# Thinking about becoming a trucker



## Oscar Levant (Aug 15, 2014)

I'm going down to CRST trucking company Tuesday to see about a job as a trucker. They pay for training and a license upon signing a 10 month contract . I had enough of uber, to be honest. Just when things are going good it gets real bad again --up and down --never steady, I've had enough. 
But after many years in the transportation business it's always been that way it's really a losing game.
CRST has a 20 days on 10 days off program that sounds pretty good to me


----------



## tohunt4me (Nov 23, 2015)

Oscar Levant said:


> I'm going down to CRST trucking company Tuesday to see about a job as a trucker. They pay for training and a license upon signing a 10 month contract . I had enough of uber, to be honest. Just when things are going good it gets real bad again --up and down --never steady, I've had enough.
> But after many years in the transportation business it's always been that way it's really a losing game.
> CRST has a 20 days on 10 days off program that sounds pretty good to me


You may be able to get Govt. funding for a driving school. If you have no prior experience,your first 3 years will be all " tarp" loads.
Flatbed,with chains & binders,where you have to pull over frequently and adjust bindings. Watch out for D.O.T.
When you move up to box trailers,you wont be out in the weather covering loads.Be prepared to spend weekends at remote shops,waiting for personal to arrive Monday to unload you.


----------



## Rick831 (Jun 5, 2016)

after 30+ years on the road...if Uber isn't working for you...getting a bigger ride isn't going to change anything for you...


----------



## ATL2SD (Aug 16, 2015)

Trucking industry is similar in many aspects. I drove for Prime Inc out of Springfield, MO for 6 years. When that freight gets slow or dispatch isn't giving you good money loads, you're going to say the same exact thing. Only difference is you'll be stuck 1,400 miles away from home.


----------



## LAuberX (Jun 3, 2014)

look for online forums about over the road trucking... ask questions of current employees.


----------



## Euius (May 19, 2016)

Anybody who wants a _career driving_ should be looking at things other than Uber.

But note that that won't save you from the coming takeover by computers. In fact, long haul trucking will be one of the first affected.


----------



## dirtylee (Sep 2, 2015)

Oscar Levant 
Never look back.


----------



## TwoFiddyMile (Mar 13, 2015)

If I didn't have 6 year old twins, I'd do it.
Cabs, Uber, Limos...over.
I just want to actually raise my kids.

I'm looking for work OUTSIDE of transportation.


----------



## TwoFiddyMile (Mar 13, 2015)

I've spent a year driving truck drivers around.
They never see their wives or kids.

When you have a road job like that. You have to call home 7 hours ahead of time, so your wife can get your substitute out of the house.


----------



## Fuzzyelvis (Dec 7, 2014)

Oscar Levant said:


> I'm going down to CRST trucking company Tuesday to see about a job as a trucker. They pay for training and a license upon signing a 10 month contract . I had enough of uber, to be honest. Just when things are going good it gets real bad again --up and down --never steady, I've had enough.
> But after many years in the transportation business it's always been that way it's really a losing game.
> CRST has a 20 days on 10 days off program that sounds pretty good to me


I think Bukrub is doing that now and liking it. You should ask him, I think he said he's enjoying it.


----------



## Oscar Levant (Aug 15, 2014)

TwoFiddyMile said:


> I've spent a year driving truck drivers around.
> They never see their wives or kids.
> 
> When you have a road job like that. You have to call home 7 hours ahead of time, so your wife can get your substitute out of the house.


I'm not married nor will I ever be married. If my girlfriend finds a sub more power to her I don't own her nor does she own me


----------



## Oscar Levant (Aug 15, 2014)

Rick831 said:


> after 30+ years on the road...if Uber isn't working for you...getting a bigger ride isn't going to change anything for you...


It will change a lot, there's a truck driver shortage about 30,000 Nationwide and we already got too many Uber drivers. I'm just moving to an area where there's more opportunities. For example a friend of mine is a Teamster working for Paramount Studios in Hollywood.


----------



## Oscar Levant (Aug 15, 2014)

tohunt4me said:


> You may be able to get Govt. funding for a driving school. If you have no prior experience,your first 3 years will be all " tarp" loads.
> Flatbed,with chains & binders,where you have to pull over frequently and adjust bindings. Watch out for D.O.T.
> When you move up to box trailers,you wont be out in the weather covering loads.Be prepared to spend weekends at remote shops,waiting for personal to arrive Monday to unload you.


I don't know what's going to happen one thing is certain the people transportation business really sucks it always did. The Only Exception might be working for a charter bus company


----------



## Oscar Levant (Aug 15, 2014)

ATL2SD said:


> Trucking industry is similar in many aspects. I drove for Prime Inc out of Springfield, MO for 6 years. When that freight gets slow or dispatch isn't giving you good money loads, you're going to say the same exact thing. Only difference is you'll be stuck 1,400 miles away from home.


I'm a Loner home is wherever I hang my hat


----------



## Red Leader (Sep 4, 2016)

My brother did it for more than 3.5 million miles. Last gig was for Walmart and made pretty good money with them.


----------



## Transportador (Sep 15, 2015)

Have fun chatting on the CB if that's what truckers still do. You will have girl friends all over the country


----------



## AllGold (Sep 16, 2016)

tohunt4me said:


> You may be able to get Govt. funding for a driving school. If you have no prior experience,your first 3 years will be all " tarp" loads.
> Flatbed,with chains & binders,where you have to pull over frequently and adjust bindings. Watch out for D.O.T.
> When you move up to box trailers,you wont be out in the weather covering loads.Be prepared to spend weekends at remote shops,waiting for personal to arrive Monday to unload you.


He mentioned CRST. I'm not positive but I don't think CRST even has flatbeds.


----------



## tohunt4me (Nov 23, 2015)

Oscar Levant said:


> I'm not married nor will I ever be married. If my girlfriend finds a sub more power to her I don't own her nor does she own me


Get her a license,get a large sleeper cab,become a driving team.cross country.Both get paid to drive.
I have a nearby neighbor who does that,large 2 story brick house,acres of land,he may be there a couple times a year. Got huge sleeper cab ,got a train horn in his truck,he starts blowing it a few miles from the house,sometimes blows horn passing by ,never stops.A " paid tourist".


----------



## DrivingStPete (Jul 30, 2015)

tohunt4me said:


> You may be able to get Govt. funding for a driving school. If you have no prior experience,your first 3 years will be all " tarp" loads.
> Flatbed,with chains & binders,where you have to pull over frequently and adjust bindings. Watch out for D.O.T.
> When you move up to box trailers,you wont be out in the weather covering loads.Be prepared to spend weekends at remote shops,waiting for personal to arrive Monday to unload y


And what's maximum drive time for a day, 8 hours on, 8 hours off?


----------



## Oscar Levant (Aug 15, 2014)

tohunt4me said:


> You may be able to get Govt. funding for a driving school. If you have no prior experience,your first 3 years will be all " tarp" loads.
> Flatbed,with chains & binders,where you have to pull over frequently and adjust bindings. Watch out for D.O.T.
> When you move up to box trailers,you wont be out in the weather covering loads.Be prepared to spend weekends at remote shops,waiting for personal to arrive Monday to unload you.


CRST pays for the schooling.


----------



## Oscar Levant (Aug 15, 2014)

DrivingStPete said:


> And what's maximum drive time for a day, 8 hours on, 8 hours off?


They have different programs 5 days on 2 days off 20 days on 10 days off etcetera


----------



## DrivingStPete (Jul 30, 2015)

I found out, they can only drive 11 hours every 24hrs.


----------



## Oscar Levant (Aug 15, 2014)

Red Leader said:


> My brother did it for more than 3.5 million miles. Last gig was for Walmart and made pretty good money with them.


I suspect it's like anything else there are good companies and bad companies to work for. having a CDL Class A give you more opportunities, that's all I want out of it.


----------



## Red Leader (Sep 4, 2016)

Oscar Levant said:


> I suspect it's like anything else there are good companies and bad companies to work for. having a CDL Class A give you more opportunities, that's all I want out of it.


Pretty much what he said.


----------



## LAuberX (Jun 3, 2014)

http://www.thetruckersreport.com/truckingindustryforum/forums/crst.180/

discussion on CRST


----------



## dirtylee (Sep 2, 2015)

The big thing is its free cdl & experience. Lots of places won't hire drivers fresh out.


----------



## shiftydrake (Dec 12, 2015)

Yeah and a lot of companies actually hire you pay for your schooling then you sign a contract to only drive for them for year or maybe 2 but then you are free to go with whoever


----------



## Frontier Guy (Dec 27, 2015)

Oscar Levant said:


> I'm going down to CRST trucking company Tuesday to see about a job as a trucker. They pay for training and a license upon signing a 10 month contract . I had enough of uber, to be honest. Just when things are going good it gets real bad again --up and down --never steady, I've had enough.
> But after many years in the transportation business it's always been that way it's really a losing game.


Crash and Roll Stunt Team, they have this nick name for a reason

So let me tell you the real story. Yes, CRST will pay for your training, yes you must sign a 10 month contract. IF, for any reason your quit, are fired or fail to get a job (this is a non-binding contract on their part, it is binding on your part) within that 10 months, you will be responsible for 100% of the training amount. While most trucking schools charge $4,000 to $6,000 for a 120 hr course, trucking companies typically charge $10,000.

Now, here's the rest of the story. While in training, you will be assigned a trainer, he/she will be paid their normal CPM (Cents per mile) rate plus a bonus for training you. BTW, the typical trainer only has 6 months to 1 yr exp.. You on the other hand, will be paid a flat rate, about $350 to $600 (before taxes) per week while in training.

Also, CRST and some other companies have a non-compete clause as part of that contract.



Oscar Levant said:


> CRST has a 20 days on 10 days off program that sounds pretty good to me


If I remember correctly, that 20/10 is for team operations, which are expected to run 24/7/365, only stopping to fuel, load/unload and eat. You can take turns showering when you stop for meals.

