So I've recently joined the site and been reading various threads on joining the truck driving industry. First of all, I wanted to say how helpful the information on this forum has been as far as giving an inside perspective and helping me get a realistic idea of what to expect. Thank you to everyone who contributes here!

Now as I'm considering getting into driving I'm sure you can guess what comes next - the helpless newbie plea for advice. I'll start out by telling you that I am coming from an absolutely unrelated field. As far as record at least (driving, criminal, or otherwise) I'm 100% squeaky clean, but I've never sat behind the wheel of anything bigger than a 4-Runner. Most of my previous work experience is HR-type stuff, so nothing I've done is really even the smallest step toward driving professionally. I'm USDA certified grade A newbmeat here. I'm interested though because I think this might fit me a lot better than my current career. I enjoy being on my own, having clear performance goals that are basically up to me to fulfill, and I'm not currently tied to any relationships or locations. My impression from these boards is that the timing is currently about as bad as could be for new and inexperienced hires, but it is what it is. If it drastically improves in the next few months then so be it, but I really need to be doing SOMETHING by the end of summer.

All that said, I have a few questions as to the best/smoothest way for getting into driving at the ground floor. The common wisdom I've heard is to apply with a national brand that has a training school and then be yoked to them for 1+ year until I have the experience to seek other jobs. I have the opportunity right now to self train and test for my CDL at no cost - would doing so give me any kind of advantage going into a training program? Or do I need to start at the beginning with those guys, regardless?

Also, from what I've been reading here, it sounds like a company like Swift or Werner is the "lesser among evils" for those who need full on training. To me it seems like the most important considerations are 1) how long/how much will it cost? 2) how employable will I be when I finish? and 3) how good is the actual behind the wheel training/mentor? Further issue for me particularly: I am currently living in Eastern NC, and haven't seen any company schools within a reasonable distance. Anyone familiar with this area who could suggest something? I'm not opposed to relocating if I have to. . . just trying to determine if I really have to. Thanks for any advice you can give!

 

There are a few carriers who still have training programs. It would be best if you could find a community college or state vocational school who had a driver training program. If you pay for it yourself you would not need to concern yourself with having to stay with a carrier you may not like. CRST did have a training program with only a 6 months commitment. On the other hand, if you can stick it out with a carrier for the training period you would not have any obligation to repay them for your training. Some carriers have been known to reimburse new drivers for training they received from another school. You can do a search on the forum and find a lot more information about different schools and carriers. Whether you go to a carrier sponsored school or state school, you will likely need to work with a trainer before the carrier will turn you loose.

 

Theres money in trucking but to reach the brass ring which seems to be 50k in this day and age you gotta work alot of hours and be away from home a long while. OTR trucking isn't a job per se it's more of a lifestyle and lots of folks get burned out and quit. If you log the job 100% legal you will go broke in a hurry so the business basiclly forces you to break the law in order to earn your daily bread. Aint a truckin' man out there who's logging it 100% DOT legal and if say they are then ask them about that oceanfront property in Arizona they got for sale. Now see here I pulled loads of out Cleveland OH out of the mills in 1975 for $1.50 per mile. Do yourself a favor and check the loadboards and you'll see all kinds of loads in 2009 going for less than that. Some are even going for under a buck a mile if you can believe it. So that's 34 years gone by and guys are pulling for the same money I did back in 75'. Look around the truckstop you'll see alot of folks wearing turbins and cooking up curry in the sleeper and playing Russian roulette and many don't speak English. They speak hindu and Pakistani and Spanish and all sorts of other mumbo jumbo. Now I'm not a racist by any means but these folks are undercutting American drivers and pushing the rates and wages down cause it's better than the pesos or rubles or sheckles or whatever they make in ther homecountry.

I'm semi-retired now hell I can retire right now if I wanted to but I still like driving truck and I've got a nice dedicated daycab run that pays good and gets me home everynight. But if I were a young man starting over I would not drive truck for the rates and wages being offered today. It's a damn shame what these brokers and 3pls get away with skimming off the top and low-balling rates like they do. But then again if they couldn't find people to haul their cheap ass freight than they'd go out of business, right?

Back in my day they'd do what's called ABC dispatching where one man would pickup the freight and drive a certain distance and then swap loads with another driver. Then they'd both head back to their hometowns. This allowed drivers to get home more with their families and friends. But nowadays they want you to live out of the truck for 2-3 weeks and maybe get 2 days off. Alot of your weekends will be stuck in the truckstop or a motel. Ditto for holidays. If you don't got one of them onboard generators, your dispatcher will be hollaring at you about idle time.

Well, give it a try and see how it goes. Maybe that's the best way to get it out of your system. Hell, maybe you'll like it. I don't which is why I stay local. But different strokes for different folks I guess.

 

WOW He's not bitter at all! Some people just can't get over the "good ole days" Well there just a memory.
As far as training goes try to get your CDL on your own if possible, when looking for a job don't sell yourself short. Start with the better companys and work your way down to bottom feeders, you never know what will happen.
As far as logging legal DO IT Some people have problems and can't log legal and make money and others can!

 

Thanks for the responses. It sounds like training independently is a good idea if I can manage it, and at the moment I can probably manage it. Did come across this NC Truck Driving School - Earn your CDL License from Carolina Trucking Academy as one possible option. Anyone familiar with this school?

As far as salary & lifestyle changes. . . I know it would be a major adjustment, but it just seems to me like something that will fit better. I'm not happy where I am now, and baseline bullcrap that goes with any job aside, I could see myself driving OTR and really enjoying it. Like I said above, no current connections, nothing to keep me in one place, and I don't think I'd have any problem being away from home for long stretches. Living out of the truck may not be glamorous, but maybe it's the simplicity that I'm after.

 

I'll just add that i come from a completely different background to. I used to be a switchboard operator for a television station. Playing shows and running the weather warnings or school closings.

I lost that job and had to find something while the economy starting falling down.

 

If you go the school route it's best if the school is PTDI certified ( i think it ptdi) if not some trucking companys won't even look at you! BOL

 

OH -YEAH I almost forgot , I didn't get into trucking till my mid 40s. atitude is more important then age

 

Check around to see if there is a certified school at a local community college or state vocational school. The cost will be much less than going to a private school. The state sponsored programs usually seem to be a little longer, but the results are the same and you will spend much less for your training.

 

Does Millis still have the training camp ?