Trucker Lifestyle Questions

We run battery apu's. I went thru Roehls cdl program last October. Been solo since December running flatbed. Most of what I've read on this thread is true. I think the main bullet point has to be that you're gonna have to pay your dues. Don't expect this dream job to just fall in your lap. It takes work. Lots of it. There is a learning curve, and the best way I've found to get over it, is keep your mouth shut and your ears open. Listen to experience. As others have said, this line of work ain't for everyone. Gotta try it to find out though.

 

Sometimes you are walking past the board room and someone is loudly bellyaching why oh why is there never any good drivers worth a dam and we have to abuse what is left to get anything bleeding done around here in this money losing profit burning hell?

You turn into that room and stand in front of the suits and tell them, you have a load? Let's go. Enough talk.

Oppertunities are taken this way by storm. It will never be handed to you.

 

Didn't scroll through all the responses but I'll give u my 2cents. Your perfect for trucking cause u don't have anything holding up back like kids and wife. U can hit the road and stay out for long periods of time. For me I got a storage unit threw all my stuff I wanted to keep and gave up my apartment. I just stayed at my brothers house when I got back in my hometown. I did have money to support myself through the 8 weeks it took to go through the horrid trainer program and finally went solo. Stuck with my initial company for two whole years and got a good gig with a better paying company based out of my home state of Florida. I made peanuts my first couple years but got the experience and knew for sure I'm going to be doing this for awhile.
Once u get your own truck invest in rand McNally tnd GPS and a CB! The CB has saved me a lot a time with fellow truckers giving me a heads up of what's ahead like accidents or any back ups so I can reroute. The truck stops with the best WiFi is pilots and flying j. Most of the time its reliable. Also Google Earth will be very helpful in scoping out shippers and receivers to get a layout of entrances and where to go. I use trucker Path app for finding truckstops. Just get through the 1st year and good luck to ya

 

I thought I liked being alone until I went on the road. You have NEVER been alone like you are OTR. I have sometimes gone days without seeing a human SOUL.

I wanted to blow my brains out personally. Maybe you'll love it.

 

Hell of a thread......thanks for sharing your info...

 

bear spray and pickaroo stuffed at bunk opening

 

You seem to have researched about most of your questions already and are looking for a majority of people to concur. Like getting a second opinion a dozen times over.

The way you describe yourself you are probably a good candidate for a successful trucker. Most of the guys and gals who posted replies have covered just about everything.

The one thing I can add is consider going to an independent school. I don't mean the flying by night ones that promise a cdl in one week. There are some good ones that can teach you the basic skills and cost about half as much as company training.

Bear in mind I said the basics. The real training starts when you're in the truck all by yourself.

And class never let's out.