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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.
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
Brett I purchased your book on this site 3 weeks ago and still have not recieved it in the mail. What’s Up. Please e-mail me back.brett.busick@gmail
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.
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
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.
@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!