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Dedicated To Helping Those That Are New To The Trucking Industry
We’re glad you’re here and we’re certain you’re going to find tons of great stories and informative artlclies about life on the road that will help you understand the in’s and out’s of the trucking industry. We have a number of different authors with various levels of experience in the industry, and we’re always looking for more! If you’re interested in having your own blog on TruckingTruth, just let us know by emailing Brett@truckingtruth.com. We’d love to have you!
A Positive, Honest, and Realistic View of the Trucking Industry
At TruckingTruth, we all enjoy trucking, but we want you to know the good side and the things you need to look out for. We have no hidden agendas and we’ll pull no punches. We want to give you an honest, realistic view of the industry so that you can decide for yourself if trucking is for you. And if you do decide you’d like a career in trucking, then we’re here to help you all the way!
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About This Blog [view more]
We’re putting together a great team of writers that are going to cover all different aspects of the trucking industry. These folks represent all different experience levels, and give a wide variety of insights and perspectives on truck driving and trucking as a career. We’re going to have everything from students in truck driving school, to new drivers, experienced drivers, and even some retired truck driving veterans with over 30 years of driving and millions of miles behind them on the highways across the U.S. and Canada. We’ll be covering the trucking industry and beyond with subjects including:
- The steps to becoming a truck driver
- Choosing a truck driving school
- How to find free CDL training
- Choosing the right trucking company
- Surviving your first year on the road
- Handling the DOT and your logbook
- Scheduling your time on the road
- The lifestyle of a big rig driver
- and a whole lot more….
So check out the work we’ve put together and I promise you you’re going to find more information here than all the other sources out there put together. And listen, this isn’t a one way street. We want your questions, comments, suggestions, and any kind of input you’d like to give. If there’s a specific question you need answered or a subject you’d like to see covered, just leave a comment after one of our posts, drop us an email, or check out our Ask A Driver section, our trucking articles, or our trucker’s forum and start typin away! We’re here all the time and we’ll be sure to get right back to you as quick as can be! So here’s the authors we are featuring and there will be more added all the time! Enjoy!
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Brett’s Boxing Ring
Welcome to the “no holds barred” world of TruckingTruth’s owner and founder Brett Aquila. At TruckingTruth we answer to no one. Our site’s visitors want to know the truth about truck driving and the trucking industry in general, and that’s what we’re givin’ em. If you’re considering a career in trucking, or you’re new to the industry, this is the place to start for honest opinions and straight-spoken facts from a 15 year veteran of the road. Although I loved my years on the road, it wasn’t because it was easy, and it wasn’t because it was always fair. It was challenging, exciting, and one crazy adventure after another, day in and day out.
Pappy’s Corner
Pappy is our long-time veteran of the road. He self proclaims “I try to lead a simple life, I’m not after riches untold or fame, I prefer to love, live, and be free”, and yet five minutes later while still continuing the same thought says “Folks, this man was askin for something he couldn’t pay for, even with all his possessions. When I unloaded a southpaw to his nose he crumpled to the ground…I told him he left me no other choice but to take outta his ass what I figured he would cost me.” So understand somethin about Pappy – he’s a kind-hearted, generous family man, no question. I know this for a fact. But he isn’t wasting his kindness on those who need settin’ straight, and he’s going to tell you what you need to know, even if it isn’t what you want to hear. But you better listen, because he’s been everywhere you’re gettin’ ready to go, and he already knows what you need to know before you even knew the right questions to ask.
Trucker Mike’s Odyssey
Ah, yes, we all love the adventurers….those who dare tread where most would scarcely ponder. Trucker Mike is a fine, articulate gentleman who has agreed to cast himself upon the whims of a career in the trucking industry. His journey set to begin, his odyssey will indeed be as defined in Webster’s – a long series of wanderings or adventures filled with notable experiences and hardships. Mike will be documenting his days as a newcomer to the trucking industry. Starting nearly two months before setting foot in the classroom, his tale will be told as he runs the gauntlet of getting his CDL, and emerges from the trial a true American Trucker. If you’re considering becoming a truck driver and you really want to know what the schooling, the job search, and finally being out on the road for the first time would really be like, follow Mike through his journey and find out first hand what becoming a truck driver truly entails.
Rhonda’s Retreat
Yes, indeed, we all love a great story! Well, Rhonda’s Retreat has great stories, and so much more! Not only will Rhonda give you a first-hand perspective of life behind the wheel for women, but she’ll give you a series of lucid tales that will leave you with a much better idea of what day to day life on the road is like for America’s truckers. So if you’re looking for a woman’s view, or you’d like to go along for a ride across America, strap in and hang on because Rhonda is going to take you places you’ve never been!
I was thinking of using dalys training school in Buford. I want to get a class a cdl. Are the chances of landing a job after i complete my course good in this economy as it stands. Have there many layoffs in the trucking industry?
You will definitely be able to find a job after your schooling. Believe it or not, trucking is one of those rare industries where many companies actually prefer students straight out of school over experienced drivers because they can pay them far less. Not all companies feel this way, but a good number do.
There are almost never any layoffs in the trucking industry because the turnover is so high. So if a company wants to reduce its fleet size, it simply slows down its hiring. Mid-December through about March is pretty slow, but you will certainly be able to find work once you graduate, assuming of course that your license and personal background are in pretty good shape.
I was recently laid off and am considering truck driving.I’m looking into subarban cdl in Romulas,MI. any comments on the school? Also as a new driver coming out of school what’s the best companies for greenhorns like myself, CRST, Schnieder, Swift, England, or Heartland?
Hi Brett!
No, I actually don’t have any opinions on that particular school because I’m not familiar with it. Actually, I don’t normally comment on specific schools or companies because they change so quickly and the quality of a school or company is often more a matter of preference than of fact.
As far as good companies to start with – I won’t give you one specific company, but I will say that I’ve always preferred the larger companies because they tend to have more freight available, a larger variety of jobs – like regional, OTR, and local, better equipment, and more help for new drivers in the form of “driver liasons” – which are highly experienced drivers that act as counselors and assistants for other drivers. And since they are so large, you tend to come across other drivers from your company quite a bit on the road and they will normally be more than happy to give you some advice and opinions on how to handle things within the company.
Generally, any of the larger companies will do just fine. Whichever one you choose, stay there for one full year no matter what! Whether you think you’re being treated well or getting enough miles or whatever – doesn’t matter. Stay one year, learn the industry and your company a little bit, and then you can go elsewhere if you like. If you quit before one year is up, most companies will assume you’ll do the same to them and will be reluctant to hire you.
Best of luck to ya!
Brett Aquila
This is probably going to seem like a silly question, but my husband recently started driving a big rig. He enjoys the work but is frustrated with the TV he purchased for his truck. He is having a hard time picking up any channels while he is traveling and I was wondering if there is a certain type of antenna or system we need to purchase to enable him to enjoy the tv while on the road. We purchased a Philips HDTV Indoor antenna. Is there a better type maybe specifically for trucks or possibly a dish system out there for truck drivers?
Thanks for your input a head of time. Don’t laugh to hard.
Patricia West
Hi Patricia!
Actually, I always used the standard DIRECTV dish – and that’s what most drivers use – either DIRECTV or DISH network. They make an inexpensive device that helps you aim it quick and easy, and usually radio shack has one. If not, you can find them online. To mount the dish, I used to just use a piece of PVC pipe that you attach to your mirrors with hose clamps. Some guys used the metal pole that comes with the dish itself but I was always concerned about it coming off the truck while driving down the road, so I stuck with PVC. I’m certain your husband sees these dishes on half the trucks in the truckstops at night so he’ll know what I’m talking about. You can contact DIRECTV or DISH and tell them what you’re planning on doing. I’m not sure if they’ve come out with a specific mobil setup recently that’s easier to use or not. I know they have very expensive mobil setups that aim themselves but there’s no need to spend the money. Just go with the standard setup. There’s nothing better than 300 digital channels anywhere, anytime! Hope this helps!
Hey, not having TV is no laughing matter!
Hello
I am a high school student and I am interested in becoming a truck driver. I think it would be a good lifestyle for me and was wondering do you guys think I should do it?
I am 17 right now and a female. Is it a good idea to become a driver?
Well, I was a driver for 15 years and I absolutely loved it! It’s not an easy life, but if you have the right personality for it then it can be a great life for sure!
As far as being a female goes, that is no problem whatsoever. There are more female truck drivers on the road today than ever before, and the numbers keep growing. So you have nothing to be concerned with there.
Now technically you can get your CDL at 18 years old, but you can’t drive interstate until you are 21, and nobody will hire you until then because of insurance restrictions. So you will have a few years to think it over, but if the time comes and you still think it sounds like a good idea then I say go for it! I was 21 when I started driving and I really loved it!
Hope this helps!
Hello,
I have been wanting to be a truckdriver for many years now and I want to go over the road, the problem is all of my family is against it they think i’m to small and a helpless woman. However I have always been independant I am single my son is 25 and I am almost 50. I love to go camping (with only me and my dogs)and I think going over the road and seeing the country would be great I am not afraid to go anywhere by myself and do this all the time. I do need a company that will let me bring my 2 small dogs that is a must. What do you think? Am I to old to start this and what company’s let you bring dogs?
i have always loved the idea of OTR driving, but I’m having a hard time because I left an OTR company to do local delivery. Now i’ve been trying to get back into it, but they say that i have to go through the CDL schooling first. Can you give me any advice? Thanks. – Kenneth
Hi Barbera!
First of all, you are not even close to being too old to get started in trucking! The average age of truckers nationwide is somewhere near 41, last I had heard. So don’t let age concern you in the least!
Also, from the way you describe yourself I would say your personality may be perfect for trucking!
I’m not sure about which companies will allow you to bring pets. Many do, some do not. That is something you’ll have to check into. Sorry I can’t tell you more than that.
Here’s a couple things that you may be interested in reading if you haven’t come across them already:
This is an article I wrote called Is Truck Driving For Me?
Here is another one I wrote called Women Truck Drivers – Is Now The Time?
Also, we now have a brand new author on the site. Her name is Rhonda and she’s been a driver for many years. She’s here to help out anyone new to the industry, and of course she is our expert on women in trucking! She has just begun writing for the site, but you can email her directly at rhonda@truckingtruth.com. She’d love to help you out any way she could!
I sure hope this helps!
Thanks for responding I checked out those articles, which helps. I do have an appt at Sage Technical driving school Tues 12/30 they are suppose to be a top school here in colorado and only 1 student driver to a truck is assigned when you are out driving so you get more driving time, they go by my house all the time. So they will tell me more and give me information on grants and loans, they do not offer student loan for truck driving anymore she said. She also stated that Covenant trucking hires from them and they allow dogs too. This is a major decision for me so I need to really think it thru. I am going to order your book on Amazon, but I wish it was at a bookstore by me so I could have it now, I’m not sure how to do the download to my computer or if my laptop can do this so I’ll just order it sounds like a good book to help me decide. Thanks also for Rhonda email and will write to her soon
I am currently enrolled at a truck school. I have been doing extensive research on the net about companies. Ive learned that sometimes companies will file false DAC reports if I dont run their freight/ask for repairs(minor)/ or even quit. If “they” put negitive claims on that report I heard I wont get another job. My question is : If I dont like my job, how do I quit w/o jepordizing my future career with another company. And just as important what do I do If they do say/report such things. OH, and Happy Holidays to all!
It’s true that companies will sometimes falsify your DAC Report. The good thing is, all companies know that this is done. So they will give you the chance to state your case when something bad shows up on the DAC.
In my opinion, the very best way to quit a job is to get a different job first – then quit. Somebody who already has a job always has a big advantage when looking for another job. If you are going to quit a job first though, one of the most important things is to make sure you bring their truck back to a terminal. Do not make them go get their truck from somewhere you left it! Take pictures of the truck parked at the terminal the day you quit. That way nobody can question you on that matter – you have proof.
Most of the time, if you keep your cool and handle the situation professionally, you won’t have to worry about the DAC too much. Just give them a little notice that you’re quitting, return their truck to them, clean it out properly, and anyone you say goodbye to – be professional about it.
But getting a new job before quitting your old one – that’s the best way to go for sure.
I was looking at Brett Aquila’s Free Truck Driving Schools and Free CDL Training and found a couple of companies and organizations, but did not find Prime Trucking and the program they offer http://www.primeinc.com/opportunities/cdltraining.html which I have supplied a link straight to their program. I have never driven a truck before and have considered Driving Solutions, Prime, and England. I have already approached Prime and Driver Solutions and have been deemed eligibale for their programs and even have a start date. I am very excited, but I do not want to make any mistakes and want the best opportunity available to succeed. Can you or anyone give me some advice about Prime and I have read Mr. Aquila’s advice on Driving Solutions. I would like to know if anyone has first hand knowledge with these particular companies?
Thanks!
Carl
im 18 yrs old and i truely want to be a truck driver. i love to travel and i want to get away from it all.
Hey Carl!
I was aware of Prime’s program and wrestled with the idea of putting it up there, but decided against it. Prime does not have “company drivers”. In order to drive for Prime, you must lease or buy your truck from them, which makes you an owner-operator straight out of school. If you haven’t read my blog yet titled So You Want To Become An Owner-Operator? then you should check it out. I am very much against anyone becoming an owner-operator from an economic standpoint, but I’m especially against new drivers doing it in their first year. Learning to drive truck is overwhelming to begin with, without trying to learn how to run a tough business at the same time. So I do not want to recommend anyone to Prime. I don’t want new drivers having to lease a truck. Hope this clears things up, and thanks for the comment!
Brett,
I feel your posts are not only concise, factual and interesting, but not at all misleading or sugarcoated. Newbies need such brutal honesty up front before spending their time, energy and of course hard-earned cash getting a CDL only to soon learn a driving career/lifestyle isn’t their cup of tea. Kudos for a job well done.