Also, here is the way 20/10, or any other day off schedule in OTR trucking works. Let's say you get home at 10 pm on Sunday, and you think awesome, I don't go back out on the road until Thursday of the following week. Nope, not how it works. Day 1 of your 10 days is Sunday, yes, you got off at 10 pm, and 10pm is when your day off starts. That means that you must be available to report to work at 10 pm the following Weds. evening. If, by some miracle you are in a solo truck on a 20/10 schedule, and you are not ready to roll for a full 11 hrs of driving at 10 pm, or you give them any excuse to not be able to leave out at 10 pm (aside from mechanical failure of the truck), you will sit until they feel like scheduling you, so your 10 days could easily turn into 12 or 13 days, with you calling every 2 or 4 hours to see if they have found you a load.

Also, everything a recruiter tells you is a lie. Actually, in trucking, if a recruiters lips are moving, he's lying, if he's awake, he's lying, generally the only time they are telling the truth is when they are clinically dead.

Finally, expect to run team, during training and afterwards, CRST is primarily a team operation. That means you need to be able to sleep while the truck is moving, you will be essentially living with a stranger for 20 days in a 8'x12' box, smelling their B.O, bad breath, farts, etc.. If they have a bad day, you have a bad day, and vice versa. If you two are home for 10 days, and his wife is on the rag for those 10 days, and he doesn't get laid, guess what, I don't care if you got laid every 8 hrs for 10 days, your mood will be dependent on his mood, and if he's crabby, you will be crabby.

Hope this helps.
In case you're wondering, I've got 20 yrs in trucking, I'm a regular on the message board linked in an earlier part of this discussion.


----------



## Frontier Guy (Dec 27, 2015)

dirtylee said:


> The big thing is its free cdl & experience. Lots of places won't hire drivers fresh out.


No, it's not free, you sign a contract, that specifically states that if you quit or are fired during that 10 month period, you owe 100% of the cost of schooling to the CRST, and it's due in full generally within 30 days. Also, CRST and some other companies make you sign a Non Compete as part of that contract, typically valid for 6 months to 1 yr.


----------



## Frontier Guy (Dec 27, 2015)

DrivingStPete said:


> I found out, they can only drive 11 hours every 24hrs.


Nope, there are 24 hrs in a day, you can legally drive for 13.25 hrs, assuming never running out of fuel. It works like this:

You go on-duty at Midnight, spend 15 minutes doing your pre-trip inspection. Drive for 11 hrs, it's now 11:15 am. You stop, perform a 15 minute post-trip inspection. Now, you must go off-duty for 10 hours, with a minimum of 8 of that in the sleeper. After that 10 hrs is up, you spend 15 minutes performing a pre-trip inspection, you can now drive 3.25 hrs until you hit midnight. At midnight, you continue driving until you hit your 11th hour of driving, then perform your post-trip inspection, and do it all over again.


----------



## DrivingStPete (Jul 30, 2015)

You're full of misinformation lol


----------



## Frontier Guy (Dec 27, 2015)

Really? how so, please enlighten me on what I don't know after 20 yrs............BTW, how many years exp. in semi's do you have?


----------



## dirtylee (Sep 2, 2015)

Frontier Guy said:


> Really? how so, please enlighten me on what I don't know after 20 yrs............BTW, how many years exp. in semi's do you have?


What's the best way to get experience & a cdl? Crap pay & non competes sound horrible. I've heard of guys just taking the tests & then driving dump trucks around. 
Which companies are decent for training?


----------



## ATL2SD (Aug 16, 2015)

Lol. OP, please lurk on the truck report forums. Plenty of information is shared there.


----------



## Gumblue (Sep 17, 2016)

If you work without any days off in a month you could earn about $10k a month.


----------



## Frontier Guy (Dec 27, 2015)

dirtylee said:


> What's the best way to get experience & a cdl? Crap pay & non competes sound horrible. I've heard of guys just taking the tests & then driving dump trucks around.
> Which companies are decent for training?


IT's not that simple. First you have to take the written tests, which depending on the state is 5 to 7 tests. Then you need the practical exp. to get to the driving test. Which they are going to want you know what you're doing. There are some independent testing places that will provide the truck for you to test on, but keep in mind, they can place restrictions on you. If you want a Class A, but only test on a class B vehicle, that is the only endorsement you will receive, if you don't test on a vehicle with air brakes, then you won't be allowed to drive one. It's not as simple as it sounds.

You are better off going through a trucking school in your local area that is not tied to any one trucking company. All trucking schools work with the large trucking companies, in which case you can either pay for the school yourself (which is a tax write off), some schools will finance you, and then if they get you a job with a large trucking company, the company will pay the finance off, but you will have to agree to be with them for up to a year. Every large OTR company is pretty much the same. If you go to truck driving school, they will still put you through an additional 2 or 3 days of "school" where you learn their specific procedures. Then you will spend 3 weeks to 12 weeks with a trainer, again depends on the company, during that time you will be paid a flat amount per week, this varies by company. After that, if your trainer agrees, you will be sent out on your own. There again, depending on the company, you might get additional training. If you went with a company like Prime, they have vans, flatbeds, tankers. If you wanted to go to tanker, you would start off in vans, and then get moved to tanker after you've proven yourself.

There are companies that do flatbed only, which will start you off straight out of school with a flatbed, but you'll go through an additional week of training learning proper load securement procedures, some states also require specific training that the company must provide and you have to carry proof of it. Alabama requires what is called a "coil" certificate, which is required to haul coiled steel rolls, if you roll though Alabama without the certificate hauling coiled steel and get stopped, it's hefty fine and you can be placed out of service.


----------



## Heisenburger (Sep 19, 2016)

DrivingStPete said:


> You're full of misinformation lol


Well, while likely to be technically true (I'm not in that biz), perhaps it's somewhat misleading. Specifically, running out his scenario several more times, you get a schedule that involves sleep-wake cycles that are far too impractical and simply unsustainable for the overwhelming majority of drivers. Animals like us humans have something called a circadian rhythm that strongly bucks any attempt to circumvent it.


----------



## CrazyTaxi (Aug 22, 2016)

Wow, if you're checking out, then things must be really bad for SUV drivers. I remember reading some posts of yours with insane figures. What is it like figure wise honestly for Black and SUV right now?


----------



## painfreepc (Jul 17, 2014)

TwoFiddyMile said:


> I've spent a year driving truck drivers around.
> They never see their wives or kids.
> 
> When you have a road job like that. You have to call home 7 hours ahead of time, so your wife can get your substitute out of the house.


He is not totally joking about getting your substitute out of the way, I was a shipping clerk for six years, for a logistic Warehouse that had a Pamela Colgate account, you need to seriously look at your significant other and ask if they can be without you for one or two weeks..


----------



## painfreepc (Jul 17, 2014)

Oscar Levant said:


> I'm not married nor will I ever be married. If my girlfriend finds a sub more power to her I don't own her nor does she own me


That's very easy to say when you don't truly Love the One You're With,

my wife died of cancer in 2011, last year and my childhood sweetheart reached out to me, we have been seen9 each other for over a year now,

I love her from the top of her head to the bottom of her feet I will not lose her over some piece of shit truck driving jobs that keeps me away from home too long.


----------



## KMANDERSON (Jul 19, 2015)

TwoFiddyMile said:


> If I didn't have 6 year old twins, I'd do it.
> Cabs, Uber, Limos...over.
> I just want to actually raise my kids.
> 
> I'm looking for work OUTSIDE of transportation.


Only bad thing about trucking is you have to drive for three years before you really start making good money.


----------



## UTX1 (Dec 7, 2015)

painfreepc said:


> I love her from the top of her head to the bottom of her feet......


That's the way to do it  !

8 hours on...8 hours off...


----------



## painfreepc (Jul 17, 2014)

tohunt4me said:


> Get her a license,get a large sleeper cab,become a driving team.cross country.Both get paid to drive.
> I have a nearby neighbor who does that,large 2 story brick house,acres of land,he may be there a couple times a year. Got huge sleeper cab ,got a train horn in his truck,he starts blowing it a few miles from the house,sometimes blows horn passing by ,never stops.A " paid tourist".


Wow that sounds like a whole lot of fun, that's a real life,

Why not just kill yourself now and be done with it all..


----------



## painfreepc (Jul 17, 2014)

But wait a minute the self-driving trucks are coming,
what kind of career can you possibly have driving truck..

Well I guess can't wait, an 80000 pound self driving load going down the street it will be a nightmare waiting to happen.


----------



## KekeLo (Aug 26, 2015)

TwoFiddyMile said:


> I've spent a year driving truck drivers around.
> They never see their wives or kids.
> 
> When you have a road job like that. You have to call home 7 hours ahead of time, so your wife can get your substitute out of the house.


----------



## Naturegirl (Jun 8, 2016)

Oscar Levant said:


> I'm going down to CRST trucking company Tuesday to see about a job as a trucker. They pay for training and a license upon signing a 10 month contract . I had enough of uber, to be honest. Just when things are going good it gets real bad again --up and down --never steady, I've had enough.
> But after many years in the transportation business it's always been that way it's really a losing game.
> CRST has a 20 days on 10 days off program that sounds pretty good to me


My dad started driving a truck when he was 15 years old. He drove for 43 years and had a great career. He eventually bought his own truck and became an owner/operator and worked when he wanted to. I'm sure things have changed in the trucking industry, but he always provided a good living for our family. The upside: when he and my mom divorced, we were already used to only seeing him on weekends. LOL.


----------



## MSUGrad9902 (Jun 8, 2016)

There are a million and a half trucker jobs in metro Detroit that are mostly day jobs. It'd be annoying going back and forth hauling auto parts to factories but it's steady work from what I understand. And you're at home every night. Not sure how well they pay though.


