Yet Another "Which Company" Thread...

Thank you! I hadn't heard of them before, and the limited reviews I've seen online are very good. I'll keep digging for more info on them. I could probably come up with the cash upfront to pay for it if I sold my car. It's not like I'd need it anyway, and I'd still have the KLR 650 motorcycle I just finished rebuilding.

 

Thanks Victor. The Class B is something I hadn't really considered, but I'll at least give it some thought. Have to admit, your scenario sounds appealing if it's possible - especially the "when the pavement ends" part (see the post above about my recently restored dual-sport motorcycle!). I do know that there are a lot of different paths to where I would ultimately like to go.

And yes, my grandfathers drove during a VERY different era. Better in most ways. But despite it all, the wanderlust still runs strong in me, and I need to find a way to tap into it and find a little peace and happiness in my life.

 

If you attend the private school, then look at tanker/hazmat jobs and System Transport for flatbed job. With System Transport you can make about $50K if you're a hard charger, plus they have terminals in California. trans-system has tanker, but not sure if they hire in CA. All the trans-system companies hire new CDL graduates. If you land a tanker/hazmat job you can make over $60K. Start preparing now so you don't have to settle for the poverty wage entry level jobs in trucking; get a passport, TWIC, and study the "CDL Practice Tests" which are accessed at the top of this page.

If you find you cannot afford a private CDL school, then try CRST flatbed. They will pay for your school in return for an 8 month commitment. After 8 months you are free to leave for another company. Many give CRST bad reviews, but look at it as a stepping stone to your goal.

 

Nodaclu.. it sounds like you will be well suited for the trucking life. Either that or we may hear about you on the news for bringing an AK47 to work and going postal..lol...
Since you are prepared for your first year of low pay then I really would recommend Gordon since you could run the i5 corridor and be home often. You should contact Gordon recruiting about a school because they don't accept students from many school and they do have a tuition reimbursement program.
You will read horror stories about every company out here so don't believe all you read. It just depends on what you expect and you have not set your expectations too high so you will be fine.
Just remember. . Trucking is like a black hole.. once it gets hold of you it is difficult to get away from.
Good luck

 

Wow! That's good money right there...a little more than I'm making now. I'll definitely give that a good look-see.

I see you're in Henderson. I lived there for four years, and I have to admit, I kind of miss it.

 

LOL...no worries about me going postal. I have enough Zen in my life to ensure that won't ever happen. But I have to admit...an office just isn't the best place for me. I've been known to lock myself in walk-in closets when I want some peace and quiet.

By comparison, I work in a 12x10 office space with 4 desks crammed in each of the 4 corners.. I'm literally 4-6 feet away from three other people who are constantly on the phones. It's also a temp job, and I don't know if they will ever take me on permanently or not.

Finally, I'm in a field where it's really tough to find a job without a college degree (which I don't have). It took me 5 months to find this job. Outside of these rare jobs that come open in this field, I'm a $15/hour admin in my mid-40's. So in a lot of respects, the income prospects are better for me out on the road. Especially once I get to year 3-4 or so.

You guys have been great at giving me some ideas I hadn't thought about or read in this forum. I really appreciate it. Please keep 'em coming!

 

Yes, I'm a transplant from TN. Purchased a home there earlier this year. Cheap homes in Las Vegas area, due to still occuring bank repo's & short sales. I'm in Seven Hills.

 

I drive for Crete, and they are a good company to run for. I'm not saying they don't have their issues, but I started my career with Werner and the difference is night and day. I can't really comment on the other companies you mentioned as I don't have any personal experience with them but I can tell you to make sure you scratch Werner off your list and keep Crete on it. WARNING THOUGH Crete only takes students from approved schools. its pretty selective. Trevor at Crete recruiting can talk you through that part of it. If you want to just talk things over with him, without submitting an application and without pressure, give him a call at 402-479-2769 (his direct extention) or the 800 number is 800-998-2221. Tell them driver LUTDA refereed you (YES, that's because I get a bonus if you ever decide to go with them, but if you don't, no big deal) Good luck to you.

 

Thanks CobraDane...I really appreciate it!

This question has suddenly become more relevant as I've just been informed that my office temp assignment will be ending in the next 3-6 weeks. So if anyone else has any thoughts/suggestions/advice for me, now would be a great time to share it!

 

I'd really like to find a way to run regional from the start, even though I know my odds of landing a regional run right out of school is small.

I know Schneider has an 11 state western regional run - that would be heaven for me. Are there any others that have regional runs in the western U.S.?