I also wanted to point out that Prime does have company drivers. http://www.primeinc.com/drivers/divisions.html
However, I wouldn’t drive for [company name witheld] and I’d avoid [company name witheld] like the plague based on what I’ve heard and read about them. Best of luck.
-FBN-
HOLY COW!
I stand corrected! I had no idea that Prime had company drivers!
Wow, ok, now I can put their trucking school information up.
Thanks a ton, FlyByNight. That was a huge help! I’m gonna hafta go check out their program and see what I can get put on the site about it.
Oh, and thanks a ton for the compliments! I’m sorry I witheld the names of the companies you mentioned. I try not to slam any companies, because we know that for every company there is some that love it, and some that hate it. But I will say that I agree with you on the second one.
I am thinking of going with Driver Solutions and taking a placement with P.A.M. Transport or Decker which is one of their
companies. Should I have any concerns about these companies?
@Joseph
I normally don’t comment on specific companies for a few reasons.
1)They change too quickly
2)Most companies can be good companies to work for if:
a)They provide the type of job that suits your personality and lifestyle
b)You surround yourself with the right people
c)You have the proper expectations
d)You do a great job as a driver
I did an eight part series on choosing a truck driving job. It’s a must-read for anyone that’s trying to find a company to work for.
I really do wish I could tell people which trucking companies to work for, and which ones to avoid – but I can’t. Nobody can. Read my series and you’ll see why.
Anyone who tries to tell you that they know “the best companies to work for” or “the companies you should avoid” is totally full of B.S. Management changes, software changes, gaining or losing major customers, the dispatcher you have, the driver’s attitude and expectations, the quality of the driver, the economy, the time of year it is, and a million other factors all affect the quality of the experience you’ll have at any particular company.
Knowing how to be the best driver you can be and knowing how to surround yourself with the right people will have the greatest affect on the quality of your experience at pretty much any company.
So don’t fall for these clowns that claim they can tell you which companies to work for, and which ones to avoid. They’re lying. If I felt I could do it, I certainly would. The entire point of this website is to help people that are new to the trucking industry. If I could give you specific companies to work for or to avoid, I would. I wish I could.
I am considering a career in truck driving. I have been up night after night trying to research different trucking companies in the Northwest. It seems if the more I research, the more I find someone bashing the ones I have chosen as prospective companies (schools). I do appreciate the fact that these blogs are positive. The main thing that I am fighting is whether I am one who should pursue this career- here’s why. I have a wife and three kids, and I love them very much. I will do what it takes to put food on the table for them, even if means not being a part of their everyday life. This is a struggle for me (not being able to be with them). Is this a normal reaction for most starting out in this career, or should I consider another career? Thanks for the blogs, I have enjoyed them.
Hey Brett,
I have a question. I did four years in the Navy and got out two years ago this month. Since then I’ve been a full time college student for most of these past two years. During this time I’ve had several part time jobs as a waiter, convenient store clerk and video store clerk. How will this effect a company’s decision to hire me? I was not fired at any of these jobs, but there were a few where I quit without two weeks notice. Do they consider these part time jobs for college students heavily? I really want to become a driver and hope that I have not messed things up for myself.
Hey Eric.
Don’t sweat it for a minute. These jobs will have absolutely no affect whatsoever on getting a job in trucking. When trucking companies review your history before you went to driving school, the main thing they are concerned with is anything that would disqualify you from working for them – DUI’s, felonies, failed drug tests, severe tickets like reckless driving, and things like that. Once you have your CDL, as long as you aren’t disqualified in any way, you’re qualified! That’s generally all they care about. The demand for drivers is always pretty high so as long as you qualify, you’re usually hired.
Don’t give any of that stuff a second thought. Besides, you were in the Navy – huge bonus points for you! Everyone sees being in the service as a very big positive – so as long as you don’t have any felonies, failed drug tests, or DUI’s, you’ll be all set!
You give me peace of mind. Thanks very much for your input and this website.
@ Ben P
Hey Ben.
Having a wife and children makes it far more difficult on a driver of course. But as you said, you have to put food on the table – and sometimes that means sacrifice – at least for a little while. Your reaction to this is totally normal – no question about it. You should have no trouble finding a regional job once you graduate from school – which would get you home every weekend. You may even be able to find a local job that gets you home every night. The local jobs are tougher to come by for someone with no experience, but they are out there. Driving dump trucks is one option, driving for food and beverage distributors like Sysco and Coca-Cola is a second, and driving for grocery store retailers like Lays Potato Chips is a third. If you do some looking around, you may just find a place that would be willing to hire you right out of school and get you home every night. If not, you may need to go regional for 6 months to a year while looking for a local company that will hire you. One year of regional experience will get you in with almost any local company.
As far as the negativity goes, that aspect of researching trucking companies is very frustrating. But let me tell you – don’t sweat that either. After 15 years on the road I found that 90% of the time that a driver was unhappy with a company it was mostly the driver’s fault. The vast majority of companies out there are just fine to work for. It’s more a matter of finding the company that’s right for you, surrounding yourself with the right people, and then being the best driver you can be. Every company has at least some drivers that are unhappy, and those drivers always seem to find their way to the ‘net to let the world know about it like they’re somehow going to help someone avoid this terrible company. It’s usually the driver, or the people he’s surrounded himself with, that’s the problem.
Now understand something though – there are always some lousy people within any company, and that can make working there a mess. Lousy dispatchers, load planners, and mechanics can make your experience a lousy one, even at a great company. After you’ve been out there for a while you learn to identify what to look for in a dispatcher, and that really makes your life on the road so much better.
But ignore the negativity. Instead, take a look at the series I’ve done on finding the right truck driving job. Go through all 8 parts and that will help you tremendously. Other than that, if you start out with one of the large national carriers like Schneider, Swift, JB Hunt, USXpress, and companies like that – and stay with them for one year, you’ll be in great shape. There’s a ton of good companies out there and very, very few bad ones. It’s the people you surround yourself with, the job you do, and the attitude you have that will have the biggest impact on the quality of your experience at any company.
So stay out of those negative message boards and stick with us at TruckingTruth. We’ll help you out! You can also email any of us anytime you like if you have private questions you’d like to ask. We each have our email address listed at the top of every blog we write.
@ Ben P
Oh, one other thing. Go to our truck driving jobs and put in your zip code and see what comes up. These jobs are updated continously so check back often for new updates.
Hi David.
As far as the traits you should have, here are some truck driving articles that cover that topic pretty well.
If you’ll look at my trucking blog you’ll also find more articles related to trucking in today’s economy. If you don’t find all of the answers you were looking for right there, shoot me another message and let me know!
Brett, I appreciate the feedback. Your response is uplifting and encouraging. I will check out the sites that you have recommended. One year is not that much time to invest into a company for such a sound future. I thank you again, and I will keep you posted as I navigate through the process. Thanks again for the positive blogs.
Ben P
Hi Mastertone,
I can’t give you any advice per your DAC report, but maybe Brett can help there. That is strange if you’ve never driven for anyone before.
One think that I’ve done when applying to companies is I’m trying to make myself stand out from the rest. For example, when you fill out an application, try to find a recruiter to send a resume to. If you fill out a paper application, send a resume and cover letter with it! Most people simply fill out an application and leave it at that. What does this mean? They are just another number (application number 1234). How many resumes do you think these recruiters get from applicants? I’m thinking the number is probably very low. I’m not sure if it really actually helps, but it’s just one way to stand out.
Also, after filling out an online application or sending in a hard copy, give the recruiters a call. Most recruiters are so backed up right now that your application will just sit in a pile somewhere. But if you actually call them, they are forced to look up your application and actually talk to you. This is a great chance to sell yourself. One of the first things I say when talking to a recruiter is “I don’t care about home time, I just want to run as much as possible and your company seems to be a great fit for me.” For you, the situation may be different. You might think home time is very importaint. So say whatever you need to. But I’ve found that when I tell a recruiter that I don’t care about home time, it really gets their attention.
I think the bottom line is you can’t simply fill out an application online then wait for a response. You must find a way to stand above the rest and stick out. Even after my pre-hire, I’ve continued to call the company and talk with my recruiter every single week. I want her to have my name memorized by the time I finally start!
Good luck to you. Just keep applying and I’m sure the jobs will come. But I think the first thing you have to figure out is what is on your DAC. That’s weird!
Mike
Hi Mastertone,
I can’t give you any advice per your DAC report, but maybe Brett can help there. That is strange if you’ve never driven for anyone before. If there is something on your DAC, that will certainly play a role in you getting turned down.
One thing that I’ve done when applying to companies is I’m trying to make myself stand out from the rest. For example, when you fill out an application, try to find a recruiter to send a resume to. If you fill out a paper application, send a resume and cover letter with it! Most people simply fill out an application and leave it at that. What does this mean? They are just another number (application number 1234). How many resumes do you think these recruiters get from applicants? I’m thinking the number is probably very low.
Also, when you send in an application, call a recruiter to follow up. This forces them to dig up your application from the pile of all the other applications they have recieved. Plus, when you get them on the phone, you can sell yourself. For example, one of the first things I say to a recruiter is “I don’t care about home time, I just want to run as much as possible.” That really seems to get their attention!
So yeah, find out what’s up with your DAC. That’s very strange.
Good luck to you!
Mike
Brett,
I like most here am considering a carrer in trucking, and your site is very illuminating. Thank You! You mention in several replies that a trucker must surround himself with good people. What are the players that comprise these people, and how can you choose ? Max R.
Hi Max.
Without a doubt, the person who will have the greatest affect on your experience at any company will be your dispatcher. Like any profession, there are a handful of great ones, a good majority of pretty good ones, and a handful of bad apples.
But no matter how good your dispatcher is, he/she will only have a limited amount of authority. Find out who your dispatcher’s immediate boss is and get to know him/her very well also.
If you’re at a large company, going up one more step may help at times. But most of the time, your dispatcher and your dispatcher’s boss are the key players.
The goal for any driver is to get a good number of miles overall, a fair allotment of “good” loads, and to get home somewhere within reason of when you’re due to get home. What’s a good load? Read my article on what makes a load more or less desirable and you’ll understand a bit better.
If you find over a period of several months that your miles are lower than the other drivers in your company, you continuously get “lousy” loads, and you never seem to get home when you’re supposed to, you may have a lousy dispatcher. Try your best to work with the dispatcher you have. State your concerns in a professional manner – do not threaten or lose your cool. It’ll hurt more than it will help – trust me – I’ve made that mistake.
If you’ve tried working it out with your dispatcher and you’re not seeing better results, talk to the boss. The boss will likely defend your dispatcher at first (remember, they have to work together all day every day). If still nothing improves, let the company know you’d like to try a different dispatcher. It may take some firm “insisting” on your part to get the change made, but if you’ve made every effort and you suspect you have a “bad apple”, let them know your reasons and insist on a change.
Those two players will be the key. Going one more level up may be necessary at times if you run into a wall with your dispatcher and his/her boss.
I’m telling you though, the key is to be the best driver you can be and handle yourself professionally with these people. They are office workers, not blue-collar workers. They are used to a very soft-spoken, polite, politically-correct environment. You and I may not be that type at all, but you have to play by the rules of the people you’re dealing with if you ever want to get anywhere. You’re going to want to choke your dispatcher from time to time – even the good ones – but keep your cool. It’s a must!
I sure hope this helps!
I really appreciate the information on your website. Layoffs are possible where I currently work and I have been considering trucking to “put food on the table” I had originally decided that if a layoff happened I was heading straight to a huge trucking company in Salt Lake and have even already talked to them. They offered a bus ticket to come to their school as soon as the layoff happens. Now I am reading a lot of really bad feedback on that company all over the internet so having your website to hear directly from truckers and not recruiters is a great help! Thanks again..
Thanks Brett for a great reply ! -Max
Brett,
Just had to leave a “Thank You” note on your excellent site and postings, very imformative and helpful for a newbie that wants to get into the industry. I’ve been scouring the net for weeks on schools, companies that train and plenty of complaint blogs from drivers trying to pick a good way/company to get started without making a huge mistake. learning/keeping your reputation clean can only get you farther up the ladder. I spent 28yrs in construction with no loyalty from companies and you got to eat crow to fly with the eagles. 3 kids to feed makes me even more determined to “make it happen”. thanks again, will keep in touch, keep it up.
Sorry for the dup. Brett, can you delete one of these for me?
@Calvin
You’re quite welcome! I have a feeling I know what company you’re talking about. Listen, if someone is going to pay the majority of your schooling, teach you a new trade, and give you a job, the least a person can do in return is stay there for a year or so and do a great job in return. Then if you decide after a year or so (whatever their requirement is to pay back the schooling) that you’d like to try another company, then do it!
Keep your license clean and don’t burn any bridges. You can always try other companies. And if you play your cards right, you can always return to that first one if you decide the grass wasn’t greener elsewhere. I’ve done it myself! No harm in it whatsoever. But stick out that requirement period. It’s gets tough finding a job if you quit your first one right off the bat. And you don’t really know a company until you’ve been there for a year or so. You can’t judge anything based on a few months.
Best of luck to ya! Keep us informed here and remember we’re always here to help whenever you need it! And I say if you do happen to get laid off – run as fast as you can to the company that’s offering you a new career! In what other career can you find an opportunity like that?
@ Michael E
You’re quite welcome! And you’re also quite right – you do have to eat crow sometimes if you ever want to get anywhere.
So many drivers make the mistake of thinking that since they’re in demand and can find another trucking job elsewhere that they can scream and yell and act however they want. Very, very poor judgement.
You have to protect your license and your career. I’m sorry to anyone who is not aware of this yet, but loyalty between companies and drivers really does not exist. They all talk a good game, and most companies do their best to make working for them enjoyable. But make no mistake about it – companies are out to make money, not friends.
As a driver, you are also out to make money, not friends. You take care of your company because that’s your meal ticket. Expect fair treatment in return, not the red carpet.
