Truck Driving

I would like to say that there is a wealth of knowledge and experience on this board. I enjoy reading most of the responses given to any and all questions.
I know that some of you have experience in truck driving. I am seriously considering getting my CDL and beginning a career in truck driving.
I am in my mid 30's with a family. My questions are: Is this a career where I can jump in and make enough money to support a family? Will I ever see that family that I am supporting? What are some of the questions I should ask of potential employers? What are the pitfalls to be aware of?
We do not live extravagantly and I am not looking to get rich, but would like to be able to pay the bills and have a little left over to play with.
Thanks for any advice for this "lurker".

If you drive OTR, learn to carry a cooler and eat cheaply. You don't eat three meals a day at a restaurant now, don't do it if you drive OTR. Keep track of your expenses and make certain you're reimbursed for company related expenses like tolls and scale receipts.

In today's world, driving illegally (like I used to do) would be a scary proposition because of the liability involved. An at fault accident when you've been driving too long and you're looking at jail time.

Overall the potential to make money is there. Normally you can't make the money if you're not driving, but many companies are attempting to offer opportunities to be home more often.

If you like a lot of time by yourself, trucking may be for you. If you are a social animal, probably not.

Think long and hard about it. I also used to be a director of recruiting for a trucking company so I know a little about things from that angle.

Drop me an e-mail and I'd be glad to discuss things more if you like.

Tim

While there are many ways for a company to get over on new drivers it would take more space than available here to show you the pitfalls.

The common man and woman that drives a car or pickup either does not know about how trucks work or they are in to much of a rush to be considerate of you so it makes for some interesting days when driving in the city.

Do not know what you call good money but most class A drivers start at 40,000 a year (city) and go up from there (over the road). But you need to subtract the fact that most meals will be eaten at a restaurant when on the road so it cost more to eat.

City jobs where you are home daily can be harder to find with no experience so you will be gone a lot at first. You can increase your chances of getting a city job by doing things others would rather not do like hauling gasoline to stations; but here again the new guy usually works nights and sleeps days when everyone else is awake.

If you really want to be a driver get use to the fact that every thing is the truck drivers fault. The car runs into you but yet it is the truck drivers fault.

Your actions on the job will affect your personal money. You get a speeding ticket in the truck and your car insurance goes up.

While I have supported my family for years I love to drive. And that love to drive is what keeps you in a truck for years. If it is just another job to make a pay check you will never last.

My advise is go to trade school and be a plumber or a A/C repair man. Have you seen what those guys charge????? ????? ?

Growing up, my father was a charter motorcaoch driver. Spent 30 years on the road. He always said that driving a bus was a little easier, beucase they always loaded themselves.

HOWEVER... As someone else mentioned... He was hardly ever home. There were no baseball games, no fishing trips, and anytime he had vacation time, he wanted to stay home and rest, because he was on the road all the time. I loved my father for all the miles he put in to support his family, but I rarely saw him. Don't do that to your kids. If you want to be around to watch them grow up, I'd stay out of the trucks.

If you are hot to drive. Many want part time drivers mostly week ends. Give this a try while you have a steady pay day during the week.

Common thread message by all is a BIG NO.

I graduated from high school in June of 1960 and two weeks later I was driving trucks interstate. I drove local and long distance for 10 years, then I went to work for a teamster LTL carrier. I retired in 2003 with a very good pension. I have been in 49 states and parts of Canada. I was very lucky to not have been involved in any major accidents, but I have see my share of them.

Having said all that, I would tell you to RUN, NOT WALK away from anything that looks like a truck. As others have said, between the hours, D.O.T, Cops, Dispatchers, Scales, Cell phones, traffic, Haz-Mat requirements, lousey roads, bad customer dock help, and not being home sometimes when your family needs you. The good old days of truck driving is long gone.

If you can make a reasonably good living in another profession, I would tell you to not become a truck driver. MHO.

Take it from someone who has had a family into the trucking business. And a brother who continues to be a truck driver although it has pretty much ruined his life.

Save yourself from the worst job on earth.

You'd never see your kids because you'd have to be working your arse off 24/7. You'll die at a young age.

That must of been way after my time then. I drove a 69 Freightliner COE, no A/C, no power steering, no cruise control, no air ride.

I typically left home on Sunday afternoons, drove all night, waited half the day to unload in 90 degree heat with no A/C, beat it to the nearest pay phone to get on the board, ended up settling on a crappy low pay load, missing most if not all the days meals, drinking warm water out of my thermos, stealing a 30 minute nap while some towmotor jockey loaded my trailer, and drove my butt off all night for the next drop. Maybe stopping at the oasis to get a quick shower once a week. I smelled sweet by the end of the week!!!

Think he still wants to be Sonny Pruitt????

The guys makeing long runs make better money but are not home much.

• Hobby farm

Nowdays I hear of guys making around 60k but are on the road constantly to make that money. Maybe on the road for a month stretch.

If I ever go back to truckin it'll probably be pulling a dump trailer locally so I'll be home daily.

I wouldn't work for any company that didn't have "no touch" freight. I heard about companies like Werner who deliver to stores like Dollar General. They'll take driving school graduates who don't know any better. I used to get stuck with "LTL" freight once in awhile that might end up at the corner drug store in "Bugtussle" USA which often resulted in backing out of dead end streets with a 48' trailer in the middle of the night. Then bust my butt to get to another drop where I'd never been before. No cell phones, Qualcomm or nothin to make it easy then. Dedicated routes are better in my opinion but I've been away from it too long to really help with that issue. I did irregular route my entire trucking career.

Don't sign up with a company that won't reimburse your driving school expenses. I learned by the seat of my pants and never dealt with driving schools and such. My father-in-law just put me behind the wheel and told me how to double clutch and that's what I done.