[Snowman7]

You will have feast or famine in this business sometimes. I have friends who are experienced drivers that are making half what they're used to so its not just you. Talk to other drivers and learn as much as you can in order to make the best decisions. There are plenty of drivers out here making a living. I would not quit until you find something else. Who know's, while you're looking around your own company might just get busy and you'll forget all about this....until this time next year! LOL!

[topper]

Hey thanks for all the advise, I always try to listen to you guy's. I drive for cypress a flat bed company here in jax. I have checked the papers and web sites pretty much every one local wants a year to two. I started out doing what they call the 250 turn around mainly out up to 250 miles and back, that did not work out very well so I opened up to georga and all florida. I really hate to give it up seeing how I dropped 5k on school and all plus it has always been what I wanted to do, my dad was a trucker for 20 plus years and I guess I always wanted to be like him. anyway, my goal was to do a year and haul gas, went and spoke to them they need atleast a year, pritchard is out of lake city 80 miles from jax so havent spoke to them. After I retired from the military I went into what I did there air conditioning and refrigeration it's ok work but I always looked at trucks and wanted to join them on the road. My family got used to that life style and a steady 700 aweek so dropping to less then half was a pretty hard blow for them. I was promised I could bring home 5 to 6 hundred aweek easy which works but 300 I;m going broke if it wasnt for the retirement check I'd be sunk. I would love to land a stable local or semi local gig here. so If any one has any suggestions I'm all ears here. I do love this life style but I have 2 kids in braces and family matters to think of to, I know you all can understand where I'm coming from. every one keeps telling me to hang in there it will get better and I would like to but I have this company ready to hire me a/c& r at 19 plus an hour. what do I do or would you do.

[shyykatt]

Gotta' do what is good/best for YOU (and yer family); we were promised lots of moolah too, but thats not always a reality.

[sinclac]

Take the Heat & A/C job, you will never make that kind of money in a truck.

[belpre122]

Yup, I have to agree with everyone above. Follow your heart and take care of the family. If you ever get a real itch for the smell of diesel....$19.00 an hour will get you plenty of chicken fried steak dinners at the Flying J. Good Luck!

[Murphys Law CJ7]

Topper,

Best of luck. The first year always seems to be the hardest. Doesn't seem like much, but check into running dump trucks. I'm just south of Jax (Middleburg) and know there is a ton of new construction going on. Home every night, but a few more headaches, though (i.e. traffic). Pritchett is a decent company, but watch your maintenance. A friend's wife went out on her first run with bad brakes.

Best advise I can give is don't bail just yet. It takes at least the first year to get out of that money lull.

[Ian Williams]

Originally Posted by sinclac

Take the Heat & A/C job, you will never make that kind of money in a truck.

Flatbeds are slow now. Its the slow season and we are at the end of a strong housing market. I'd imagine that its worse in the black hole of freight called Flordia.

$50k year is very doable in LTL land. I made $34k last year @ Con-Way and I was only a driver for 8 months. If I were down to make lots of $ I could sign up for our team runs and earn $65k.

Doing HVAC also has its trade offs.

Being on a asphalt or comp roof on a hot day can be loads of fun. When I worked a summer installing Photovoltaic (Solar Electric) systems in Sacramento I was toast after 4-5 hrs on the roof.

You might try and find a very part time driving gig and go back to HVAC for a while. That way you can meet the 1-2 year insurance minimum while still earning a decent living.

[sinclac]

Doing HVAC also has its trade offs.

Being on a asphalt or comp roof on a hot day can be loads of fun. When I worked a summer installing Photovoltaic (Solar Electric) systems in Sacramento I was toast after 4-5 hrs on the roof.

You might try and find a very part time driving gig and go back to HVAC for a while. That way you can meet the 1-2 year insurance minimum while still earning a decent living.

Oh come on it's not hot here in Sacramento :lol: :lol: :lol:

[TankerYanker]

Originally Posted by sinclac

Take the Heat & A/C job, you will never make that kind of money in a truck.

I beg to differ, .35@55mph=$19.25per hour
.40@55mph=$22.00per hour

It can be attained with just a little patience. Like the other guys have said, just wait it out it will get better. If you can get a run at 500 miles per day that would be perfect for you. 500x.35=$175.00 per day x 5=$875.00 per week gross. I don't know how you get paid(hour or mile) but it can be done. I was a journeyman plumber made pretty good money, the problem is after 15 yrs your knees go bad along with other things. Just my opinion. Good luck!

[sinclac]

Originally Posted by TankerYanker

I beg to differ, .35@55mph=$19.25per hour
.40@55mph=$22.00per hour

It can be attained with just a little patience. Like the other guys have said, just wait it out it will get better. If you can get a run at 500 miles per day that would be perfect for you. 500x.35=$175.00 per day x 5=$875.00 per week gross. I don't know how you get paid(hour or mile) but it can be done. I was a journeyman plumber made pretty good money, the problem is after 15 yrs your knees go bad along with other things. Just my opinion. Good luck!

What about all the other stuff (time)you don't get paid for, when paid by the mile?
Don't get me wrong i make more then that local 20.50 per HR, but i have a lot of Experiance.