----------



## REX HAVOC (Jul 4, 2016)

Oscar Levant said:


> I'm going down to CRST trucking company Tuesday to see about a job as a trucker. They pay for training and a license upon signing a 10 month contract . I had enough of uber, to be honest. Just when things are going good it gets real bad again --up and down --never steady, I've had enough.
> But after many years in the transportation business it's always been that way it's really a losing game.
> CRST has a 20 days on 10 days off program that sounds pretty good to me


Why not drive for UPS. All you need is a class B to drive. They always have work. The drivers are teamsters which means good benefits and pension. Also, you won't be away from home all the time.


----------



## TwoFiddyMile (Mar 13, 2015)

Airport shuttle. 10 to $12 per hour and benefits.
Home every night.
Almost zero interaction with your pax.
Take em from the terminal to the hotel.
From the hotel to the terminal.

Problem with most of the current batch of UPnet drivers IMO is classism.
Cabs and shuttles are driven by dirty immigrants, why would we do THOSE jobs?


----------



## AllGold (Sep 16, 2016)

There are lots of long-haul over-the-road jobs where you're gone for a week or two at a time. But also in every market, there are trucking jobs that are "home daily". I suppose the local routes might be more coveted, but they do exist.

If you're just starting out and will be getting paid training from CRST or a similar setup, you will likely have to drive OTR for a year before you can look at going local.

As for UPS, yes, they always have work but NOT for drivers.


----------



## Peanut hello (Sep 19, 2016)

Oscar Levant said:


> They have different programs 5 days on 2 days off 20 days on 10 days off etcetera


It might be a good idea.They start about $0.45 a mile if you are new.to $1.50 a mile if you have experience , their truck, maintenance, diesel fuel. You don't have to worry about none.and if you own your truck you make more than $100,000.00 a year...


----------



## Dahkei (Dec 27, 2015)

Oscar Levant said:


> I'm a Loner home is wherever I hang my hat


I've been driving for 18 years. Am now local and have a pie run that only takes 5 hrs a night. The best money I ever made was with a local moving company which was also a lot of work and rediculous hours.
If your like being on the road then you "CAN" make good money but you are at the mercy of your dispatcher. Try to keep that relationship good. It really sucks when you're stuck out in the middle of nowhere with no load and the co makes you wait a day or more for a load. A good dispatcher will fight for you to keep you moving. 
Also, you say that you're a loner. Isn't CRST still an all team operation? Not fun being stuck in close quarters with someone all of the time (IMO). Like them or not.


----------



## J1945 (Jan 2, 2016)

Heisenburger said:


> Well, while likely to be technically true (I'm not in that biz), perhaps it's somewhat misleading. Specifically, running out his scenario several more times, you get a schedule that involves sleep-wake cycles that are far too impractical and simply unsustainable for the overwhelming majority of drivers. Animals like us humans have something called a circadian rhythm that strongly bucks any attempt to circumvent it.


There's no "technically" about it. That's the way it is. I have 16 years in this business. Before the hours of service rules changed in 2003, the schedule was 10 hours driving and 8 hours off. You could work (i.e. Loading/unloading, repairs, waiting...) until you dropped. I pulled many 18-20 hour days during my time on the road. Many of those hours were unpaid because you only get paid to drive. During that 8 hours off, you were expected to eat, shower, do laundry, call home, shop for supplies, and least important to the company...sleep. The current rules are 11 driving and 10 off. A 14 hour clock that cannot be paused, starts the moment you go on duty. Once you reach 14 hours, you can't work until you've had 10 hours off. Not the best situation when you're 3 hours from the house with only 2 hours left to work because a shipper held you up all day. "Oh, I'd just go ahead and drive it." You can, but if some idiot texting while fighting with his wife slams his mini van with 2 kids under your trailer because he wasn't paying attention ....you're going to prison. You weren't supposed to be there.

This job is not what people think it is. If you think it's just sitting in the driver's seat, shifting gears and looking at scenery while getting paid, you are in for a major disappointment. If you think Uber "abuses" you, wait until you're an indentured servant to one of the major carriers.


----------



## Frontier Guy (Dec 27, 2015)

Heisenburger said:


> Well, while likely to be technically true (I'm not in that biz), perhaps it's somewhat misleading. Specifically, running out his scenario several more times, you get a schedule that involves sleep-wake cycles that are far too impractical and simply unsustainable for the overwhelming majority of drivers. Animals like us humans have something called a circadian rhythm that strongly bucks any attempt to circumvent it.


Guy I went to CDL school with in '97, he started with a large company right out of school. His wife at the time worked for USDA as an inspector. In 2001, she got tired of office politics, and the BS, quit and went to CDL school and got her license. She went to work for the same company, trained with a female driver for 2 months. The company offered them a husband/wife team position. They did it for two years, decided they loved it. Sold everything, house, both cars, 80% of their belongings. Used the profit from the sale of the house, more than $100K, bought a used tractor and trailer, rented an apartement, and went on the road full-time leased to the company they previously drove for. In 2007, they sold that truck, bought a different truck and trailer, brand new, spec'd the way they wanted it, became Independents, not leased to anyone. in 2014 they replaced that truck and trailer with a different setup. They are ungoverned, but typically never exceed 85 mph. She uses her laptop and works with 4 different freight brokers to find them loads, she tries to always have them pre-booked on their next 3 loads while under the current load.

They run produce from California to the East Coast. Once they leave home, the wheels don't stop turning until they return home 2 months later. She drives days and sleeps nights, he sleeps days and drives nights, usually once a week they both sleep at the same time. Here's an example of a run they did recently. They were on vacation Sept. 1st to 10th, spent 9 days in Hawaii. They took a redeye home, arriving back in Denver on the 11th. I picked them up, took them to the apartment. She spent the next 8 hours doing laundry and grocery shopping. He spent 8 hrs going over the truck from top to bottom, front to back, had it washed, vac'd, lubed, oil and filters changed. Before they left Hawaii to come home, via their laptop, they had three loads pre-booked. They loaded US Mail in Denver leaving around 4 am, she slept the whole time, drove to Cheyenne, Wyo.. Stopped for 30 minutes for her to freshen up, get her coffee, while he got ready for bed. By 6:30 am they left Cheyenne and delivered the mail in S.F. on Tuesday morning at 3 am., She drove 11 hrs, stopping in Elko, Nv., it was 5 pm. They fueled the truck, ate dinner, and were on the road by 6:30 pm, arriving at the post office in S.F. around 4 am. By 6 am, they left S.F. and headed to Bakersfield for a 11 am appt. to pickup a load of produce going to Hunts Point, Bronx, NYC. Took them 8 hrs to get loaded, leaving Bakersfield around 7pm Tuesday. So she slept while he drove. He drove 11 hrs, stopping in Grand Junction, Co., they fueled the truck, took showers, and were on the road by 9 am. They stopped 11 hrs later in Grand Island, Ne., swapped drivers, fueled the truck and rolled. He took the overnight, they swapped out again in So. Bend, Indiana. It's now Thursday morning, she drove on to Hunts Point arriving around Midnight Thursday. She crawled in the sleeper, he got up to wait for their 3 am unload appt. The truck was empty and ready to roll by 10, they loaded in Elizabeth, NJ Friday afternoon around 3 heading to Portland, Or.. That load they picked up Friday at 3 pm in NJ, they were in Portland 5 pm Sunday and delivered at 8 am Monday. By the time they were empty in Hunts Point, she had already booked their next three loads. After unloading in Portland, they reloaded boxed paper a few hours later going to L.A., it was supposed to deliver on Weds. afternoon, she called and got it rescheduled for Tuesday afternoon, as soon as they unloaded in L.A., they got a HOT, fresh fish load going from Long Beach to Chicago.

Now, that's what you call team running, they do it for 2 months at a time, then come home for 2 weeks.


----------



## Christopher phipps (Sep 20, 2016)

Crst is a dirt bag company, you can have 50 people in your class maybe 3 will survive the 10 month contract, and if you fail to stay the full 10 months they charge you 5k for your schooling, and will refuse to release your driving records, making it near impossible to work elsewhere. 
I started there it's not easy and over the road takes a toll on you, be sure you are up for what will come before you commit..


----------



## Snowtop (Nov 11, 2014)

So much misinformation on this. After 30 years in trucking as a driver, manager, support person, and yes a recruiter all I can say is every company is different and the major companies have many types of jobs available.

As a rule trucking schools are not designed to teach you how to drive a truck. They are designed to teach you how to pass the test. The test is generally 3 parts. Pretrip inspection, backing, and a road test. The pretrip has approxamately 115 items that need to be inspected at the start of every shift. This number will have small variances depending on they equipment. 

Most companies require that you have a minimum of 12 months experience (not all). So figure for the first year on the road you will be treated rather poorly. Low pay and long periods away from home. After that 12 months probably you will be eligible more than 95% of the jobs out there. That of course will depend on your safety record.

There are many different jobs and payscales in the trucking industry. How often you are home is determined by the job you hire on for and the company. 95% of the drivers in my company are home weekly and 80% are home every day. Pay varies from $750 per week to $1800 per week depending the the location and the type of work required. Some freight is no touch to the driver, other may require the driver to do all of the unloading.

My last thought is this. While trucking can be and is a hard life in many ways. You may be working long and odd hours with little free time. But, where else can someone with minimal education go out and earn 50, 60, 80 plus thousand dollars a year.


----------



## J1945 (Jan 2, 2016)

Snowtop said:


> But, where else can someone with minimal education go out and earn 50, 60, 80 plus thousand dollars a year.


Pornography.


----------



## KMANDERSON (Jul 19, 2015)

TwoFiddyMile said:


> Airport shuttle. 10 to $12 per hour and benefits.
> Home every night.
> Almost zero interaction with your pax.
> Take em from the terminal to the hotel.
> ...


