Ten Newb Questions

1. Each version has advantages. If you don't have great urgency for cash, the 5-6 week course is probably better for real learning.

2. The federal government restricts your driving. Google Hours of Service

3. Probably. Maybe.

4. While driving? Some can, but ick, for me.

5. You have to pass a physical every two years (or one, if you have certain conditions)...so no age limits, but the older you get, the harder it gets to pass the physical.

6. Depends on the mattress. They can be great, but most are average. Bedding is really a matter of personal preference.

7. Daily. Really. You're out driving a big wide tall heavy vehicle. You get used to it, to a degree, but there's always at least a small chance of a sudden crisis with other vehicles.

8. It depends on the accident. Higher dollars and more injuries/fatalities can.

9. Load planners more than dispatchers, but yeah, they can...if they're petty tyrants.

10. You pick.

 

1) Do you want to pay in cash or time?
2) No the government does. Google HOS (Hours of Sevice).
3) This will certainly put a kink in your possibilities. Some will be okay with time and some may never overlook this.
4) I guess many do. I practice bladder control and stop every 4 -5 hours.
5) 21 years old for Interstate, 18 for Intrastate. Several companies require 23 years old.
6) I have no problem with it but I can sleep standing if need be.
7) Every day!
8 )It well may if it's your fault. In the event of a death, it could cost your freedom if you test positive of have falsified your logs or have broken other regulations.
9) Yes they do. If you do the job and take care of business, this will not be a factor. If you complain and are picky it could break you.
10) I say a lifestyle. Many say a job. To me it is like being a police officer, milking cows, working an on-call service job or being in the Military. You are always on the job.

Now my standard advice.

You need to research and find out what the important questions are. You can make an above average living but you will make sacrifices that other jobs don't require. Read the "good companies" and "bad companies" section on this forum and get an idea of what company you want to work for and what kind of trailer you want to pull. Don't just go to school and then try to figure out where to go.

I don't know your financial situation. Don't take training from a company if you can afford it or get it with financial aid. You will be their slave for up to year. If you leave they will trash you DAC and credit record. Check out your local community colleges and employment office.

Just know that most training and trucking company recruiters will do nothing but lie to you. They will let you talk about what you want and then tell you what you want to hear. Trucking is about moving freight to make money for the company. Your home time, family, paycheck and everything else comes second.

It is not like any other job. Local is usually backbreaking delivery work 10+ hours a day, 6 days a week. Often you unload dozens of times a day or you are a salesman. In my area most dump truck jobs pay less than a good factory job. Regional is lots of loading and unloading time, fewer miles than OTR and not as hard as local but will wear on you and push your HOS limits. OTR is out 3 - 5 weeks with 3 - 4 days home, less manual labor and more miles.

You'll probably have to pay your dues before you get the gravy job. Weekends off, if you are lucky enough to get something like that starting out, may be home Thursday afternoon and leave Saturday night or home Friday night and leave Sunday afternoon. Loads deliver on Monday early and you leave in time to get them there. Often your home time will be in the middle of the week.

Regardless of your driving choice, after school you will go through company training. For OTR this can be six weeks to three months with little or no home time. The first phase is usually $400 a week and the second phase is $500-550 a week. Some pay less. One company pays 12 CPM for training.

One last thing, you don't want to wait around too long after training or you'll have trouble finding a job. If you get out before you have a year in, when you try to come back a few months later you will find they want you to start over.

 

That would be Google.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semi-trailer

 

Mostly by doing alot of reading. Also asking questions. I'll share my thimble full of knowledge. What I offer will be just my opinion. These come from an owner/operator perspective.

I like to close the doors and truck so I prefer a reefer or van. I have pulled both several hundred thousand miles.

A van has the least headaches. You don't worry about the temperature for the most part and you face fewer situations where you unload or pay lumpers to unload. If lumpers are paid the company covers the cost. Often you do live loads and unloads and they can take time. You sweep it out and it's clean. Grocery warehouses will want everything restacked.

A reefer requires monitoring the temperature and more things can go wrong with the load. It can spoil, thaw or be beat to death on rough roads. It almost always requires lumpers to unload produce and many other loads. Grocery warehouses want things stacked their way on their pallets so often every bag, box or case is handled. Some hate the noise of the additional engine. Engine noise always sings me to sleep. Silence is not something I can sleep in. When you load fresh produce you can set all day waiting to be loaded. Often you must wash out the trailer at a truck wash or they won't load food items. Things like fresh chicken are nasty. It is packed in ice and bloody water runs out of your trailer the whole trip.

I have never pulled a tank but don't believe a tank with baffles or compartments would be too bad. I have hauled loads like refrigerant or other liquids and they will surge and move you around. IMHO, smooth bore tanks are for experts and those with tanker experience and can end a career quickly. With tankers you will usually drag around and hook up hoses to load and unload. Special care must be taken to not offload something into the wrong tank or bin. For the most part you need to be present during the load/unload process. You will spend some time being washed out after most loads.

My flatbed experience has been on strait trucks with logs, firewood, lumber and occasionally some equipment. For OTR trucking it is more work securing and tarping your load. The worse the weather, the more likely you will spend time tarping. Many loads require tarps regardless. There seems to be less waiting for loading and unloading.

Most specialized trailers and loads will require some experience before they will hire you.

That's about all I think I know. If anyone can correct me or offer more, please do.