Trucking - An Informed Decision

I see that you have done some homework. That is a good sign that you will be just fine. Keep your head up.

 

Exactly. That way you will know before you drop a few grand on school.

 

I would call around to some recruiters to see how your MVR stacks up against their hiring policy. You won't know until you try. Also, look at attending a local community college for your cdl.

Research is your best tool and you've started out at great place to get information.

 

A thats not a good idea, calling swift or any other cdl mill, yeah they will tell ya come on down we will send you to our cdl school
and { IF} you qualify we got a job for you. I guarantee that after
signing a loan to go to their school you will wash out or not qualify for some reason and still have no job and a new loan payment! If your on unemployment you should qualify for free
re-training witch includes cdl training and other vocations.
good luck to you!

 

I appreciate the thought and effort you are puttng into this, that is something that not all do and they rush into trucking for a job to pay bills and then go through a lot stess.
The speeding tickets are an issue, doesn't mean you won't be able to find a company that will hire you, just means you will have to look harder and maybe even longer.
The other thing, is that you would like to be home wih your kids every other weekend. Again, not impossible, but again will mean you will have to look harder and maybe longer to find a company that fits your needs, and will hire you with the speeding tickets.
Also, with the economy, there are so many indviduals who turn to trucking. Trucking is not job, or just a career, it is a lifestyle. For me, I had always been interested in becoming a truck driver, only had to wait until the time was right in my life to do so and I was prepared financially to begin a new career.
I first worked my network, and through the 6 degrees of separation, got hooked up wth a truck driver and rode along with him for two weeks. That let me see what I was getting into and what trucking was really like compared to what I thought it would be like.
I am a homeowner, so when I am on the road, I need things taken care of. For example, paying some to mow my yard. Also, like starting any career there will be things yo will need to get. I remember when I got assigned my first truck, was so excited. Then I realized, my trainer had a lot of things on his truck that mine did not. So, I had to buy several things, like my trucker atlas, truck stop guide, a converter, cb, t.v., flashlights, and more. I money saved up, enough to pay my monthly bills, buy what I needed, and handle expences on the road, so that I was not stressing
about my paycheck or living paycheck to paycheck. I am a firm believer that when you are broke you get a job or two, when you can afford it you can begin a new career.
Your first year is your toughest, it takes time to become a trucker. Getting your cdl and getting hired is actually the easy part, even with a dirty MVR, even with a good company, it is going to take time to build your career.
I am not trying to discourage you, I love this career, as do many others, I just think t is important for anyone thinking of becoming a trucke to think it through. Those who enter out of desparation often have a horrible experience, which could of been avoided.
Good Luck to you, the fact that you are putting in effort for research and thinking through you options will help you be successful in whatever you choose.

 

lavender trucker well written and informative post!

 

My carrier has enough applications to replace every driver they have . No one with any tickets or any criminal convictions . CVSA 2010 kicks in next years and checks back 3 years . Carriers will be reluctant to hire anyone with recent tickets . But all this talk of choosing carriers ... Today you take what you can get . You don't choose them . They choose you . The choice should be whether or not to enter the industry at all . Go to sites like http://www.hoovers.com/ and check out latest news from major carriers . You'll see they are all reducing their fleets . So why do the keep hiring ?

 

Not sure if that was directed at me but how else is someone suppose to see if their mvr will be considered acceptable?