We will not do cabs our shuttles because we drive for uber,and Uber is our hobby


----------



## Tenderloin (Sep 5, 2016)

J1945 said:


> Pornography.


Not true. Male performers dont make shit


----------



## J1945 (Jan 2, 2016)

Tenderloin said:


> Not true. Male performers dont make shit


In general, males average $500-$600 per scene or day. Better known male performers can earn $700-$900; superstars up to $1,500.

http://www.cnbc.com/2016/01/20/porns-dirtiest-secret-what-everyone-gets-paid.html

Still better than what a guy would make driving a truck and not even comparable to what a guy would wrk driving for Uber.

Donating at sperm bank at $75 a batch is a whole lot better and respectable than being an Uber driver.


----------



## I have nuts (Mar 29, 2015)

TwoFiddyMile said:


> I've spent a year driving truck drivers around.
> They never see their wives or kids.
> 
> When you have a road job like that. You have to call home 7 hours ahead of time, so your wife can get your substitute out of the house.


Lol, I had a friend who's uncle was a truck driver. He said truck drivers have girlfriend in every state they go to.


----------



## I have nuts (Mar 29, 2015)

J1945 said:


> Donating at sperm bank at $75 a batch is a whole lot better and respectable than being an Uber driver.


Wow, is that what it's come too for uber drivers?


----------



## J1945 (Jan 2, 2016)

I have nuts said:


> Wow, is that what it's come too for uber drivers?


I would hope they have a screening process that wouldn't let one within a 100 yards of a sample cup.


----------



## UberTrucker (Jan 8, 2016)

AllGold said:


> He mentioned CRST. I'm not positive but I don't think CRST even has flatbeds.


Your rights


----------



## Trebor (Apr 22, 2015)

Speaking of non-competes, they are pretty standard in the business world. Its more geared to management professionals that deal directly with a client and know how the entire business works. All it means is you cant go poaching the companies clients for that year or how ever long you signed it for. There are different clauses in there to, like you cant open up shop in a state that company is in for 2 years after your job ends, etc. 

Someone said, CRST has a high failure rate. This could very well be the truth. Watch yourself. Keep documentation to a tee. You maybe let go illegaly just because they dont want to pay for it. Many places not in the trucking industry also have a clause that if you are on the line for the school loans if you dont pass or get fired. 

It may sound okay now, but wait until you get someone in the truck you can't stand from the start. Fists may start flying real quick. I say it is best to go solo. After all , you need to stretch your legs and get some fresh air.


----------



## uberron73 (Mar 13, 2016)

Don't listen to negative ppl. Do it. Get that cdl. it will open doors. I wish I'd done it Years ago. I wish I'd get my ass in gear and do it now. Where is crst school located? I heard progressive in Lansing ill cause a school an you can get gov. to pay for the school and you owe nothing after school is done and they find you work.. I need to do this as well. Private message me. I'll go with you. I'm in nwi I'm ready for change and adventure. Cdl is the WAY to go.. Get in touch with me I'm serious I'll go with you


----------



## Coffeekeepsmedriving (Oct 2, 2015)

Oscar Levant said:


> I'm going down to CRST trucking company Tuesday to see about a job as a trucker. They pay for training and a license upon signing a 10 month contract . I had enough of uber, to be honest. Just when things are going good it gets real bad again --up and down --never steady, I've had enough.
> But after many years in the transportation business it's always been that way it's really a losing game.
> CRST has a 20 days on 10 days off program that sounds pretty good to me


You'll end up fat and bad health from sitting all day...That job sucks..sorry I did it.


----------



## Snowtop (Nov 11, 2014)

uberron73 said:


> Don't listen to negative ppl. Do it. Get that cdl. it will open doors. I wish I'd done it Years ago. I wish I'd get my ass in gear and do it now. Where is crst school located? I heard progressive in Lansing ill cause a school an you can get gov. to pay for the school and you owe nothing after school is done and they find you work.. I need to do this as well. Private message me. I'll go with you. I'm in nwi I'm ready for change and adventure. Cdl is the WAY to go.. Get in touch with me I'm serious I'll go with you


CRST is located in Cedar Rapid, IA but has schools in other parts of the country. If you look them up you will be able to get all the info about locations and costs.

Also, lots of companies reimburse you for your school cost. Most of the good driving schools have relationships with trucking companies and can help you find a company that will help with costs. They can also work with you on finding grants or loans to pay for the school. Last but not least, try to find a school that offers 16o hours of training. They have the best programs and you will have more opportunities after you graduate.


----------



## J1945 (Jan 2, 2016)

Yes, by all means, disregard the advice of the people that actually do this job and have done it for a long time. Really, what would they know about it?

You run head first into this and realize your dreams. It's just driving and you'll get paid thousands of dollars to do it. I say "go for it!", Buckaroo!


----------



## Oscar Levant (Aug 15, 2014)

Thanks to everyone for all the constructive comments and advice


----------



## JoeChargersfan (Aug 8, 2016)

ATL2SD said:


> Trucking industry is similar in many aspects. I drove for Prime Inc out of Springfield, MO for 6 years. When that freight gets slow or dispatch isn't giving you good money loads, you're going to say the same exact thing. Only difference is you'll be stuck 1,400 miles away from home.


I worked in springfield mo and knew people that worked for Prime. Yah theres times it gets slow but almost every job out there has its slow times. Best to make decent money and save for the slow times.


----------



## Oscar Levant (Aug 15, 2014)

KMANDERSON said:


> Only bad thing about trucking is you have to drive for three years before you really start making good money.


I drove a taxi for 10 to 15 years off and on and Uber for three and haven't made any money so it's all relative I suppose. When I first started driving an SUV the first year was really good and it's tapered off the second year they put a lot more cars on the road. I work for about a dozen Transportation companies and in my experience I've yet to find one that really cares about the driver. My best years were the 12 years I spent as a wedding photographer so I might go back into that.


----------



## Oscar Levant (Aug 15, 2014)

Frontier Guy said:


> Guy I went to CDL school with in '97, he started with a large company right out of school. His wife at the time worked for USDA as an inspector. In 2001, she got tired of office politics, and the BS, quit and went to CDL school and got her license. She went to work for the same company, trained with a female driver for 2 months. The company offered them a husband/wife team position. They did it for two years, decided they loved it. Sold everything, house, both cars, 80% of their belongings. Used the profit from the sale of the house, more than $100K, bought a used tractor and trailer, rented an apartement, and went on the road full-time leased to the company they previously drove for. In 2007, they sold that truck, bought a different truck and trailer, brand new, spec'd the way they wanted it, became Independents, not leased to anyone. in 2014 they replaced that truck and trailer with a different setup. They are ungoverned, but typically never exceed 85 mph. She uses her laptop and works with 4 different freight brokers to find them loads, she tries to always have them pre-booked on their next 3 loads while under the current load.
> 
> They run produce from California to the East Coast. Once they leave home, the wheels don't stop turning until they return home 2 months later. She drives days and sleeps nights, he sleeps days and drives nights, usually once a week they both sleep at the same time. Here's an example of a run they did recently. They were on vacation Sept. 1st to 10th, spent 9 days in Hawaii. They took a redeye home, arriving back in Denver on the 11th. I picked them up, took them to the apartment. She spent the next 8 hours doing laundry and grocery shopping. He spent 8 hrs going over the truck from top to bottom, front to back, had it washed, vac'd, lubed, oil and filters changed. Before they left Hawaii to come home, via their laptop, they had three loads pre-booked. They loaded US Mail in Denver leaving around 4 am, she slept the whole time, drove to Cheyenne, Wyo.. Stopped for 30 minutes for her to freshen up, get her coffee, while he got ready for bed. By 6:30 am they left Cheyenne and delivered the mail in S.F. on Tuesday morning at 3 am., She drove 11 hrs, stopping in Elko, Nv., it was 5 pm. They fueled the truck, ate dinner, and were on the road by 6:30 pm, arriving at the post office in S.F. around 4 am. By 6 am, they left S.F. and headed to Bakersfield for a 11 am appt. to pickup a load of produce going to Hunts Point, Bronx, NYC. Took them 8 hrs to get loaded, leaving Bakersfield around 7pm Tuesday. So she slept while he drove. He drove 11 hrs, stopping in Grand Junction, Co., they fueled the truck, took showers, and were on the road by 9 am. They stopped 11 hrs later in Grand Island, Ne., swapped drivers, fueled the truck and rolled. He took the overnight, they swapped out again in So. Bend, Indiana. It's now Thursday morning, she drove on to Hunts Point arriving around Midnight Thursday. She crawled in the sleeper, he got up to wait for their 3 am unload appt. The truck was empty and ready to roll by 10, they loaded in Elizabeth, NJ Friday afternoon around 3 heading to Portland, Or.. That load they picked up Friday at 3 pm in NJ, they were in Portland 5 pm Sunday and delivered at 8 am Monday. By the time they were empty in Hunts Point, she had already booked their next three loads. After unloading in Portland, they reloaded boxed paper a few hours later going to L.A., it was supposed to deliver on Weds. afternoon, she called and got it rescheduled for Tuesday afternoon, as soon as they unloaded in L.A., they got a HOT, fresh fish load going from Long Beach to Chicago.
> 
> Now, that's what you call team running, they do it for 2 months at a time, then come home for 2 weeks.


