Thinking Of A Trucking Career

Topic 11401 | Page 1

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Jason B.'s Comment
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I've been thinking about a trucking career and over the last few weeks I've done a lot of research and answered most of the questions myself. How ever I still have some. What trucking companys are good for new drivers ? This seems to be an issue it seems to be confusing so many different reviews and comments. Not even sure if its all true. Also I'm overweight and have been working on this I have passed a DOT physical before. But is being overweight going to keep me from getting hired? I just don't want to commit myself to this and be stuck with no Job. Big Trucks aren't foreign to at all I've sold parts for them before. So I know my way around them. I'm just looking for something new and different. Hopefully some of you can have some advice for me and answer some questions. Thanks for you help

DOT:

Department Of Transportation

A department of the federal executive branch responsible for the national highways and for railroad and airline safety. It also manages Amtrak, the national railroad system, and the Coast Guard.

State and Federal DOT Officers are responsible for commercial vehicle enforcement. "The truck police" you could call them.

G-Town's Comment
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Welcome Jason! The following links will assist you in making your decision. All of the companies represented in the trucking company link are well equipped to hire and road train entry level drivers.

Truck Driver's Career Guide

Brett's Book

Truck Driving Schools

Company-Sponsored Training

How To Choose A School

Trucking Companies

How To Choose A Company

As you get further into the process Trucking Truth's High Road Training Program is designed to prepare you for getting your CDL permit. If you look at the top of the web page you can access additional information by clicking on any of the buttons.

Let us know what else we can do to help. Good luck!

CDL:

Commercial Driver's License (CDL)

A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:

  • Any combination of vehicles with a gross combined weight rating (GCWR) of 26,001 or more pounds, providing the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of the vehicle being towed is in excess of 10,000 pounds.
  • Any single vehicle with a GVWR of 26,001 or more pounds, or any such vehicle towing another not in excess of 10,000 pounds.
  • Any vehicle, regardless of size, designed to transport 16 or more persons, including the driver.
  • Any vehicle required by federal regulations to be placarded while transporting hazardous materials.

Company-sponsored Training:

A Company-Sponsored Training Program is a school that is owned and operated by a trucking company.

The schooling often requires little or no money up front. Instead of paying up-front tuition you will sign an agreement to work for the company for a specified amount of time after graduation, usually around a year, at a slightly lower rate of pay in order to pay for the training.

If you choose to quit working for the company before your year is up, they will normally require you to pay back a prorated amount of money for the schooling. The amount you pay back will be comparable to what you would have paid if you went to an independently owned school.

Company-sponsored training can be an excellent way to get your career underway if you can't afford the tuition up front for private schooling.

OWI:

Operating While Intoxicated

OOS:

When a violation by either a driver or company is confirmed, an out-of-service order removes either the driver or the vehicle from the roadway until the violation is corrected.

Jason B.'s Comment
member avatar

I have been on this site reading and I also ordered Bett's book and should have it soon to read. And I have checked out the companies that are listed on this site. But I have come across A lot of bad reviews. Its hard to find anything good about them. But I also take into consideration that some people didn't take the time to properly do research. And fall for the smoke and mirror show that some schools offer. And just look at the money not the complete LIFESTYLE that trucking is. Which is why im hear now going to the actual people that are in the Business. Asking my questions to you guys

Old School's Comment
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Jason, welcome to the forum - we're really glad you are here. Feel free to bombard us with any and all questions you have. We will do our best to shoot straight with ya, and hopefully help you make a good start.

My philosophy is that you will make this job what you want it to be by your work ethic and willingness to push through what ever difficulties arise to hinder you. As far as which companies are "good" I consider them all to be trucking companies - they've all got the same issues, because they are all trying to do the same thing, move freight from point A to point B.

So many people jump into this career with false assumptions based on foolish reports and notions that they have picked up from internet "review sites". Have you ever noticed how 99% of the people who post reviews are people who are dissatisfied in an extreme way? That in itself should be a big red flag to any thinking person. This business of being able to be anonymous, and being hidden behind a keyboard, has emboldened a bunch of people, who are generally failures at most things they attempt, to lay the blame for their ineptitude at the feet of "big greedy trucking magnates who are still practicing slavery in their business models".

