Quote:
Originally Posted by Carhauler83
The last car hauling job I had didn't work out. Too many issues with the equipment, an 05 379 with 800k on the C15. Unfortunately, the reputable car haulers require 2 years OTR. Just need a little more drive time. As far as 6 days home, I have a wife and 5 small children ranging from 1 yr to 6 years old. The weekly appearance is important to me. Home daily would've work because I need more than 500 a week gross.
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Okay, thanks for the clarification. I took your username to mean you were already a car hauler, and it seems you are... to some extent. I don't know much about them, but it seems you need more OTR experience to get on with a good one.
Wow... so many children in such a short time? Ever hear of "family planning?" No matter.... it was YOUR choice.
I don't blame (in fact, RESPECT) you for wanting to be HOME with the family as much as you can. But... that is a hard deal in the trucking business. I think I was right to suggest Schneider to you. You should check them out. I hear some of them get home during the week (and weekends) with "dedicated" regional runs. It is all considered OTR experience, and the pay should beat "local jobs" at $10-15 an hour.
But... have you ever considered TEAM driving? I know... everyone hates it. It's not the real "trucker" lifestyle! But... it's a trucking JOB that gets you home nearly every weekend for about 2 days, and pays good!
I'm not talking about a 3 week "team" job like CRST! I'm talking a smaller company (or even a major) that has a contract to haul SOMETHING from your area to the West Coast, and then hauls produce back to the Grocery warehouses in YOUR area! The people north of you are addicted to EATING!
YOU are guaranteed about 5,000 miles or more in 5 (or 6) days... they haven't moved the West coast any closer to Maryland in MY lifetime!
You go out there and come back! You get 5,000 miles at about 15 to 19 cents for ALL miles driven by your TEAM. NO sitting around hoping for a long load and getting a short one! Produce is perishable, so you come straight back from the west coast to your home in about 2 days! The company HAS a contract that gets you out there where the produce IS... so, no dilly dallying around with 300 mile days!
That's equivalent to 30 to 38 cpm for a solo, and you are nearly guaranteed 2500 miles a week as your share of a 5000 mile run.... with HOMETIME every weekend!
Maybe, it's not your choice for a career... but, it can be a good stepping stone to what you DO want. And you see your kids grow up in the process.
Obviously, you are somewhat new at this (or you'd already have the OTR experience.) ALL of these team miles are credited towards your future "job opportunities." Try selling "local" miles to a prospective employer!
Of the four choices you mentioned, I said I would look into Schneider. You might find just what you need and want. But, if not.... consider what I just said about team driving for a year or so.
The KEY to ultimate success, is the ability to Delay "gratification." You can go broke sitting around a truckstop in your "Pete" waiting for a load for a few hundred miles a day... or you can be running like crazy and making money AND "OTR miles qualifications."
I've been driving about 8 years. I've NEVER missed a weekend (or restart) at home... and I've NEVER made less than 5-9 hundred takehome. But, I hear stories all the time of those "lifestyle" solo truckers who might take home 300/wk if they're lucky.
Some day, I might want to run solo for awhile... maybe even be out weeks at a time. But... thanks to TEAM driving, my bills will all be paid, I'll be out of debt, and it will be MY choice.
Good luck. Hope you get that carhauler job you're looking for.
Don't know much about babies. But, I believe the best thing you can do for them is to make some serious money NOW.... and then, plan your life when you won't be under the crushing pressure of DEBT... and can actually provide for them.
Werner, Schneider, Western Express, or Arnold