No company is going to bow to any driver’s demands. There are always other drivers out there and if you don’t want to be where you’re at any longer, make a professional exit stage right and try another company. No harm in that whatsoever.
But everyone needs to keep their expectations in line – expect fair treatment for a job well done – not red carpet treament. Do a great job and prove yourself first. Don’t go making demands, and don’t go making enemies.
It’s good to know you spent a lot of years in one industry – long enough to learn the realities of it. Well, that’s why I have this website – to help people learn the realities of truck driving.
It sounds to me like you understand the ways of big business, and you have children to motivate you and keep you humble. That’s a great thing. You’ll do just fine out there I’m sure.
Keep me informed of how things go. I’ll help out any way I can! Best of luck to ya!
Brett, I am looking to get my CDL and have been reading that some companies use automatic trannys. Is it better to learn on them, or is manual better?
HI Brett
First i’d like to say i’ve read everything you’ve written here & on your site, soaking it up like a sponge. The no BS attitude is very refreshing. I’ll be coming back here often. I too am heading to trucking school next week in Arizona. I’m a long time bricklayer and for months now there are no bricks to be layed, and that doesn’t pay very well. Ok, now my ?. You’ve said that the drivers who make the most money fudge on their log books. I’ve been looking at Werner & they have electronic log books. You can see where i’m going here, any comments would be greatly appreciated.
thanks, Roger
Blaze,
Great question! I really need to do an article about that. Overall it would be better to learn on a manual transmission so that you have more versatility when it comes to selecting a trucking company you’d like to work for.
Automatics are awesome and are definitely here to stay. But manuals will always be around so learning on a manual will certainly help. If you learn on an automatic and want to go to a company with manual transmissions, they will likely send you out on the road with a trainer for a week or so to learn how to shift. No big deal, as long as that company actually does training – not all companies do.
But most of the larger companies are going to automatics and they will become more prevelant in the coming years. So I wouldn’t make this issue the deciding factor on where you get your training, but if you do have a choice between different training facilities, choose the one with standard transmissions.
Hi Roger.
I never drove for Werner but I’ve heard it’s much harder to fudge on their electronic logs than it is the paper ones that most companies use. I have spoken to drivers from Werner that claim it can be done, but most that I’ve talked to seem to follow the electronic logs rather closely. I’m told the system will actually shut the truck down if it believes you’ve gone past your legal hours. I’m not sure if that is still the case.
I thought that trucking companies would have been forced to go to this system by now. I figured the DOT would require it, but they haven’t. In fact, I rarely even hear the subject brought up. So paper logs are here to stay for quite some time and I’d have to say that I’m unaware of the electronic system being of any advantage to a driver whatsoever.
I don’t condone cheating on your logs – I would never tell anyone that they should do it. I personally did do it, but that’s a choice every driver must make for themselves. The consequences can be severe. Remember, you must always put safety first and protect your job and your license at all times.
If you’re a new driver, I would be especially careful. Nobody that’s new is used to driving long hours the way truckers do. When you’re new, learning to drive and learning the industry that first year is especially exhausting. There won’t be much of a chance that you’ll be able to safely drive more than the legal limit your first year. I’d really like to see you stay away from that.
Once you’ve learned to handle that rig, drive the long hours, and know the industry better, then you’ll have the ability to better make the decision on when to shut down, and when to keep driving. That first year you really should do things by the book though. It’s safer, and you’ll protect your license and your career.
Hey Brett,
Even though I’m writing a blog on the site now, that doesn’t mean I won’t have questions for ya!
In the unlikely scenerio that a truck is stolen or if cargo is stolen or damaged during transport, who is responsible for this? Does insurance cover it? Does the driver have to pay for a portion of the cargo? As the economy continues to struggle, I wouldn’t be surprised if cargo theft becomes a bit more prevailent (along with all other types of theft).
Have you heard of this happening to drivers and if so, what was the outcome? Were they fired? Did they have to pay anything? Business as usual while insurance handles it?
Thanks as always Brett!
Great website! Thank you for the great information… and as I consider making a career switch, I wonder if I would pass the physical. I had back surgery last year, just a pinched nerve and I don’t have too many restrictions but unloading might be an issue if I am lifting repeatedly. I don’t really know any of the disqualifying factors in the exam, so your insight would be helpful.
Otherwise, it sounds like this job fits my personality to a “T”
Thanks!
@TruckerMike
Hey everyone – it’s TruckerMike!.
Hey Mike.
I have heard of trucks and cargo being stolen from time to time. I’ve never heard of a driver having to pay anything for the stolen goods but I have heard of some drivers being fired for it.
Whether or not you lose your job will depend on the circumstances. One company I worked for had a driver pick up a million dollar load of cigarettes. He got fuel and left the truck running with the keys in it and the truck vanished. Well, he was most certainly fired because he ignored several mandatory requirements the company set for him with regard to that load.
But if you’re in downtown Chicago at 2:00 a.m. and someone breaks into the trailer while you’re sleeping and grabs some things I wouldn’t expect you to get fired for it.
I should really do a blog on protecting your cargo and truck, eh?
I drove for 15 years and never had anything stolen. Never got beat up or mugged. Never had the truck broken into. Nothing. So it’s pretty rare.
@ SpecialK
Amazing you mention this as TruckerMike just did a post about The DOT Physical for Truck Drivers. Have a look at it.
I’m certain you’ll pass the exam. Just don’t say anything about the pinched nerve. It’s pretty rare at most companies that you’ll have to unload freight more than 2 or 3 times a year. Even when you do, it’ not ball-busting work unless you want to work at that pace. Generally it’s items under 40 pounds, and rarely (if ever) would you face a gigantic load of boxes to unload.
I wouldn’t be concerned about passing the physical. As long as you can sort of come close to bending over and touching your toes without screaming out in pain you’ll be fine.
Unloading shouldn’t be too much of a concern either. Of course, everybody tries to get out of it by saying they have a bad back so nobody is going to believe you even though it’s true!
I realy like the info on this site. I have spent a lot of time looking at different sites, only to see negative comments. I am 39, married, & looking to go to cdl school. Right now I am strongly looking at Stevens & Roademaster, and both have approved me. I know this site does not list pros & cons about companies and I respect this. But I would like some info to help me decide. Please send to my email. By the way, I live in Arkansas, the roademaster school would be in West Memphis.
Hi Kenneth.
Although I normally don’t comment on individual trucking schools or companies, in this case I can say that both would be very good choices.
The major difference between the two is that Roadmaster is an independent school and Stevens School is owned by a trucking company.
Roadmaster will require you to pay your tuition up front or get a student loan, while Stevens will require very little money up front. However, once you graduate from Roadmaster you’ll have your choice of where you would like to work, while upon graduation from Stevens school you’ll be required to work for Stevens for at least one year.
Here is some great reading that is going to help you a ton:
Read our feature on Stevens Transport Truck Driving School.
Then read my article which asks are free truck driving schools really free?
Then read TruckerMike’s outstanding blog about choosing a truck driving school
Once you’ve read those articles you pretty much have our best advice and the choice is up to you at that point. Best of luck to you and I sure hope this helps!
I, like many others here, have enjoyed, and will greatly benefit from all the top notch information you’ve given us to work with. Thank you for all your efforts to put us driving in the right direction. I assume most of the grads from a trucking school start out over the road. Is there any advantages to a local company paying per hour than per mile, and do you know what general rates exchange over to? For example $17.50 = .36/mile or there abouts given 70 hr work week vs. 40 hr work week. I’m not sure this equates…40 hrs @ the $17.50 equals around $700. A 2000 mile week if you keep legal logs puts you driving around 11 hrs a day, around 200 miles daily if you don’t take your day off or 400 miles a day if you do, roughly $720 dolars for that week. How far off are these numbers from what a trucker might be expected to gross for working in the first year of driving? Is this too much to hope for or a conservative estimate? Thanks, on behalf of all us trainees in action curious as to the financial questions. After all, I do have that trucking school debt to pay off
.
Hi Mastertone.
Getting a local job straight out of school is rather difficult. Most local companies want you to have one year of either OTR or regional experience.
You can’t really compare hourly pay vs. mileage pay because you won’t have that choice at any particular job. You can assume almost for certain that most local jobs pay significantly less than regional and OTR jobs.
Your first year on the road I would expect to go regional or OTR and you can expect to make around $35k. Your second year you can expect around $45k and it will go up slightly each year after that. An experienced driver that runs hard and works for a good paying company right now can expect in the neighborhood of $55k-$60k.
The problem with most of the local jobs you’ll find is that they either don’t pay very well or you wind up putting in a tremendous number of hours each week – 70 or more – or both. The better paying local jobs usually require that you do some or all of the unloading.
And as far as paying off your schooling, don’t forget to consider that there are a number of companies that offer low cost CDL training where you will pay almost nothing up front and depending on the company, the schooling will be either completely free or very inexpensive in the end.
Hope this helps!
Please, will someone explain why it’s so diffuclt obtaining employment with a trucking company for recent CDL grads needing over the road training. Also, how long must a convicted felony be out too satisfy the requirements to be qualified to drive for a trucking company?
Ah, Darrin my friend,
I think your second question is the root cause of your first question. Most companies want 7 years without a felony. Some companies will not hire you if you’ve ever been convicted of a felony for good reason – the liability risk. Trucking companies put all of their faith in their drivers. If a driver gets in an accident, steals freight, or steals equipment, the company can quickly get into massive legal and financial troubles. If any of that were to happen and an investigation revealed that the driver was a convicted felon, the trucking company could really be in even deeper trouble!
The bottom line is that every truck driver in America makes life and death decisions hundreds of times every single day. I’m not saying this to scare anyone, but it’s true. It’s a tremendous responsibility.
Trucking companies feel that if you are the type to make bad decisions and have done so in your recent past, it’s just too risky to have you behind the wheel making life and death decisions for yourself, the people around you, and the trucking company itself.
However, in the eyes of most people, we all make mistakes and people should be given a second chance if they’ve shown they’ve earned it by making smarter choices over a reasonable period of time. That’s why many companies will give you a shot if it’s been 7 years or more.
Lastly, every company will take into consideration the crime itself. If it is considered severe enough, you may not ever find a company that will take a chance on you. Owning a trucking company is a huge liability risk. These companies just can not take big chances on people.
Now let me say that I am certainly not passing judgement here or being “holier than thou”. Certainly not. I have most certainly done things in my life that if I had been caught would have likely been considered felonies. In fact, I’m pretty certain 99.9% of us have! Don’t lie now! But I was lucky. Some people are not.
And let me make it clear that if your record is clean and you come out of a state accredited driving school, it is quite easy to land a job in the industry. Quite easy. Here you can read about TruckerMike’s Recent Pre-Hire where he landed his first trucking job before he ever even attended his first class at driving school!
So Darrin, depending on your record, you’re looking at about 7 years without a felony before most companies will hire you. I wish I knew of others that had less stringent rules, but unfortunately I don’t. There are companies out there, though. I wish you the best of luck!
Wanted to know about SR22 bonds. I have an SR22 bond which is a type of insurance that someone who has had a suspension must carry in Ohio. Will this keep me from obtaining a CDL? My SR22 bond will be up on May 2,2009. I have been caught three different times driving without a license since 2005. I have finally obtained a driving license in August of 2008. My question is do you have to hold a license for a year before any company will hire you? What all will a company see when they look at your driving report? I know all of my offenses say that they are closed and listed underneath the withdrawals place on the page. The record that I can view has the list of withdrawals and convictions all in which I have taken care of and am in compliance with. Thanks for your help.
Hi Justina.
I honestly don’t know anything about SR22 bonds, but I do know that you are going to run into some difficulties finding work with that driving record. Whether or not someone will hire you will depend on the policies of the individual companies themselves. The best thing you can do is call a school in your area that has job placement and tell them your situation. They’ll know if there are any companies willing to hire you. If they tell you that there are, tell them you’d like names – and call them yourself. The school wants all the students they can get so you can’t necessarily take their word for it.
As far as what a company can see on your driving record – everything. You can be sure of that.
Lastly, you can look at the companies that offer low cost CDL training and talk to some of them. In your case I would talk to Driver Solutions for sure since they work with a few different companies. You may have better luck with them. Try the other ones though also.
Hope this helps!
Brett,
This website has answered a lot of questions for me about becoming a truck driver and I want to thank you for doing this for us. I am currently tring to get into school, but i am having a hard time getting started. I’ve been out of work for 5 months so paying for training is out of the question. I know that you can get company training but I live near Greenville, SC and there is a law that will not let you transfer a temporary CDL permit from another state. So far it’s hard to find company sponsored training in South Carolina. I also have a careless or negligent ticket on my record from ‘07 with 0 points off my license. Will this cause me any problems in getting a trucking job?
Thanks for starting this site and answering my questions!
TruckerMike: Your info on your schooling is awesome!!! Keep it coming.
Hey Blaze.
As far as transferring your permit out of state, don’t worry about that. If you get training outside of SC you can just get a new permit through the company you’re training with and then get your CDL in South Carolina. Even if SC said you can’t transfer your out of state permit into SC for the CDL exam, you can just get the SC permit again and then take the CDL exam.
Also, there are student loans and government grants available. Especially in these hard times, states are doing whatever they can to get their people back to work again. Contact your state employement agency and see if they can help you out. Also, try applying for a student loan to a local truck driving school. Student loans for trucking school are usually easier to get because the schooling is relatively short, the demand for new truck drivers is always high, and you start making plenty of money right away to pay back the loan.
As far as that ticket goes, that is going to be a problem. I would contact a local school, tell them about your financial situation, and also tell them about your driving record. If they say they can get you hired, ask them to give you the name of a company or two. Then, contact the companies yourself to find out for sure if they would be willing to hire you. Maybe you could go through some sort of Driver’s Ed class to get that ticket and the points reduced? That would be a very big deal if you could.
Best of luck to ya!