What I'm trying to say is choose a company that you seem to like, and then get out there and prove yourself to them. Don't be looking for them to prove themselves to you - that is the current trend of thinking and it is so backwards that is a huge reason for the current 100% turn over rate in trucking. They don't have anything to prove - if you take a look at the walls of the offices of almost any trucking company that is being unfairly slammed on the internet you will find photos of drivers who have been there for ten and twenty years and put in millions of miles safely and very productively. Those guys didn't do that because it was a "good company" - they accomplished that because they were "good" drivers.

Don't take me wrong, I'm not getting on to you for your question. I just like to point things out like this not only for you, but also for the many others who will read this later on. Your willingness to succeed and your drive to excel are the main ingredients for your success at this career. So don't worry so much about whose name is on the doors of the truck. I spent the first eighteen months of my career at a trucking company whose reputation is absolutely in the gutter by all internet review accounts, you couldn't ask for a company with more disparaging remarks against it. I excelled there, was always in the top group of drivers for productivity, and made some very good money despite the fact that their pay rate was very low. I'm not trying to toot my own horn, but rather the truth that you are the driving factor of your success at this. Any company out there who has a really hard working dependable driver who knows how to "git er done" will do all they can to keep that driver moving and satisfied. I have since moved on to a different company, but it wasn't because I thought the other guys were scumbags. I received a much better offer and I took advantage of that offer. That's the way it works - you prove yourself first, then you will find the doors of opportunity opening up to you.

One of the biggest problems with getting started in this career is the sheer difficulty of getting oneself accustomed to all the many consequences of your own decisions and choices while out there on the road. It is tricky to say the least to get the hang of all this stuff during the first six months of doing this. People end up with negative consequences due to some of their own poor choices or decisions as to how to handle their job or manage their time. It is not easy breaking into this career. New drivers will inevitably make some bad choices while on the road. It is important to recognize when you make a mistake and learn from it. Your driver manager will come to depend on you and treat you really well if you are a dependable driver. People tend to give up and blame their company for not getting enough miles, or not making enough money to live on, as if they were being mistreated by the greedy company. But I can guarantee you that at which ever company that is getting slammed on the internet for mistreating their employees, there are a group of competent drivers who are getting more miles dispatched to them than they know how to handle because those drivers have proven themselves again and again. The reason you don't hear from them on those internet reviews is because they are in their sleeper catching some much needed rest so they can give 110% during their next on duty time period.

Don't worry that being over weight will keep you from getting hired - just go to any truck stop and take a look around at the folks going in and out of the restaurant's buffet - some of us are way over weight! Now, I will warn you that you will probably be subjected to a sleep study if you are overweight, and you may end up being required to use a CPAP machine at night, but if you can handle that they will be happy to hire you.

CPAP:

Constant Positive Airway Pressure

CPAP is a breathing assist device which is worn over the mouth or nose. It provides nighttime relief for individuals who suffer from Sleep Apnea.

Driver Manager:

Dispatcher, Fleet Manager, Driver Manager

The primary person a driver communicates with at his/her company. A dispatcher can play many roles, depending on the company's structure. Dispatchers may assign freight, file requests for home time, relay messages between the driver and management, inform customer service of any delays, change appointment times, and report information to the load planners.

HOS:

Hours Of Service

HOS refers to the logbook hours of service regulations.

OOS:

When a violation by either a driver or company is confirmed, an out-of-service order removes either the driver or the vehicle from the roadway until the violation is corrected.

EPU:

Electric Auxiliary Power Units

Electric APUs have started gaining acceptance. These electric APUs use battery packs instead of the diesel engine on traditional APUs as a source of power. The APU's battery pack is charged when the truck is in motion. When the truck is idle, the stored energy in the battery pack is then used to power an air conditioner, heater, and other devices

G-Town's Comment
member avatar

I have been on this site reading and I also ordered Bett's book and should have it soon to read. And I have checked out the companies that are listed on this site. But I have come across A lot of bad reviews. Its hard to find anything good about them. But I also take into consideration that some people didn't take the time to properly do research. And fall for the smoke and mirror show that some schools offer. And just look at the money not the complete LIFESTYLE that trucking is. Which is why im hear now going to the actual people that are in the Business. Asking my questions to you guys

,

In addition to Old School's spot-on words of wisdom, I will add one additional tidbit; every one of the companies (carriers) the drivers on this forum work for (Schneider, Swift. Western Express, Knight, Roehl, Werner and whole host of others) have received bad reviews in the Radio Rambo blogs out in cyber-land. If you believe all of it, they are all bad.