I'm 65 and every damn job I've had maybe some 30 or 40 jobs in my entire life had issues so what are you guys whining about?.( not you Frontierguy just the general whiners on this forum) I sit around with unbersuv for 8 hours straight and get only one trip, happens more often than not on the off days like Wednesday. I'd rather be working. oh yeah I could go back to Uber X and be working and make less money than I'm making now. Every job where the pay is higher always has more headaches, that's life. No matter what you do you're always pay your dues for a couple of years before you get into the groove and find a nicer gig

Or maybe I'll take my Social Security which is worth 3.5 times more in Brazil than it is here and live on that plus some extra money teaching English, I've been thinking about that too, that plus the fact I speak some Portuguese


----------



## thelittleguyhelper (Aug 6, 2016)

Oscar Levant said:


> I'm going down to CRST trucking company Tuesday to see about a job as a trucker. They pay for training and a license upon signing a 10 month contract . I had enough of uber, to be honest. Just when things are going good it gets real bad again --up and down --never steady, I've had enough.
> But after many years in the transportation business it's always been that way it's really a losing game.
> CRST has a 20 days on 10 days off program that sounds pretty good to me


TALK TO OTHER HONEST TRUCKERS!!!

Contracts can be a [really bad deal] for truckers. Have entirely unreliable metrics. Can include clauses that if you underperform and are fired you have to pay-back all those costs (and then include or reference RIDICULOUS metrical requirements for judging your performance).

Get the reputations of the trucking companies and schools: be aware they're often very, very scammy (and often one owns another). Be aware that their paying-for-you might, under the contract, convert into an unforgivable, nondischargable student-loan if you can't fulfill that contract (possibly, due to circumstances entirely outside your control).

And depending on what you find, consider getting wage/unemployment/bills insurance. If you can, that could cover loans like that to some extent.

Also, ask about meal stipends: eating on the road (even at dives) can be $$$$.

Also remember this: trucking is going the dodo way soon enough. TRUCKS ARE EASIER TO AUTOMATE THAN CONSUMER TRANSPORT!


----------



## Scruffy one (Oct 21, 2015)

Many companies offer free training. Look into a pell grant and go to a driving school. Read any & all contracts carefully. Conway, in Joplin, Mo has a school they will send you to. All companies are a trade off.


----------



## Oscar Levant (Aug 15, 2014)

I have nuts said:


> Lol, I had a friend who's uncle was a truck driver. He said truck drivers have girlfriend in every state they go to.


Yeah I just like a lot of sailors have girlfriends in every port but I was a sailor so I know hype and Bs when I hear it


----------



## Frontier Guy (Dec 27, 2015)

thelittleguyhelper said:


> Also remember this: trucking is going the dodo way soon enough. TRUCKS ARE EASIER TO AUTOMATE THAN CONSUMER TRANSPORT!


Ever see the MB autonomous truck back into a dock, I understand it was quite jarring for all involved. Autonomous trucking is at least 10 yrs away, they may get the highway down, but local driving, backing docks and loading/unloading is a long way off. I've got a few warehouses that an autonomous truck would go into shutdown mode if it even remotely tried to back into. Like backing in off a 3 lane road, doing the S for 1.5 miles in reverse, then backing around a corner into a loading dock, at night. Good luck.


----------



## JimS (Aug 18, 2015)

I heard that dealing with unionized unloaders are a pain to deal with.


----------



## Frontier Guy (Dec 27, 2015)

JimS said:


> I heard that dealing with unionized unloaders are a pain to deal with.


All unloaders are a PITA to deal with


----------



## J1945 (Jan 2, 2016)

Frontier Guy said:


> All unloaders are a PITA to deal with


Wait until he comes across his first "driver unload, sort and segregate" grocery warehouse. 40 pallets of canned cat food, many different varieties, that all have to be taken off the truck with a busted pallet jack (because non employees aren't allowed to use power equipment...insurance reasons). The cat food has to be taken off the pallets, by hand, sorted by brand and flavor, then placed on the warehouse's pallets to their amount and height specifications. Why? Because the pallets they were shipped on don't fit into the warehouse's racks. That 40 pallets can turn into 75+ pallets in no time.

Or

The other option is to pay a "lumper" to do it for you. A lumper is one of life's winners that hangs out at these warehouses and unloads trucks for cash (or comcheck). They'll charge anywhere from $125 to $350 or more depending on the job. They rarely pay taxes on this income, but do give a kickback to the warehouse. Some of the trucking companies will pick up the lumper fees, but a training company most likely isn't. Schneider would only pay the driver $75 to do the above mentioned work. The driver had to come up with the difference if they wanted a lumper. After driving 9 1/2 hours to make an appointment time and sitting in the waiting lot for 2 hours after your appointment time waiting for your turn to back into a dock to be called, looking at another 4 to 5 hours unloading 45,000 lbs of canned cat food never sounded too appealing.

"But, don't these warehouses have people to unload the trucks. I mean, they ordered the stuff, why does the driver have to deal with it." Ha ha ha ha....no, they don't. You'll deal with it because that's part of the job.


----------



## JimS (Aug 18, 2015)

Some stores like Food Lion have put lumpers on their payroll. If you get to a grocery store like this, no need to tip. Just 5 stars, please.


----------



## Frontier Guy (Dec 27, 2015)

I don't care it it's lumpers, union unloaders, or god himself, unloading is PITA, especially at a grocery warehouse, I tell horror stories that will make your worst puking pax seem like a pleasant exp.


----------



## J1945 (Jan 2, 2016)

Frontier Guy said:


> I don't care it it's lumpers, union unloaders, or god himself, unloading is PITA, especially at a grocery warehouse, I tell horror stories that will make your worst puking pax seem like a pleasant exp.


Alright, tell one.


----------



## thelittleguyhelper (Aug 6, 2016)

Frontier Guy said:


> they may get the highway down, but local driving, backing docks and loading/unloading is a long way off.


I can solve this right now. I'm not even an engineer. So be cautious about any career moves you know there are tens of billions of dollars (possibly hundreds) being poured for the purpose of eliminating those careers.


----------



## Frontier Guy (Dec 27, 2015)

J1945 said:


> Alright, tell one.


2am appt.at a local "health food" grocery warehouse. Arrived at 1:30 am, park in the staging area and head to the receiving door, already 4 drivers ahead of me, door is locked. At 1:55 am they unlock the warehouse door and let us into the check-in room. At 2:01 am, they open the receiving window, and immediately inform all 2 am delivery drivers they are late for their appointment. WTF????? Oh, and if you start kvetching about it, they will refuse your delivery and reschedule for two days later.

They then tell all of us they have no open docks, they aren't done loading the delivery trucks (this is a 24/7 facility), they will check us in, and give the lumper charges, but they can't assign a door and will have to call us.

2:50 am, they call me with a door assignment. I back in, check in with receiving to let them know I'm backed in to the dock. Dock light goes from green to red, 3:30 am, they haven't started unloading, 4 am nothing. I'm now into driver standby time. Check in with receiving, they will be starting shortly.

4:30 am, light goes back to green, lumper comes out, tells me I'm in the wrong door, I need to pull back to the staging area and await a new door assignment. Go back to staging and head back to the receiving office. They screwed up and sent a dry storage load to freezer, now they have no open doors on the dry side. I'm going to have to wait.

My company gives 2 hours unloading free, after that we charge $75/hr for standby (most trucking companies don't), so long as I well document my times, I get a portion of that $75/hr for certain loads.

5 am lumpers go to break

5:30 am, they now assign me a new door, but I have to wait for the truck in it to leave.

6am my boss gets to the office and calls to check on me, I give him the update, he starts making phone calls.

6:15 am I finally get backed into a door and check back in with receiving.

6:30 am I crawl in my sleeper, figure I'll get a nap.

7 am they start unloading. 24 pallets of environmentally friendly laundry soap, not supposed to be any breakdown.

7:30 am, not done

8 am, not done

8:30 am, not done. Lumpers go to lunch

8:45 am, lumper comes out and wakes me, there's a problem with the load and I need to be on the dock. I notify dispatch and head inside.

9:15 am receiver finally comes over to talk to me, turns out the load is 24 pallets that breaks down to 48 pallets, they undercharged on the lumper fees and will need to adjust it, also I need to stay on the dock to verify. I call my dispatcher and let him know. He makes more phone calls.

10 am, lumpers finally start the breakdown. I stand and watch, at this point I've been up since 12:15 am, and on the clock since 1 am.

11 am, lumpers stop working and go to break

12:30 pm, they are 2/3 done with breakdown

1:15 pm, breakdown complete. Now I have to wait for a receiver to get free to come check in the load and sign the paperwork

1:40 pm, receiver finally comes over

2:10 pm, I'm now fully checked in, and released to leave. I've now been up since 12:15 am, and at work since 1 am, 13.5 hrs on the clock, I can only legally work 14 hrs. I pull out and close my doors, receiver comes out and tells me they have found 14 damaged cases, I need to back back into the dock so they can put them back on the trailer, and readjust all my paperwork. I explain that I am almost out of hours, and will not be legal. Response from receiver: Not my problem driver, but if you run out of hours on our lot and try to take your break, we'll have your truck towed and impounded with you in it.

I call dispatch and let them know. Finally able to leave at 3 pm, I'm now illegal on hours. Boss sends one of the mechanics out with a different driver to bring my truck back to the yard and I ride back with the mechanic. We bill the receiver via the broker $750 for driver detention time. Receiver refuses to pay it, says I was late for my appt., too bad I had fully documented on my paperwork what happened when I arrived at the receiving door. They still refuse to pay, a week later, another load of the same product comes in, we pull it to our yard and secure it. Inform the receiver, until they pay the $750 in detention charges, we will sit on the other load, and it will accrue $100/day in storage fees, after 15 days we will dispose of it. Two days later, we receive a check for $1,050 for detention and storage fees.

Next day, coworker takes the other trailer for delivery, his unload ONLY took 10 total hours.

That's the world of trucking.


----------



## Frontier Guy (Dec 27, 2015)

J1945 said:


> Alright, tell one.