Hey Brett,
Just wanted to say thanks for all the valuable info on your site. I lost my job a week ago and instead of sitting around feeling bad I decided to look into something else. After reading the info on your web site, along with some blogs from newbie truckers, I decided to give it a shot. I used your site and chose a company from the ones provided. I start my training February 2 in Salt Lake. I am interested in documenting the entire process in a blog on your website. The ones I read really helped me make a decision. I would like to help other people decide if it something they would enjoy doing as well. Thanks again!!
Brett,
I have all 12 points on my license. It’s just the ticket but so for I’ve been turned down 2 times. The last guy said careless driveing was the same as reckless. Is this true for every company or just certain ones.
Do you have to hold a driver licenses for one year before any trucking driving company will hire you? If no what are a few that may hire? I have only had my licenses since August 2008.
Brett,
Hello sir. I know that right now our economy is in pretty bad shape and probably won’t get any better any time soon. Can you tell me if it would be better for me to start out with a Reefer Company since they haul mainly food products such as beverages, cheese, produce, etc?? I have heard that Swift is closing some of there terminals or at least they are not hiring out of some of them. Just wondering which way I should go in the trucking industry. Thanks.
Bret,
I have enojoyed the exchange of information thus far. What are the personality traits a driver must have while driving a truck? I would like to be a OTR driver. No kids, great fiance, & being alone does not bother me, as long as I have conservative radio stations to listen to. Also, with this economy , are the truck companys cutting back or maintaining their driving force? I used to see allot of trailors with truck driving jobs available posted on the rear, but recently allot of those advertisements are painted over. Thanks again
Hi guys, it’s me again. I’m finding, as are some of you, that the hiring of students who hold CDL, but have no on road experience, to be on a bit of a freeze right now. I’ve held the same job for six and a half years, haven’t lived anywhere else in over 10 years, and my driving record is squeeky clean. Already this week I’ve gotten three letters indicating in writing, “Thank you for your interest in XYZ trucking carriers but we are unable to offer you any employment ops. at this time.” One was indicating that the decision was based in part or whole on information contained in my DAC report…this is very strange. I have yet to complete the first portion of driving school…and have never driven for anyone. I’m applying to as many companys as I come across, keeping my head up and pressing on. It can be frusterating hitting the wall so many times when the hiring process seems to be so beautifuly smooth for others I’m in contact with, some who have bad records, and some who hop from job to job and place to place. I’ll keep everyone here posted. Perhaps my luck will change soon, but “where’s the jobs” seems to be my theme at the moment. Best of luck to everyone, and thank you so much Brett for your support and advisement.
Thanks Mike,
I’ll do that, that’s great advice. I did manage to secure a call back from one recruiter. I left a voicemail, along with an email, giving her not only my information, but my personal background, and when and why I wanted to become a driver. I was honest and direct, withouth saying too much or being too familiar. It was enough for her to call me back personally, and send me a paper application. She also wanted to know if I had any questions, I couldn’t think of any at the time, but looking back I should have probably asked some. I think approach IS important. Thanks again for all the great advice. I don’t think I’ll make it without you guys. Stay safe out there, god bless you.
-MT
Hello Brett,
I’m looking into becoming a truck driver, but I have a concern about the DOT Medical Card. I pass everything with flying colors except blood pressure. I have a do it at home blood pressure monitor that I have been checking myself with the last couple of weeks. I see that if I’m under 159/99, I can get a three month waiver, but I need to be under 140/90 to get the full year waiver. Am I okay if I keep it around 159/99 or do I need to get it down 140/90 to keep my DOT Med. Card? Is it okay to be on BP medication or do I need to be there naturally? Is this figure strictly adhered to for a youner person (under 30) or is it up to the doctor to make the determination whether I’m in good enough health? If there is anything else that I need to consider about this subject, please feel free to let me know.
Thanks,
Brian G
Hi,
Thanks for giving this information. Young drivers need a fully comprehensive education before they pass their test not catch-up skills-based training after a crash.
Thanks
Sofia.
Hey Brian.
I actually did an 8 part series on choosing a truck driving job. If you’ll go to my blog page you’ll see all of my blogs listed. Start with “Choosing a Truck Driving Job Part I: Factors That Affect All Companies” and work your way through all 8. There are tons of different factors to consider, and my series will give you a much better understanding of how the industry works and what to look for in a truck driving job. If you still have questions after reading all of that, just let me know!
Brett thanks for the info. I did check out all the articles you listed on your responce.
I have decided after much checking to go with prime. It is my opinion they have a great training program, with overall safety in mind.MY application has been excepted&I start orientation Feb.17. I really like truckingtruth & will try to keep everyone here informed how its going. Thanks again&God bless.
i
Hello
I am enrolled with International Trucking School in Kalamazoo MI starting February 9th. I already have two pre hire notices and have applied to several more companies. What advice can you give to a student driver about how to make a decision on which company to drive for, seems like everyone is claiming to be the best. I did read a previous post that said look for the larger companies so that you will have a larger support network while your on the road.
Thanks
Brian
Awesome, i just got done reading it all. Thankyou for all the honest information in your blogs, very informative. I’ve made a list of questions to ask myself and the recruiters.
Brett,
I came across a website called “ripoff report” where there is a large amount of complaints from student drivers from a trucking company that i am thinking about working for. Some of the posts are absolute horror stories like being stranded at terminals, being fired before training was completed, tampering with DAC reports, and not getting enough miles. I guess I just need to know what I’m getting myself into, and how much of this should I believe.
Hey all,
I live in southern California and have had my CDL for almost 4 years now and am currently an owner/operator of a dump truck in San Diego. Tough times are forcing me to lose my truck and I’m considering going OTR (I have no OTR exerience). After researching trucking companies online and trying to decide where to go, I have really only gotten minimal information. The best info. I’ve gotten so far is from CR England. They pretty much have a complete website that answers almost all my questions. Even though I’m an experienced driver, I don’t have any recent experience with tractor-trailers or combinations… so they are requiring me to take a “refresher” course” through them at a cost of $500, and 7 days of training, then it’s 90 days probation (30 hands-on w/ trainer and 60 days second seat)… fair enough… I think?!
In these hard economic times I’m thinking that a larger more stable trucking company is the way to go in order to get the most miles and experience, however, I’ve seen other companies oferring far better pay. (keeping in mind that what you see online is not necessarily “real life” practicallity)
My questions to anyone who has experience and something else to ad is; “Am I heading in the right direction”? and “What other companies should I be looking at”?
Thanks!!!
PS I am sigle with no major obligations keeping me home and I am looking forward to spending a great deal of time on the road.
Brett,
I have been a driver for about 2 years. Recently I went back to a former company. 1-6-09 Well, I went to a New Year’s Eve party, smoked a little pot. went to get re-hired, took the drug test, and the next day the company put me in the truck before they had gotten the results back. i thought all was good. I took a load to drop. and then the boss called and said the test came back positive. Well, I had to get home on my own and was never paid for the run. My question is, can a company put a driver in a truck legally before the drug test comes back? On my DAC they have my period of service shown like they hired me, instead of pre-employment drug screen positive. Of course my driving career is over, but I thought it was a law for them to get the results back before they could put driver on road?
Hi. I am 42 years old and wanting a change in careers. I’m thinking of trying with Central Refrigerated’s trucking school. The thing is, I cant seem to find any bad news about them. Are they a legit company?
How much can a person believe about the website “rip off report?”
I am set up to go to school for company training with a major trucking company. How much truth is in rip off reports?
Thanks,
David
can anyone give me any good and/or bad information on “roadmaster trucking school” in ohio,thank you
can anyone give me any good and/or bad information on “roadmaster trucking school” in ohio,thank you
What is the most common method of drug testing at these trucking companies? Also have alot of trucking companies been laying off workers due to the economy?
What is the most common method of drug testing at these trucking companies? Also have alot of trucking companies been laying off workers due to the economy?
Hi Brett.
I have been looking into the trucking industry for some time now. I like your forum and everything that you mention is very helpful. I am deciding on a company to help with my training, and in fact I start my training sometime in May. My question is, if I were to go ahead and get my permit now, how long do I have before it expires? And is it the same as my DOT physical? Lastly, how hard is it to take the CDL permit test?
Thanks.
Wanda
Hi Brett.
I have been looking into the trucking industry for some time now. I like your forum and everything that you mention is very helpful. I am deciding on a company to help with my training, and in fact I start my training sometime in May. My question is, if I were to go ahead and get my permit now, how long do I have before it expires? And is it the same as my DOT physical? Lastly, how hard is it to take the CDL permit test?
Thanks.
Wanda
HELLO BRETT
I have a problem that I totally forgot about. Can a misdemeanor of 6 years old affect me getting a truck driving job? I was nver arrested. There was a fine I paid and that was all. Can you help me with this?
Thanks
Wanda
I just wanted to update you guys, and share some information that I had about the health of the industry in general, and how I’m (sort of) making it.
I finished my school a couple of days ago, and passed the exams at the DDS and finally received my CDL. I was very excited to have that. My state is participating in the haz mat application based program, so in order to add my hazmat endorsement I’ve had to complete a background application, submit my fingerprints at a collection site, and pay the $95 dollar fee to process the ppwk. If, and when I’m cleared, I’ll be eligible to take the hazmat knowledge exam and, having passed, will add the endorsement to my licence. There were alot of students, myself included, that were not familiar with the new hazmat (hoops) procedure you had to go thru in order to qualify for the endorsement. Many of the companys I’ve tried to apply with have told me they require this for all company drivers. I’m still waiting for a bite on the offer side of the pool. My work, driving, and background is all squeeky clean, my transcript had a 98.5% score from school, and I’m processing my hazmat. I’m wondering what else I will need to do before I’m attractive to the companies I’ve applied with? Being out of work has made the process more frusterating to wait thru. I have around $3000 school fees, the $150 DOT physical, the $40 I’ve spent on licencing and permits, $40 for paperwork and applications, and the cool $95 I spent just yesterday on the hazmat application processing. Thank god for my generous uncle, who’s offered to pay me minimum wage for doing some land clearing on his property, or I would be writing this from the homeless shelter. God bless each one of you guys looking for that job lead, I feel your pain. Hang in there guys and we will find a job where we can be safe, and very thankful to be employed, drivers.
-M
HI THIS TO ANYONE
I JUST RECIEVED WORD THAT I HAVE BEEN TURNED DOWN BY SWIFT, FOR SOMETHING THAT I TOTALLY FORGOT ABOUT. I EXLAINED WHAT HAPPENED AND I HAVE NEVER NEVER CHARGED AND I PAID A FINE.
ARE THERE OTHER COMPANIES THAT WILL FEEL THE SAME? IS THERE EVER A CHANCE TO DRIVING A TRUCK? HOW DO I GET MYSELF HEARD?
PLEASE HELP
THANKS
WANDA
Hi,
I was woundering if there was a company that will hire me @ the age of 20 years old?
I have my class A CDL and worked for a few but having truble finding one that will hire me agen. can one of you help me plz.
Hi There!
It’s me again. Wow! What a lesson. I totally forgot. Now I am dealing with it. I have proof that I am cleared. I am trying other trucking companies and I am hoping that someone will give me a chance. I made a mistake. I do not about you and if you believe in prayers, but I do.
I would like to be able keep you posted on what happens.
I am going camping this weekend, do some fishing. I will see what happens next week.
I am very optmistic that I will be given a chance.
Wanda
Hi There!
It’s me again. Wow! What a lesson. I totally forgot. Now I am dealing with it. I have proof that I am cleared. I am trying other trucking companies and I am hoping that someone will give me a chance. I made a mistake. I do not about you and if you believe in prayers, but I do.
I would like to be able keep you posted on what happens.
I am going camping this weekend, do some fishing. I will see what happens next week.
I am very optmistic that I will be given a chance.
Wanda
Hey Yall!
Well, I’ll tell ya, sure been a roller coaster ride! All set and ready to learn and drive the “big Wheels!” Even had a company lined up to help pay for my training, and work for them. Then Wham! I’m out! They were doing a background check on me, which is okay and I understand. I totally forgot about the MM I got 6 years ago. I called and explained when asked, but I guess it wasn’t good enough. I even went online and pulled up the problem. I paid the fine, the case is closed. I never served jail tme, no probation! I still have my job of 7 years! You would think that my work history and that I hadn’t got into trouble, and is proof that I am a good perosn, but they go 10 years before they forgive anybody. I do not know if there are other companies that are more forgiving and will give a person like me a chance. But now, I have this plague over my head.
Also, I have been getting mixed views, with the ecomony the way it is, even the companies that do pay for the training, are freezing up. I do not want to go through, putting my notice in my job, go through the training, then that company sends me home. So, I am going to wait and lay low and see what happens. I do not want to pay for something or pay back a company, if they are not going to put me in a truck. That’s another bill, I do not need.!
In the mean time, my brother, who drives, is going to get me a truck drivers book of the trucking companies in it. I will just take my time, study the cdl permit. I have to have a trucking company pay for my training. I will just wait.
Now. I went camping this past weekend, even just for one night. I had a good time! Always do! It relaxes me. Did some fishing. Even had my ear talked off, by some dude, while I was concentrating on catching fish! I do not mind having conversation, but gee whiz! Non stop! This dude must not talk with his wife! Other than that, It was fun! Much needed!
In the mean time, Brett, if you know any companies that are not so lenghty on their forgivness policy, Please let me know! I will keep checking this blog, from time to time.
Thank you
Wanda
Just relax for a while away from worries. About your problem, well it’s really kinda hard to take off a bad history even if its unintentional. One thing to give you hope, I have seen someone work as a truck driver who is about 26 years old by the time I saw him. So for now, why not drive smaller vehicles to regain reputation and go on with bigger trucks later? Well, just my point of view on things. Give it your best!
