Want to learn to drive

Try posting an ad on here

http://www.truckpaper.com/employment/viewjobwanted.asp?guid=

 

"I highly disagree in terms of my "insurability" as I have a clean license, 3 tree services you can call that will tell you that I work and a felony in federal court that doesnt show in 99 percent of background checks"

He just means without training at a certified school, even an Owner /Operator would have a tough time adding you to his insurance. This industry is much different that anything you have encountered in your past, the insurance industry runs everything form the smallest company, to largest mega carrier. And your past will be totally visable to any potential employer through many data bases they use, so just be honest. To be honest your biggest hurdle will be lack of steady verifiable job history........that seems to kill more commercial driving careers these days.

Contact your local job service and see if there maybe some WIA funds avaialble for you to attend school.

 

Don't bother the deck is stacked against you.

You will never see your family and always be behind financially.

You will give away hours of your time for free.

Even when you play by the book some dick head cop will write you up for some made up crap because you look like someone who got away from him yesterday.


THE TRUCKING INDUSTRY SUCKS!!!!!!!!!

 

These days most companies won't touch you if you don't go to an accredited school.

I have to say, you have a new baby and wife at home I really don't think you should bother with this career. You are going to waste a lot of time and money only to find yourself seeing your family a handful of times a year. Personally it wouldn't be worth missing my child grow up. You may get lucky and land a local gig but its tough getting a local job even if you do go to school. There are so many qualified drivers out there looking for work and those are the ones that are usually at the front of the waiting list.

Not being negative toward you, if this is something you really want to do then go for it. From many years of experience out there though I can tell you its just not worth it. Home time is THE number one reason newbies quit within the first few months. Its hard to imagine what 4-6 weeks is like away from home and family until you are actually out there. Don't fall for the recruiters home time lines like "we'll get you home on the weekends", or "our drivers average 10-14 days out"! Keep in mind they get paid as long as you show up for orientation. Your dispatcher will ride your butt and push and push you. Yes you can tell them no but if you do plan on finding another job cause they will sit you at a truck stop for days on end. Now you are away from home and not making a dime!

If you are cool with being gone for a couple months at a time then go for it. I personally love trucking and to this day really miss it. It's a hell of an adventure! Really not a job more like a lifestyle!

Good luck whatever your decision!

 

Your best and possibly only choice is to find a less than desirable company that will hire and train you.

You will cost an owner operator $2,000 - $3,000 a year in additional insurance costs. You will cost him a 500 - 700 air mile operating radius. Now he can't run where he wants.

Most owner operators enjoy their alone time. That is why they choose this profession. Most of their loads have plenty of time to be delivered solo. They make their money by working smarter not harder, meaning their operation is not about running miles but about the rate.

 

I went to school with a guy who's only flaw was a crummy work history.

The only company that would give him a chance was Swift, and he had to beg.

I used to work law enforcement, and your tax felony will show up, I can guarantee it with 100% positivity. TMC knew about a 6 year old seat belt ticket I had, what makes you think a felony will slip thru the cracks?

 

The 'tax related felony' indicates that you are not really that honest.

And trying to go OTR, which is basically abandoning your wife and child, indicates that you are not really that decent - or responsible.

Want to know what will happen if you go OTR?

You will make between $200 and $700 per week during your first year or two. Of that, you will need $100-200 per week just to live on the road.
That leaves $100-500 for your wife and child to live on, while paying all the rent and utilities and doctors and food and car payments and... you get the idea?

While you toodle around in your truck, care free, your wife is really doing all the hard work.

This is not a job to 'support' a new family. It is a job to get away from that family setting.

You can not support something that you are never around for. And, I tell you the truth, you will not have that family very long if you go this route.

Most likely, she will find someone (as in, another man) to 'fill' her needs while you are away. Another guy that makes her feel like she is loved and needed. Another guy that is willing to spend his time with her, and her child, and be there to help out when she needs it.

If you really love her and your child, DON'T become a truck driver!!!
You would do better to find a minimum wage job that had overtime, because at least you would be with your family on a daily basis instead of a couple days every 4-6 weeks. And the pay would be about the same, in the end.

 

Hey dude i was trying to figure out how you had the time to type up such a hugely long letter but then realized your ex 6 years have you ever thought of starting up your own truckers newspaper ? With some of the posts and experience some drivers in here would have no problems writing a newspaper column .

 

Moosetek just reminded me of something I have heard before about companies hiring process's. If you are gung ho about this, you may not want to mention the new baby. Kind of a red flag to most otr companies. They realize you are going to last more than a month or so and don't want to invest time or money in you driving for a month. So keep it on the down low.