Boss sends me to Cactus, Texas to pick up a load of cow hides from a meat packing plant. I arrive Sunday night at 8 pm, my appointment isn't until 8 am Monday. I crawl in the sleeper and zonk out. 8 am I check in............oh, those cows are being slaughtered this morning, then we have to process the hides, that load won't be ready until Weds. morning. Call the office, I'm 6.5 hours away. They start making phone calls, I go back to sleep. 10 am, boss calls, different pickup number for different hides. Check in with shipping. Ok, back into door 10, we'll have to pull those hides, should get you out of here by 8 pm. I finally left at 1 am.

Oh boy, the joy of trucking.


----------



## J1945 (Jan 2, 2016)

Frontier Guy said:


> Boss sends me to Cactus, Texas to pick up a load of cow hides from a meat packing plant. I arrive Sunday night at 8 pm, my appointment isn't until 8 am Monday. I crawl in the sleeper and zonk out. 8 am I check in............oh, those cows are being slaughtered this morning, then we have to process the hides, that load won't be ready until Weds. morning. Call the office, I'm 6.5 hours away. They start making phone calls, I go back to sleep. 10 am, boss calls, different pickup number for different hides. Check in with shipping. Ok, back into door 10, we'll have to pull those hides, should get you out of here by 8 pm. I finally left at 1 am.
> 
> Oh boy, the joy of trucking.





Frontier Guy said:


> 2am appt.at a local "health food" grocery warehouse. Arrived at 1:30 am, park in the staging area and head to the receiving door, already 4 drivers ahead of me, door is locked. At 1:55 am they unlock the warehouse door and let us into the check-in room. At 2:01 am, they open the receiving window, and immediately inform all 2 am delivery drivers they are late for their appointment. WTF????? Oh, and if you start kvetching about it, they will refuse your delivery and reschedule for two days later.
> 
> They then tell all of us they have no open docks, they aren't done loading the delivery trucks (this is a 24/7 facility), they will check us in, and give the lumper charges, but they can't assign a door and will have to call us.
> 
> ...


Yep, that's trucking. They never tell you about this stuff in the recruiting brochures. Like I said before, the general public has no idea what the job is. They think it's just driving from truck stop to truck stop, sipping coffee and waving at the pretty girls.

I spent 3 years on the road and have been working LTL for the last 13. It's hard stressful work. I have to drive a 48 to 53 foot trailer or two pups in big city traffic all day, back into 10 to 15+ docks a day, and chase close times, but I get paid (very well) by the hour, off weekends, and sleep in my house every night. The thing is, I had to work hard to get to where I am now. I started in Schneider's flatbed division (no longer available), driving a POS cabover for $0.24 a mile, staying out for 2 to 3 weeks at a time, with only 2 days off when I was home. It sucked and that first year was harder than anything I encountered in the military.


----------



## Oscar Levant (Aug 15, 2014)

uberron73 said:


> Don't listen to negative ppl. Do it. Get that cdl. it will open doors. I wish I'd done it Years ago. I wish I'd get my ass in gear and do it now. Where is crst school located? I heard progressive in Lansing ill cause a school an you can get gov. to pay for the school and you owe nothing after school is done and they find you work.. I need to do this as well. Private message me. I'll go with you. I'm in nwi I'm ready for change and adventure. Cdl is the WAY to go.. Get in touch with me I'm serious I'll go with you


It's in Fontana but I live in San Diego and the office I'm applying to is in San Diego.


----------



## Oscar Levant (Aug 15, 2014)

J1945 said:


> Yep, that's trucking. They never tell you about this stuff in the recruiting brochures. Like I said before, the general public has no idea what the job is. They think it's just driving from truck stop to truck stop, sipping coffee and waving at the pretty girls.
> 
> I spent 3 years on the road and have been working LTL for the last 13. It's hard stressful work. I have to drive a 48 to 53 foot trailer or two pups in big city traffic all day, back into 10 to 15+ docks a day, and chase close times, but I get paid (very well) by the hour, off weekends, and sleep in my house every night. The thing is, I had to work hard to get to where I am now. I started in Schneider's flatbed division (no longer available), driving a POS cabover for $0.24 a mile, staying out for 2 to 3 weeks at a time, with only 2 days off when I was home. It sucked and that first year was harder than anything I encountered in the military.


Yeah I've been thinking about it I'm 65 out of shape and I just might not have the stamina to do it I'm giving it some serious thought though, but in my younger days I was once a Swamper for Atlas Moving so that hard work doesn't scare me


----------



## TheNoobinator (Sep 3, 2016)

painfreepc said:


> But wait a minute the self-driving trucks are coming,
> what kind of career can you possibly have driving truck..
> 
> Well I guess can't wait, an 80000 pound self driving load going down the street it will be a nightmare waiting to happen.


Self driving trucks will not replace truckers. It is meant to give the driver a break and sleep while the truck drives in straight lines.

Right now they cannot exit and do city driving . That's when the driver comes in and takes over.


----------



## TheNoobinator (Sep 3, 2016)

Don't let these so called experienced truckers discourage you From THEIR own bad experiences. 


I just finished my trucking school out of pocket and I applied to a couple of jobs and they're already calling me next day to come and get hired. AND NO it is not being away from home. It is local driving in so cal and home daily. One pays 46k/ year which is decent for a newbie like me.

Another one pays 70-76k a year but it's 5 days out 2 days home and that's with no experience. Trucking is not always being away from home. I have a friend who makes way over 100k with his own truck and is home daily. 

You can choose local or long haul . It's all up to you. I reccomend local first so you get some experience and move on to a higher paying job. 

I reccomend not having a company pay for your training because like some of these guys said you have to sign a contract for crap pay and you're basically a slave until that contract is over. 

Get the license yourself and get experience and companies pay real well for experienced drivers. 


Good luck !


----------



## Peanut hello (Sep 19, 2016)

If you are single it is a great job.


----------



## Boozoo (Oct 1, 2016)

I have had some time to compare trucking to ubering (is ubering a word?)

My only real comment is this: 

trucking has you working long hours at ridiculous times of the day or night, ON YOUR DISPATCHER'S SCHEDULE.

ubering might have you working long hours at ridiculous times of the day or night, ON YOUR OWN SCHEDULE AS YOU SEE FIT.

of course I don't think it's possible to earn trucker's wages as an uber driver, but being in control of my schedule is a MAJOR advantage money can't buy


----------



## 5 Star Guy (Nov 7, 2015)

The irony is Travass is just starting to get into the trucking business and will only get bigger. As for SDT, it will be here before cars and that is not far off.


----------



## TheNoobinator (Sep 3, 2016)

Boozoo said:


> I have had some time to compare trucking to ubering (is ubering a word?)
> 
> My only real comment is this:
> 
> ...


You can't really compare the two, it's like apples and oranges.

For Uber you use your vehicle and running it into the ground. Uber is just not a steady gig lets be honest. The "make your own schedule" is a awesome but that's it.

For being an experienced company truck driver you can make upwards of 70-100k, without actually running your own vehicle to the ground.


----------



## Boozoo (Oct 1, 2016)

TheNoobinator said:


> For being an experienced company truck driver you can make upwards of 70-100k, without actually running your own vehicle to the ground.


No argument from me!

It's great for someone young and starting out, you'll make money and see the country. Do it long enough and you realize there's more to life than moolah. Oh and by the way, whether I do Uber with my car or trucking as an owner/operator, I will not be running my own vehicle into the ground, I'll be selling it when it still has life and value left in it, and get something fresh.


----------



## Heisenburger (Sep 19, 2016)

TheNoobinator said:


> I reccomend not having a company pay for your training because like some of these guys said you have to sign a contract for crap pay and you're basically a slave until that contract is over.


I've heard many experienced drivers express this sentiment.


----------



## Tim54913 (Jul 13, 2015)

Oscar Levant said:


> I'm going down to CRST trucking company Tuesday to see about a job as a trucker. They pay for training and a license upon signing a 10 month contract . I had enough of uber, to be honest. Just when things are going good it gets real bad again --up and down --never steady, I've had enough.
> But after many years in the transportation business it's always been that way it's really a losing game.
> CRST has a 20 days on 10 days off program that sounds pretty good to me


Look around at LTL companies in your area. Some have apprentice programs and will help you get your license.


----------



## crowsandcats (Sep 17, 2015)

What is LTL?

I recently quit a non-cdl box truck day job, averaging 10 hours away from home everyday. It was local (I think).

How do you define "local", "regional" etc?
I drove at least 1.5 hours each way to different cities everyday. 

I drove through some beautiful scenery, listened to lots of books on tape, and got to be home everyday. I've now decided to sign up for an accredited cdl training program through the local technical college. The course is about 280 hrs and will cost less than 1.5k after applying the state lottery funds.

The guy delivering soil in a 48ft dump truck to my last job was a graduate of that program. He told me he got his job fresh after graduating from the course with no other truck driving experience.


----------



## Frontier Guy (Dec 27, 2015)

TheNoobinator said:


> Don't let these so called experienced truckers discourage you From THEIR own bad experiences.
> 
> I just finished my trucking school out of pocket and I applied to a couple of jobs and they're already calling me next day to come and get hired. AND NO it is not being away from home. It is local driving in so cal and home daily. One pays 46k/ year which is decent for a newbie like me.
> 
> ...


TheNoobinator , lemme explain the real world to you. You footed the bill for CDL school on your own, congrats, so did I, 20 yrs ago. You have ZERO exp., I have 19 yrs and 2.1 million miles exp., I've never had an at fault accident, I have had a few tickets. I run inter-regional hauling containers, depending on the day, I might bump 15 docks or I might bump 2 docks. I make $65K and I'm home almost daily, at most I'm gone two nights per month. Unlike you in So. Cal., my truck runs 78 mph, and I get to play on the big roads. My exp. includes chaining 15 to 20 times every winter, some times 2 or 3 times in one day, occasionally just to run in the city. If you want to tell me what my exp. is, come run the passes and the roads I run, Vail, Eisenhower, Monarch, Red Mountain, Coal Bank/Molass Douglass, Rabbit Ears, Genesse,, Snoqualamie, Homestake, Bozeman, I80, I90, I94, I70. Tell me I don't know my exp. after you've run an empty 53' trailer from Cheyenne Wyo. to Casper Wyo. in a 50 mph crosswind with a pucker factor of 13 (on a scale of 10). Oh, and before you bash "so called exp. drivers", until you have 500K under your belt and run multiple states, you are a STEERING WHEEL HOLDER, that makes you the lowest form of trucker, your opinion is not to be trusted, nor is it valued. You fall into the category of OPEN EARS, CLOSE MOUTH.