Just wanted to say “thank you” to Brett for taking time to read my story & be able to share it at a later time with y’all. Thank you so much for the warm welcome into the “trucking” family but I could use more friends (LOL) and if you want to be my friend you can check out my page under CentanWinyan. Y’all take care & keep the rubber on the road!!!! Karen
hi, my brother is talking about becoming a truck driver. I’m a little concerned about this becouse he’s tried trucking school i think twice now . He is really sensitive and backs out of school and quits jobs when he gets his feelings hurt. He wants to now look into yet another trucking school called Coastal College. He says its 5 grand for one month. Now that just seems like a scam to me , does that seem right to you? Also, do you think he should be a truck driver if he’s very sensitive. and do you know if this school is even a good school?
hi, my brother is talking about becoming a truck driver. I’m a little concerned about this becouse he’s tried trucking school i think twice now . He is really sensitive and backs out of school and quits jobs when he gets his feelings hurt. He wants to now look into yet another trucking school called Coastal College. He says its 5 grand for one month. Now that just seems like a scam to me , does that seem right to you? Also, do you think he should be a truck driver if he’s very sensitive. and do you know if this school is even a good school?
Howdy-
I just wanted to pass along that Detroit Diesel just cranked out a new web site about what they’re doing to meet the new EPA 2010 regulations. We’ve all heard about SCR and EGR and all the other 3-letter words, but the page explains what they actually mean. Just wanted to pass it along!
Hey G.Bones
Most companies will want you to go through some sort of re-training if you’ve been away from class A trucks and OTR driving for quite some time – but you won’t have to go through the entire schooling again. Check out our pages about companies that offer CDL training. Follow the links to the company sites – it gives tons of information there. Those companies may be interested in you. They would likely put you through some sort of schooling and send you on the road with a trainer for a short time to make sure you’re ready to go. It would cost you little or nothing to do, and with your experience it would be so simple it’s almost silly. If you do look into them, let me know what they say. I can pass the info on. You can contact me through the email address in the “contact us” link at the bottom of the pages.
Best of luck!
Howdy-
I just wanted to pass along that Detroit Diesel just cranked out a new web site about what they’re doing to meet the new EPA 2010 regulations. We’ve all heard about SCR and EGR and all the other 3-letter words, but the page explains what they actually mean. Just wanted to pass it along!
Hey Brett,
First of all I want to say that this is one of the best (and only really) sites that I could find that has given me more insight on trucking than I could have ever imagined.
A little about myself: Names Caleb, 27y/o, living down in south Louisiana. All my life I have loved travel. The road is something that practically calls to me everyday. Yet almost all of my careers have been in the office.
I have absolutely 0 driving experience as far as trucks go. The largest vehicle I ever drove was an F150 and that was a rental. Never driven a stickshift either…So basically you could say I’m one of those “start from scratch” guys when it comes to trucking, but I really would like to do it!
Some things I have going for me: I’m single and really have no ties to home. I have family and friends, but I would rather be on the road all the time than at home any day. My best driving times (personally) are at night because I’m basically nocturnal…although I know that driving times really depend on when loads are scheduled to be picked up and dropped off.
The longest single trip I’ve ever made by myself was 18 hours from Baton Rouge, LA to Mason City, IA nonstop. It was slightly difficult, but I made it without getting to drowsy and stopped for about an hour at a time for dinner and lunch on the way. That trip is just a personal accomplishment, but I know in the real trucking world that’s somewhat against the law per Federal Reg’s…which if I’m not mistaken limit you to 10 hours a day or 70 hours a week max. I got those stats per a former friend that drives trucks.
I have a few questions that I havent been able to find the answers to really. Through basic context clues I’ve been able to figure some of them out, but could you point me to a say “trucking dictionary” or clarify what the following terms mean for me?
OTR, 48, Reg, Loc.
I think OTR stands for “over the road” but I’m not to sure what that means exactly. 48, not sure at all. Reg maybe stands for regional…if so…how many states would be covered under regional, or does that vary company to company? Loc…I would assume means locale which would pretty much be an “at home everyday” type position.
Please go into further detail on these for me as I’m kinda in the dark on the exact definitions…and if you have anymore that you could share, or could point me to a list of them, that’d be great!
Thanks in advance! I will probably be posting some more as I read and figure out exactly how I will fit in the Trucking world.
i have just graduated cdl school and i am having a hard time finding a job. either because i dont have any experance or because i got a felony in 1995 or because of two dui,s one in 2000 and one in 1994 do you guys have any idea who will hire someone like myself.
i have just graduated cdl school and i am having a hard time finding a job. either because i dont have any experance or because i got a felony in 1995 or because of two dui,s one in 2000 and one in 1994 do you guys have any idea who will hire someone like myself.
I am a CPA living in Michigan I have not had a ‘permanent’ job since 2003. I am thinking of going into trucking. My biggest problem I see is my diabetes. I have been a diabetic since ‘94 and on insulin since ‘98. I have never had any serious reactions. I understand that I could apply for a waiver. Should I apply for the wavier while in training or after? If it takes six months to get a waiver will my schooling still be applicable?
What are the chances that a company will hire me? My driving record is perfect I have never been ticketed or in a accident.
“TRUCK STOP SERVICES…”
Ok, here I go again….giving my thoughts, opinions & ideas regarding truck stop services (i.e. Pilots & Flying J’s).
Earl and I stopped at a Pilot in Ontario, Oregon (which we stop at quite frequently) on our trip down to Texas to deliver a load and on this one particular day we had money in the bank which is very unusual for us (LOL). We discussed getting hooked up to the internet while on the road and thought that we would get connected with Pilot……WHATEVER!!!
Needless to say the clerk I spoke to there (who shall remain nameless) had NO CLUE whatsoever about “wondering wifi” they advertise for their company so she had me speak with the manager and guess what……he directed me to the advertisement on the poster taped to the door and instructed me to call the phone number listed on the piece of paper.
Now, for me, I’m thinking’ that the company should actually have someone on staff that knows about their products that they sell or advertise….for example, it would be like me owning a company that sells farm equipment and I know nothing about that product(s)… pretty dumb huh?
One thing that I believe, only due to experience, is that when I work for a company I like to be informed as much as possible regarding the products I’m selling for my employer, which in turn means, in my opinion, they (Pilot Truck Stop) should have at least 1, maybe 2 people staffed for just that purpose….to be able to help get customers connected that don’t have the information or knowledge to do it themselves. I’ve not been the only one with this problem…I know of a few people that have had this situation present itself to them also.
I tried calling the phone number that was posted on the advertisement and the salesperson that I reached didn’t know about the product he was selling either. He told me that I needed to be connected to the internet to be able to use the “wifi” they were selling so that I could get my code to get connected……DUHHHH!!! My question to him was: “How do I get connected with them when I don’t have internet yet so that I could use their services?” and his answer to me was: “I DON’T KNOW!!” Guess he was just there for a paycheck…commission or not.
So what Earl & I did at that point was go to the Flying J at our next stopping point and the ladies that were working there were very helpful. They told me everything that I needed to know regarding the “internet” out on the road as well as where and how I needed to get connected. That was an accomplishment that was the best thing I needed to do for me. THANK YOU to those ladies at the counter and my apologies for not getting your names to have you recognized for your help.
The trucking company that Earl works for doesn’t do fuel business with Flying J’s but it doesn’t take much to find one, sit down have a meal or just something to drink so I can stay connected with y’all out there in the real world.
I’ve been to quite a few places now (on the road) and I’ve discovered that most of the employees at the TA’s and the Flying J’s are the most personable yet….courteous, helpful and very nice people. Most of the “Pilot” personnel could use some instruction(s) and guidance on service and communication with the public. Seems to me that they could care less about giving someone the time of day let alone any other information that necessary for daily productivity and believe me I’m not one for holding my tongue when it comes to giving my opinions about any situation at hand. They don’t pay my bills and they aren’t gonna lye in my casket when I die…….so I don’t care what they think of me or anyone else for that matter.
When it comes to a trucker that has to ask for help, I know that it’s hard sometimes due to the “ego” thing but when they do need the help it would be great if the person that’s giving the help could have the knowledge to give. I know or could bet on the fact that y’all can relate to this.
Its frustrating being in unknown territory, seemingly lost in whatever situation and not having the proper information to get you through to the next situation of the day……and “frustration” is a minor sense of the word. Tends to piss me off when I have to talk to “stupid people”……. “HERE’S YOUR SIGN!!!
I’m not the “sharpest knife in the drawer” or the “brightest color in the box” but at least I don’t have to wear a sign (LOL). Thank goodness there’s always room for improvement and for me it’s all lessons well learned. So with that, y’all take care and stay safe……more opinionated B.S. coming later.
Sincerely,
Karen Smith
“COMRODARY….Where is it?”
I remember hearing truck driver’s talk about the comrodary amongst them…seems like years ago….oh yea it was!!! How they used to wave when passing by…some still do but the young “bucks” (newbie’s) haven’t got the teachings from the “old timers” that’s been around the block a few times.
Comrodary amongst drivers is a SACRED thing…there’s a trust and bond between them while on the road and I believe that it should not die off but what I’m seeing, since there’s so many new drivers now (only in it for the money – LOL), is that “dying off” is what’s happening.
They used to make cordial conversation on the CB’s but since I’ve been with Earl, when we turn up the CB up all I hear is silence…sometimes we can hear some jackass bitching about one thing or another or some youngster wanting to blast the radio into it. That happened the other night while we were traveling through New Mexico……let me tell you, if I wanted to listen to that crap, I’d have it on the radio in our truck or I’d be in your truck with you.
It seems to me that each company driver (doesn’t matter which one you choose to talk about) is only out on the road now to just go from one place to another without socializing. Take for instance……Earl and I stopped at a Pilot in Jamestown, NM….I was walking into the place and was almost slammed by the door being opened by a driver that was coming out who happened to be in a very angry mood for some reason. There’s was no “excuse me” as he stormed out of the building and while he was in a rush he dropped something from his bag. I picked it up and handed it back to him…he almost took my hand off grabbing it out of my hand and again not a “thank you”, “excuse me” – NOTHING – so with that I POLITELY called him a not-so-nice name.
WHAT THE HELL……you men weren’t raised with respect or courtesy to even acknowledge someone doing something nice for you? DAMN!!!!
Earl explained to me that the (again) comrodary dying out between drivers (some) has been a long time coming. He’s seeing it even more within the same company he drives for…there’s cliques (groups) of drivers that only associate with a select few and won’t give others the time of day let alone a nod or a smile in acknowledgement as well as the fact that it’s takes an “act of congress” for some drivers to acknowledge my presence in the room if Earl is talking with them. He explained to me it’s because some truck drivers don’t think women should be working in what USED TO BE a man’s world. Well, buck up good buddies because we’re here and we’re staying like it or not. Even though I’m not a truck driver I’ve observed women drivers being treated sh**y by men drivers……well get used to it dudes!!!! Women aren’t just to keep bare foot and pregnant, cooking meals and cleaning house anymore.
If you guys can place your butts behind a desk and do the “secretary” thing then women can handle a steering wheel and gear shift. Earl tells me that there are a lot of great women truck drivers out there and from I’ve observed some can put some of you to shame.
I will be the first to admit that there are some truckers out there (men and women) that shouldn’t even have a license but I guess that’s what “drive defensively” means…LOL!
Also, to touch on the “waving” thing…. WHAT THE HELL is up with flashing gang signs as a wave to say hello while passing by. Man have times changed or I’m just getting really old at the age of 52.
Gang signs, not dressing properly for your job with your pants hanging down around the crack of your butt or to your knees (yes I’ve seen young drivers with this kind of dress attire). Whatever happened to wearing the correct size clothing or maybe a belt and how about some suspenders for those you who think they need to wear a smaller size pants when their a larger size man – I don’t like looking at the “butt crack of dawn” and I know that some others out there don’t either (IT’S GROSS to say the least). If I wanted to see your underwear I’d be doing your laundry – get the HINT – PULL YOUR PANTS UP not down).
This is mainly directed at the young drivers as well as the “old timers” to step in and teach them a thing or two regarding comrodary – the bond that shouldn’t be broken because all of you out there on the road only have YOU to depend on for certain things.
If I’ve offended any one of you who are reading this then I must have touched on a nerve because I know from experience that if someone was to tell me the God’s Honest Truth where I’m concerned and I get pissed off……it’s because it is the truth and I need to look at what’s wrong and change it. That’s what my responsibility is for how I act or re-act in this world that is slowly falling apart where general connection, communication or just plain comrodary is concerned.
Now that I’ve made some of you look at something that is needed and necessary which is teaching and learning from each other………………enjoy your career of choice, drive safely and God Bless you all. My prayers are with each of you.
Sincerely,
Karen Smith
“BLESSINGS and GIFTS…”
Ya know in all my travels I’ve noticed quite a few different things, but the thing that mystifies me the most is the “magic” of just being…there’s such a peaceful solidarity about nature. The different emotions that arise while we’re climbing through the mountains with a heavy load on ~ being able to travel slow enough to hear the trees tell their stories.
Watching the sunbeams stream through the clouds that form getting ready to dump “Gods blessing” (rain). To have chills run up and down my spine with the wonder of the snow as it lightly covers the trees that surround the open meadow as if God opened up his powered sugar shaker and just started sprinkling.
Traveling through the dessert and the spiritual lust that sweeps through my heart and soul, to know in my mind that there’s been so many that have traveled across there before me. As I look upon the mountains in the distance and watching them grow in size as we come upon them in a swift manner, thinking to myself that there’s a reason they are so majestic and that’s the Great Spirits gift to us.
Coming to an understanding that even though I’m miraculous in His eyes because He created me, I’m just a mere speck ~ a grain of sand in the whole dessert where this world is concerned.
Observing the trees as they sway in the breeze, blowing in accordance to natures actions, like a symphony of music with all the right instruments playing all the right notes for perfect harmony. As we drive the highway, we come across a cottonwood tree looking so out of place, in the dessert, next to the road and standing so tall as if to tell everyone going by it…it can survive in any type of setting and surroundings…to become adaptable.
