Thinking about getting CDL recently retired from AirForce

Any other occupation I’d agree with you, but we’re talking truck driving. I wouldn’t concern myself with their financial viability provided I was happy with them otherwise. Who cares if they go under in 3 days, 3 weeks, 3 years, or 50 years. Anybody with a decent driving record can walk out of one truck today and be driving another one next week.

 

When Yellow starts complaining about finances, the stock prices drop. At that point the investors start buying 10's of millions of dollars of the cheaper stock. They don't buy the stock because the company is closing the doors; they buy the stock because they know it will climb back to record highs and then they can cash out. They've been doing that for decades.

 

p.s. Welcome fellow Air Force retiree.

 

That is a thought. Want to be home with three kids. Sysco definitely hires new grads. It's a healthy job. Pays good too. I'd do that if it weren't for a back injury of mine.
Paying for school is a good idea. You get what you pay for. There are companies who reimburse school. Sysco might? They're always hiring. People don't wanna work.

 

From another Air Force vet welcome aboard!

 

They’re ok, My opinion I think Yellow is a better choice.

 

Welcome, JohnXDoe...and THANK YOU for your service to our country!!!

When I got into trucking a few years back.....I did so in part because I have no spouse, no dependents, & no pets.

I also had a pretty bad case of wanderlust.

With kids that really need a father to be there for/with them--I think it's only fair to point out to you that most trucking jobs involve A LOT OF HOURS.

When you go on duty for most CDL-A jobs, you will work with 2 clocks--an 11-hour clock, and a 14-hour clock.

The 11-hour clock is for driving time; the 14-hour clock is for on duty time.

Those are your first 2 heavy duty clues that this type work is no standard 40-50 hour per week job.

Trucking jobs that are less than 55 hours per week are indeed out there, but they are few and far between.

With all that said....if you are still interested in a trucking job, but would like to be around more when the kids come home from school....look into P&D (pickup and delivery) jobs in the LTL sector. Those are more like a regular, day job.

Carvana may well be a "home daily" gig....but they may want you start out on night shift; with children at home, this would be a "no go" for me.

You might also look into delivery driver work for UPS, or even FedEx. Those are jobs with more normal hours, and the pay is still pretty good.

As I write this--I'm doing hazmat tanker duty, hauling fuel. It's a home daily gig, & steady work, but again--it's a lot of hours. Also--fuel delivery companies will, in many cases, want to start you out doing night and weekend shifts (which I'm doing). NOT a good mix with kids.

BEWARE: Many "home daily" trucking jobs will want to start you out (on the bottom of seniority) doing night/weekend shift work schedules.

Hope some of the above helps....

--Lual