I am a wannabe about to attend trucking and Heavy equipment operator school in LA at College of Instrument Technology in Bellflower. I have recieved funding for the $8K school and will not have to pay back a dime due to funding and being laidoff from my last job and Veteran status. After the 2 & 1/2 month program I will have class A CDL, OSHA Certifications, Forklift, Backhoe & Forklift Certified, Tie down certified, & Hazmat testing and spill cleanup, OSHA Confined space. The program is 240 hours minimum. My question is "Will I be experienced enough with this school Certifications to Jump right into a Long Haul Cross country driving job straight out of school?" I want to drive routes up and down west coast to Alaska from Los Angeles and also Los Angeles to Dallas where I have family. Do you think this will be a quick possibilty? I appreciate any info you may have for me. I am 48 and looking forward to making this my career for the remainder of my working life if I don't move into management with a trucking company before retirement age. Any opinions or advice? Thanks Much Wannabe about to go big time!
Welcome, lowkey! With that skill set, unless your just dying to go OTR, I would think you could find a gig in environmental remediation or something. You are definitely more valuable than the average noob, so I would advise you to use that to your advantage. Stay away from general freight, look for a niche where your skill set is needed. General OTR chews people up and spits them out, drivers have become a commodity in that sector of trucking. Good hunting, and welcome again! *hmmm! Age, 48. You might qualify as Crusty Noob, or something!*
Check out work in Alaska up in Prudoe Bay on the oilfields. Theres Pipline Maintenance through Alyeska, Houston Contracting and a few more I cant think of right now. Many people live in lower 48 and fly up for their hitch of 2-3 weeks on and 1 week off. Hitches vary though. Some are months till the specific job is done.
