Think about becoming a trucker

So this kind of changes a lot of things. I think in your inital post, everyone assumed you were walking away from a good FT electrical job. Now I see you are in a situation similar to what I was in 2014. The sad truth is, building trades are going down FAST, and when the bubble pops in Vancouver/Toronto, I think were going to see massive unemployment in all trades (Like what is happening in Alberta right now).

I don't regret getting into trucking, i'm just not as gung-ho about it as I once was. However this week in Calgary, Devon Energy, and 2 more drilling companies shut their doors and moved out. that's 3-4K people out of work, in a job market where even getting a serving job is next to impossible. Meanwhile, I was just at the Big Rig Expo, and got 20+ job offers.

Getting started is the hard part, once you get 12 months, its easy to make moves, 24 months, sky is the limit. You don't have to do OTR forever, there is so much Local, Regional and P&D work its nuts. I like OTR with my outfit, because no one bothers me. Also the US is nice to work in, and I enjoy doing 3 weeks out and 1 full week home. That's how I did it with camp jobs so, guess i'm stuck in my ways.

So as of today, June 2nd 2019, the 2 best options to get started in Ontario/Quebec are Challenger and Highlight.

In the West, I hate to say it, but its Bison (no challenger or highlight here, the other options are People Express, iHaul and Lightspeed, those are not options). BC I have no idea, I would have said Challenger, but @Tazziee is there, and its not going well (Maybe he can chime in).

Just for a point of reference, a buddy I started at with Bison, just got a local job with United Rentals, moving equipment around on a lowboy locally. $27.50/hr OT after 8, Full Benefits. 3 years exp. He was US OTR the first 3. So those jobs are out there.

If there was another boom in Trades or Oil and Gas, would I go back and quit trucking? No I wouldn't. When i'm tired of OTR, i'm going to do Regional Turnpike.

 

I am with Challenger out west, let me know if you any need info.

FYI - iHaul purchased H&R a couple months ago. Spoke to a driver and he was a little worried about miles.

 

If you need to be home more, try ltl. Usually home every day.

 

forgot to mention im in Milton, ON.

my wife supports me in every decision and when we talked it over about how this is just a step in a long term investment plan she understands a few years of strugles followed by a lifetime of ease. i have a degree in business but the market is horrible and people with 10s of years of experience take everyhting while i cant even get started to get some experience in the first place.

you see thats the thing, ive worked my ### off at a restaurant, 12 hour shifts busting my ### to net maybe 1200-1600 a month, sure with trucking i wont be home as much but if it would help me give my wife a better life theres not much more i can ask for.

 

thanks for the detailed post, i appreciate the point of view and advice, challenger is currently the only one who said they wouldnt have a issue picking me up at 0.44/mile with 8 weeks training after i get my license.

how is Challenger? like as a company, how they treat you, pay, etc?

for sure ill have a look into it, thanks!

 

I work out of challenger at Cambridge ON. The miles have picked up again, was a bit slow a couple weeks ago. Making about $1200 net per week after tax. Running between 2500-3000 miles per week. Base pay is 0.44 per mile but going up to 0.46 in July, lots of accessorial pay so it makes up for more pay.

Trucks are fairly new with APU and what not. No bending the rules here in terms of hours of service. Pretty strict micromanagement. In Cambridge they treat you fairly good, and they are flexible on home time.

 

I just asked a Bison ICI trainer I’m still friends with. He confirmed most of his students are making $4-800wk after taxes, 3 weeks a month. Then slip seat week, they make $200bux. This is also being micromanaged to death, filthy trucks and falling apart trailers.

An assigned truck and $1200/week net, man, what I would have given for that starting out.

Thanks for the input @Canadianhauler21

I wonder how @Phenomenal is doing at Challenger in Ottawa.

 

challenger in Cambridge is exactly the one i had a chat with, quoted me the same .44 and .46.

how is the training in the beginning and whats the way they train if you dont mind me asking?

making 1200 a week is like a dream compared to what i made working jobs in restaurant industry

 

I know what you mean, I worked in the airline industry for a while. The most fun job I ever had but $800 every 2 weeks does not pay the bills at all. Suddenly went from making that to over $1000 a week.

The training program is pretty good, lots of people don't make it passed the cornering portion of it. I found it to be pretty tough but I never really had any driving experience. The training is about 8 weeks and pays $14 an hour for 40 hours a week for about 3-4 weeks if I remember correctly.

The training was something like this:

1 week backing training in the yard.
1 week of cornering (turns)
2 weeks of trip planning and driving
2 weeks of local training
2-3 weeks of over the road training.

They stick you with a one year contract after that. Usually if you break it it's the entire training cost about 6-8K.

If you do break it you can do monthly payments up to 1 year.

 

that sounds like pretty good training, what do you mean by most people dont make it past the cornering portion? like get kicked out or just give up? and as long as the company works it shouldnt be an issue to stick a year.

also after finishing training do you go out solo or do you have to team with someone?