Oh, and I've been to and thru So. Cal in the semi, traffic sucks, the people suck. I hope the big one hits and they all fall off into the ocean.

Further, most local companies want drivers with OTR exp. before local, this way the driver has deal with more traffic and more conditions in more cities before being thrown to the wolves of a local gig. In fact, it's typically the insurance company that requires it.


----------



## TheNoobinator (Sep 3, 2016)

Frontier Guy said:


> TheNoobinator , lemme explain the real world to you. You footed the bill for CDL school on your own, congrats, so did I, 20 yrs ago. You have ZERO exp., I have 19 yrs and 2.1 million miles exp., I've never had an at fault accident, I have had a few tickets. I run inter-regional hauling containers, depending on the day, I might bump 15 docks or I might bump 2 docks. I make $65K and I'm home almost daily, at most I'm gone two nights per month. Unlike you in So. Cal., my truck runs 78 mph, and I get to play on the big roads. My exp. includes chaining 15 to 20 times every winter, some times 2 or 3 times in one day, occasionally just to run in the city. If you want to tell me what my exp. is, come run the passes and the roads I run, Vail, Eisenhower, Monarch, Red Mountain, Coal Bank/Molass Douglass, Rabbit Ears, Genesse,, Snoqualamie, Homestake, Bozeman, I80, I90, I94, I70. Tell me I don't know my exp. after you've run an empty 53' trailer from Cheyenne Wyo. to Casper Wyo. in a 50 mph crosswind with a pucker factor of 13 (on a scale of 10). Oh, and before you bash "so called exp. drivers", until you have 500K under your belt and run multiple states, you are a STEERING WHEEL HOLDER, that makes you the lowest form of trucker, your opinion is not to be trusted, nor is it valued. You fall into the category of OPEN EARS, CLOSE MOUTH.
> 
> Oh, and I've been to and thru So. Cal in the semi, traffic sucks, the people suck. I hope the big one hits and they all fall off into the ocean.
> 
> Further, most local companies want drivers with OTR exp. before local, this way the driver has deal with more traffic and more conditions in more cities before being thrown to the wolves of a local gig. In fact, it's typically the insurance company that requires it.


Then you went through a WRONG career path .

Truckers I know are making over 130k a year and being home daily. Guess your experience was for nothing and a bad one.


----------



## Frontier Guy (Dec 27, 2015)

pay per markets vary, cost living in Denver is lower than L.A., that same 130K job in L.A. is 80K in Denver. I could go to work for WalMart private fleet and make $110K, but then I'd be stuck in a 62 mph truck, with a camera on me 24/7 or I could take a Union job making $90K, but then I'd have to sell my soul and join a Union.


----------



## TheNoobinator (Sep 3, 2016)

I'm not talking about being a company driver. 

Owner operator is the way to go. 

I already locked in a job that is local only, no experience necessary. Not the highest paying but it's a start (60k/year). I eventually want to be owner operator but gotta start somewhere. 

I did try many high paying jobs but almost all require at least 2 years exp because of insurance. 
I guess I lucked out on this local one. 

California is the 7th largest economy in the world so I guess I have that going for me. There's so much work here.


----------



## Boozoo (Oct 1, 2016)

When the feds instituted hours of service limits to curb driver fatigue, companies took those limits to mean standard procedure. Thus from a safely point of view 14 hours/11driving is the max we can't go over BUT from a corporate point of view 14 hours/11driving is just a normal day, if you want to work only 12 hours every day you are a slacker.

I have a life outside work I am getting over this push to work to the legal limit every day.


----------



## Frontier Guy (Dec 27, 2015)

To truly make it as an O/O, you need your own authority, own truck, own trailer, own insurance, etc., etc., etc, not leased to someone, you need to be an independent, you don't do that in 2 or 3 yrs, you need 5 or 6 yrs minimum. Most reputable brokers: Landstar, CH Robinson, etc., won't talk to you with anything less than 5, and even then they will offer you scraps. Yes, you can and will make money, I know a ton of O/O's that make very good money, $250K to $300K per year to the truck, and after expenses take home $100K, most have 15 to 20 yrs exp. as an O/O, have failed at least once, and most will tell that for those first few years legal HOS is a joke, but the feds will address that next Dec.

Oh, and you aren't going to be making $100K as O/O running local/regional, you need to plan on being on the road full-time or at least 3/4 time.


----------



## TheNoobinator (Sep 3, 2016)

Frontier Guy said:


> To truly make it as an O/O, you need your own authority, own truck, own trailer, own insurance, etc., etc., etc, not leased to someone, you need to be an independent, you don't do that in 2 or 3 yrs, you need 5 or 6 yrs minimum. Most reputable brokers: Landstar, CH Robinson, etc., won't talk to you with anything less than 5, and even then they will offer you scraps. Yes, you can and will make money, I know a ton of O/O's that make very good money, $250K to $300K per year to the truck, and after expenses take home $100K, most have 15 to 20 yrs exp. as an O/O, have failed at least once, and most will tell that for those first few years legal HOS is a joke, but the feds will address that next Dec.
> 
> Oh, and you aren't going to be making $100K as O/O running local/regional, you need to plan on being on the road full-time or at least 3/4 time.


Maybe maybe not.

I already have connections where some friends only own a truck, no trailer. 
They just haul the company trailers . They have Own insurance, have an LLC, and that's about it. He's been at it a year and seems to be going well. And no you don't need all those years experience just to be owner operator. some will take you at 2-3 years. Just gotta have a good no fault accident record, and consistent work no gaps.

I already did my due diligence, I didn't just wake up to be a trucker all of a sudden. An opportunity presented itself with owning a fleet with some friends and that's all there is to it.

My friends take whatever days off they want, they pay everything in cash and seem to be doing well, The other day my friend had a $5k full injector job and it didn't effect him because he'll make it up quick and its deductible.


----------



## Kentsgal83 (Oct 26, 2016)

Oscar Levant said:


> I'm going down to CRST trucking company Tuesday to see about a job as a trucker. They pay for training and a license upon signing a 10 month contract . I had enough of uber, to be honest. Just when things are going good it gets real bad again --up and down --never steady, I've had enough.
> But after many years in the transportation business it's always been that way it's really a losing game.
> CRST has a 20 days on 10 days off program that sounds pretty good to me


As a former trucker of 10 years, please take the following advice to heart...Stay the bloody hell away from CRST. They have too many violations against them, the DOT is always up the drivers asses. Find a reputable company, search for that companies CSA rating. Most companies that provide "free" CDL training will require you to sign a long term contract, and with CRST and CR England they will require you to sign a lease on a crappy truck and force you to team drive with a complete stranger. Please take your time in finding a quality trucking company, try Schneider National. I was trained by them and worked there for 2 years, I wished I never left. Good luck to you.


----------



## Oscar Levant (Aug 15, 2014)

Kentsgal83 said:


> As a former trucker of 10 years, please take the following advice to heart...Stay the bloody hell away from CRST. They have too many violations against them, the DOT is always up the drivers asses. Find a reputable company, search for that companies CSA rating. Most companies that provide "free" CDL training will require you to sign a long term contract, and with CRST and CR England they will require you to sign a lease on a crappy truck and force you to team drive with a complete stranger. Please take your time in finding a quality trucking company, try Schneider National. I was trained by them and worked there for 2 years, I wished I never left. Good luck to you.


Thanks, I haven't decided yet.


----------



## crowsandcats (Sep 17, 2015)

What gigs and companies do more of a 9-5? I assume local, but most ads I've seen seem like the jobs would be longer hours


----------



## Kentsgal83 (Oct 26, 2016)

crowsandcats said:


> What gigs and companies do more of a 9-5? I assume local, but most ads I've seen seem like the jobs would be longer hours


That type of schedule doesn't exist in the trucking world, and if someone says so...they are lying. You have no control of your schedule as a truck driver, you could sleep all night, make a delivery at 8 am and get a loaf picking up at 10 pm that night and be forced to drive all nights. If you want a 9-5 drive in trucking you'll have to be a dispatcher


----------



## crowsandcats (Sep 17, 2015)

My last job driving a truck was consistently 8-5, but it was non-cdl.


----------



## Boozoo (Oct 1, 2016)

Kentsgal83 said:


> That type of schedule doesn't exist in the trucking world... You have no control of your schedule as a truck driver


That first part is not true, but the second part IS true.

My job approximates a 9-5 local driving experience. I get the occasional overnight run (one night in the sleeper). I get the occasional 5am start in order to be on time for an 8am appointment halfway across the state. I get the occasional 12 or 14 hour day. But on average I log around 45 hours for five days of work and home nearly every night. This is class A cdl, hazmat, actual trucking job...they're rare but do exist.


----------



## Kentsgal83 (Oct 26, 2016)

Boozoo said:


> That first part is not true, but the second part IS true.
> 
> My job approximates a 9-5 local driving experience. I get the occasional overnight run (one night in the sleeper). I get the occasional 5am start in order to be on time for an 8am appointment halfway across the state. I get the occasional 12 or 14 hour day. But on average I log around 45 hours for five days of work and home nearly every night. This is class A cdl, hazmat, actual trucking job...they're rare but do exist.


They do exist, but they are incredibly rare as a rookie driver. My point to all of it was not to believe recruiters. There are companies who offer regional routes, just do your research.


