Truck Driving Jobs

Trukrswyfe · #11 10-09-2007, 04:17 PM

I say not that it matters, if you are looking to make a career change and you have an opportunity to check it out before you buy, Go for it!!
Better to say you tried and not the right fit then to say you never tried, Right?

Anyway if you are married what does your wife think? If you have your families support that is all the feed back you should need. BOL

okra77 · #12 10-09-2007, 04:27 PM

well she supports me either way i really like driving and have rode with other drivers i just dont want to get into something and totally regret it

what do local runs pay that get you home nightly just being curious

Trukrswyfe · #13 10-09-2007, 05:23 PM

Thats tough to generalize due to it can depend on all kinds of things. Husband friends that drive localy from ag plants to storage plants said could be 1100 a week but not really sure if that is base pay or newbie pay. Newbie would be what you will start at. Other local jobs could require experience that you don't have and would need OTR to get. So for that you would not be home everynight.

My husband has been out for awhile and is looking to use that to get local gig for the county. Union pays well but like I said you need the experience to get. Go on your local unemployment web site and check out the going rate for drivers in your area. Do know that Knight is really good at gettting you home alot during the week but not every night. Another one of my husband's buddies works for them and is happy. I think he is in mechanicville VA.

pigrider · #14 10-09-2007, 06:01 PM

Wow! Touch decision! My wife as been teaching for 15 years and I can understand how you feel. But life someone else said go to school at night and driver during the summer to see if this is really what you want!

You have to love trucking! But you also have to take into account, that when you asking some of the drivers for advice some of them are burnt out with the business. Just like if someone ask about the education field.
Some teachers love it some hate it! My wife is a literacy coach and she says she will never go back into the class room!

For the most part the first couple of years of trucking you are at the mercy of the trucking companys and it is not easy!

Good luck!!

fuelman · #15 10-09-2007, 06:02 PM

okra77,

My wife works in the Palms Springs school district here in southern california area, she is not a teacher but a speech language patholigist, but is on the teachers pay scale. If you can get your masters plus 30 credits, which my wife has, you can top out at 83k plus all the free benefits.

Yes the scale sucks if you don't further your education and I think most of the school teachers that complain about the pay in school districts are not furthering thier educations.

My wife was in a office the other day and this teacher made the comment ( I think I'll just become a truck driver and dump all this B.S.) My wife laughs and says my husbands a truck driver and I think he's smarter than all of us, he makes good money and does'nt have a worry in the world.

There are good paying driving jobs out there but, experiance is a must.
If your school is on the traditional schedule, go for it in the summer!!!!

BTY, you do not have to go OTR to land a good paying local driving job.

okra77 · #16 10-10-2007, 11:59 AM

I am just wondering i already have my b liscense and my air brakes when i called and have to go back to bus school this spring (which the school pays for by they way) I wonder if i could borrow a truck from someone and take the road test and get them that way

GMAN · #17 10-10-2007, 12:12 PM

You are not required to attend driving school to obtain a CDL. You will need a truck and trailer for the road test. If you can obtain a truck and trailer you should be able to obtain your CDL.

okra77 · #18 10-10-2007, 12:34 PM

no what i was saying is that i havea bus school paid for which gets me my liscense and mt road test paid for my question was do you think i could ask someone to borrow a truck and trailer to obtain my cdl or would it be a liability

Orangetxguy · #19 10-10-2007, 01:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by okra77

no what i was saying is that i havea bus school paid for which gets me my liscense and mt road test paid for my question was do you think i could ask someone to borrow a truck and trailer to obtain my cdl or would it be a liability

Okra, easiest thing to do, is check with a few of the CDL schools in your area. Many of them rent out their trucks and trailers for driving testing.

syl77dar · #20 10-10-2007, 02:24 PM

many local community college teach at night so you could do cdl trng at night and get all the info on logs, etc you need b4 u go on the road, without the logs knowledge if you go otr you may have some big problems.