Please Help? Need Advice.

I got my start local. I was in the same position as you. I couldn't be gone for weeks at a time due to the structure of my home life and I didn't want to be.

I was trained by FedEx Freight. I was paid 20 an hour to work the dock and train. It was a pay cut from what I was making before I came here, but I was tired of warehouse work and I wanted more job security. If the warehouse were to fire me tomorrow I know I didn't gain any skills that would be valued anywhere else. If FedEx fires me tomorrow, I have a clean CDL with a little over a year experience. I'll be fine.

This pass month I net 3,560. On Friday I'll bring home a little over 900 and I worked 50 hours this week because I had 20 hours left on my 70. Starting out I was bringing home about 650 a week, but it wasn't hard to make a little extra in this gig era we're in. I made a few extra bucks doing grubhub and ubereats.

There have been weeks, primarily after everything reopened, where I work my entire 70 and I go home to take a shower, go to bed, wake up and go back to work.

The other part of working locally is the start time. I currently have a 2AM start time. Most local jobs bid start times based on seniority which means you'd get the shift nobody wants being new.

You can read about my training experiences Here

Like Kearsey said, you may get thrown to the wolves at some local companies, but that hasn't been my experience at FedEx Freight. I'm given the opportunity to hone my skills and I do so every chance I get. I blindside back even if I can sight side because I can already sight side back, but I struggle with blindside. I also back at angles even when I can straight back.

Hi Banks, Thanks for the feedback. I share the same feel currently with warehousing. As I'm aging I want to change career fields and be fully committed to being a successful truck driver. I will look into companies that offer training locally, but if not available I'll definitely look into going over the road and hopefully I can find a few companies that can provide me with more home time.

Please check out my local rookie video

There are things to know....such as it could be 14 hour days plus the commute and you only get 10 hours off including the commute. Which means if you live an hour away...you only get 8 hours to sleep shower see family and eat. Plus much of it is back breaking work (im old and past that lol) plus these are high demand jobs so could be scarce....not to mention can be in really tight areas requiring great skills you wont have for awhile.

Considering Local Driving as a Rookie?

After reviewing the different posts on whether to start locally or over the road. i have been leaning more over the road because of the experienced gained, quality training, and more hands on experience. The only thing that was holding me back was family and being out several weeks at a time without seen my children. On the other hand I was just concern on the pay because of monthly payments i have due each month.

Hi, I am new driver I just started with McElroy Truck lines. I know having a family and trucking can be difficult. You and your wife have to have the conversation on what you want to do. Just to add my 2 cents, I drive regional and I am home every Friday afternoon and leave out on Sunday night. So far it has been a good job and pays decent. I see the local guys here at this company and they start really early and when they are done they are already getting ready for the next day. Being regional I sleep in my truck so I am already at work. Like stated before being out on the road daily is easier so you get can used to the truck and how to drive it. I only back up when I have to get to a shipper or cosignee and that’s if they require it. Good luck with whatever decision you make.

Another thing for you to be aware of is that less time working is less money earned. You have to figure out what balance is going to work for you, be it local, regional or OTR. I could easily work 36 hours a week, but my check would reflect that. Roehl offers a lot of home time, but they make it clear that you'll be earning a lot less than somebody that's constantly rolling.

Given your background and situation I'd suggest look for a dock position at a local LTL company. The majors (OD, SAIA, ESTES, UPS, XPO) all have, "dock to driver" programs that let you start by working on the docks and in as little as 30 days you can start training to be a P&D driver. They train you to get your CDL while you get paid. The pay and benefits are excellent in LTL. Working P&D you'll be on the day shift so you'll still have afternoon/eveningsweekends with your family. The one downside is that you'll be a rookie driver with plenty of FBS (Funky Backing Situations). You'll be backing the truck up to docks several times a day. Look elsewhere on the forum - new drivers drive the truck for FREE they earn their pay backing the truck! Usually they start the rookies out with 28' trailers though.. After a few years when the kids are grown you can transfer to linehaul , drive nights and see the neighboring states.

Given your background and situation I'd suggest look for a dock position at a local LTL company. The majors (OD, SAIA, ESTES, UPS, XPO) all have, "dock to driver" programs that let you start by working on the docks and in as little as 30 days you can start training to be a P&D driver. They train you to get your CDL while you get paid. The pay and benefits are excellent in LTL. Working P&D you'll be on the day shift so you'll still have afternoon/eveningsweekends with your family. The one downside is that you'll be a rookie driver with plenty of FBS (Funky Backing Situations). You'll be backing the truck up to docks several times a day. Look elsewhere on the forum - new drivers drive the truck for FREE they earn their pay backing the truck! Usually they start the rookies out with 28' trailers though.. After a few years when the kids are grown you can transfer to linehaul , drive nights and see the neighboring states.

Good evening, and thank you so much for the feedback. I will definitely look into the LTL companies offering the training programs. I appreciate your time.

About the dilemma between company-sponsored schooling vs private, there is of course the factor of covering the cost. Just wanted to echo in the equation that it's worth checking into getting a government grant if you can't swing the tuition yourself. Such was the situation in my case this summer. I was trying my damndest to scrape enough together for a local driving school after a Covid-caused layoff (I wasn't there long enough to collect unemployment). No luck, wondering what to do next, then the school mentioned this grant program... Skeptically pursued it, soon got it and had to pay none of the $4K. (The layoff turned out to be a blessing cuz I'd been wanting to get into trucking for like a year.) It couldn't have had to do with reverse ageism, my being technically a senior, since I discovered several young guys I met at the school got the same grant too. "Essential business"! --E.Z.