The vast majority of drivers on this forum all have a similar opinion of the negative press; consider the source! The source is usually a driver who was either fired or just has a really bad attitude and has nothing better to do with their time. Almost always pointing the finger of blame for their failure(s) on everyone and everything except themselves. Ask each and every one of us what we think about our employers and you will get a similar answer, if you apply yourself, work hard, and conduct yourself professionally, you will succeed no matter what company you work for. Yes, it's that simple.

HOS:

Hours Of Service

HOS refers to the logbook hours of service regulations.
Jason B.'s Comment
member avatar

Thank you Old school and G Town. Im very straight forward and I like Straight forward answers. I already use a CPAP machine. So I'm use to it. Now what I would like to do is Regional trucking then evently move into something more local but I'm being told I have to put my time in OTR first is this true ?

Regional:

Regional Route

Usually refers to a driver hauling freight within one particular region of the country. You might be in the "Southeast Regional Division" or "Midwest Regional". Regional route drivers often get home on the weekends which is one of the main appeals for this type of route.

OTR:

Over The Road

OTR driving normally means you'll be hauling freight to various customers throughout your company's hauling region. It often entails being gone from home for two to three weeks at a time.

CPAP:

Constant Positive Airway Pressure

CPAP is a breathing assist device which is worn over the mouth or nose. It provides nighttime relief for individuals who suffer from Sleep Apnea.

Old School's Comment
member avatar
Now what I would like to do is Regional trucking then evently move into something more local but I'm being told I have to put my time in OTR first is this true ?

Okay, here is what I would do if I were in your shoes. You already know you want to do regional, so in your search for a trucking company that fits your needs you need to get on with someone that has regional opportunities. Now it may work like this: if they don't have anything available for you that is regional when you start then you will go OTR first. This is where you want to really put your best foot forward, and impress them with your great work ethic and attitude. More than likely you will only have to do about three months of OTR before you could request a regional gig. Once you have proven yourself you will be surprised at how they will be willing to move you around to some other opportunities that might suit you better. Erroll works for Swift, and he has been given the chance to do several different opportunities - he even had one for a while where he was home nightly. So look into some of the large carriers who will have a lot of different opportunities in your area.

Regional:

Regional Route

Usually refers to a driver hauling freight within one particular region of the country. You might be in the "Southeast Regional Division" or "Midwest Regional". Regional route drivers often get home on the weekends which is one of the main appeals for this type of route.

OTR:

Over The Road

OTR driving normally means you'll be hauling freight to various customers throughout your company's hauling region. It often entails being gone from home for two to three weeks at a time.

Jason B.'s Comment
member avatar

Makes sense. I've always been a hard working person. I've started at the bottom and worked my way to management. Buy i'm not completely satisfied with career that I've had for the last 17yrs. I'm ready for change and I do like to drive. Plus I like to travel and I've always wanted to see places I've never been before even if it's just to drop something off. And getting paid to do it would be a great bonus

Steve L.'s Comment
member avatar

Jason, On your weight question; I've lost 50lbs since last year at this time. I'm frankly amazed that some of these people (yes men and women) can get in and out of their trucks. Being overweight isn't the issue. Usually it comes down to blood pressure and can you do the physical tasks. Some companies will test you for that.

As you check out companies, some will tell you what their physical qualification test is (e.g. Duck walk, lift and carry). Then you can prepare for that.

As for regional , you will want recruiters to define that as it can mean different things. At my company I'm OTR and have been told regional means you get home every weekend. BUT, you must go out Monday morning even if you didn't get home until Saturday afternoon and the money is a little less because of fewer miles. When I go home (2x per month for a total of five days) I get either two or three complete days off regardless of when I got home.

I hope this helps.

Good luck.

Regional:

Regional Route

Usually refers to a driver hauling freight within one particular region of the country. You might be in the "Southeast Regional Division" or "Midwest Regional". Regional route drivers often get home on the weekends which is one of the main appeals for this type of route.

OTR:

Over The Road

OTR driving normally means you'll be hauling freight to various customers throughout your company's hauling region. It often entails being gone from home for two to three weeks at a time.

Jason B.'s Comment
member avatar

Thanks !!! Exactly I've heard different things about Regional and how companies define it differently. Health wise my BP is great and as far as I know im not a diabetic. I'm not scared of hard I've always been a hard worker.

Regional:

Regional Route

Usually refers to a driver hauling freight within one particular region of the country. You might be in the "Southeast Regional Division" or "Midwest Regional". Regional route drivers often get home on the weekends which is one of the main appeals for this type of route.

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