Profile For Heavy C

First off welcome. You will find not only good advice here but it will be real and not sugar coated.

Let's start with the WE thing. Yes they have a bad reputation. And it's not entirely unwarranted. They churn out a lot of drivers in a short amount of time and many of them end up making lots of mistakes. A lot of this is because they'll take people other companies wouldn't touch. The bad safety rating could be from many things though. Whether that's just bad training or just drivers that don't put a lot of effort into staying safe. So while you will end up carrying that rep with you that doesn't mean you have to contribute to the problem.

So to help you along let's start with the basics. Don't sacrifice safety for making good time. In fact don't sacrifice safety for anything. Yes you'll want to make a good impression with your dispatcher, and that will come with time. But you can't become a great driver with a great reputation of your own of you keep hitting things. In fact everything will come with time.

Don't be afraid to question things while you're training. You'll learn more the more you question. If they ever ask you to perform a function without telling you why, ask them to explain why. It's not being condescending or rude. Now if you start questioning things they've already explained, then yeah you're trainer will probably start to dislike you.

Just remember that you're not going to know everything about being a truck driver after you're done schooling. You also won't know everything after you finish with your trainer. No becoming a truck driver takes time AND effort. Focus on your job. Be professional. Be safe. Be humble. Most drivers here will tell you that this career can humble you real quick.

I wish you the best and remember to keep checking in here with any questions.

So there's a few things I learned early on doing p&d. First is Big Truck, Big Road. Interstates, US Routes, and numbered state roads are usually always the first and best options. Second never trust a GPS. Always check them then double check the route it wants you to take. Google Earth is a great tool because you can put eyes on the road itself. It's not fool proof by any stretch but it's a good source. Third is GOAL. Just like you would get out and look before backing, also get out and look at any area you want to turn around in. Pull over, throw the hazards on and go walk around the site. Get a lay of the land and try and identify any hazard before committing to turn in. Fourth is don't be afraid of local police for help. I found myself on a road in Princeton NJ that I absolutely shouldn't have been on at a bridge that looked older than dirt. I pulled over and called the local PD. The officer came out and I explained the situation. He proceeded to escort me through town to help me avoid any other problems. Trust me they would rather you stop and ask for help before you start tearing up their town.

Just remember be the captain. If something doesn't look right or feel right, just stop. Give yourself a minute to figure out the correct course of school before you put yourself in a situation you can't get out of.

I'll say this. I wouldn't say your career as a truck driver is over necessarily. You just made everything a whole lot harder though.

You committed one of the cardinal sins in this business by not listening to your body and getting the rest you needed. Fatigue is one of the biggest issues we face as drivers. In this instance you got lucky and only went into a ditch and damaged property. Next time it could be a family.

I get it though. You have the pressure of not wanting to disappoint your new company. You want to become one of their most reliable drivers. Plus couple that with the pressures of being on the road for the first time. There's a lot thrown at you. But this is the time that it's most important that you know you are the captain of your ship. If you're tired, shut it down. The weather is terrible, **** it down. Safety has to be your number one priority at all times.

I leave you with this. Keep applying to any and all companies. Doesn't matter if it's local or OTR. Be honest about the accident on every application and at any interview you may get. Tell them not only why it happened but why you'll never let it happen again. You may or may not get another chance but don't give up on it yet.

Good luck.

Hi Emma and welcome.

I appreciate your willingness to go get it done. However you're going to be very limited on what you'll be able to do. With zero experience and not being able to drive intrastate will really set you back.

I would start with some research. Talk to the school if they have relationships with any companies that would take you on. Also go out and ask. If you see a truck going down the road with a local town name on the door call them. Try and set yourself up with options before committing the money.

If your ultimate goal is OTR I would spend the next couple years saving and researching companies that will pay for your training and get you on the road right after. Best of luck on your journey.

If we're being completely honest here DUI/OUI is one of those offenses that is really a killer for this industry. Unless it's very old (10+ years) then you're likely not to find many places willing to hire. Other offenses will likely depend of the type of crime committed. But even then most won't hire with felonies.

Really the only company I've heard of touching records like this would be Western Express. I know through people I worked with that they actually train people straight out of prison. Now mind you it's not a great gig in the beginning. Inconsistent work and a very short leash. The equipment is not very well taken care of and have a generally terrible FMCSA score, so they tend to get picked on at the weigh stations.

In the end getting a CDL is never a bad thing and there's nothing that says a local dump truck contractor or small mom and pop company wouldn't give them a shot.

Sure seems like you may have answered you own question. You have a plan and the future doesn't seem to involve trucking. You've developed a good relationship with your current company and you don't seem to have any issues with them. One thing I've learned about this industry is the grass isn't always greener. In fact most of the time you'll find you would have had it better if you just stayed where you were.

Being able to take my kids with me is the best benefit. It makes the day way easier. They don't even say are we there yet when riding along.

These were taken a few days apart during break.

LTL companies like OD typically are quite hard to get into without experience. There's a good reason for that though. They mainly only offer two types of positions. Line haul or P&D. Local work, even in a day cab can be quite a bit more difficult than OTR. You're constantly driving in tight conditions and backing into areas that are less than ideal for a tractor trailer. Food service is another part of the industry that will often take new drivers. They often advertise great pay but the work load and driving conditions are often not worth it.

I speak from experience as I started my career in a day cab and refused to go OTR. I paid for my own CDL at a local tech school. Like you I didn't want to be away from my wife and kids that long. I was able to make it work but I had many challenges and made mistakes along the way.

The general consensus is that you have to "pay your dues" with some sort of OTR gig and really learn how to handle the truck in many different environments. After that, as long as you've kept a good service record and clean driving record, the opportunities for something closer to home should start to open up. That said though I encourage anyone to try and find a company and career path that works for them. Your family should be you priority. If trucking could put your relationships at risk than it may not be worth it.

Was onboarding for you same as an otr driver?

Yes. The onboarding process is really just to see if you pre trip and drive the truck like they want you to. Your domicile is really the determining factor on whether you run OTR or Turn.

Hi AC and welcome. First let me start by saying it's never a bad time to get your CDL. While most people mainly think of the big OTR trucking companies there's so many opportunities that can open up with a clean CDL both nationally and locally. From dump truck to food and beverage to cross country. Getting your CDL is a great path to take especially when you're not sure what path your on for your life.

Secondly on your point to on the "crashing" of this industry. No that's not really something of huge concern. One reason is because this industry is always going through UPS and downs. And while tariffs could affect some things there's the counter point of companies losing a lot of drivers because of the English requirements being enforced. Then some people may talk about technology and self driving trucks. While some jobs in the future may be effected there's still going to be lots of jobs self driving trucks can't replace. Or at least won't replace for a long time IMO.

I would say that those companies you've mentioned could be great starting points for a career in trucking. Remember to always have a positive attitude and keep safety as a top priority and you'll do great. It's not always easy but it's rewarding.

Best of luck