Relying on my senses to be able to bring me to a state of serenity in what seems to be an “out of control” world where people only in a true sense care about themselves…not taking time to really observe and know what’s around them, I have come to the realization of how blessed I’ve been to have received the gifts given as well with the senses to enjoy such beauty….
Eyes…observe.
Ears…to hear.
Nose…to smell.
Mouth..to taste.
Hands..to touch
and a heart to feel all the emotions that allow me to be the perfect person in my creators love.
I’ve been able to gaze upon the wondrous beauty and observe a variety of different setting of scenery, a various array of colors in nature and with them, the different tones and colors of just one color. What’s so wonderful to see is the adaptability that people and animals have for their surroundings within the conditions they live, knowing that no matter what…we’re all here for some reason and sometimes it’s not for us to know the plans in advance.
I know that the only way that you’ll know what I’m writing about is if you experience it yourself.
Listening to the thunder of the waves crashing against the shoreline as gracefully but powerfully make the statement rolling in, just to disappear and roll back in again.
How awesome it is to see the most gorgeous bird in the world (to me), the Bald Eagle, soar down from the mountainside to glide on the wind effortlessly over a field and pick its prey in one fell swoop so that the life cycle can keep revolving.
As I sit in the truck stop at nightfall, I will listen to the wind as it blows through the trucks and trailers (which are sometimes packed in like sardines in a can), to be able to actually hear the music created, like flutes in the darkness. Passionately wanting to envelop all that nature has to present to me….I thank God for the ability of remembrance.
I’m finding out that beyond the stressful factors of this career I can also be able to become part of what’s been created as a gift to relish within my soul. Finding out that life is a spiritual experience to be replicated from one to another.
Being in a truck is just as spiritual as being on the back of a Harley…nothing else can compare to the unity that’s created and felt from me to my Creator ~ God!!!
“FREEDOM”…nothing else matters.
How awesome it’s been to have a pronounced calmness and serenity in traveling with my husband…to be able to share this with all of you that have been around a while and know what I’m talking about as well as all you “newbie’s” just getting started in this absolutely wonderful, difficult and sometimes confusing career. Thank you ALL for allowing me the ability to help create some of those emotions to memories.
God Bless and stay safe in your travels….our prayers are with you all who are reading this.
Sincerely,
Karen Smith
Brett,
You have built a wonderful site that I have used for much of my research for the last 4 months. After lingering around as a guest I bought the bullet and registered so that I can begin to get to know the folks who have unknowingly guided me through my research. The bloggers you have assembled are just awesome. I truly appreciate the no-nonsense, no favorites approach this site takes with the companies and the the blogs. Keep up the good work and the great blogs.
Allan Burden
Hi Brett,
Thank you for all your work in running this blog and website. It’s so helpful.
I am a completely inexperienced driver looking into signing up with a large company to go OTR.
Do any of the larger companies allow guests who are not drivers to ride along in the cab? My wife would like to ride
along with me. What about friends or parents?
Thanks,
Jordan
Jordan
Yes, most companies do have a rider policy but you may have to meet their requirements like no one in the truck for 3 months or maybe a year. Some do not allow it during winter months. You may also have to pay a small fee for that rider like I did and that was maybe $10 for the month. Like Brett said, each company is different and you need to ask what it is.
I am also one of the authors on the website. Our stories and the other info that you can find is there to help you. Please take a look at them. Any questions you can ask us and we will help you. Rhonda
i am currently collecting unemployment in new york state. now with our economy the way it is, the government is paying for victims of unemployment to go to truck driving school. there are a few pieces of information that you, the student, must obtain. such as a driving record from the dmv,social security card, birth certificate and valid driving liscense. ok, simple enough. Now when i recieved my records from the dmv the “state employee” told me that in less than one year my record will be clear. What i mean by that is back when i was younger,21 to be excact, i used to drink and i locked myself in for 1 d.w.a.i. violation in 2000, and 1 d.w.i. misdermeanor in early 2001.(i never said i was the luckiest) So in less than 1 year those 2 things will be off my liscense. Now THIS is my real beef… When i heard about this program i thought, great a golden ticket to a job!( i feel like charlie,nothing ever goes right until willy wonka comes along) So i go down to my local employment office and meet with my “unemployment state rep” to inquire. I lay it all on the line with this “lady” (remember,ive only had one misdermeanor close to ten years ago,no felonies). “that won’t be a problem!” she says. “most companies only go back 5-7 years” she says. So,… i proceed with the process(like anything that has to do with the goverment, they want to know EVERYTHING about you right down to the names of your ancestors pets) and “all seems well” she says. iI then must be “pre-hired” by some otr companies that work with this particular school,ok, fine, so far so good. (This is where it gets real good) My “unemployment state rep” calls me this morning and says, “yeah…new york state is changing some of their requirements. you no longer need your birth certificate,…oh yeah and if you had EVER had a d.w.i. the state CANNOT help you because some of the otr jobs they offer are changing their requirements as well”. Are you kidding me? It has been almost 10 years!!! 10 years,…not last year,not 5 years ago,…10!!! I proceed to tell this “lady”(of the dark underworld,a.k.a. HELL) how i was prosecuted almost a decade ago for this crime i committed and payed fines for years and classes and every other thing new york state wanted done. I told her in todays society everyone is getting d.w.i.’s like candy,doctors,lawyers,polititions,judges, and they have no problem with continuing up the social ladder. I have one d.w.i. almost a decade ago and the state still wants to prosecute me on it. How could this be? Now,… after having argued this point for some time over the phone,this “lady” disclosed the fact that if i find some local companies that would be willing to consider me for employment i may still attend this class,but these companies must, on a typed official buisiness letter state that they are aware of my d.w.a.i. violation and my d.w.i. misdermeanor,and also what my pay scale would be along with the amount of hours they would be willing to hire me on. I guess i dont really know why i just put down this information? maybe it could help someone down the line, maybe it could help new yorkers understand this WONDERFUL state we live in, maybe someone might see this and feel bad for me and offer me a job?(just kidding,no pity needed,i did screw myself from my younger years) I always thought the purpose of the criminal courts was to ultimately reform those that have done wrong? Maybe the courts build up credit for your next life,cuz obviously they dont give a shit about these people lives in their lifetime
I hope this gets out to some people who could use it,
michael p. brawdy
I’m glad you like the site!
I can honestly say that I’ve never personally heard anyone say that they were discriminated against in the trucking industry because of age. Actually, youth is feared, experience is appreciated by most companies. Almost all companies have a minimum age of 21, even though you can drive intrastate at 18. Many have a minimum age of 23, even though you can drive interstate at 21. So the insurance companies are not fond of youth, and they often set the hiring standards for companies. If the economy was booming right now, I’d say there is an excellent chance that you’ll get right out there and find work. But in this economy, it’s been much tougher for everyone.
If I were you, I would talk to the schools your are considering, or the companies you are considering getting your training from, and try to get pre-hired, which means a company agrees to hire you once you complete your training and get your CDL. If you can get some pre-hires, you should be good to go. That would probably be your safest bet.
Denise,
Welcome to truckingtruth. Age should not make a differance as many have started in thier late 50’s and drive for 20 years. But like Brett says, you should check with the companies you are considering because of the economy.
There are more and more women entering the driving world in trucking each year,but the women are a small percentage of the drivers. I met a women back in 2002?? who was in her 60’s when she entered the trucking world and she just loved the life. She traveled the U.S. and Canada. Said she was going to drive till they kicked her out of the truck. Pop back in and let us know what is happening with your new adventures.
I have a question for owner operators. I work for an aerospace company in the Everett Wa area. The company that I work for spends a lot of money a year using a commercial shipping company. In my opinion way to much, but its not the business I’m in. The route is from Wa to Southern California on a weekly basis round trip. My company would purchase two 48′ side curtain trailers. One to be left in California and the other in Washington. The only other thing that is needed would be a contracted owner operator. The mileage is approx. 1200 one way. This will also be a steady route/job. I guess my question would be about how much it would cost to hire someone to drive? Would the owner operator have insurance that would cover the load and the trailer or is that my companies responsibility? Is there anything that I’m missing that I will need to know that I’m not thinking of? Not sure what the trucking industry is looking like overall, but does this sound like a good gig?
Any help would be appreciated
Thank you
Dolson
Sounds like just the website I am looking for… one that’s open and honest.
-Jack
Truck driving has been on my list of things to do for years. Now that the economy has squeezed me out of work, it’s time for a career change. I’m an experienced sedan driver with an excellent driving record. I’ve done my homework over the past few months, researched training schools, re-confirmed my passion to be on the road. I’m going to do it! But here’s a possible wrinkle – class begins in a few weeks, class ends I’ll be 62nd. I’ll probably only drive for 5 or so years more, maybe teaming with my son in year 2 (silly mother, what is she thinking?).
I know companies should not age discriminate in their hiring. But, honestly, what do you think?? Would I be wasting my time and money at my age?
Driving is still a man’s world, but I’m a non-traditionalist. I welcome the challenge:-)
BTW – Brett, this site is great. Easy to navigate. I appreciate the blog too – all possible questions, informed responses, serene observations Karen. Thanks
Brett,
I love your site! Very good reference material. I’m getting ready to start school in two weeks. How hard will it be to find a job once i graduate? Some of the comments Ive seen have me concerned… Im not too late am i? I’m 30 with a solid work history and a vet. And cannot stand my job as a shipping supervisor any longer…
Hay for all you starting out and experenced driver’s as well you should go to store@randmcnally.com This is a store with MAP’S on sale right now the one I enjoy the most is the Large Scale Motor Carriers Road Atlas 2009 this one was builded for trucker’s.
This will help you with low clearance bridges,Weight limit’s where to get primit’s Road condition and in each state almost everythang you can think off a real good imvestment you can even plan better with the mileage directory .And it is Big so you can read it with out straining to see that small print.And there are so many othwer’s on sale at great prices.
Take care and enjoy your travels
Getting a job running over-the-road should not be too difficult right now. One thing you can do is work with whatever school you will be attending to get pre-hired, which means a trucking company agrees to hire you upon graduation. Most people are able to land a couple of pre-hires either before beginning their schooling or soon after it begins. That brings a lot of peace-of-mind to students for sure. Best of luck!
Nope your not,I’m 48 and been driving for year’s I love it,The school should have a job hire program if you go thru a trucking company,Remember pay is little when your training most company don’t pay much some do shopping around for the best one is easy on line.You might need money for yourself to eat as most don’t feed you and how much that depends on how you eat.Once you get out of school and training then there is more training on the road with a experienced driver for about 45 day’s to 3 month’s depending on the company. by then you will have a good feel for the road.
Good luck
Hey Wade! Good For You Man!!!!!
I’m very impressed by that type of grit and determination! One thing you will always find in common with successful people in life is that they don’t believe in playing the victim. They believe in taking control, taking action, and making good things happen for themselves. Everyone hits tough times. Everyone knows life ain’t always fair. But not everyone handles it like you did – and for that I want to first of all say congratulations, and secondly say that we would love to have you blogging on our site!
TruckerMike’s blog is helping tons and tons of people! I literally get appreciative comments and emails every single day about his blog. It has already been tremendously helpful to people and I really, really want to have more people doing it! It’s a tremendous help to those considering becoming truck drivers and it makes for damn interesting reading! Email me at the email address at the top of this page and we’ll get you all setup!
Congrats again! Fine job of hangin tough and takin the bull by the horns! You’re the type of person we need on this site helpin people out!
Hi Wade,
Just wanted to jump in and say good luck! You should totally write a blog on here, it gets addicting! It’ll be fun to go through some of the same things together since we’re both just starting out. And bravo on taking charge on finding a new job while so many other people sit around and feel sorry for themselves. I look forward to your first post!!
Brett: You’re embarrssing me!
Hey Blaze.
It’s pretty much true for most companies – careless driving is pretty serious. How long ago did you say you got that? If you could attend some type of state driving course to get that reduced and get those points reduced you’d be in much better shape. That’s going to be a tough record to overcome until you get some of that stuff dropped. I think a many companies want like 3 years without any of those types of charges on your record.
Yes indeed, reefer companies will hold up better in a tough economy than dry van companies. That’s a good observation and I would likely go with a reefer company to start out with in these economic times.
Hey Barbara!
I’m a 46 year old woman with a 20 year old daughter. I have decided to get my CDL and do OTR trucking. I’m tired of office work and ready to see more of the country. Besides, I LOVE to drive! I was a firefighter in my early years and always drove the big fire trucks. I figure I’ll be ok in a semi. I too will be bringing a dog. I won’t work for a company who won’t allow me to bring along my dog. Also, I plan to purcahse my own truck and be an owner/operator – at some point!
My concerns are making sure I stay in shape and eat right while on the rode. Also, I’m wondering where to call “home base”. Right now I’m in Grand Junction, Colorado but I’d relocate anywhere out west. I figure I’ll be in my truck most of the time. I guess being closer to a city hub is best. Don’t know yet.
Anyway – keep us updated on your progress!
KC
Hey, Brian. I may not be Brett, but let’s see if I can answer your question for you and put on the track to more answers. According to part 391: subpart E: section (b)(6): of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), it states (b)(6) Has no current clinical diagnosis of high blood pressure likely to interfere with his/her ability to operate a commercial motor vehicle safely. Note that it says “likely”, which makes me believe that as long as you have it under control. I have HBP, too, but mine didn’t show up until after I had been off the road for a couple of years, so I didn’t have to worry about it while I was driving.
If you need any more info, try checking out the FMCSA website, beginning with this link: http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/rules-regulations/administration/fmcsr/fmcsrruletext.asp?rule_toc=760§ion=391.41§ion_toc=1781. It covers most of the medical requirements by the Feds.
Hope this helps.
Tumbleweed
Also check out a site called “DownShift”. It’s all about CDL Exam Requirements. Here’s the link: http://www.drivershealth.com/info/requirements/cdl_exam_requirements.jsp.
