[Ducimus]

So heres another newbie who's going to present a slew of information, and summerize it with the standard age old question, "Am i doing the right thing?"

Anyway, how i started looking into this is my girlfriend brought up Team driving to me a few months ago, (she was talking to some twice removed relatives who team drives), and told her she was nuts.

Several months later after doing my homework, i find myself making this post. :roll:

Im 33, shes 32, i know my driving record is spotless, and amazingly enough i dont have any spee..... ahhh, ill stop that sentence there less i jinx myself.

I suppose the biggest decider is what your leaving behind vs what you'd be gaining by the career change. I've been working at my current employer for the last 7 years, and am making, and will probably never make anymore then about 13 bucks an hour, theres no where to promote updward, and i guess you could say im "stuck in the truck" in terms with my job, in other words Ive grown very specialized. A lot of my job has been automated. What used to take me 8 hours + OT, now takes me 1 hour, with the rest of it busy working trying to justify my existence.

My girlfriend has been working at the local hospital for the last 6 years as a CNA (or certified ass wiper as she calls it), and she makes a little bit less then i do.

We live in californa, We own no house, we have no kids. Both of us are kind of burnt out on our current line of work. Ultimatly, thats whats driven me to do ALOT of research on trucking. Currently the plan is to put all our stuff into storage, move out of the apartment, into a truck, and bobtail it to a relatives house for those 3-4 days of at home time.

At any rate I feel with my background i could probably make the grade. Before i was a office space cubicle dweller, i was an engineer in the military for 5 years active and 2 reserve, I spent alot of time being deployed or on TDY, and lived my life around, in, and operating all sorts of equipment. Although that was 10 years ago, im thinking it was an experience (and lifestyle) that would help me adapt to trucking.

My chief worry is my girlfriend. Im not sure how she's going to handle the grind in the long term. She thinks shes going to travel and see alot (and for the most part thats true), but theres this little voice in the back of my head saying, "yeah you travelled alot too and it wasn't no tourist site seeing trip either".

Anyway, after alot of reading up, ive come to the conclusion that i probably want to look into Schneider. I've looked at CR england, swift, covenant, and one or two other starter companies, but Schenider looks like the one that will bend us over the least. As for as im concerned they'll all bend us over and stick it to us, but schneider looks like lesser evil of the bunch. Although, i have to admit, this mexican truck BS has me worried. Particuarlly since schnider has an operation south of the border? I understand this is a topic for another forum, so thats all ill say on this, - it greatly worries me.


So, now that ive written our lifes story :roll: i guess id better just flat out ask some damn straight questions.

Pay, can i expect to at least make the same as i do now starting out? If im taking a loss in pay, how much will it be? how much will i be making after a years experience OTR?

Schneider as a stepping block into the industry, good or bad idea?

Getting into trucking given our current situation, good or bad idea?

Our plan of putting our crap in storage and bobtailing to a relatives house once a month, good or bad idea?

Will we really be gone that long? I just saw in another post here that schenider is hauling more over train (so does this mean less mileage on interstate?)


I could ask questions all day i suppose, so ill just end this 10 page lifes essay here and hope for some good advice or thoughts on our situation.

Thanks.

[countryhorseman]

One comment, although it has nothing to do with your directed questions! I do not know of any company that will hire you two as a team, without being married! Most of the large companies, the Schnieders, JB's, Steven's, TMC, etc. will not allow a significant other type pairing, without the exchange of vows and a license. There are too many legal and moral hurdles to clear on that!

Too many times, years past, did one get mad at the other and take off and leave one at a rest area, truck stop, or just flat in the middle of no-where land. And when there is a male/female pairing - the female is assigned seat 1, meaning she has the fuel cards.

As for time OTR, many companies require 14 - 21 days out, with 2 days home, some more, very few less. Although, in a good team pairing, where duties are truly split evenly, the income potential can be very good. My opinion of one of the best Team fleets would be CRST, although I have no personal experience with them, I have not heard many negative comments on them.

