Comments By Ryan B.

Well it's good that you've at least had some exposure to the cold climates, and thanks for the link brett ill look into that, and I also have had similar experiences as you have pete, everytime I go to take the jump I get offered better money where I am, just as now I am looking into it again, I applied as a yard horse at my current job, but they put me in the warehouse stacking pallets,but I needed the job so I took it, but now that I am looking to leave I am just about to get an extra 1.10 per hour, plus .01 per box, which adds up quite nicely, but all things considered, I have three kids and possibly a 4th on the way, I don't want to leave them for days and weeks at a time but in the end after a year or so I will have a cdl and a experience, so I would be able to get a more local job, everywhere you look there are trucks with ads on the back looking for drivers, if you hold a cdl you can always have a job,

this is definitely a career better suited for someone without kids and a wife, but I am tired of the struggle and am ready for a career, people do it married with kids all the time,

I also just saw that northern florida is even going to be seeing windchills in the single digits, this is a very crazy time for weather and I pray that all on the road make it through this cold front, as a child I idolized many people as we all do, but what most people don't realize is that truckers are some of the toughest people on the planet, they go through the worst of weather, deal with the worst of drivers, worst of bosses, the list goes on but I guess that's why people always "keep on truckin" when things get hard in life

Also not sure if you came across this or not but a good read about company-paid training

The Boot Camp Known As Company-Sponsored Training

I have been reading this post a couple days now, I am also looking into knight, so came across this, which has been very helpful, definitely a lot of info being passed, I didn't even know where to begin looking at companies until this post

I saw somewhere that knight has a 7/7 option? if this is true then im definitely a lot more interested,

it is great to see people so ambitious and/or dedicated to the career, Pete looks like so far you have found a pretty good match, hopefully you've spent at least SOME time out of Florida, I live in Wisconsin but came up from Arizona, and wow the cold weather is brutal, I saw -6 for Monday on here, they actually already cancelled my kids' school here due to it being a projected temp of -22 with up to -52 with windchill, so that is another thing that will be hard to prepare yourself for,, well try to anyway nothing really prepares you,

as far as the cold weather one thing I like to do is use the hand warmers, and attach them to my kidneys, since the kidney filter your blood if you keep heat on them, they will act like a hot water heater and spread warmer blood through your body, even sometimes all the way to your fingers

well good luck to all out on the road (new and seasoned) -stay safe-

Ha! found it nevermind last post

Also a little off subject, but is there any way to get this western star off as my pick and put a nice truck up there, I noticed that thing on there and about died lol

Thanks Old School, these are things that have been keeping me a little distant from the profession, I work at a distribution center at the moment, and previously as well, my current job is ten hour days, which is not too bad, the previous one was mandatory 72 hr weeks, which was hard enough, but I switched jobs as I was told I would be hired as yard horse, where the training is provided, and no cdl is requires as the company owns all surrounding roads except, which I would not be allowed to cross, but instead they put me in the warehouse, stacking pallets, the current position is great workout but nowhere near the position I applied for, this is very discouraging to me and also another reason for resparking my interest in the career, I DEFINATELY want my cdl and if I have to take an otr job for a year as you stated to get it paid for I would have very little choice in the matter, then get a job at one of the sand mines or concrete truck or similar, I have experience with towtrucks firetrucks and boxtrucks, but when you hold a cdl the job market is much much higher, and I am just very tired of just scraping by and not having the means to give them what they want in life

Ok so I have been rolling this over in my head for years now, and realize that the longer I don't get on the road the more I kick myself for it, I love to drive, I have always loved to drive, all my life if there was something that I had an opportunity to drive I HAD to drive it, I have always loved the peterbilt 379 extended hood with the round headlights and dreamt of driving one for a living, I have driven many many different types of vehicles, only to go back to not just wanting but itching to drive the real deal,

unfortunately life doesn't make things as easy as just go to the school and do it, not only I there the financial dilemma, BUT I am now 26 years old and have 3 kids, 1 turning 10 soon, 1 is 6, and 1 is turning 3 soon, and might even possibly have the 4th on the way,

from what I have seen there are several companies with the option to get the financial part taken care one way or another, the hard part is- are there any companies that have a reasonable amount of hometime? again funds are an issue to work in as well, but mainly I have not been away from my 3yr old for more than 2 days ever

any input would be great thank you very much in advance

I am glad someone posted this already, I am in a serious conflict on whether or not I would like to be otr, I know for sure I want my cdl, but have carried a gun most of my life, and was curious about the subject as well, this is bad news for me as I have already been put in the unfortunate situation where if I had not been armed I would not be here today, there are thos times in life where unfortunately a tire thumper just wont work when they have 12 of them and only one of you, but the wasp spray I have heard before, my wife (gun hater) likes this alternative, and I have seen news postings where it has been very effective in the past, so I would recommend this as the next best thing

also tasers are illegal in many places, in Wisconsin the charge for an unlawful taser is a class c felony, where unlawful conceal carry is class b misdemeanor,

whatever you have to do to defend yourselves out there be safe, and always alert, it's hard enough out there for you guys, hopefully you never have the added situation of needing a gun in order to see tomorrow