Trucking Days For New Driver

Hi I just wanted to ask the community about getting a day off or running in such a way your always off one day out of the week is it possible for religious reasons? I start cdl school in October and I won’t have any restriction or commitments because it’s free for me. My step dad is also considering buying a few trucks after I get experience to go into business with me. But until then what’s my option for companies? My schedule is pretty much I’m free Saturday night to Friday afternoon. Thanks I’m located in central Florida.

Hello Luke, welcome to our forum!

You're going to discover Central Florida is a tough area for getting a trucking job, then on top of that you've got a religious restriction - that makes it tough. Trucking is a dynamic environment. The pay is completely performance based, and the profit margins are razor thin. Therefore trucks run all the time. Typically there are no holidays or regular days off.

First, I think you need a company that has your same values if you expect to take the day off fo observe your Sabbath. Guess what? There is one out there! I highly recommend you look into McElroy Trucking Company. You're going to find they make sure their trucks shut down for Saturdsy, and if possible they get you home for that day. They have an excellent reputation and are a highly respected flatbed company hauling mostly construction materials. The owners are Seventh Day Adventists.

Secondly, tell your father in law to invest his money in something more wise than a trucking start-up. If you want to run a successful business it's basic level knowledge that says you need a product or service that can distinguish itself above the current market providers. If you think you can do that in a commodities business like trucking, you are in for some really tough lessons. I saw a report just this month indicating 640 trucking companies had shut down during the first half of this year.

Some of the biggest most successful trucking operators are showing operating ratios currently around 105%. That means they are losing five cents on the dollar right now. Freight rates are really bad right now. Trucking is an extremely cyclical market with many outside forces affecting it.

I am making great money in trucking as a company driver. You can too. I don't recommend starting a trucking business. You don't realize it, but I'm quite capable of starting my own trucking operation. Yet I don't. Look deep into it before you and your father in law go there.

I would talk to different companies and see what they can offer you. Maybe you can get a religious exception.

As far as buying a few trucks..... Don't. It is a fast way to lose money. Rates are so low companies are closing left and right.

Rates are so low companies are closing left and right.

That's partly because when rates were higher everyone thought it was a great time to buy a truck.

When Is The Right Time To Become An Owner Operator Or Lease A Truck? Never.

Hi, Luke, welcome to Trucking Truth. Unless your step dad has trucking experience, the learning curve to run a truck as owner operator , not to speak of the responsibility of several trucks and their drivers, is brick-wall steep.

Brett mentioned "commodity". Think UPS, FedEx, or USPS. All three will get a package from A to B for about the same price. Why choose one over the other? (All the differences are minor.) Is there a difference between buying a gallon of milk from Kroger, Walmart or Hayes Grocery? Not really. Commodity business fight for every fraction of a penny they get because their profit margins are pennies on a dollar of revenue.

Let me also introduce two of the posters here. Old School of one of the most knowledgeable members. He has owned several trucks at a time, though now he is happiest as a company driver. He speaks from experience.

Brett is the "owner" of this web site. You can read his story in the book the wrote, Becoming A Truck Driver: The Raw Truth About Truck Driving.

Stay active on the forum. Ask questions here and you'll get answers from people who do know what they're talking about. Prepare for CDL school by getting your CDL permit ahead of time. Study for the test here: High Road CDL Training Program.

Good luck!