Oh, gawd, this will be long winded.:out::pray::sign0181::banghead: :D:D:D
I'll help you any way I can. I've got a little less than 2 million miles without any kind of accident or ticket/fine.
I'm 35 and I've driven a truck since I was 16. Yup 16. Here, you can do that if it's for farm use. I got my in-state CDL when I was 18 and, of course, upgraded when I turned 21. I now own my own tractor, which is leased to a major package delivery company. I've pretty much done every kind of trucking, with the exception of the 10 car haulers. Long haul, short haul. On and off road. It's in my family. May Dad's a trucker, his Dad was, and my Great Grand father started hauling freight and grain in a wagon with a team of mules in 1910. We're sorta a trucking family.
Here's a few things I would NEVER, EVER, EVER, EVER, EVER do!!! DO NOT let anyone talk you into a lease/purchase deal on a truck. I've watched countless hundreds of experienced drivers FAIL. You'll have NO CHANCE trying to learn to drive a truck, while learning to own a truck at the same time, all the while the company will be HOSING you on loads. Lease purchases are designed to set you up for failure. It's about letting you buy a truck for the company and when you fail, they'll take the truck and do it to someone else. Buy the time they've leased that truck to three or four guys, it will have been paid for and then some. They will have gotten all their freight moved at your expense in a truck you paid for. It's a bad, bad, BAD deal. I've RARELY seen a lease/purchase work. Well, except that it works outstandingly well for the company leasing you the truck. IN the business, it's known as a "fleece" purchase. Never, ever, ever, ever, ever, NEVER owe money on a truck to the same people who have control of what you'll be hauling. It's a recipe for your demise.
I would also NOT do any deal where they "pay" for your training and then you agree to stay on until that training is paid for. You'll get hosed more times than not. They'll run you to death on cheap loads and try to run you off. Then, you get to pay them three times what you could have went to a trucking school for. They tell you $3500? They've already lied to you. Most guys end up with a 5 to 7 thousand dollar debt by the time all the interest and other "accessorial" costs are figured in. It's a great way for the company to make money off of YOU!
Don't go to ANY company that claims to train you as part of a team operation. THAT'S A SCAM!!! You're not going to learn anything about driving at all with your trainer (who's likely only got less than a year or two of experience) ASLEEP behind you. Your trainer should be AWAKE and in the passenger seat ANY time you're behind the wheel. Your trainer should have over a million miles, not a newbie himself!!
Trucking has been very good to me. BUT, I've had lots of grey haired men around me my whole life who's been there and done that who've kept my dumb a$$ from stepping into a lot of snake filled holes. Regardless of what anyone tells you, damn few in this business are here for you. They'll make you think they are, and you'll end up with a sore backside,, thousands in debt. This is a job. Classified as unskilled labor. You won't get rich, but you can sure lose. You can make a really good living and do well. You can be your own boss, call your own shots, and not answer to anyone but customers. That's my favorite part. BUT it can break you. In 2008, I spent about 72,000 on fuel (I'm on track to come close to that this year, too), around 25,000 in maintenance and repairs, and about thirty thousand in taxes, fees, and permits. ALL of that had to be paid before THE FIRST penny went into my pocket. I don't drive a shiny, long hood, chromed out Peterbilt or Kenworth. I have an old 1996 Freighliner with 1.7 million miles on it because I got it cheap, it's really reliable, and it gets good mileage. 7mpg is good mileage, when you're talking trucks.
MOst companies will actually brag about paying good at a little over a dollar a mile. That doesn't even cover my operating expense on a paid for, fuel efficient tractor. I would not even think about owning a truck until you've been at it 5 to 7 years. You'll be amazed at what you'll learn in that time.
I'd check into local trucking training programs at community colleges. There's a TON of info if you'll get in touch with the Owner/Operators and Independent Driver's Association, OOIDA.com. It's not just for owner operators. GIve them a call, tell whoever answers the phone you're interested in driving and they'll put you in touch with someone who KNOWS the industry.
You can also find a mentor who owns trucks to teach you to drive and help you pass the CDL test. Getting your CDL is simply a license to LEARN TO CONTINUE LEARNING about driving a truck.
DOn't count out local jobs with LTL (Less than Load) companies. Con-Way Freight, Estes, FedEx Freight, Old dominion, etc. Equipment is often no frills, but hte pay is good, benefits are good, you'll have a retirement, and you won't have to live in a truck. You'll get tired of that in a hurry. Trust me.
You can email me at
[email protected] and I'll do my best to tell you anything I can. I'm not trying to scare you away from this industry, but be realistic about it. It's not a safe haven from the poor economy. Recruiters from the big companies lie more than politicians and seedy used car salesmen. You ever notice how many people you talk to used to drive trucks??? How many people do you know that currently drive trucks?:wink: There's a reason. It can be a great career. It can be a good job to get you by. It can be fun. I have a blast! It can make you a good living. It can also chew you up. It can put you THOUSANDS in debt and destroy your family.
Oh, family. If your married or have kids, they need to be TOTALLY on board with you on this. Hours are odd and long. It can be a real strain on a marriage and a parental relationship. MOst grey haired truckers have more than one ex-wife and there's a reason. It's tough on relationships.
Again, not trying to scare you off. I love what I do. Just don't let anyone fleece you. There are a LOT of folks in this business that would as soon put you in the poor house as look at you. You HAVE to be careful.
Good luck! Let me know if I can help. I certainly will try.