What's a newb to do?

Trucking is what you make of it. It's not a point A to point B sightseeing tour, it's hard work and a JOB! I think you can research til you are blue in the face but in the end, each persin will have to decide for themselves if this is for them or not.
As for the good, bad, and ugly companies, that too is a matter of opinion. What works for one may not for another and so on.
There are a few good bloggers on here who are detailing their experiences..from newbies to a few seasoned drivers. Check them out. Each person's experience is different, but for the most part these people are happy doing their job. Those who come on here and bash others or trucking companies already had a problem when they started and it shaped their attitude from the start. If you feel strongly about this industry as a career then go for it, but don't come on here talking smack if you fail. You've had a long time to think it out and a long time to form a positive attitude about it. Good luck in your decision and course of action.

 

yep just like red hot said, it is all in your attitude. and remember, people don't plan to fail, they fail to plan.
you are with a company to do a job, nothing more nothing less, .. you can only get out of it what you put into it. in the beginning it will be very hard, but it will build character.. the industry has some very high standards, and rightfully so., we are responsible for both thousands of dollars and thousands of lives every day.
just like you will be a new driver so am i, but my attitude is to be the safest and most efficient driver out there.. , if i didn't have this attitude i would not pursue this profession.

best of luck to you in your decision making.. shoot for the stars, than aim higher...

Zero Errors

The Hornet

 

I keep it simple. If you want it then go for it. Don't have so much ego that you dismiss advice from the WOT's (wise old truckers) but keep in mind some of the negative posts are from the COT's (crusty old truckers) and they seem to hate everything that is different from the good old days.

Yes the mega carriers are there to exploit a new drivers need for experience, but when you really think about it new drivers are looking to exploit mega carriers by taking the job with no intention to stick around as soon as a better offer comes up. In my view the mega carrier/newbie relationship is not a parasitic one it is a symbiotic one where both parties are in it to further their own self interests. Nothing wrong with that.

Good luck man.

 

That's crazy talk....

 

Schneider has been working with AARP for years recruiting old people . They ran an ad once "When was the last time you had lobster in Maine ? "
How many restaurants in Maine have you seen with parking for semi's . ? Does WalMart still have lobster tanks ?

 

The good seafood restaurants in Maine are usually located near a dock off "ocean ave" near the beach, lol. I won't even take my pickup truck to them, a nice little car to park along the beach more like it.

 

I think this is an example of doing too much research and as a result ending up with a perception which is out of touch with reality. Do new drivers get fired to minor screw ups? Sure sometimes at some companies. But overall mistakes happen and attitude tends to count for a lot in terms of who gets fired and who gets kept.

I'm not going to lie. The first few months of driving will be stressful no matter what. But you're painting a picture of an ax hanging over your head ready to end your career at the first minor mishap and I just don't think that's very accurate in most cases. You still need to be careful. You still need to think on your feet and learn as much and as fast as possible. But if you take a corner too tight and play a little game of whack-a-pole with the side of a trailer, you're probably not going to get fired for it most of the time.

Every industry has boiled down to dollars and cents. Trucking is not unique in this respect.

Well seeing the country was not one of the reasons I went into trucking. But here's some perspective for you. My wife and I had to relocate for her job two years ago. I had done some trucking previously and when we got here, trucking was the only job I could get. I run local. So we've been here about two years now and anytime we go someplace on the weekend, my wife is always commenting about how the landscape near our new home is so beautiful but she never sees any of it because the only places she ever drives are work and to the local downtown area.

Meanwhile I know where every town in this part of the state is and I've been to most of them and I know where all kinds of interesting attractions are because I've passed them in my travels. Obviously this isn't a good reason to go into the industry. But its a side effect that doesn't suck.

Since you're asking for perspectives here's mine. I did very little research when I got into trucking. I had been previously working in an industry (aviation) that required a boatload of expensive training and experience to get qualified for even an entry level job and there were ALWAYS hundreds of qualified applicants for any available job. Talk about the ax hanging over your head. I worked jobs where a couple dozen new resumes showed up in the mail every single day. If they didn't like you for any reason, they ALWAYS had a plentiful supply of other applicants who would be more than willing to relocate from anywhere in the country at their own expense and take your job for half the pay you were getting. Always.

So when I was ready for a change, my only search criteria was to find a career field which required less time effort and money to get job qualified and which had more jobs available than my previous career field. I opened the paper, saw lots of trucking jobs, found out what it would take in time and money to get a license and six weeks later I was working as a trucker.

I did it for a while, and slowly discovered all the negatives that are discussed so often on message boards like this one. I left the industry and got into computer support which I enjoyed. When we moved, I found that the type of computer work I was qualified to do was much harder to get in our new home. So I dusted off my CDL and decided to get back in the saddle. And now I'm to the point where I've paid enough dues that I have a job doing the type of driving I want to do with schedule and a paycheck I'm comfortable with. IOW, I could make more doing other things, but I choose to do this because its pays well enough for my needs and its the easiest way I have available to make the money I'm making. I think there are tons of people in the world who dream of being able to say that so I consider myself lucky.