----------



## Boozoo (Oct 1, 2016)

Kentsgal83 said:


> My point to all of it was not to believe recruiters.


Indeed! In the dictionary, two synonyms of the word LIAR are RECRUITER, and DISPATCHER.


----------



## Kentsgal83 (Oct 26, 2016)

Boozoo said:


> Indeed! In the dictionary, two synonyms of the word LIAR are RECRUITER, and DISPATCHER.


Sounds like you speak fluent truck driver


----------



## crowsandcats (Sep 17, 2015)

What are good (non-cynical) websites/forums to learn more about working as a local/regional trucker? I don't want to work OTR. Period, but it seems all local ads want at least 12 months of experience. I assume I just need to approach small local companies after graduating, and ask to speak to their HR in person.


----------



## DrivingZiggy (Jun 4, 2016)

crowsandcats said:


> What are good (non-cynical) websites/forums to learn more about working as a local/regional trucker? I don't want to work OTR. Period, but it seems all local ads want at least 12 months of experience. I assume I just need to approach small local companies after graduating, and ask to speak to their HR in person.


See, that's the thing. Any of the local companies will require experience whether for insurance or other reasons. For most n00bs, the only way to get that experience is to go with one of the mega OTR companies. Even some of the smaller OTR companies will need experience. So the "normal" steps are school, mega carrier, then maybe local/regional.

Oh, and if you do this do not fall into the trap of lease-purchasing a big truck through the company. Big mistake 99% of the time!


----------



## wk1102 (Dec 25, 2015)

I have a great idea, im hesitant to share it here but I trust you guys so...

I'm going to get my trucking license and thenot go on the road with my pet chimpanzee. I'll record our shenanigans on video as I solve crimes across the country. Then I'll market it as a reality show.

I'll call it wk and the bear...


----------



## Kentsgal83 (Oct 26, 2016)

crowsandcats said:


> What are good (non-cynical) websites/forums to learn more about working as a local/regional trucker? I don't want to work OTR. Period, but it seems all local ads want at least 12 months of experience. I assume I just need to approach small local companies after graduating, and ask to speak to their HR in person.


Finding a website or forum about truck drivers that's is non-cynical will be difficult. Truck drivers are a lot like sailors of old. They are all a bunch of story tellers. Stay away from sites that are branded or that are funded by trucking companies, they are biased. If you don't have the 12 months experience most small companies won't take you because of all the additional training needed and (as stated above) insurance companies will see you as a liability. (You are most likely to have an accident within your first 1-2 years) Not all big trucking companies are bad. Start researching the trucking comanies CSA rating and for the love of God stay away from Swift.


----------



## SibeRescueBrian (May 10, 2015)

crowsandcats said:


> What are good (non-cynical) websites/forums to learn more about working as a local/regional trucker? I don't want to work OTR. Period, but it seems all local ads want at least 12 months of experience. I assume I just need to approach small local companies after graduating, and ask to speak to their HR in person.


http://www.truckingtruth.com/


----------



## LAuberX (Jun 3, 2014)

I think it would be like finding an Uber driver website that is non cynical. All these big companies pay as little as possible and expect a lot of work for the money.


----------



## Frontier Guy (Dec 27, 2015)

TheNoobinator said:


> Maybe maybe not.
> 
> I already have connections where some friends only own a truck, no trailer.
> They just haul the company trailers . They have Own insurance, have an LLC, and that's about it. He's been at it a year and seems to be going well. And no you don't need all those years experience just to be owner operator. some will take you at 2-3 years. Just gotta have a good no fault accident record, and consistent work no gaps.
> ...


Your all over the place. Having your own insurance and LLC doesn't mean anything. There are different levels of owner operators. There are lease operators, where the company will buy the truck, lease it to you for so much per month, sometime it's not in your name sometimes it is, but you buy the fuel, repairs, etc., and at a set time, you buy out the lease. Then there are lease operators who buy the truck, it's in their name, have their own bobtail insurance, BUT, they pull someone else trailers, under someone else's cargo insurance and someone else's authority. Then there are owner operators who have their own truck, own authority, own bobtail insurance, own cargo insurance, but pull someone else's trailers. Then there are true owner operators, they have their own truck, own trailer, own registration, own authority, own bobtail insurance, own trailer insurance, own cargo insurance, and use either another carrier or a broker to find them the loads, or in some rare cases they find their own loads.

Option A they offer, hell, they hard sell to every rookie straight out of CDL school, option B is often something you find in the intermodal portion of trucking. Option C is something you see very common in intermodal, and with a lot of mega fleets. Option D is a true owner operate.

$5K full injector job???? That's cheap, was it Rafeal's Fly by Night Truck service? Last in injector job on my Mack was $8,500, with $6,000 that being parts, unless they did the work themselves. I guarantee you it affected him, no one, I don't care how deductible it is, enjoys dropping $5,000 for a repair. Wait until that repair is a $10,000 in frame, when you're in the middle of nowhere, in addition to a $5,000 tow bill. I know an O/O that it happened to a few years back, he had a overhead done in Barstow, heading towards Denver, just before the state line the truck died. $5,000 tow bill, he finds out the didn't do the overhead correctly, the motor was jacked and now needed an in-frame. First he dropped $1,500 for the overhead, now he's got a $1,300 tow bill, and a $10,000 in-frame, that he has to pay for and then fight someone else to get the $10,000 reimbursed. Oh, and he was under a load. Now he's calling his brokers, begging the shop to work correctly AND faster, hoping to not loose more money. In the end, he was 3 days late delivering the load, spent $300 for a hotel for 4 nights and extra food, the broker deducted $1,000 from the load for it being 3 days late, and he still had to fight with someone to reimburse for that $13,000 tow bill and repair. That's what it means to be an Owner operator. You don't just walk in, someone hand you the keys, and away you go. You better have a small bank account setup ahead of time.

One of my friends just went full-time Owner Operator, own authority, everything. 2014 Volvo 780 w/136,800 miles on the clock, 2012 Great Dane spread axle reefer with aero kit, his monthly truck/trailer payment is $3,200. He put $10K down on the combination, and still had another $10K in the savings before he found his first load. Where do you think your first month's fuel is coming from? You first month's truck payments (he lucked out and doesn't have a payment due till Jan.)? He runs 4 bank accounts to handle different aspects of the business. He started in the business in 2003, drove local for 4 yrs, got a divorce, went OTR for 8 yrs before deciding to pull the trigger. Oh, and this doesn't get him to Canada, and he's technically not Cali legal because he reefer isn't new enough.


----------



## Frontier Guy (Dec 27, 2015)

crowsandcats said:


> What are good (non-cynical) websites/forums to learn more about working as a local/regional trucker? I don't want to work OTR. Period, but it seems all local ads want at least 12 months of experience. I assume I just need to approach small local companies after graduating, and ask to speak to their HR in person.


www.truckersreport.com

You will get every side of it, the good, the bad, the ugly, the indifferent, the lies, the truth, the half truth and the half lies. Truthfully, if you don't want OTR, talk to a local CDL school, ask if they work with local companies, many do, and can help place you locally. In most cases you will start bottom of the barrel.


----------



## DrivingZiggy (Jun 4, 2016)

Good luck finding a $10,000 in-frame! In most places it's ~double that price these days.


----------



## Frontier Guy (Dec 27, 2015)

DrivingZiggy said:


> Good luck finding a $10,000 in-frame! In most places it's ~double that price these days.


I checked around on that one, I got numbers from $7,000 to $20,000 depending on the motor and what parts do or don't need replaced, as well as the reputation of the shop.


----------



## crowsandcats (Sep 17, 2015)

Thanks. Yeah, I'm about to sign up through an accredited program through the local community college, because I'm elibible to use state lottery funds. It's a nine week program (about 280 hours). I talked to a local driver the other day. He said he got his local CDL-A job straight out of the same program. He didn't have any other commercial driving experience prior to that. So, those gigs are out there. I know a lot depends on the region too. I drove nine months non-cdl about 2-3 hours each way with 2-5 stops per day at my last job, so I would assume there's similar gigs where I could just go from one side of the state to the other, make a drop, come back, clock out and go home. Nonetheless, the insurance is a factor. I wonder how people get around that when hiring recent grads.

Otherwise, I was thinking about heading to the Bakken when they turn that back on. There were companies that would hire recent grads to haul water or crude. If things ever boom again (it looks like they will) that will probably be the case.


----------



## crowsandcats (Sep 17, 2015)

Frontier Guy said:


> www.truckersreport.com
> 
> You will get every side of it, the good, the bad, the ugly, the indifferent, the lies, the truth, the half truth and the half lies. Truthfully, if you don't want OTR, talk to a local CDL school, ask if they work with local companies, many do, and can help place you locally. In most cases you will start bottom of the barrel.


Thanks. Yeah, I'm about to sign up through an accredited program through the local community college, because I'm elibible to use state lottery funds. It's a nine week program (about 280 hours). I talked to a local driver the other day. He said he got his local CDL-A job straight out of the same program. He didn't have any other commercial driving experience prior to that. So, those gigs are out there. I know a lot depends on the region too. I drove nine months non-cdl about 2-3 hours each way with 2-5 stops per day at my last job, so I would assume there's similar gigs where I could just go from one side of the state to the other, make a drop, come back, clock out and go home. Nonetheless, the insurance is a factor. I wonder how people get around that when hiring recent grads.

Otherwise, I was thinking about heading to the Bakken when they turn that back on. There were companies that would hire recent grads to haul water or crude. If things ever boom again (it looks like they will) that will probably be the case.


----------



## Frontier Guy (Dec 27, 2015)

Bakken jobs are good, expect to work 70+ hrs per week, I know lots of guys who've done it, I've seen the posts online. Illegal hours are not uncommon, but the money is good, without exp. they will expect you to work it without complaint, or someone else will. It may turn back on, but it's not going to be quickly.


----------

