Trucking school or "personal" trucker-trainer?

Okay, I've been on both sides of the fence. Never been to trucking school, studied and passed the written test on my own and got a job running team. Got on with a small fleet and ran regional. Went flatbed. Retired and was off the road for 7years, started back over...didn't have to do any schooling, but I did have to ride with a trainer. Quit Swift, joined a specialized heavy haul company, did the company driver thing for a year and bought my own truck.

OKAY! The reason why I gave the background is because I actually learned a lot during my time with Swift. Not the driving...everything else. The legal stuff, the paperwork, HOS, the flatbedding regs. It was actually the first time I'd ever read the DOT regs book. IMO, the entry level companies do a worlds better job of teaching the basics, the mechanics of it all. The higher up companies and owner operator companies don't teach you the basics. "Good luck driver!" And you're out the door. My first load with my current company, very first load, went to Ft McKay, AB. I didn't know anything! First time ever into Canada.

Now, if you're a fast study, you may be okay. But when you screw up, it costs you big. I got caught with a Genie man lift going in. Apparently Canada required for this lift to have an automobile title. My QC wouldn't work. I got on the phone and called my travel agent, called the broker, and finally got things worked out. My phone company hit me with the international rates...an extra $618 added to my usual bill. Wiped out everything I would have made and more. That hurt bad.

Thinking of jumping in to your own truck? I used to build 4x4 mud trucks, and sports cars. I can turn a wrench. Two things that helped me was being able to turn a wrench, and having owner operator buddies who could help me troubleshoot some problems. Make that THREE things. Thank you NAPA! If you're going to own your own rig, NAPA will be your best friend. Had to back a 12 wide into a door when my power steering high pressure hose popped. I started out with trucks with Armstrong steering. It's no comparison to a truck that loses it's high pressure hose. The steering wheel felt like it was set in concrete. Called a shop, and they wanted me to have the truck towed in so they could see about fixing it. They didn't have a hose in stuck, but they could make it. Would you believe that NAPA had it? And they delivered it!!!!! Cost les than $60.

Anyways, good luck to you hand. Wish you success. Make sure that you learn the basics somehow. Don't buy a truck if you are unwilling to get your hands dirty, even a brand new one off the showroom floor. These repair shops will rape you and make you draw a crowd to thank them for the rape.

 

go to school and get your CDL. I am a recruiter of a mid size company, and I get calls from guys every day that went out and got their CDL by training with their buddy. I cannot hire them without a school certificate if they have anything less than 1 year of experience.

the notion that you will go out as an O/O for day one is nothing more than a fantasy. If you have the money to spend on a truck, spend it on a good school!