A Little Overwhelmed - Question Time

Have read so much on this site, and there's so much quality information here. I am getting a little overwhelmed, however, because I want to make the right decision. I know now that there's places that...you could almost say "prey" on the naive, and the first place I called seemed to be just that type. I shared that info with someone I know, they told me keep looking, I have, plus have been picking up as much as I can from here and other places...and now I have more questions than I originally did.

If any of you would be so kind to answer:

1 - I'd love to know where everyone started. What was your first company, and what was the best about it, what was the worst about it?

2 - What is the absolute most horrific thing that has ever happened to you while driving, once you were all done with training? I don't mean long hours, I don't mean having to wait forever for someone to load, I mean beyond that? Like, you were driving along, took a sip of your hot coffee and it spilled all over you? Or, you hit a deer? Or you were hours late not because of weather or truck problems? Or you overslept one day by hours?

3 - Do any of you bring a pet with you, and if so, how has it been for you? Do you have a harder time getting loads because you have a pet with you?

4 - I realize that some companies will pay for your school if you agree to a contract, some have no contract, and some offer us veterans a nice ride. I also know that it is possible to pay for school elsewhere and get your training that way. I'm brand spanking new to this. I have never even sat in a truck before. Will those classes through companies that last 3 weeks be enough? Would I get more training, meaning more time behind the wheel, if I went somewhere else and shelled out the dough myself, upfront? Am I thinking that this is going to be harder than it is, to drive a truck?

4a) Some companies want you to get your permit before you go to their school, would that be the same if you go to a non company school? Or would you do all of that once you get to the non company sponsored school?

5 - If a company says, on their website, that the jobs that they have for a specific...type? (ie: reefer , dry van , etc) If that specific type is stated to average, say, 800 miles is that per week? Per load? If the job specifically states that the route follows one freeway/highway, does that mean it's dedicated? If the 800 miles average is on that specific freeway/highway, does that mean you will do the same run every single day, and you may get only 1 or 2 of those a week?

6 - What do you consider good pay for a rookie after 6 months? Is it high 30s? Low 40s? (cpm)

7 - Finally, while this site has a plethora of fantastic insights in to this fascinating career, if you were allowed to give only one piece of advice, what would you consider the "most important" out of all of the advice that you could give? What is the #1 thing all rookies/noobs should know aside from, "This isn't what you think it is, you won't get that till you get out here".

I apologize if you've heard these eleventythousand times before...I tried to ask what I haven't specifically seen. I'm not asking what I should do, I'm asking for what things mean, and a bit more in depth to some topics that have been discussed. Thank you for your time.

PRIME started in September. Got my permit there then tested and trained there. It was 3 weeks 24/7 with a trainer with the permit and 30k miles with a trainer as a team once I got my license. I signed a contract that if I stay until November I pay nothing. Prime has one of the highest pay scales for rookies.... ima t 39.5 cpm for the condo teuck with the bunk. It's 44.5 cpm for the much smaller light weight. You CAN get a larger truck ss a new compnay driver. I have my cat and his five foot tall cat tree on the truck. Get ng loads is not an issue. I run about 2500 miles per week... max so far was this week with 2900.

You will get FAR more on the road training with Prime than a regular school that will cost u thousands. A friend of mine did it and regrets it. I've driven 60k mikes now and he is still taking his test. We started at the same time.

Best piece of advice is do ALL the backing wi th a trainer.. insist on it.

Worst thing that happened. .. I hit a concrete barrier at a truck stop.

All in all I love 9ve it

I'll give this a shot:

1 - ...What was your first company, and what was the best about it, what was the worst about it?

I started with Swift in December 2015. I think the best thing is that they're huge, so the miles are plenty, hometime is easy to get, and they have lots of accounts with repair shops and such. Worst thing? If you don't talk to the right people, it can be hard to get things done quickly sometimes, since there are tons of other drivers trying to get things done too. That said, I'm honestly pretty happy here.

2 - What is the absolute most horrific thing that has ever happened to you while driving, once you were all done with training?

