Want to be a driver; but, would like to know a few things first.

First...Welcome to the forum! This is the place to get answers but you will probably have better luck if you are more specific in your posting... for example; what to expect as a driver leaves a whole book of information to be posted,
instead try asking....how much money will I make, if that is what you want to know. Most people here are willing to give "newbies" all the info they request, and help out anyway they can.

There are positives to being a driver, it just depends on the individual what they consider positives. This is not a "job" by anymeans, it is a way of life, there is a huge difference. My hubby considers the positive that I dont have to work outside the house because of his being a driver. Some drivers live in their trucks for however long they choose, save up money and buy a house/car/other business outright, they consider that a positive. Doing a good job, being safe, helping others and making a decent pay check are positives for others.
Just remember that being an OTR driver is a way of life, not a job.

 

Not to not answer your questions, but the easist thing to do is to sit back with a bowl of popcorn (no butter) and a large cup of non alcoholic beverage, and devote some time to going throuhg the post on here. You will find that a lot of your questions have already been answered in one form or another, and what you can glean from doing that will help you in formulating specific questions for later on. Consider the site like a big encyclopedi of trucking, and you can flip back through threads and find a lot of info. Then you will be better equipped to ask specific questions and start formulating a plan for yourself.

Welcome aboard and I hope you find some of the answers and more questions here.

 

Choose where you get your training from carefully. I would stay away from the faster paced CDL mills. This is an art if I ever saw one. The training in my case was a blast. I looked forward to leaving my regular work place to go drive those big rigs in the evenings. Backing them up is a blast also. Biggest problem the class had was at night the trailer basically disappears in your mirrors and you have to judge where it is. Now throw some heavy rain in also. Makes life interesting, and you have a basic idea of what these pro's go through on a daily basis.
Best part is when you have gained the skills and they just let you drive without any help. Missed that last downshift did you - recover from it and keep on going. Try and drive every tractor they have plus every trailer type that is there.

Driving these is such a blast I'm like a little kid at Christmas time.......

 

Johnny,
I Bought A Months Subscription To Testquestionsandanswers.com

You Need To Buy The General Knowledge
Air Brakes
And Combination Vehicles Tests.

This Site Makes Studying Pretty Fun...you Get To Take The Tests Over And Over Until It Get's Drilled Into Your Head. It Gives You A Full Description Of The Answer To The Questions Asked. They Are All The Same Questions That Can Be Asked On The Dmv Tests.

Once You Have Passed Them Enough Times On Their Site...they Will Let You Know When You Are Qualified To Pass The Dmv Tests.

It's Guaranteed!
It'll Cost You About 40 Bucks.

I'd Go Pick Up A Cdl Handbook At The Dmv For Free Too.

 

Just to piggybackk off of paperboy.Whatever state you live in get the cdl manual also im not sure if it's still there but i know back in January i would go into schneiders site just to take their sample cdl exams that helped alot.I did those exams and studied the Nj cdl manual for a week straight went to motor vehicle and passed gen knowl,air brake,haz mat and combination veh,dbl/trpls.

 

I'm going to the Indiana bmv this week to get my permit, I have to have it before I leave for Wisconsin (Roehl school in Marshfield) on Jan 1st, so, to answer your question, it should be good for any state you go to. But just make sure you don't get it too early as I think they expire something like 90 days after you get it.

 

Here's what they may possibly do.Take the permits you have from your home state and test you and re issue in the state you are currently in.

The reason i say this is because that's what happened when i went to Swift in Tn.I had Class a permit they destroyed it and tested me all over again.But other companys may do it different this is just a heads up.Had i know i would'nt have wasted 70 bucks on my permit.