Thinking of Getting into the Trucking Industry (AZ)

Go back to Post #4 to apply and get started.
Don't deal with the local terminal, only deal with the school in Post #4.

 

Yeah, YRC has free healthcare insurance and vested for a pension in 5 years.
If this doesn't work out, let us know and we'll help you find something else local in Tucson.

 

Loves Truck Stops hires new cdl school grad to deliver diesel to their truck stops.
Won't make as much as with YRC, but will be home. Keep us posted.

 

Oh my... are you related to x1heavy? LOL.

I don’t think it’s quite THAT bad (yet). Trucking is an animal and it will chew you up and spit you out, but only if you let it. As long as you keep an open mind and don’t sweat the small stuff, you will be fine. It isn’t rocket science, and yes there are plenty of drooling idiots out there but it’s pretty easy to rise above that crowd.

The cool thing about trucking is, there are tons of opportunities out there and once you get that CDL and a little experience then the deck is stacked in your favor and you can pick and choose the best gig for you. Long haul/OTR, LTL, regional, local, reefer, tanker, flatbed, heavy haul, etc. The list goes on. Real professional drivers with a clean record are always in high demand. Spend some time scouring this forum and you will see there are many different paths to take and plenty of people are very happy and successful.

I did the OTR game for a year and it was great for awhile but ultimately I decided it wasn’t for me. I did a couple different local gigs and also spent some time as a yard jockey/shuttle driver before I landed where I am now, doing local flatbed deliveries for the power company (I don’t work for the power company but we supply them). I love what I do, I take my job seriously, and wouldn’t dream of doing anything else.

 

Most don’t last long enough to figure all that out. That’s what I was saying. They experience all the negative stuff I listed and they’re gone like the wind.

 

Welcome aboard, you came to the right place. As usual, a post like this kicks Chinatown into overdrive, and a wealth of knowledge once someone actually commits, but go back to the basics. While us seasoned drivers take a lot for granted, someone just "considering" a move, in an unrelated field, can be powerfully overwhelming. It's not just driving around, there are so many other catches you may not have considered. Loading, unloading, weather, traffic, health, eating, problems( and how well you deal with them) are all factors in trucking, and 25% quit within 90 days, almost half after a year, so the odds are somewhat against you. It can be done, but you must prioritize what you actually want to do, and seek those avenues. I'd personally go with a company for schooling,, you may not make the money they promised you in the interview, but they have a vested interest in you, and want you to succeed, unlike some fly by night school, that takes your money and turns you loose, with or without the proper training, like "puppy mills", they want your money. Good luck, keep us posted.

 

This is not an industry that is recession or pandemic proofed.

if you want that, get into a medical specialized job.

 

They seem to make it impossible to listen to podcasts or audiobooks. At Cypress orientation, we were told we were allowed a single touch on the smart phone and it had to be in a holder. Okay, that unlocks the screen. Forget about hitting “podcasts,” then “library,” then “Dan Bongino,” then the episode you want to listen to. Siri is retarded, so no help doing it hands free.

Okay, I guess I’m going to have to be lost in my own thoughts for 11 hours a day. That is frightening.

 

Use shortcuts to create a quick way to get to a podcast.