Good Luck

[sgtmujica]

I've been doing a lot of research on teaming companies and CFI seems to be one of the best. They pay teams 0.43 per mile to the truck with a 0.05 cents per mile premiem when you have to drive in the 12 NE states. They pay practical miles unlike Schneider and no 18 month contract. They do sponsor training but there is some cost out of your pocket. If you would like more information you can go to www.cfidrivers.com The people on the board are awesome and will help you out. Good Luck!

[Ducimus]

RE: Marriage thing,

I was wondering if that was going to be an issue. We've been together for 6 years. Only reason why were not married is because shes has trouble managing her money and has creditors coming after her ass every once in awhile. As long as were not married they can't touch my money. :roll:

Probably too much info but right now she's got some "financial catchup" to do (hopefully she's wised up this time :roll: ), and needs to get an ovary removed thats prown to polycystic outbreaks (causes her alot of pain), so i dont think she'll be ready to hit the road for a few months.

I however am, a little more with each passing day. Sort of puts a wrinkle in our plans of putting our crap in storage and getting rid of the apartment, but im considering starting without her, and have her come in after me and team up then. But i have to wonder if its best to start at the same time, or have one of us "in the door" before hand.


Any info would be helpful in regards to this post or my previous one. Thanks.

[Twilight Flyer]

If you are intent on teaming together, I would wait and start together. You going first is going to put you ahead of her on the learning curve. She'll go through training herself and be on another trainer's truck while you are already solo. That's bound to cause some headaches.

Additionally, who's to say that you don't get out there and running and she gets cold feet before she takes the plunge. At that point, you are driving, she is home, you have all the costs associated with a home, and you're as far apart as you can get. Better to get out there and sink or swim together.

As far as the marriage thing goes, ask around. There are actually a number of companies that have no problems with a male/female team that are not married. But you'll have to ask around.

If you guys end up teaming and dump the apartment and all those costs associated with renting or owning, you stand to make some good money if you spend and save wisely. Even that first year out when the money is low, $60K+ between the two of you without any bills is going to be a nice little nest egg start.

Good luck to you.

[Ducimus]

Originally Posted by sgtmujica

I've been doing a lot of research on teaming companies and CFI seems to be one of the best. They pay teams 0.43 per mile to the truck with a 0.05 cents per mile premiem when you have to drive in the 12 NE states. They pay practical miles unlike Schneider and no 18 month contract. They do sponsor training but there is some cost out of your pocket. If you would like more information you can go to www.cfidrivers.com The people on the board are awesome and will help you out. Good Luck!

Ive heard good things about CFI before, but i was under the impression that their NOT a starter carrier.

[greg3564]

Originally Posted by Ducimus

Ive heard good things about CFI before, but i was under the impression that their NOT a starter carrier.

They are indeed a starting company. They just don't run their own schools. But they will send you to training and you will pay for some of thet training. They also take student drivers.

[all18wheels]

Originally Posted by greg3564

They are indeed a starting company. They just don't run their own schools. But they will send you to training and you will pay for some of thet training. They also take student drivers.

Ive done alot of research on starter trucking companies. seems like CFI seems to have a good rep for being a great starter.
if i cant find a local job, Im going with CFI 8)

[BuffaloWingz]

So, I'm in Wisconsin and trying to find all the starter companies and narrow it from there. Here's the list so far:

Werner
Schneider
CFI
Swift(?)

Any others that you all know of?

I don't have my CDL yet, though I have had one speeding ticket in 5 years, no accidents, no drugs, and ok credit, and I'm over 23.

Originally Posted by Ducimus

I've been working at my current employer for the last 7 years, and am making, and will probably never make anymore then about 13 bucks an hour, theres no where to promote updward, and i guess you could say im "stuck in the truck" in terms with my job, in other words Ive grown very specialized.

About $13.00/hr is what you will top-out at driving truck OTR. First year will be $7-8/hour and the next year will be $10-$12/hr. The only reason you can make $40 to +$50k is that you're working almost double the hours of other working folks with no overtime after the 8th and 40th hour. Plus you're living in an 10X12 rolling cage. The massive 120% turnover rates should be your first clue as to what a burn-job it is.

Tell your girlfriend to go to back to school and become a registered nurse. Forget OTR trucking. It's a job of last resort.