ok...
Class a no experiience is exactly as good as a class c no experience. The only way to "get hireable" is to spend the next few years driviing for a farm or get intobedbugging where they'll use you as a class c and b driiver , then maybe a class a will take you under his wing and take you out for a month as his personal laborer and maybe teach you to drive.
Class b with years experience to class a is possible you just have to find the right company. If youre smart you'll go to school though. Trucking aint "jump behind a wheel and go! cause im an excellent driver".. trucking done went and got compex.
Theres nothing wrong with the guys who drive for swift/jb. There is a LOT wrong with their training!!!!!!!!
Noone gives a flying damn about accreditation.
School/training/first 6 mos dont make you a trucker. They PREPARE you. In reality most companies and drivers wont really consider you a trucker till you are 2 years in.
School wont teach you to back. It will teach you to back well enough to pass the test. Same for training (in another guys truck).
If a company wont get you home every weekend tell them to f*** off.
You will run elogs. The days of running illegal are over. There are very few of us who can still run paper logs. Our days are numbered and we know it.
Trucking is goiing to change more over the next 2 years than it ever has. Shippers/recievers will provide parkiing or they will have to pay $$$$$$$$$$$$ to get their freight moved. Shippers are goiing to load FAST or face HUGE contract fines. There wont be any more "we only load during thiis small window" bull****. Shippers/recievers who arent trucking industry friiendlly are about to get a swift kick iin the ass.. because of new DOT bs.
Rates are goiing UP. Miles per driver is going down. The push for teams is going to be huge. You'll start to see teams and drop and hook even in flatbed. (it's RARE now).
I made 45k my first year. I started at .26. Was at .30 at 1 year. I ran hard. Trucking isnt for wussies.. or lazy people. I drove HARD. A manager at one company told me "you run like a chicken with your head cut off".. i used to run 3200+ in 3.5 days.
The day of the o/o is coming back.. despite the fact that is exactly what the megacarriers are trying to end by pushing this dot stuff. They are trying to shut down everyoone but themselves. The bitch in charge in DC is firmly in their pocket.
You will HATE trucking at first. If it gets in your blood you're f***ed because you wont be able to fit in anywhere else. ALL truckers are their own boss. Especially o/o's. You wont be able to handle some punk with issues looking over your shoullder or giviing you orders once youre a trucker.
Best advice ii ever got: "specialise in something. early as possible and as much as possibe". I wish i had started off in flatbed.
You will consider what your nontrucker friends make a week a joke and not understand how anyone can clear 500 a week and surviive. You'll "blow" more money a week than most of them make.
You'll lose most of your friends. And family. If youre smart you'll do as i do and make them your #1 prioriity in life.
If youre married w kids and you decide to become a trucker you are a frigging idiot. Youre wifes next husband, the guy the kids call daddy, will try to get along with you..
You'll be able to telll the dude your wife sleeps with when you're out is a good dude by whether he replaces your beer or not. Hes probably one of your close friends now so you're probably all good.
I HATE trucking. I also love iit. go figure. Im a trucker to my core. Before this ii was a skinny, preppyish intellectual. Computer programmer. I was going to be a genetic engineer or physiicist. I buiit a business on the net with 0 $ and was considered an expert in
SEO by the industry. Now im a muscular, no **** takiing guy people assume is a truckker the second they see me. Thats weird btw.
If you are single TRY IT. If you are desperate TRY IT. Truckers work harder than other profession. Period. They work longer hours. Trucking is INSANELY dangerous. People will hate you. And be terrified to say it to your face. EVERYONE willl have their hand in your pocket. Especially the .gov and the company. MOST people who start dont make it. Maybe 25% survive 6 months. Maybe 1% make 2 years. If you work hard, are professional, are careful, are a stable person trucking will change your life.
Babbling finished