I was here about a year ago wanting to start my career as a driver, but my youngest child was only about two months. After listening to some of yours advice I waited a whole year. The dream of being a truck driver has not gone away, so I really need some advice on where to start.

I know the first thing is to get my license, so if anyone knows of a Truck Driving School close to Ventura County California please help me out. I'm a very responsible mom that needs to work so please let me know if I'm being realistic by wanting to find me a local job so that I can be home with my kids everyday.

Any info is appreciated.
Thanks

You're not going to get a local job and be home everyday without experience. Even then you may not get home everyday. If your priority is being with your children, trucking is not for you. Just my 2 cents. I'm neither a mother, nor a trucker *yet*.

http://www.truckdriving101.com/States/california/ if you insist on looking in your area for a cdl school. or google! yay

magali ... I'm not going to give you the reasons you shouldn't be a truck driver right now ... just look at the picture you posted. 2 awesome reasons not to do it. I can tell you from experience, if it's meant for you to be a truck driver that feeling will never go away. It will still be with you 10 yrs down the road ... it's very rare if anyone just coming out of school will find a local job that gets you home each night to be with their family. You will probably have to drive otr for 3-6 month min. before finding anything close to home. I have a few friends and family members that drive 'local' and they never put less than 10-12 hours in a day and it's never a set schedule. The loads will always be the deciding factor on that. Before you go to school ..... just an idea, call the company's close to where you live ... nursery's, produce, lumber yards, factory's and talk them about if they hire new drivers and how many years experience they insist on before hiring you...... Your time with your children is not worth ... running the hwys ... to make a living. .... Look into driving a city bus or something in this line of work. At least you'll be there when your kids are sick and wonder where their Mother is. ... I'm a mother myself but I didn't start driving until they were on their own. It will make all the difference in your work and you daily life.

Despite what those two said, you CAN get a local job with no experience right out of school. It does however help to know someone that has either worked for or currently works at that company. Really the local stuff is something you're going to have to work on your own, more than likely no one here will be able to help you get a local job. Some truck driving schools do have deals to recruit for local companies, so I'd start there I guess.

However like they said, even a "local" job isn't necessarily home every night.

for4roses is also dead on that the local jobs run you crappy hours, and long hours. I have a local job and I often put in 14 hour days. They set it up so they get the most out of you every day. The hours aren't consistant either so if you're looking for a 9-5 truck driving job that probably doesn't exist for you.

Thank you so much for taking the time to respond. for4roses you're so right. My kids are too little and need me too much to have their mom working all day. I will just wait for the right time.

Good luck to all

Thanks

Do not be too deterred, you can get a job in a day cab and be home every night. I passed my license on a Friday and was hired on a Monday local runs. It can be done with some luck and work. Good luck with whatever you do!

You can also drive locally by hauling rock or something like that. I'm a single Mom and raised my daughter hauling rock, you're home on weekends, holidays and usually bad weather. And you can always call in sick if your kiddos need you at home. There have been several women who raised their kids doing this. Something to consider...