I can write it in Spanish if you need, lol

 

Open question - Doesn't Werner have only flathood trucks and don't they train? Or some company? Can't remember for sure.

 

Why ruin the dream by driving for a company? Buy a long nose Pete and a trailer and go trucking. You stand the best chance of enjoying it if you are a carrier.

 

Everything I read tells me it's near impossible to get jobs without time behind the wheel? I don't mind starting with the low paying ones, I know I have to pay my dues or gain some trust. Nothing is impossible but don't you think I would have a hard time?

If for some reason I did go that route, what would be the best way to start finding jobs?

 

Well, you can be like Steve Booth and just do it. No experience necessary. He even learned how to give himself his own drug tests. :shock:


Trial by fire, it's not for everyone.

 

Molson... do you know what kind of OTR driving you want to do? Dry Van, Reefer, Flatbed?

If flatbed and you like the 'hoods' check out TMC. They'll take newbies and most of the tractors are long nose Petes. There's also a thread on CAD about TMC. Good luck!
http://www.tmctrans.com/driversC.asp

 

Thanks I saw that, I am thinking dry van though. Let me ask though, as a newbie, is it better to start flatbed to get experience securing the load?

Then if I want, go to dry van? Or if I want to do dry van, just start with that?

 

Yup, so simple even a caveman can do it.

 

Seems like we need some deinitions.

Truck Driver
a.k.a. the company driver, someone who drives someone elses truck.

Owner/Operator:
Someone, usually a former company driver that has bought or leased his own truck. After doing so, he has leased this truck or trucks exclusively to a trucking company. The truck now operates only for the company, under the companies Motor Carrier authority (a.k.a. MC#). Theoretically, the owner may elect to hire a driver for his truck, but not usually enough money in the venture to make this idea profitable.

Carrier
Can be a Motor Carrier or a Private Carrier.

A Motor Carrier is a trucking company. Slso known as "having your own authority". An entity or person that owns it's truck or trucks and usually trailer or trailers and is in the business of moving other people's stuff.

A Private Carrier is a company that owns it's own trucks and does it's own trucking. They have a USDOT# but no MC#. Cannot pull anything they do not own.

As a carrier, you are responsible for finding your own loads, dispatching, maitenance, billing, collecting, filing IFTA, dealing with the DOT, dealing with the FMCSA, drug testing, routing, fuel puchases, truck purchases......everything.

Can have one truck like Steve or many trucks like Schneider.

With your money, I say be a Motor Carrier. As a carrier, you do not look for jobs...you look for loads. Take advantage of the freedom that your money allows. Besides...a well capitalized carrier can turn down cheap frieght.

:lol:

 

You know.....I hesitated to say anything here, tho as a new authority O/op and former big Co. trainer I am a good canditae
1. Because the question I feared most out of my trainee's lips was, a heartfelt question about, 'whats this buiz really like?'
Usually got only silence from me as a response.
2. Usually they had decided they knew more then me anyway, so I could stall them an answer a long as I culd

I remember as a new student breaking in myself about 15 years ago,,,,,my trainer explained, ;this is the brotherhood of truckers, n we help each other as much as possoble.'

Well i remember thinking, 'coolness....this is a buiz i think ill like.'

Then i started hearing about the new breed of truckers....just out for themselves.....a far cry from the professionalism i see from g-man.
N one has to only listen to the CB a few minutes n see that dream is dead....there is no more camelot!!!!!!!!!!!Weve been definitly thrown out of the garden of eden by too many idiots out here.

Well my friend, if you ignore most of the advice telling you dont do it.......The best advice I can tell you is or give you as a former trainer is how to deal with scales cuz any time out here you can n WILL be called in.

1. be tottaly upfront ande open about who you are and what your background is. After the scalemaster quits LAUGHING hysterically and has thouroughly checked your cab for drugs.....I quarantee he will cut you more of a brake then he does say me and will actually be symphethetic n helpfull.