Hey Kenneth, I just wanted to say congrats! Good luck and keep us posted!
Hi Todd.
For starters, CR England has always had low pay compared with the industry average. I remember looking at them back in the mid 90’s and their mileage pay was much lower than most. That’s just how they’ve always been. Their training requirements sound pretty reasonable but I would definitely look around at some other companies too.
As far as getting started in class A, almost all companies are going to require you to go through some sort of training first for sure. We have a page on companies that offer CDL training that you can look at for some good ideas. Because the economy is so bad, I’m hearing that some companies are beginning to put on a hiring freeze, so you’ll just have to call around to see who is hiring at the moment. That can change from day to day sometimes.
I feel the larger companies would be the stronger players in this economy overall. It will vary from company to company depending upon a number of factors, of course, but the larger companies tend to have better financing available to help them to allow them to survive the tough times better than the smaller companies.
Overall, I’d say finding a company that offers you some training and gets you out there rollin is definitely headed in the right direction.
Hi Brian.
Some of that stuff really does happen – and it happens from time to time at almost any company out there. But honestly, 98% of the time it’s the driver’s fault. One of our main goals here at TruckingTruth is to help people who are new to the trucking industry understand the industry so that they know what they are getting into, they know what to expect, and they know what will be expected of them. New drivers having unreal expectations of what being a truck driver is all about is the cause of most of the turnover and complaints you’ll come across.
I drove for a multitude of companies over a 15 year period and anytime another driver would start talking to me about how poorly he’s being treated or how badly things are going at a certain company, my first thought was always “Ok, how is this guy screwing up?” And if the conversation went on for a little bit, almost every time the truth came out – the driver just wasn’t handling things properly.
Now that being said, I have been fired for things that were not my fault. Miscommunication or a misunderstanding of some sort was usually to blame – not me. Sometimes it got resolved, sometimes not. So when you look at an industry with several million drivers, and you add to it the fact that all of them can jump on the internet and within minutes tell the entire world anything they’d like to, you’re going to get a lot of negativity. You should do a ton of research before getting into truck driving to make sure it seems like a career that may be right for you, but please take the negativity with a grain of salt. I would dare say ignore the vast majority of it.
TruckingTruth has tons of great information that will help you decide for yourself if the industry is right for you. We also have a great series of articles on choosing the right truck driving job that will help you figure out which company is right for you. The vast majority of the companies out there can be great companies to work for if the driver does his/her job well and has a good dispatcher. Those are the two main things that determine how much success you’ll have with any company you work for. Of course, there are never any guarantees, but there are a lot of things you can do to give yourself the best chance of success with any company you go to work for.
I sure hope this helps!
Hi Diana.
Honestly, I’m not sure about the legality of putting you in the truck before the test comes back. You would think that would be the law, but I’ve heard of numerous drivers being removed from the truck while out on the road for the same reason. I’m not really sure. But I wouldn’t worry about that. And I’d definitely say your driving career is not over. Many companies will hire you as long as you haven’t failed a drug test in the past 2 years. So you may have to do something else for a couple years but you should be able to get back in a truck and hit the highways again after that. So don’t get too discouraged, and don’t bother looking back on things – you know what I mean? What’s done is done. Find yourself a different line of work for a while and keep life moving forward. Keep your CDL, keep updated on the laws and happenings in the trucking industry, and be prepared to jump back in when you get the chance. We all make mistakes and we all have setbacks sometimes. You’ll get past this and it’ll all work out fine in the end.
I wish you the very best of luck!
Not a silly question, HDTV signals are not as forgiving as analog. it’s the same problem as cellphones, the HDTV requires a clean signal or you get a really bad picture. The best fix I’ve found is satilite TV. You can get the kits in some larger truck stops for the antennas to mount to the grab handles or the best solution the VuQube that has a bracket that mounts on the cab. Then if you have Dish Network or Direct TV at home you can have the receiver added to you account as a second receiver. So far I haven’t seen a truck specific HDTV antenna. Darrell Brown
Hi Dave.
As far as I know they’re a fine company to work for. But what makes the difference more than anything is the people you work with directly, like your dispatcher and load planner, your attitude, and how safe, reliable, and hard-working you are. If you have good people working with you, the right attitude, and you do a great job, almost every company can be a great place to work. The wrong people, or a driver that has a poor attitude or work ethic, and the driver is not going to be happy no matter where he/she is at. I’ve seen and experienced that a million times. I’ve worked for a couple of companies that in looking back on things I would never have recommended to anyone – but because I did a great job and had great dispatchers, I had a great time working for those companies – made great money, got a lot of great loads, and was very happy.
I’ve also had lousy dispatchers at great companies – and things were terrible until I got on with good dispatchers. It takes time to learn the industry and to develop the right understanding and expectations of things. I always recommend that new drivers stick with that first company for at least one year no matter what and then you’ll understand things a little bit better and you’ll know enough about trucking to be able to handle things properly. But until you learn the ropes, you’re shooting in the dark. So stick it out for a year, work hard, and be safe. At that point you can make a much better decision about what your next move will be. Many times you’ll be happy right where you’re at.
That site is absolute heaven for people who love to tell the world how unfairly they are treated – and there is a certain percentage of the population that always feels like they are being treated unfairly and can’t wait to tell everyone about it. But ignore it. One side of the story never does anyone any good, and in my 15 years of driving I’ve found that the vast majority of the problems that drivers have are caused by either having a lousy dispatcher or the driver is to blame. Most of the time, the driver is to blame. A lousy dispatcher can make a great company a lousy place to work in a hurry, though. Rarely is the company a lousy company to work for, though. It depends a lot on the driver and the dispatcher you have.
The most common method of drug testing is the plain ol’ pee test. I haven’t heard of anyone doing hair or blood testing, but I wouldn’t be surprised if some have gone to it. The best way to find out a company’s policy is to speak with one of their drivers. Hit a nearby truckstop and talk to a driver or two from a company you’re interested in and they’ll let ya know whassup.
There have been some layoffs – mostly at the union companies like Yellow-Roadway and CCX – but most of the downsizing has come through attrition – when drivers quit a company they just don’t replace him/her. There is a very high rate of turnover in the trucking industry so if a company wants to downsize they just slow down their hiring for a while. They normally don’t layoff drivers. There’s no need.
A large number of companies are still hiring though and I’m hearing from people every day who are getting hired on with different companies, so the jobs are still out there for sure.
I don’t want to discourage you ladies. From all the research I’ve done, not many companies allow drivers to have pets anymore. So in this economy, it’s going to be hard to be so uncompromising and say you won’t work for a company that won’t let you bring your dog.
I too am looking at becoming a truck driver, and would love to have a canine companion on the road, so I empathize with you. I have seen truckers that have pets, but most of them are Owner-Operators. Swift used to allow pets to ride (for a deposit, of course) but they changed their policy recently and no longer allow them. Werner (last time I checked allowed them, but I’m not sure about the current status of their pet policy).
My point is that if you are lucky enough to find a company that will hire you that allows you to carry a dog or two, then that’s fantastic! Just don’t get your hopes too high. The two companies above were in the minority, and one has reversed policy and nixed the on-board pets. So keep in mind if you start a career based on being able to bring your pet, and then the company you work for reverses it’s policy, you will either have to part with your “best friend” or find another company that allows them.
I personally don’t understand why more trucking companies don’t allow pets. With the difficulty they have keeping drivers, you would think that allowing them to bring along a furry companion would definitely help them with driver retention. And the deposit would always pay for any potential damage any pet could do. A trucker’s life is not an easy one, and having a dog or a cat or whatever kind of critter would certainly make life more tolerable and a whole lot less lonely.
It’s difficult to be choosy in this economy. If you find a trucking job, you’d better jump on it. If you’re waiting for one that is pet-friendly you may be waiting a long time.
I don’t want to discourage you ladies. From all the research I’ve done, not many companies allow drivers to have pets anymore. So in this economy, it’s going to be hard to be so uncompromising and say you won’t work for a company that won’t let you bring your dog.
I too am looking at becoming a truck driver, and would love to have a canine companion on the road, so I empathize with you. I have seen truckers that have pets, but most of them are Owner-Operators. Swift used to allow pets to ride (for a deposit, of course) but they changed their policy recently and no longer allow them. Werner (last time I checked allowed them, but I’m not sure about the current status of their pet policy).
My point is that if you are lucky enough to find a company that will hire you that allows you to carry a dog or two, then that’s fantastic! Just don’t get your hopes too high. The two companies above were in the minority, and one has reversed policy and nixed the on-board pets. So keep in mind if you start a career based on being able to bring your pet, and then the company you work for reverses it’s policy, you will either have to part with your “best friend” or find another company that allows them.
I personally don’t understand why more trucking companies don’t allow pets. With the difficulty they have keeping drivers, you would think that allowing them to bring along a furry companion would definitely help them with driver retention. And the deposit would always pay for any potential damage any pet could do. A trucker’s life is not an easy one, and having a dog or a cat or whatever kind of critter would certainly make life more tolerable and a whole lot less lonely.
It’s difficult to be choosy in this economy. If you find a trucking job, you’d better jump on it. If you’re waiting for one that is pet-friendly you may be waiting a long time.
I don’t want to discourage you ladies. From all the research I’ve done, not many companies allow drivers to have pets anymore. So in this economy, it’s going to be hard to be so uncompromising and say you won’t work for a company that won’t let you bring your dog.
I too am looking at becoming a truck driver, and would love to have a canine companion on the road, so I empathize with you. I have seen truckers that have pets, but most of them are Owner-Operators. I know of one Major Trucking Company that used to allow pets to ride (for a deposit, of course) but they changed their policy recently and no longer allow them.
My point is that if you are lucky enough to find a company that will hire you that allows you to carry a dog or two, then that’s fantastic! Just don’t get your hopes too high. The two companies above were in the minority, and one has reversed policy and nixed the on-board pets. So keep in mind if you start a career based on being able to bring your pet, and then the company you work for reverses it’s policy, you will either have to part with your “best friend” or find another company that allows them.
I personally don’t understand why more trucking companies don’t allow pets. With the difficulty they have keeping drivers, you would think that allowing them to bring along a furry companion would definitely help them with driver retention. And the deposit would always pay for any potential damage any pet could do. A trucker’s life is not an easy one, and having a dog or a cat or whatever kind of critter would certainly make life more tolerable and a whole lot less lonely.
It’s difficult to be choosy in this economy. If you find a trucking job, you’d better jump on it. If you’re waiting for one that is pet-friendly you may be waiting a long time.
I don’t want to discourage you ladies. From all the research I’ve done, not many companies allow drivers to have pets anymore. So in this economy, it’s going to be hard to be so uncompromising and say you won’t work for a company that won’t let you bring your dog.
I too am looking at becoming a truck driver, and would love to have a canine companion on the road, so I empathize with you. I have seen truckers that have pets, but most of them are Owner-Operators. I know of one Major Trucking Company that used to allow pets to ride (for a deposit, of course) but they changed their policy recently and no longer allow them.
My point is that if you are lucky enough to find a company that will hire you that allows you to carry a dog or two, then that’s fantastic! Just don’t get your hopes too high. The two companies above were in the minority, and one has reversed policy and nixed the on-board pets. So keep in mind if you start a career based on being able to bring your pet, and then the company you work for reverses it’s policy, you will either have to part with your “best friend” or find another company that allows them.
I personally don’t understand why more trucking companies don’t allow pets. With the difficulty they have keeping drivers, you would think that allowing them to bring along a furry companion would definitely help them with driver retention. And the deposit would always pay for any potential damage any pet could do. A trucker’s life is not an easy one, and having a dog or a cat or whatever kind of critter would certainly make life more tolerable and a whole lot less lonely.
It’s difficult to be choosy in this economy. If you find a trucking job, you’d better jump on it. If you’re waiting for one that is pet-friendly you may be waiting a long time.
Hi Wanda!
I’m really glad you’re enjoying the site! Tons of credit for the forum must go to the other authors on the site. They are listed as Global Administrators and they include Pappy, Rhonda, TruckerMike, and Tumbleweed. They put a ton of time and information into that forum and if it wasn’t for them doing what they do, that’s all I would have the time to do and there wouldn’t be such a huge variety of viewpoints and experience going into helping everyone.
As far as getting your CDL permit and DOT physical, almost every company that offers CDL training or truck driving school wants you to get that permit with them after your training has begun. They don’t want you getting them ahead of time. The different states have different rules about CDL permits so it’s best to get that once your training starts. You can contact the company that will be training you to see if they feel differently about it. The same goes with the DOT physical – you will likely get that after you begin your training, but you can contact the company that will be training you to be sure.
As far as passing the CDL permit test, it will be very, very easy if you do two things – first of all, download the CDL manual for the state you will be taking your CDL permit test in. It’s free to download. Study, study study. That book will also be the basis for the CDL written exam you’ll be taking during your training. If you study that manual like crazy for a few weeks before your schooling starts, you should be able to breeze through the permit and written exams.
Second thing you must do is take a ton of free online CDL practice tests. Follow that link and you’ll find the ones we have on our site. I’m adding to them all the time. There are a ton of sites out there that offer them for free. The sites you see that offer you packages for money that will “guarantee you pass the CDL written exam”, all they’re doing is packaging together the free online tests and selling them to you – so don’t bother.
If you’ll study that CDL manual and take a bunch of online practice tests before your training and testing begin, you’ll have no problems whatsoever. The written tests should be pretty easy at that point.
Best of luck to ya! Keep us informed of how things are going!
Hi Wanda!
I’m really glad you’re enjoying the site! Tons of credit for the forum must go to the other authors on the site. They are listed as Global Administrators and they include Pappy, Rhonda, TruckerMike, and Tumbleweed. They put a ton of time and information into that forum and if it wasn’t for them doing what they do, that’s all I would have the time to do and there wouldn’t be such a huge variety of viewpoints and experience going into helping everyone.
