Been there done that about 6 years ago @ the doraville plant even trained for saturday driver but didn't get to work on saturday because they have to offer it to the full-time drivers first............

 

The saturday driving I mentioned was the delivery trucks no cdl involved, I just checked website they request 1 year experience.

 

If you live in Georgia you can go to school at a local technical collge for free on the hope scholarship, only have to pay about $400 out of pocket and the State reimburst you $100. I used the Hope down here in Savannah.

 

There is a drivers school at Northwestern in Lafayette. US Xpress has a terminal in Tunnel Hill. I believe Ridge Runner used to work for them. There are others on this board who have worked for them and may be able to give you some insight. Millis has a terminal in Cartersville, I believe. You will be better off if you can pay for your own training, but in your situation, that may be difficult. Keep in mind that if you go with a carrier who trains you, it will be necessary for you to make a time commitment to them. Most require 1 year. At one time, CRST had a program which only required a 6 months commitment.

Pay will vary according to each carrier. If you can stick it out for a year or two, you will be able to go pretty much anywhere you want. Good luck.

 

Don't do it. Nothing is more important than being with your children... especially for a mom. It will be horrible for your kids to have you gone.. they won't get used to it, it will be so bad.. you'll regret it. I would suggest not going into trucking at all.

 

It can't be worse than what it is now this is my weekend schedule. IF I don't work post office friday during the day, I go in to the newspaper 11pm get home around 3:30-4:00am sometimes even 5am. get up at 6 am to go to the post office by 7am working all day on a slow day get home around 3pm very bad day especially around xmas get home around 5pm. luckily the newspaper goes in later on sunday delivery(sat night) I get to sleep till 12:30 get back home around 7am... go to sleep till hopefully lunch. Sure I have some free time on sunday I go back in to the newspaper at 11pm, but Im ill and moody. I will get done with monday paper(sunday night) around 3:30- 4am and pray the post office doesn't call for me to go in monday am... On mondays we go in @ 6am at the post office...week of 4th of july I work all week @ po. thank god they are closed for the holiday, I will be sleeping.. then after working all week the carrier is also taking the following monday off..... NOW tell me where my kids come out short handed if I drive a truck......we don't have extra money now, and if my car quits i'm screwed.........................

 

You can find companies that you are home every week. I started out with one as a rookie. Its not in your area. Do your homework you can find one.

 

I just read through this thread and I have to admit that's a tough situation to be in. But I think that you are doing the right thing, all things in your situation considered. Years from now, you might look at this decision and regret it, or be thankful you took the plunge. Point is, you are doing something to better yourself and your family's situation, either way. The effort is most admirable.

Whatever company you ultimately decide to drive for, look at that as a one year commitment. Once you have your one year in, doors will open for you in terms of more driving jobs, better pay, better benefits, etc. Best of luck and keep us posted.

 

squeen4555
I feel your pain. I worked 2 jobs, one being delivering news papers,the other a full time factory job 8 to 10 hour a day and some Saturdays for 5 long years. Sunday papers are a real killer. 100 miles a day 7 days a week in a minivan with 175,000 miles on it not knowing if today is the day it will give up and spending every spare minute you have trying to catch just a little sleep.Believe me when I say I really feel your pain, I finally got some bills paid down and sold some of my prized possessions, I like expensive toys Motorcycles, Boats etc. but had to give them up. Got rid of the paper route last year, I have to work a little more overtime at the plant to pay the bills but I feel world's better. I am still considering Trucking as an escape from factory life, it gets so boring sometimes the same thing day after day. but the money and benefits are good. I have been researching for some time and trucking is the only profession I have found that I can make the same money I am making now right out out of the gate, and I cannot afford to make any less and sounds like you can't either. I think you can make the kind of money you need, it just comes down to is,Is it worth it being gone all the time?Maybe we will both find our place,and be happy, in the trucking Industry! Best of luck to you and please do keep us posted!

 

Well I have pretty much decided that I'm gonna do it. It is just a matter of when. I have to plan on atleast 3 weeks without pay for the schooling, then around 350 a week for a little while. I kept flip flopping for the past month, this is how I look at it... If congress stops the contracting of routes I might get a small rte within the next year.( well I did have a small rte 15 hr per week last year that got takin away because we got automated letters and had to rebuild the regular carriers hours,yadyadyada)even if it is doubled say 30 hours/week I was bring home 500/every 2 week, so that would be 1000/every 2 weeks. only 500 a week if you break it down. This could be a year or 2 or even 3 down the road. in the mean time I bring home 365 average doing newspaper 7 days a week....... It sounds good and i flip to just waiting it out,,,,,BUT If my car breaks down on newspaper route( which had 26000 miles last october, now has 72000 now) and I don't have that income say next month, where does that leave me, that is where I flop back to trucking. don't have to worry about waiting 1-2 years to give up the newspapers and worrying how long my car will last...... Like I said, now it is just a matter of when I get our monies in order to take the plunge............It will probably be with schnieder unless I flip on that too......