Thinking of Getting into the Trucking Industry (AZ)

Keep your $3000 in the bank. You worked hard for it, so keep it.
How close are you to Phoenix/Flagstaff/Kingman/Douglas/Nogales
Which is closer to you?
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The reason for asking is because those towns/cities have YRC Freight/Yellow terminals.
This company has free cdl school, which for you will probably attend in another state with meals and lodging provided. After school you'll return to Arizona.
This is a Teamsters union company and line haul drivers can make over $90K per year.
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Tuition-Free CDL Driving Academy - Truck Driver Jobs ...
Get Paid to Earn Your CDL
The CDL training program consists of classroom instruction and behind the wheel training with an experienced instructor in preparation for the State Class A CDL Skills and Road Testing. Academy classes meet 8-hours a day, 5-days a week for 4 weeks.

 

Southwest Truck Driver Training - Truck Driving School ...
CDL Training Locations in Phoenix, Tucson and Las Vegas
1230 W. Glenn St.
Tucson, AZ 85705
Southwest Truck Driver Training is an independent and dedicated truck driving school. Our facilities are equipped with the latest trucks and master instructors.
This is a good school and you can finance the tuition.
In-House Financing
For students who do not meet state grant requirements, Southwest Truck Driver Training offers an in-house tuition program to help meet your needs. We offer affordable payment plans to suit your needs. Loans payments typically do not start until 45 days after graduation which gives you time to secure a driving position before making any payment.

 

Danny Herman Trucking hires new cdl school grads and has terminal in Nogales.
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Danny Herman Trucking - Welcome to DHT
Danny Herman Trucking - Welcome to DHT
DHT is a company large enough to service your needs, yet small enough to provide the best customer service.

 

So, you're only interested in local work and no OTR?
Most of YRC is home daily or several times a week.
Yes, if you attend their school, you'll have to work for YRC. Probably the best paying driving job
in Arizona.
Looks like Tucson does have a YRC terminal and do use local drivers.
Apply for the school and let the people know you want to drive out of Tucson.
For opportunities visit drive4yrc.com

 

Think about it long and hard. And, be honest with yourself. If you think it’s all “Hitting the open road”, “Seeing the country” and “Having a paid vacation”, you’re going to be in for a rude awakening.

This is the hard truth of the matter. Most guys don’t last 6 months. A few that do don’t make it past a year. A small percentage end up making it a career.

It can be a rewarding gig, but you need to really do your homework and decide if it’s for you.

Here’s your life as an over the road trucker:

- Sleeping in piss smelling truck stops and eating whatever you can reheat in a microwave, get off of the roller grill or spend half your check eating out.

- Working close to 70 hrs a week (mostly driving)

- If you’re a road rage type that gets mad every time someone cuts you off, stops in front of etc..., this gig ain’t for you.

- Accept the fact that your at fault anytime ANYTHING goes wrong and that you’re pretty much scum to everyone accept the occasional kid that wants you to hit the air horn.

The industry created this. It’s not the respectable profession it once was. Why? Because the megas have worked very to lower the standards AND the pay for OTR drivers.

Their ideal driver is a broke, homeless bum that can pass a DOT physical, drug test and read at the 2nd grade level. Then, they string them out on the road for weeks at a time, paying them just enough to keep them wanting to work, but not enough to be able to take off more than a few days without going broke.

Sound fun yet?

The few, the VERY FEW, learn the game, play it for a year or two to get their experience and then (because they can actually think without drooling) get out of the mega funk and find a real driving job with a fleet (usually smaller fleets) that actually have a few standards and don’t hire flip flop wearing, unkept bums that if not for driving for a mega (Swift, Werner, etc...), would be back on welfare or selling drugs on a street corner (most don’t have the drive to do that).

If all that sounds good, then give it shot. Who knows, you might actually be o e of the 5%-10% that actually makes it in this industry.

Good luck with your decision.

p.s. research and find the cheapest way to get your CDL. Again, the odds are GREATLY stacked against you so you don’t want to be heavily invested in the likely case you’re not going to like your new career.

p.s.s. It’s too bad you’re not from Kentucky. If you were, you’d qualify for a full scholarship to my institution: Frank’s FREE Truck Driving School.