As far as getting your CDL permit and DOT physical, almost every company that offers CDL training or truck driving school wants you to get that permit with them after your training has begun. They don’t want you getting them ahead of time. The different states have different rules about CDL permits so it’s best to get that once your training starts. You can contact the company that will be training you to see if they feel differently about it. The same goes with the DOT physical – you will likely get that after you begin your training, but you can contact the company that will be training you to be sure.
As far as passing the CDL permit test, it will be very, very easy if you do two things – first of all, download the CDL manual for the state you will be taking your CDL permit test in. It’s free to download. Study, study study. That book will also be the basis for the CDL written exam you’ll be taking during your training. If you study that manual like crazy for a few weeks before your schooling starts, you should be able to breeze through the permit and written exams.
Second thing you must do is take a ton of free online CDL practice tests. Follow that link and you’ll find the ones we have on our site. I’m adding to them all the time. There are a ton of sites out there that offer them for free. The sites you see that offer you packages for money that will “guarantee you pass the CDL written exam”, all they’re doing is packaging together the free online tests and selling them to you – so don’t bother.
If you’ll study that CDL manual and take a bunch of online practice tests before your training and testing begin, you’ll have no problems whatsoever. The written tests should be pretty easy at that point.
Best of luck to ya! Keep us informed of how things are going!
Hi Wanda and welcome to the site. So glad we are helping you. And thank you Brett for the compliment for our involvement.
You have a good question on the permit. I never had one. I had a chauffers license and went from that to my Class B with passenger endorsement and then to Class A. I did have to take all the tests to upgrade. Be sure to read the stories on the PRE-TRIP from the authors on this site and follow along with truckermike and Scott so you get to see what is coming next for you.
Good luck to you and keep us posted.
Hi Wanda and welcome to the site. So glad we are helping you. And thank you Brett for the compliment for our involvement.
You have a good question on the permit. I never had one. I had a chauffers license and went from that to my Class B with passenger endorsement and then to Class A. I did have to take all the tests to upgrade. Be sure to read the stories on the PRE-TRIP from the authors on this site and follow along with truckermike and Scott so you get to see what is coming next for you.
Good luck to you and keep us posted.
Hi Brett and Rhonda!
Thank you for answering so soon. I appreciate the info. The company that I chose, wants the permit first to carry with me when I start my training. I was just wondering how it worked and what to expect. Do you know if the DMV will let you retake the test if I do not pass without paying? I live in Florida. I know with personal licence, you do not have to pay unless you pass, or that was how it used to be.
I am very excited for the change in careers and I am looking forward in doing something different.
Thanks, again
Wanda
Hey American Trucker!
Wow – I got my CDL when I was 21 and that was quite rare. You’ve already had driving jobs and you’re only 20? That is extremely rare! It’s going to be very difficult finding someone that will hire you at 20. To be honest, I don’t know of any companies that will, and in this economy it’s going to be 10 times more difficult than it would have been otherwise.
The best you can do is keep visiting company websites and try to figure out who you qualify to work for. Hopefully you don’t have anything on your record working against you that would make the hunt even more difficult. We have truck driving jobs listed on our site – you can look around there and apply to as many as you would like. I wish I could help you more than that, but I wish you the best of luck!
Hi. Brett is right. It is going to be hard for you as many have an age requirment of 21 to even 25 that I have seen. Company policy and even the insurance company will mandate a age limit and at least 2 years OTR driving or just driving.
It is also important to keep your record clean for professional driving and your personal driving. The insurance company contacted me and we had to let 2 drivers go due to their record and this was 2 years ago. As a driver back in the 70’s, this was going on. I came in to work and before anyone could leave, they met with the insurance agent and boss behind closed doors. Insurance agent told me to keep on with my record and that I still had a job. A few others were dismissed that day.
There will be a better chance for you with a bigger company and if you are near a business who has daycabs to shuttle trailers like a Wal-Mart warehouse and many others like it, you should check into that. At least it will help you until you do get to be 21 and/or the economy gets better. Don’t give up as there may be someone out there that will hire you right on the spot. You may be in the right spot at the right time as they say and it will all work out. I hope this helps you with the extra info. Keep us posted.
Hi Wanda.
Hey, I’ll tell ya what would be great – go to our trucker’s forum and fill us in on what happened – we’d love to know! Thanks!
Hello Brett it seems like u know a lot about trucking…I drove otr and regional for 5 yrs..have been driving garbage for last 3 and ready to go back on the road..no one will hire me .do I need to go back to school and start all over ?
I’ve been exposed to the industry most of my life. My first job was a “lease purchase” arrangement at 27 yrs old. I paid my own insurance, my own fuel, and I even had to hire lumpers. OK, if everything goes right. But as soon as something breaks, Thats when it really gets unfun. Those repair bills are all yours Baby!!. I ditched the owner/operator thing after about a yr. and became a company driver. After almost 13 yrs as a company driver with a great company with great benefits (medical insurance, 401k, and profit sharing) I would never dream of becoming an owner/operator again. Anyone thinking of becoming an owner/operator, especially in this economy, THINK AGAIN!!. Unless you have some sort of connection or have an “Inside scoop” on freight, You’re going to find your self in a dog eat dog world struggling to make a truck payment. Good Luck!!
I’ve been exposed to the industry most of my life. My first job was a “lease purchase” arrangement at 27 yrs old. I paid my own insurance, my own fuel, and I even had to hire lumpers. OK, if everything goes right. But as soon as something breaks, Thats when it really gets unfun. Those repair bills are all yours Baby!!. I ditched the owner/operator thing after about a yr. and became a company driver. After almost 13 yrs as a company driver with a great company with great benefits (medical insurance, 401k, and profit sharing) I would never dream of becoming an owner/operator again. Anyone thinking of becoming an owner/operator, especially in this economy, THINK AGAIN!!. Unless you have some sort of connection or have an “Inside scoop” on freight, You’re going to find your self in a dog eat dog world struggling to make a truck payment. Good Luck!!
Hi Sally.
Honestly, it doesn’t sound like truck driving is for him – not the way he is right now. However, keep in mind that although being short is not something you can change – being overly sensitive certainly is. He might make an outstanding truck driver, but you do have to be quite tough, patient, and independent. It is not an easy lifestyle. And if he doesn’t have what it takes to get through the schooling, he would get crushed by the lifestyle of being on the road. If he can learn to develop the traits it takes to be successful in this industry, he may do quite well and enjoy it. But that’s something he has to find inside himself.
As far as the price for the schooling – that is the standard price. Trucking schools are very, very expensive to run. There is a lot of expensive equipment, and the insurance they must carry is beyond belief. The way to look at it is this – how many careers can you think of that you can go to school for a month or two, pay $5000, start working right away, and be in high demand from the start making maybe $35k your first year and $45k-$50k or even more from your second year on? And you get to travel the country at the same time.
It’s an awesome career for the right type of person and the investment in time and money that it takes to get in is incredibly small for what you get in return. There are also companies that offer CDL training that can be free, or almost free, with under $200 up front.
Thanks so much for your questions and for stopping by! If you have any more questions, check out our truck driving forum. It’s full of great people with a lot of years on the road that love to help people out!
Hey Caleb!
Welcome to TruckingTruth!
OTR does indeed stand for “over-the-road” which generally refers to a type of trucking job that keeps you out on the road for more than a week at a time and often times runs all 48 continental states, or the greater portion of them. It may include Canada, also. Most OTR jobs will keep you out there for 2-3 weeks at a time and then you’re home around 2-3 days or so before leaving again.
I’m guessing you may have gotten the “48, Reg, Loc” from a job listing somewhere. It’s referring to jobs that include running 48 states, regional, and local.
Regional jobs usually keep you within 1/3 -1/2 of the United States and get you home every 1-2 weeks. Local generally means staying in an area small enough that you can get home every night.
It sounds to me like you have a lot of qualities going for you that might make you well suited to the trucking industry. Stay in touch with us here at TruckingTruth and we’ll help you every step of the way! Check out our trucking blogs and join our trucking forum if you haven’t already – you’ll get the best information you could ever hope to find anywhere for sure!
Wow….that’s a really tough one. Two DUI’s and a felony are going to be nearly impossible to overcome. In this economy, companies have a lot more drivers to choose from. In a really good economy, the demand for drivers goes way up and companies are more forgiving when it comes to finding drivers. There are a lot of experienced drivers with decent records that are having a tough time finding work right now. It is going to be very, very difficult for you to find anything with the economy being so bad. I honestly don’t know of any companies off the top of my head that I could recommend. Your situation is pretty common and in the trucking industry there aren’t too many solutions – the liability risk is just too high. If you got in an accident and the company got sued, the prosecuting attorney would have a field day. I really wish I could tell you something helpful, but all I can really say is just keep putting applications everywhere. Keep sifting through job listings and apply at every company in the country that you can find.
Hi Craig.
I’m not sure what the waiver would accomplish to be honest. I’m not familiar with it. But what you should do is talk to your doctor and see if he/she does DOT physicals. If not, have your doctor recommend somebody that does. Make sure you can pass the physical. If you can do that, then you’ll be all set. There are very specific guidelines when it comes to diabetes, so any doctor that gives DOT physicals can tell you what your status is. I hope this helps!
I am attending a tractor-trailer training school, now, and we were visited by a
recruiter from Warner who discouraged, whole-heartedly from the idea of having a
pet. The bean-counters at Warner saw that detailing of the rigs of drivers with
pet-companions was dipping into the profits despite the pet deposits.
Hey Allan, welcome aboard!! This site is awesome & so are all of those that are here – now you can add all you have to our family & there’s some really cool people here. Brett’s makin some changes (gr8 1’s 2 I might add). Take care, God bless & stay safe!!!
Hi Allan!
It is good to know that you and others are reading our info so you can make the right choice for you. We have a lot of fun doing this and WANT to do it to help all. Glad to have you join our family.
Hi Allan,
Thank you so much for the kind words! It’s so nice to know that we are actually helping people, and not just writing to ourselves.
If you ever need anything, you can always email us directly.
Take care and good luck!
Mike
Hi Jordan.
Yes, most companies will allow you to bring someone along with you. Just ask them about their “rider policy” and they’ll let you know. That won’t be a problem for you.
Jordan,
I’m a wife of a long haul truck driver and he drives for a well know company based out of Phoenix, AZ. I ride along with him all the time so if you were to get on with a larger company I don’t think it would be a problem and she would have a good time. This will be an experience you both won’t forget. Brett has allowed me to become an author on this site and I would encourage you to read as much from all the authors as you can to get insight on OTR truck driving. It’s an honorable career and I wish you all the best. Take care & stay safe. Karen
I am not aware of government paying to go to truck driving school. Anyone can go to trucking school as long as they meet the requirements and that will be told to you when you ask them what to do to attend. So I’m not fully understanding going to the unemployment office about this. Sorry.
For your DWI that should not be a problem so far back and any employer who does the background check will see that. The requirement is usually WITHIN a 3 yr time frame of applying for a job. It could also be 4 yrs,5 yrs and maybe longer depending on the employer and/or its insurance company. I did these checks when I hired drivers and on some occasions our insurance said to wait _____ year(s)on a driver to be hired.
Because so many companies have gone under due to the economy (900 plus this year so far) it is possible that some companies are being stricter at this time because of the surplus of drivers to pick from. I hope this helps you and I am interested in you checking back in with us on this issue.
Hello Mike~
I am currently living in Michigan and collecting unemployment from California. I was wondering where you found out that the government is helping those on unemployment get into truck driving schools? Is there a website that you found this information on? I am looking into getting a career being a truck driver and know that the schools can be costly. If I could get help with the cost of the school, that would make the decision a lot easier. So any information you can provide me would be greatly appreciated!!
Also, I’m very sorry to hear about everything going wrong for you. I would think that something that happened almost 10 years ago wouldn’t be able to disqualify you for something today. I hope that everything works out for you!!
Have a great day!
~Michelle
Hi Michelle.
State Unemployement Agencies will often help you get aid for schooling. Sometimes they will guide you toward finding a loan, sometimes they will get you a grant that will outright pay for some or all of the schooling for you. Talk to your state unemployement office and see if they can help you out.
Also, there are trucking companies that have their own schools. You can attend their school for little or no money up front and pay them back from your paychecks after you begin working for them. You can look at this page to find some of the trucking companies that offer these programs and some information about how they work:
http://www.truckingtruth.com/free_truck_driving_schools/free_truck_driving_schools_homepage.html
Hope this helps!
Hi Michelle
WOW all the way from California did you live here ? Now your living in Michgan right? if so you only have 10 day’s to get your lic changed if your thinking of staying there or are you visiting.? Each state have there own law’s on how much time you have to change DMV stuff over like car,driver lic. of corse once you do that California will knew your no longer living in it and you have movied,The rate of employment can change.If you don’t and get stop and they will ask how long you been living there as they might of seen you driving around.The fine’s can add up.
I once move’d to Colorado is how I learned about what a pain it was,Then I move’d back and did it all over again But one thang was it only costed me about 325 dollars to bring my car back then what it is now at 25 dollars.
You want a job check out a search engine typ in Truck drving schools a list of them are many back there that have a school right in the company.? Do you like to work out,Why I ask is because it’s not all easy you have to sometimes move freight and it could weigh as much as 75 lbs and carry it maybe about 30 to 45 feet each peace depending on how many peace’s on that pallet.Remember being in shape is very importon as Driving Truck is hard work at time’s,Even drop and hook is hard you have to beable to pull and release the fifth wheel from the trailer and crack down the landing gear.This gose for even the experience driver’s .We all have to stay in shape.
Good luck in stating a new career in trucking it’s more than a (job)It’s a love for the open road,I always looked at it as I get paid to travel and see new place’s and if you like to fish check each state they have free fishing day’s you can fish for free on those day what a great way too relax’s and not cost you big buck’s to get a lic. to fish. There are so many great thang’s one can do when driving truck so enjoy yourself.