I'm considering going to school to get my CDL. Before I put down the money I would like to know if there was any advice for someone with a family. I'm trying to decide between OTR and Regional. Is there a big pay difference and is there a decent amount of time off?

Thanks!

 

The answers? Not really and No.. This is not a career for those who plan on spending time with their families. If your partner is not agreeable to becoming what basically amounts to being a single parent who is being paid alimony and child support, then I'd SERIOUSLY look elsewhere!

 

Time off at most OTR companies is 1 day off for every 7 days out on the road. If you land a regional or flatbed position, you should be able to get home 1.5 to 2 days per week. So make sure the whole family understands this prior to you going on the road.

Schneider, Swift and a few other companies have special programs that can get you home more often than this. But, since most truckers are paid by the mile, if you are at home, your not making any $$.

Most local jobs will want you to have at least a year of experience.

 

Where in Michigan are you located?

As far as time away, it can be quite allot. And right now in Michigan, the economy sucks, and will probably continue its down slide due to this past election. I know of more then a few of the smaller local companies leaving the state or just closing up shop right now. The election sealed the deal.

But, if you are serious, and live around SE Michigan, I would look for a flat bedding company to work for. Maverick comes to mind. My step son looked at them, and they had allot of stops near his house in Brooklyn MI, near MIS (the Nascar track). He would have probably been able to be home on a regular basis and weekends off. But he lived near a major lane.

He could not handle the time away, the 6 week training portion, with the van company he started with, and got out of trucking. He now runs a vacuum truck locally for a friend of the family.

 

just go get a CDL class A or B and be a local delivery driver, forget OTR or Regional, just stick to local comp[anies and be home everyday or night, most day cab jobs run nights and you sleep all day, pay is mostly by the hour or commision depends if your the beer truck or the bread man, so check local drivng jobs if you want to be a family man, dump truck, cement truck , fire truck, tow truck, stuff like that.... beer truck , hostess truck, where do you live maybe a snow plow truck....