Well lets see here, I am 22 years old, I have pretty much no bills, credit card, phone and I paid off my 98stang, so all I pay for is insurance...I still live with my dad tho... Im tired of working these jobs that dont pay much, So I figure, hey why not become a trucker? I know its not easy work, and you have to stay awake long hours...but I could use the money to stash in the bank, and help my parents out, especially my dad. I am in good shape, but im not to sure if that matters. So being 22, is this a good option for me? I dont plan on being a trucker for long, maybe just a year, to save up good money...I was thinking about attending Stewart Stevenson sp? Here in Houston Texas, or Schneider, not to sure if they are good though...Ive been reading the Forums and no where are those companies listed...but hey, you truckers know more than I do, so your insight will be greatly appreciated...hey thanks!!

Don't waste your time if you only plan on driving a year. It alot of B.S. to get your CDL for only a year or 2 . Plus a school will cost anywhere between 3500-6000 (dont hold me to them numbers) And a company like schneider they will make you sign a 18 month work agreement to pay off your CDL for the schooling they provide. Your 1st year will will probley make 32-40,000 give or take.

You'll make about $10.00/hour pulling for a large McMega carrier. Only reason you can make $40,000 - $60,000 is because you're working double the hours of most other working folks.

My advice would be to learn a trade in some sort of skilled profession. Boilermakers, pipefitters, HVAC, glaziers, heavy-equipment operation...anything in the health field seems to be all the rage of late. All those jobs make good money. Overtime after 40. A social life outside of/away from the truck.

You won't see any of that in OTR.

if you can live with the thought of being away from home a long time at a time, than yeah. I don't see any other job, making this amount of money for this amount of work. I recommend becoming a trucker while you are single, b/c it's easier. I'm married, and 23, so i limited my choices of work accordingly. I recommend you to (if you can) pay for schooling yourself, and get a certified degree (read: at least 160 hrs of training) and start off pulling a van (enclosed box) for a company. Schneider is pretty good... i went with TMC, and am gonna do Flatbed.

before you commit to this though, i highly suggest you to research on this forum a lot. read... read... read... Thats how you get knowledge, and weed out the companies you need to avoid.

Good luck in all your journeys, and have fun doing it. I myself have a llot of fun. I love to drive. driving a truck isn't that hard, you just need to get used to it...

Cheers

BND

he might get to like OTR after a few months, and change his mind about doing it for a year alone... You never know...

But than again, here I am, all positive, and love driving all my life, so i may be biased... :lol:

If you are only going to be trucking for a year, two at the most, then you might as well go through a carrier sponsored training program such as what SNI, Swift, and a handful of others have. That way it will only cost you, at most, around $500 and a years commitment.

ill never do anything else.your 22.you could live in a truck do the ira ,401kand online trading and retire when your 40. i would sign on with the big outfit and make them pay.do what ever damage a rookie gona do . then go where ever they offer the most per mile. if you dont get canned the first year you can go anywhere.probably gotta be 23 .give em hell

just to tell you, you have to be 23 but if you go with Maverick, 6 months commitment and they train you and if you leave, the most youll owe is 1500, and it goes down 200 for every month you work. Youre young so you might like flatbedding. Its more work than driving MOST vans, but typically starts with better pay.
In the words of Fergie...... check it out :lol:

BoyNextDoor you wrote "I love to drive. driving a truck isn't that hard, you just need to get used to it..." Is it my understanding that you're not yet a solo driver with TMC? Or are you currently a solo driver and still truly have the mindframe that driving a truck is not a hard job? If you've yet to venture out on your first trip, especially pulling a flat, in the middle of winter, mind you all the while in a blowing snow storm, then i wonder how it is you can pass along the advice that driving a truck is not a hard job, that is "once you get used to it". I'm not at all trying to criticize you, but i've been doing it now for 4 years, both OTR and mostly local, and in my opinion if I ever wake up in the early hours of the morning and go to work thinking that my job is easy, that's a good situation to get myself in trouble. Again, I'm not trying to be a jerk, but for new guys, and yeah i'm still relatively new, you gotta look at what you're responsible for. 80,000 pounds of very expensive, very heavy freight, all the while keeping everyone elses best interests in mind while you're on the road, not only are you in charge of your own safety, but everyone elses around you. To be honest, as I finish up this little note, and looking back at what i wrote it makes me realize that truckers like you and I actually have pretty tough jobs, don't sell yourself short.....
Just my 2 cents, although a little long winded.....