I hit a deer my first or second week out. It wasn't horrific by any means (well, maybe for the deer...), but I ended up very late for my delivery and took it to the wrong place. I couldn't get a hold of my DM and one of the other dispatchers told me to take the load to the terminal. I did what he said and almost got in trouble for it since I didn't have any proof of what he told me. Thankfully, they were understanding and I didn't get in trouble.

I don't have a pet, so I'll skip question 3.

4 - I realize that some companies will pay for your school if you agree to a contract, some have no contract, and some offer us veterans a nice ride. I also know that it is possible to pay for school elsewhere and get your training that way. I'm brand spanking new to this. I have never even sat in a truck before. Will those classes through companies that last 3 weeks be enough? Would I get more training, meaning more time behind the wheel, if I went somewhere else and shelled out the dough myself, upfront? Am I thinking that this is going to be harder than it is, to drive a truck?

Each company-sponsored training program is different. Swift actually sent me to a private school they had just started working with, so my experience was different than others who may have gotten their training at a Swift terminal. I knew alot of veterans in school. Most of them actually just had the military pay for their schooling. As far as whether 3 weeks is long enough for you, I can't answer that. I did it, but it was pretty hard and I almost didn't make it. Several others didn't. If you're really nervous about the 3 week thing, I'd suggest going to a private school with a longer course and getting prehires. I went to company sponsored training since I couldn't afford school myself.

Swift had me get my permit before I went to school, but that just depends on the company and the school. Either way, use the High Road Training course on this website to prepare for your permit tests and you'll be golden.

5 - If a company says, on their website, that the jobs that they have for a specific...type? (ie: reefer , dry van , etc) If that specific type is stated to average, say, 800 miles is that per week? Per load? If the job specifically states that the route follows one freeway/highway, does that mean it's dedicated? If the 800 miles average is on that specific freeway/highway, does that mean you will do the same run every single day, and you may get only 1 or 2 of those a week?

If a website says you'll be running a particular stretch of highway all the time, it's probably talking about either dedicated or regional accounts. Dedicated just means you ship freight for a particular customer all the time--like Walmart or Costco, for example. And you often stay in one region of the country, sometimes even just going back and forth between two cities all the time. Every dedicated account is different, so you'd need to find out more info on that particular account/job. 800 miles--per run, most likely. You want somewhere between 2000-3000 miles per week.

6 - What do you consider good pay for a rookie after 6 months? Is it high 30s? Low 40s? (cpm)

High 30s to low 40s is about right. Most companies are probably mid to high 30s.

7 - Finally, while this site has a plethora of fantastic insights in to this fascinating career, if you were allowed to give only one piece of advice, what would you consider the "most important" out of all of the advice that you could give? What is the #1 thing all rookies/noobs should know aside from, "This isn't what you think it is, you won't get that till you get out here".

I think the best advice I've heard so far was in trucking school. One of the instructors, Kenny, always told us to "stay cool, calm, and collected." I think it's the only advice I've been given that I think about almost every single day. It applies in that difficult backing situation, when you hit that deer, when you miss home, get a lousy paycheck, etc. Even when things are good, if you get too excited you can lose focus and make some very costly mistakes.

Sorry if this is a bit long...I just had some extra time on my hands today. Good luck and hope to see you out here eventually!

Serenity asks a lot...

1 - I'd love to know where everyone started. What was your first company, and what was the best about it, what was the worst about it?

I went to Swift's Richmond Academy for schooling about 4 years ago, mentored/trained for 6 weeks with Swift and was hired as a solo driver. After 3+ months of solo OTR driving I was moved to Swift's Walmart Dedicated Grocery account, DC 7030 in Gordon Pa. I am still working on that account and have no intentions of making any moves.

2 - What is the absolute most horrific thing that has ever happened to you while driving, once you were all done with training? I don't mean long hours, I don't mean having to wait forever for someone to load, I mean beyond that? Like, you were driving along, took a sip of your hot coffee and it spilled all over you? Or, you hit a deer? Or you were hours late not because of weather or truck problems? Or you overslept one day by hours?

That's easy...my first, second, third, forth, etc., etc. experience with the notorious fog on I-81 between exit 100, north to Hazelton PA. Many times my speed dropped to 25 mph because the fog was so dense. The DC I am assigned to is off exit 119 so regardless of whether I approach from the South or the North I still have several miles of the soup to deal with. Best reason I can think of for having a CB cause things can go horribly wrong in a hurry when dealing with the combination of fog and rain.

