Check out Transport America Home weekends 48 out of 52 which means they can force you out 4 wks a yr. just dont cry when your getting 2000-2400 miles a wk.


Thats the way it works the more your home = less miles cause they have to keep you close enough to get you to the house.

There are a few companys out there that have this type of program or did with the flood of exp drivers on the market I will be amazed if it stays around much longer.

 

MidMo, If you get a job that gets you home most weekends, you probably won't be making much more than you are now, if any at all. I have a wife and young daughter at home, and I don't really want to be gone that much.
I looked at several jobs before taking the one I'm getting ready to start. Keep in mind I have nearly three years of accident and ticket free OTR experience, so I had a few more possibilities.
I first looked at a couple of LTL carriers that would have me home daily, but the hours were erratic at first, and there was the possibility of layoffs.
Then I looked at a carrier that got me home every weekend for 48 hrs, paid a percentage, and I would probably earn right at 40k a year. I need to earn a little more than that, at least right now.
Next I looked at a place that promised me every weekend off, with a salary of 46k. Sounded all right until I saw I would have to drive for 13 plus hours a day to make it home by friday night. I might fudge the book a little here or there every now and then if absolutely necessary, but no way will I take that kind of insane risk on a daily basis.
I finally settled on a small company that sends me out for 6-10 days at a time, and I should make about 50k my first year. They have two different busy seasons a year, and for those 6 months I will probably only be home long enough for my shutdown. The other six months are a lot more relaxed, and I should get two and a half to three days home at a time. They have excellent benefits, and it appears a ton of freight to keep me busy.

Is this job perfect? No, but if I am to be gone from home, I want to be compensated for it, which they will do. I'm gonna hate some of the long runs that keep me gone so much, but it is better than having to run over on hours all the time, or not making enough to pay my bills. I'm going to miss my wife and child, but at least I know they will be fed.

I hope seeing how I came to my decision helps you in yours.

Good Luck.

 

why not talk to local............. contractors..........demolition.....scrap metal.....and excavating company's...before you go to school........ :arrow: :arrow: :arrow: :arrow: :idea: :idea: :idea: :?: :?: :?: ............. it's all about networking. :wink: :wink: :wink:

say that your very interested in training with them...that you will be

attending school, and when you get out.....you will train on your "dime"

for 1 2 or 3 weeks...that shows a lot of heart on your part........ 8) 8) 8)


just my 2/cents :idea: :idea: :idea: :idea: :arrow: :wink: 8)

BOL 2 YA....

 

I also would say: DONT DO IT! Especially because of wife and kids. I am happy where I am NOW, timeoff and moneywise.....but the first three years were just HELL!!!

 

there used to be a really good post on here from a guy named josh (can't remember his board name) If I remember correctly he hauled flowers in FL. anyway I think the post was a sticky at one point. was about being a driver and family. maybe someone remembers his name and can dig it up for you. tried to do a search but could't find it.

 

MidMo;

Didn't have time to read all of the replies, but it seems to me that there is something missing here;

What is your net monthly income, and what are your monthly expenses.

Remember that driving is an industry where cash flow can become very erratic, and while hometime is nice, it can also bite hard on the paycheck.

BOL2U

 

Add to this that just starting out your not going to see a real check for the better part of month.
Nothing worse then getting into training and trying to live on training pay, it will maybe pay your food bill on the road, let alone the everyday bills back at home!

 

As requested..................................


Posted: Mon Jul 10, 2006 6:18 am Post subject: Newbies+wanabe's...don't say, you weren't warned.



Here is a link to the actual thread; http://www.classadrivers.com/phpBB2/...=18642&start=0

 

Over the years I have met a lot of people who have come and gone in this business. Being away from home will not break up a solid marriage. If there are already problems it could compound them. I have known of some who have told me that their marriage has survived due to being apart. Some people need more individual space. There is no cookie cutter approach that works for everyone. If I were you, I would sit down with my wife and discuss the pros and cons. The realities are that you will likely be away from home 2-3 weeks at a stretch during your first year or so. That could continue, depending on the company. Once you gain a year or two there are some carriers around that will get you home a day or so per week. Much of what will be available to you will depend on where you live. It is important to have the support of your spouse when starting this type of career change. Your first year earnings should be somewhere between $30-35,000. You can eat cheaper and more healthy out of your truck. If you eat every meal in restaurants you should count on about $10-12/meal. If you eat cold cereal and perhaps a sandwich for two meals and then a hot meal with vegetables, you won't spend nearly as much money on the road and can eat fairly healthy. One reason a lot of new drivers don't do as well starting out is they get started playing video games at the truck stops. You can drop a lot of money on those video games. If this is something you really want to do and you have the support of your family, then it could be a good thing. You will miss a lot of things with your children. I would sit down and make a list of what you want and/or need in a carrier. Since you emphasized home time, I would certainly include that in my list. If you do find something local, your pay may not be much more than minimum wage. Some do much better, but others do not. Pay is always lower starting out, regardless of the career. You may also want to check with your local state employment office. There could be companies in your area that might be a better fit than the major carriers.

 

I have been driving for 18 months now and I can tell you this.......
When I started training, my daughter was 20 years old, engaged and living on her own and my wife has been on the road with me from day 1. If that were not the case, I would never have started in the first place. Local jobs are hard to find and even when you find one the usually want 2-3 years exp. My advice is to stay home and concentrate on being a good dad/husband. Unless your kid(s) are almost 18 or something, don't even consider it.
There is no driver shortage anymore and therefore the money isn't anything great, especially when you are just starting out. Forget all the ads that say you will make around 40K the first year. I busted my butt for my first year, went home only a few times for only a day or two each time and I took almost every load that came my way. Heck, if I wasn't preplanned by the time I got to my destination I was on the phone with my DM or the planner getting another load........
all that time on the road got me around 29K...........and I was home for realistically 10 days out of the 365.
My wife and I enjoy the travel and look forward to the future but being a family man should disqualify you from consideration :wink:

Don't take my post the wrong way, I just don't want you to give up your family time to chase 40K a year when thats not realistic. A few years in, sure 40K isn't hard, but not for a new driver.