Hello!

First off, WOW..what a GREAT website/forum this is. Full of info..my head is spinning a lil' though. I'm looking into becoming a truck driver...maybe! I'm researching it & thinking about it. I've moved over 25 times over the years & enjoy being on the road..I've lived everywhere, east coast & west coast. I've done a lil' driving, I drove for UPS last holiday season and I was a private driver for a retired business man, using his Rolls Royce Phantom. No accidents! I enjoy driving. I also drove a truck pulling a chipper when I used to do tree work and when I cleaned pools years ago I pulled a short...thingy, I can't recall the name? But big trucks, never.

If I do this I'd like to get the CDL payed for by the company, because I have no money to pay for it. The more they pay the better! I'll just pay them back, no big deal to me. I've checked the companies on here that put you through, but none allow you to have pets! I'd like to get a dog once again. Which companies allow pets? Do all the companies have nice cabins? Or are some not so great? It will be my home on the road so I want the nicest one I can find!

Will I be able to make more than 30 g's my first year? Closer to 40 would be better. Which companies have the best schedule? Most that I saw you only have 1 day off per week..one had a schedule of 4 on 4 off. But I can't recall which one that was.

And do any of the truck stops have gyms? I don't need much, most of my workout I can do with my own bodywt. I have to work out!

One last thing, how are the ladies out there? Haha

Any input is appreciated, I'll keep reading on here, researching. Thanks.

I forgot a few things.

How many hours are you required to drive per day? Or is it per week, one day you can do 12, next only 6-7? How's that work? AND, I need to get a few bucks while I'm in school! Some were low & a few weren't too bad. I'll do more homework on here, but thought I'd add that in. Best regards, stay safe out there! I was on 75 yesterday, Clearwater, Fl, going home to Naples, it's a WILD RIDE OUT THERE! ALMOST saw a bad accident with two big truckers!

Robert, I am currently in the thick of searching for and selecting a company to work with. I have talked with some companies who will allow a dog, many have size restrictions, and require a security deposit, anywhere from $500-$1000. Understandable, given the investment these companies have in the tractors. Prime does allow a small dog, and they have schooling. Lots of folks on this site drive for Prime, and have very good things to say about the company.

I forgot a few things.

How many hours are you required to drive per day? Or is it per week, one day you can do 12, next only 6-7? How's that work? AND, I need to get a few bucks while I'm in school! Some were low & a few weren't too bad. I'll do more homework on here, but thought I'd add that in. Best regards, stay safe out there! I was on 75 yesterday, Clearwater, Fl, going home to Naples, it's a WILD RIDE OUT THERE! ALMOST saw a bad accident with two big truckers!

Hours of Service (HOS) are a challenge. I'm sure the drivers will chime in soon. There are several rules you must follow: 1. You can work 14 hours straight. You can drive 11 of the 14 2. You must take a 10 hour minimum sleep period to get your 11/14 reset 3. You can "only" drive 80 hours in a 7 day period 4. You can use rollover time from the first day on the 8th day and keep driving without a reset 5. If you "run out of hours" in your 80 you must do a 34 hour reset with two sleep periods between 1-5 AM. And there is lots more to the rules and exceptions. You'll be taught about this and the High Road course on lives will help. Disclaimer: I'm prepping for school and May have screwed some of this up!

I forgot a few things.

How many hours are you required to drive per day? Or is it per week, one day you can do 12, next only 6-7? How's that work? AND, I need to get a few bucks while I'm in school! Some were low & a few weren't too bad. I'll do more homework on here, but thought I'd add that in. Best regards, stay safe out there! I was on 75 yesterday, Clearwater, Fl, going home to Naples, it's a WILD RIDE OUT THERE! ALMOST saw a bad accident with two big truckers!

Hours of Service (HOS) are a challenge. I'm sure the drivers will chime in soon. There are several rules you must follow: 1. You can work 14 hours straight. You can drive 11 of the 14 2. You must take a 10 hour minimum sleep period to get your 11/14 reset 3. You can "only" drive 80 hours in a 7 day period 4. You can use rollover time from the first day on the 8th day and keep driving without a reset 5. If you "run out of hours" in your 80 you must do a 34 hour reset with two sleep periods between 1-5 AM. And there is lots more to the rules and exceptions. You'll be taught about this and the High Road course on lives will help. Disclaimer: I'm prepping for school and May have screwed some of this up!

It's 70 hours in 8 days and no you don't have to reset you can keep rolling if you plan right..... You will learn all the ins and outs with your trainer

1. You can work 14 hours straight. You can drive 11 of the 14

This is only partially correct. The correct interpretation is that you can work as long as you want but you may NOT drive after 14 hours of coming on duty and you are correct about being limited to 11 hours of driving. Of course if you do work longer than the 14 hours it still takes away from your 70 hour clock for the 8 days.

1. You can work 14 hours straight. You can drive 11 of the 14

This is only partially correct. The correct interpretation is that you can work as long as you want but you may NOT drive after 14 hours of coming on duty and you are correct about being limited to 11 hours of driving. Of course if you do work longer than the 14 hours it still takes away from your 70 hour clock for the 8 days.

Like I said, I may have screwed some if it up!

It is complicate with plenty of exceptions. Sean is working on roll-over hours right now and it is a learning curve! Heck, if it was easy the government wouldn't be involved!

Nope you can blame the government. It's truck drivers fault that the government has to step in and babysit truck drivers.

Hi Robert and welcome,

This industry has eaten up and spit out many wannabee drivers over the years. If you want to be a truck driver you will need to be willing to nut up and face and defeat any challenge that faces you... With a smile.

Guy is right about the government screwing things up and feeling the need to babysit us. Hell, everything we do wrong is all over the news. But, that is a small percentage of the men and women who chose this life. They don`t show or talk about the good because that does not get the ratings. Do you really want to get into this perceived cesspool?

If you do, then continue educating yourself with the information on this site.