4 - I realize that some companies will pay for your school if you agree to a contract, some have no contract, and some offer us veterans a nice ride. I also know that it is possible to pay for school elsewhere and get your training that way. I'm brand spanking new to this. I have never even sat in a truck before. Will those classes through companies that last 3 weeks be enough? Would I get more training, meaning more time behind the wheel, if I went somewhere else and shelled out the dough myself, upfront? Am I thinking that this is going to be harder than it is, to drive a truck?

The three weeks of schooling is just enough to pass the CDL driving and yard skills tests. Nothing more. The real "schooling" begins when you go out with a mentor/trainer for 5-6 weeks. With Swift this time is a total of 200 hours of student driving, the first 50 is fully supervised, includes 40 documented backing maneuvers. Is it enough? ...barely. The remainder of your first year is an informal extension of your training, as you slowly begin to overcome the learning curve and all that goes with it.

4a) Some companies want you to get your permit before you go to their school, would that be the same if you go to a non company school? Or would you do all of that once you get to the non company sponsored school?

You must have your permit to operate a tractor trailer. Depending on the company and or private school a call to one of their representatives is the best approach to understanding their requirements for entry. See this links for further information: Company-Sponsored Training Programs and Truck Driving School Listings. Also beginning to study for your permit can be accomplished by taking the High Road Training Program

5 - If a company says, on their website, that the jobs that they have for a specific...type? (ie: reefer , dry van , etc) If that specific type is stated to average, say, 800 miles is that per week? Per load? If the job specifically states that the route follows one freeway/highway, does that mean it's dedicated? If the 800 miles average is on that specific freeway/highway, does that mean you will do the same run every single day, and you may get only 1 or 2 of those a week?

If a mileage figure is quoted, it's a weekly figure. Dedicated accounts are as varied as the companies they service. For my Walmart assignment there are roughly 150 stores within the territory. The route is dependent on the order in which the trailer is loaded. This is void of any repetition except that a Walmart driver will be delivering to either a Walmart, Walmart Super Center or a Sam's Club. The only consistent is the region, and even then I have been temporarily assigned to the Johnstown NY DC for several days. I am frequently on I-78, I-81, I-84, I-287, I-87, I-95, and I-76, through Eastern half of PA, all of NJ, DE and southern NY State.

7 - Finally, while this site has a plethora of fantastic insights in to this fascinating career, if you were allowed to give only one piece of advice, what would you consider the "most important" out of all of the advice that you could give? What is the #1 thing all rookies/noobs should know aside from, "This isn't what you think it is, you won't get that till you get out here".

Do all of your research before committing to this, reading Brett's book will give you a good start. Becoming A Truck Driver: The Raw Truth About Truck Driving

Left one of the I's out; I-80.

Serenity asks a lot...

Sorry.

Serenity asks a lot...

Sorry.

Good grief... I was kidding! That's what we are here for! You're good, no worries.

Good grief... I was kidding! That's what we are here for! You're good, no worries.

Meh, it's not the first time someone has said that. I like to be thorough in my quest for knowledge. = )

By the way, I did read that book...it's what prompted the question about most horrific thing that have happened to others. After I read the story about blocking rush hour traffic in NYC, and having to drive up an embankment in the snow because they ended up on a parkway, my imagination went wild with what other crazy things people have endured.

Please don't get hung up on the "worst stories" of others. What scares me probably won't bother you at all. Also, a scary situation makes a much better story later on. You doing lots of research first, that's the right way. Keep the questions coming.

I'll give you a "worst" story! I had to make a delivery in Corpus Christi, Texas, on Friday. The receiver could not take the load then but asked me to wait until Monday. Swift doesn't have a drop yard near by so I had to stay with the load. There's only one truck stop in Corpus Christi, and it looks like a set from an Alfred Hitchco ck movie! The truck stop: The view:

The parking lot is mud, and over the weekend there were two big thunderstorms. so that turned out to be a pretty bad weekend, I guess! Well, I did get paid for the layover!