desertdog71
Girthy Member
Since all of my PM's revolve around people wanting to get into trucking or asking about it.
Here is the deal.
If you want to get into the business, do not waste your money and go to some community college or driving school and plop down the money for training.
My suggestion is to sign on with a company that does training and requires you to do a training contract. Your school will be paid for, provided you stay with that company for the duration of the contract. Those run 12-18 months.
There are several "training" companies and most of them suck in one way or another. My personal opinion is that if you want to go this route, go to Schneider National. They are nation wide, have terminals and places to train all over the country. They will teach you properly and they don't suck near as bad as other places after you are trained.
Point 2. All these "training" companies suck. So do your time, keep your mouth shut, and move on after your contract is up.
Point 3. Do NOT get sucked into a lease purchase program. This is where you lease/purchase a tractor from the company and then you operate like an owner/operator. I will simply say that YOU WILL FAIL. Without the experience you are ill prepared for the realities of business ownership. If you are versed in business ownership, you ought to know better than to lease purchase a truck. These programs exist to prey on the uneducated and those with crap credit. If your credit sucks, don't try to be a business owner. I will not go further into this, just don't do it.
Point 4. If you think your regional jet jock job is tough and your QOL sucks, you are a pansy ass and ill equipped to handle trucking. Freight dogs that work 12-15 hour days and sleep in hangars have a better idea of the suck you will face in trucking. You will be gone 14-21 days minimum, you will get one day off for 7 on the road, you go to bed and wake up at your job. You will be over regulated and ass raped by every state in the union if your • isn't 100% in order, you will be mistreated by shippers, receivers, other drivers, the waitress at the truckcstop and everyone else you meet. You will not exercise, not be able to eat healthy, gain weight, probably get diabetes and croak by the time you reach 61. Yes 61 is the average life expectancy of a truck driver.
Point 5. Over 90% of people that get into this business are out of it in less than a year.
Point 6. If that all sounds awesome to you and you are in good shape, learn to do something specialized like flatbed work. Flatbed work pays really good about 3-4 years down the road when you buy a truck and work for yourself.
Now you have a small snapshot of what it is, and how to get into it.
Now also understand that I clear about $1500 a week as an owner/operator and I will give it all up tomorrow for a $35K a year flying gig. Money comes and goes, and its not that difficult to make if you are willing to work. In October, once my final truck payment is made, I am selling the truck and going back to aviation with adequate savings this time to be able to survive the first two years.
Best of luck to you all.
Here is the deal.
If you want to get into the business, do not waste your money and go to some community college or driving school and plop down the money for training.
My suggestion is to sign on with a company that does training and requires you to do a training contract. Your school will be paid for, provided you stay with that company for the duration of the contract. Those run 12-18 months.
There are several "training" companies and most of them suck in one way or another. My personal opinion is that if you want to go this route, go to Schneider National. They are nation wide, have terminals and places to train all over the country. They will teach you properly and they don't suck near as bad as other places after you are trained.
Point 2. All these "training" companies suck. So do your time, keep your mouth shut, and move on after your contract is up.
Point 3. Do NOT get sucked into a lease purchase program. This is where you lease/purchase a tractor from the company and then you operate like an owner/operator. I will simply say that YOU WILL FAIL. Without the experience you are ill prepared for the realities of business ownership. If you are versed in business ownership, you ought to know better than to lease purchase a truck. These programs exist to prey on the uneducated and those with crap credit. If your credit sucks, don't try to be a business owner. I will not go further into this, just don't do it.
Point 4. If you think your regional jet jock job is tough and your QOL sucks, you are a pansy ass and ill equipped to handle trucking. Freight dogs that work 12-15 hour days and sleep in hangars have a better idea of the suck you will face in trucking. You will be gone 14-21 days minimum, you will get one day off for 7 on the road, you go to bed and wake up at your job. You will be over regulated and ass raped by every state in the union if your • isn't 100% in order, you will be mistreated by shippers, receivers, other drivers, the waitress at the truckcstop and everyone else you meet. You will not exercise, not be able to eat healthy, gain weight, probably get diabetes and croak by the time you reach 61. Yes 61 is the average life expectancy of a truck driver.
Point 5. Over 90% of people that get into this business are out of it in less than a year.
Point 6. If that all sounds awesome to you and you are in good shape, learn to do something specialized like flatbed work. Flatbed work pays really good about 3-4 years down the road when you buy a truck and work for yourself.
Now you have a small snapshot of what it is, and how to get into it.
Now also understand that I clear about $1500 a week as an owner/operator and I will give it all up tomorrow for a $35K a year flying gig. Money comes and goes, and its not that difficult to make if you are willing to work. In October, once my final truck payment is made, I am selling the truck and going back to aviation with adequate savings this time to be able to survive the first two years.
Best of luck to you all.
