Comments By Walker

I've got some more useful ideas for the thread until I can document my actual job experience. I've already covered some basic concepts of LTL trucking, viz. the two basic jobs (linehaul and P&D), their schedules and job descriptions, and important information like extraboard / flexboard and how that relates to seniority. I'm now going to provide a list of LTL companies for anybody interested in employment, including direct links to their websites. And yes, my company is included in this list ;)

LTL Trucking Company List

ABF Freight

PItt Ohio

YRC Freight

Old Dominion Freight Line

Conway-Freight

NEMF (New England Motor Freight)

New Penn

Holland

UPSF (UPS Freight)

Fed Ex

SAIA

There are plenty more, but these are some major players. I'm sure I left some major players out. And while I think Trucking Truth is one of the best trucking forums on the world wide web, here is another forum that specializes just on LTL for drivers. Trucking Boards

Awesome thread! I have no trucking experience or even a CDL yet. I do know that eventually I want to drive for Fedex or UPSF though. Thanks for the insight!

I am originally from Texas. But I was stationed at Fort Riley, KS for a few years....lol Kansas was one of the most boring places I have ever been. It's tied with Nebraska lol...if these wasn't any signs you wouldn't know you had left Nebraska....my brother is going to college in Crete,NE. Kansas was the first place I ever experienced a blizzard...lol

So I am killing time at the truck stop in Lebanon Junction, KY when I look up and see a car on fire....I just drove past that car on the way in here and it looked fine....being a firefighter I went to check on the people only to get to watch the local FD put it out....man I pass by here all the time....what's some of the crazy things y'all see on the road? I am killing time here at the truck stop until 5:30....lol and it's 11:30..come say hi if you pass through

Unless those drivers are "Problem Drivers" whine and complain about everything. I never heard a of a driver from Roehl getting paid that low. There's more to the story than what they are saying.

I am willing to bet thats the case. I know a former flatbed driver for Roehl who only drove for them two years. He was making around $50-60K a year. He ran hard though and was good at his job. He left to take a job at home so he could be home more often.

my last job I made 750-1000 a week after taxes. Unfortunately,I was naive and I signed some stupid legal agreement that says I will not work for another competitor for at least 2 years...

Now that's the wild card in this whole thing. Can you land a good paying job once that two years has passed? How long until that happens? Did that agreement cover doing subcontract work also or does that agreement only pertain to you being an employee of one of their competitors? You might have a loophole to work with. You might also speak with your former company about releasing you from that agreement because of your circumstances.

It included any form of HVAC work. I cannot even sell the stuff even though I only worked install/Maintenance. And unless I have schooling I probably will not find work. They trained their own guys. Thats the only way I got hired between that and my veteran status. I am not a mechanically inclined person. 90% of my job experience is medical, EMS, Military, or retail and food service.

Thanks for all the replies!!! Unfortunately, I probably could not continue after the 2 year agreement just because it was my first job in that field. It was HVAC. I did alright in it but I just wasn't happy and I think it started to reflect on my work. As far as the job opportunity at 22K a year....well I would HAVE to get medical insurance due to my daughter having some medical issues and their medical insurance was around $800 a month. After medical thats around $12K a year before taxes....there is no way I can support my family on that. Unfortunately my options were either me, or me and my spouse, or my whole family. They would not just let me do my daughter or me and my daughter due to me being married. They also had little to no possibility of OT....on the plus side we are prepared and ready to get started. Just have to decide on a company. As far as a support system, our church is very supportive and we would have some child care. My parents will also be in the area till November. I am excited to get into this career. I feel like I can finally get somewhere financially and maybe save some for school. I am excited for what lies ahead and I hope to see you all on the road!

I do not have a CDL yet, nor do I drive for Roehl(Yet), but If they are averaging $230 week then they are doing something seriously wrong.....especially for Roehl. I have never heard anything bad about them. lol

@ Guy: Exactly my issue...my last job I made 750-1000 a week after taxes. Unfortunately,I was naive and I signed some stupid legal agreement that says I will not work for another competitor for at least 2 years...

@ Starcar: Exactly, No offense to my wife, but I have been a FT dad, FT worker at atleast two jobs, and FT college student for nearly two years and it is rough...my wife has not had to work in almost 3 years and I am pretty much the one that has tried taking the stress off of her so she can finish school. Unfortunately, doing this has taken a toll on me and now I am stuck in a tough spot...I almost feel like a bad parent for saying I want to do trucking...

@ Mad Hatter: That does make sense!

@ Josh E. : Yeah she only has one year of nursing school left and then we are moving back to Wisconsin. I want to do flatbed but I really just want the most miles. I like Central because you see more of the country, or so it seems. I was looking at those home time programs and while they are great I am worried I wont bring in enough to support my family. According to both companies my home time would be around 11-14 days out and 2-4 days at home..However, that is not anything but simple hearsay at this point..

Hey guys, I have had such a horrible last few weeks....dealing with multiple deaths of close friends coupled with losing my job and then hearing about Roehl falling through.....I now have an opportunity to drive for Roehl and Central Refrigerated but I have also been offered a job making $22K a year to start and coming home to my wife and daughter every night...I would be making half of what I would if I went into trucking...Have you guys had to deal with this? I want to do trucking so bad and kind of always have. Something about those big trucks just amazes me as well as the amazing people that are in that field! I cannot decide if I should take a low paying job and sleep in my own bed every night and be off at 3:30 every day or sign up and jump into the game and get going with trucking. My wife does not work, unfortunately, and is a full time student..my daughter is 19 months old and is incredibly attached. It is a lot harder for me to jump into the field with a little one...it was just me and my wife when I was in the Army and honestly, it was just easier on us. Trucking and everything about trucking seems awesome to me, the good and bad, and it is so appealing...How did you guys handle it when faced with this decision? What would you do in my situation? My wife does not want me to go into trucking but she supports it. I am real scatterbrained because I was not expecting to even get a job offer after being out of work for over a month...I just figured I was going to get into trucking and I was getting my home life straight before I leave...now that its all straightened out I suddenly have a job offer...I need guidance or advice or opinions...I don't get offended. So be honest...I have asked my wife's opinion and she didn't help at all...I have not got anything other than "do what makes you happy"....honestly what makes me happy is paying the bills and bringing home enough money so that my wife does not have to worry about working while she is being a mom and going to nursing school...