..

 

Gator,

You are so right on it is unbelievable!

Thanks,
Kevin

 

You are so right. Thanks!

 

Thanks for that Gator. What you say makes a lot of sense.

 

Gator that's a great post. Please let me expand on it.

You'll want to set yourself some goals on where you'd like to be 5 years from now. It's very smart to get into a field that is specialized because you'll get more training and then you'l be harder to replace which means you'll make more. Here's one type of hauling. Say you get to be good at hauling exposives. You go by the book and before you know it you've built up a name for yourself. Then the companies come after you. Or let's say you really get specialized and you start hauling radioactive waste or material. Your name will go into a data file and again you'll be sought after. It won't be long before all the radioactive material heads out to Yucca Mtn. Most will go by train but it's got to get to the train somehow. Those are just two examples on how you can work for a great paying job. There's many many more.

One picture that is painted all the time is that all truck drivers just haul frieght from point A to point B. That's not true. Sure that's the majority of trucking and you can do very well there too. You need to keep your record clean and you'll want to project an image that people like. When you leave the room you want people saying "now there goes a nice guy". Sure you can go and belly ache all the time but you'll stay at the bottom and after a while you'll start thinking why.

The trick is to be safe, reliable, nice, easy on the equipment, and a well rounded worker. Keep your record clean and when you leave a job make it that the company is going to loose a good driver.

 

From my experience Gator and Gas have nailed it. I would like to add my own statement... Any job is what YOU make it.

 

Gatr, I will starting school Dec.8 and have a pre-hire with Werner. My question to you is what kind of research do I need to be doing on different companies? I do want to find a company that fits and stay with that company for a long time. No jumping around. Home time is important to me and Im willing to make alittle less $ to home a little more often, any suggestions?

 

Well forums like this can help. Just keep in mind that there are two sides to every story. Dont believe everything you read here or any forum. If you have a truck stop near your town, go down and hangout. wait for the drivers to come in that drive for a company you may want to work for. A company as large as Werner your going to run into a few. Ask them what they think, if there checks are on time and correct. How much time they sit. Trucking is ALWAYS slow Dec, Jan, Feb so keep that in mind. Werner is a large company. They seem financialy strong. If your thick skined you will be ok. What I mean by that is companys like Werner, JB hunt, Smith, and so on are what we call starter companys. Drivers on the road know that chances are pretty good that a rookie is behind the wheel so they like to give them a hard time. I think they sometimes forget they were rookies at one time too!
I have never been to trucking school or to a company that trains. I have heard the nightmares but again thats listening to ONE side of a story. I will say I have read alot of good things when it comes to Maverick. If I was starting over and had to go to a company for training I would start there. TMC from what I hear also has a excellent training prog. Ive never pulled a flat bed so I cant say whether or not its a pain in the Bobtail to tarp and strap!
No matter where you go make sure you read all the fine print!!! Make sure your willing to live out the terms of there contract! Plan on that company owning your sole for atleast one year! Do everything you can to make it work! you dont dont want to leave a company oweing them thousands!
I would want a contract that is "pro rated" meaning if your with that company say 6 months after training that six months comes off the bill!

Hope this gave you a little help! Good luck! hang in there!

Gator

 

Hello All.

During my years of bouncing around I once landed at a company we all know and love (sarcasim) Covenent. In 2000 they had there own training school down in Arkansas. After 2 weeks with the company I was ready to leave and expressed my desire to do so. When I spoke with my BM on the phone he said he and the operations manager wanted to talk to me in TN about an exciting opportunity for me to advance and they were going to route me to Chatt TN. to make a long story short. When I arrived I was asked to be a trainer. They said I could really put my years of experience to good use and help other drivers become successful. Trainer? Why not? this was a new concept to me. I went down to Arkansas to there training grounds. ( the old Harold Ives terminal for those of you who have been around a while) I was to over see there training so I knew what the trainies did or did not recieve in training. After two weeks of seeing what they do and dont do in training I was horrified! I keept asking: this is it? this is the training they recieve before getting in the truck with me? You want me to go to sleep knowing one of these people are behind the wheel? Im thinking not! I left and havent looked back since. I do know that Covenent has since terminated there training programe do to accidents. Why are we all not suprised?
One good thing that DOT has done is to get involved with companys that offer training. Longer hours, more drive time ect ect ect. My advise is to all of you just in the looking stage. DO YOUR HOME WORK! Dont settle for a company because it has the shortest program. pay your dues in the begining so you dont pay them later! trust me on this one. Get all the training you can get!
I have talked to alot of schneider drivers on the road both experienced and students and it seems to be the norm to hear how satisfied they are with the company. From what I have heared there training program is supurb.
Good luck to you all! We'll see you out there!

Gator
I speak from experience when I talk jumping from company to company....big mistake i made in the early years

 

I appreciate the positive attitude Gator! I start training with SWIFT at the end of the month and I am excited to start a new career.