Truck drivers?

[89FivePointOh]

I appreciate the info. Like I said, it's something I've thought about and wanted to look into, and I've heard the money can be good. Just like any job I'm sure you have to work your way up and into the money. Since I'm single with no kids, I thought it might be worth a shot. Biggest thing I'm looking for a job where I'm not behind a desk all day with room for growth that'll pay me at least what I'm making now.

Send me a PM. I work for a leading Propane company and we need people in Midland and possibly Arkansas. You would take Propane from the rack to our storage facilities. Home everynight, or possibly sleep in our sleeper in our trucks, great pay, and great benefits. NO WEEKENDS EVER!

[sig239]

Is tarping a load that difficult or time consuming?

Think blowing cold wind, rain heavy ass wet tarp getting it over a load after you strap the load then strap a tarp down so the wind dont get under it. And on the other end and getting it back off and rolled up for 50 bucks,

Stay far away from the ones who try to get you to lease a truck and train you. Unless you like to drive under 50 mph after they nickel and dime you out of every thing the only money you end up with is what you make off the fuel surcharge. And you pay for a truck you will never own to pull there freight. They make money off leasing you the truck doing 98% of any needed repairs selling you tires ect.
To bad big orange closed down there schools, they where about the only ones training who gave you a chance. They still train some if you have get your DL from a private school they approve.

Im working for a smaller local co, 250 trucks and home two or three nites a week, New trucks that run 70+ Im getting about 15k miles a month. I run 600+ miles or more every day.

[sig239]

2 pieces of advice.

If you go long haul, stay in shape and eat well or you will pack on the pounds.


If you go local, take care of your body. Use pallet jacks, forklifts, etc as freight movement can tear up your body over time. I have seen it s hundred times.

The weight is the truth, sitting all day board out of your mind at times you tend to eat a lot of junk food. If the wheels ant turning you ant earning.
and thank god for LUMPERS,,

[slownbmta]

I'm thinking about buying a truck, if I could get a reliable driver lined up. Not trying to get rich off of it, but seems like there is some money to be made from it.

[bigmuskie]

Think blowing cold wind, rain heavy ass wet tarp getting it over a load after you strap the load then strap a tarp down so the wind dont get under it. And on the other end and getting it back off and rolled up for 50 bucks,

I don't miss that one bit. I hated getting one half of the tarp laid out across the load only to have a gust of wind come through and toss it back on the ground. I started using a bungee cords to secure on each corner. If I ever do go back to flatbed, it will be a curtain side for sure.

Schneider no longer does inhouse schooling? When I was with them back in 06 07 they always had a large class of students. One of the trainers told me they would get student drivers from other carriers in their classes.

[4eyedwillie]

Any idea what companies will pay for school now? From the looks of it Schneider will reimburse you for school but not pay for it outright. I may be reading it wrong tho. My son needs a job and he loves to drive.

[motoman]

Any idea what companies will pay for school now? From the looks of it Schneider will reimburse you for school but not pay for it outright. I may be reading it wrong tho. My son needs a job and he loves to drive.

http://www.greatcdltraining.com/cdl-training

[Lone Sailor]

Any idea what companies will pay for school now? From the looks of it Schneider will reimburse you for school but not pay for it outright. I may be reading it wrong tho. My son needs a job and he loves to drive.

Most of the companies that operate their own driver program will require some kind of contract commitment to drive for them for a certain period of time, 12 months, 18 months, etc. I've found that more companies are also doing some kind of contract for the partial payment of the independent school program as well. They just don't want to be out that investment by having you hop off the train after a couple of weeks.

[slownbmta]

How much are the classes generally?

[Chili]

I'm thinking about buying a truck, if I could get a reliable driver lined up. Not trying to get rich off of it, but seems like there is some money to be made from it.

Unless you have a guaranteed haul for that truck that is going to make a lot of money, don't do it. Most Owner Operators that have additional trucks need at least 5 trucks before they are turning a reasonable profit.

There are always exceptions, but overhead is really high in trucking.

[Captain Crawfish]

Most of the companies that operate their own driver program will require some kind of contract commitment to drive for them for a certain period of time, 12 months, 18 months, etc. I've found that more companies are also doing some kind of contract for the partial payment of the independent school program as well. They just don't want to be out that investment by having you hop off the train after a couple of weeks.

yep and sometimes when you finish the school they magically run out of trucks!

[sig239]

Yes sni closed there school about two years ago. They do have a school of sorts for recent school grads.
The cost of running a truck as a side investment is a guaranteed loss of money. Some one Burns up a motor you are looking at 15+k for a rebuild. Set of drives run about 4k for some lousy rolling resistance tire. Clutch and drive line ant cheap.
Do not lease a truck from the person who is giving you your loads. Doing that gives them no reason to keep you running. There making more leasing the try and controlling where you have work done on it and where You can spend your maintenance fund in there shops. This is why you see prime trucks going 50mph the only money thay make is by keeping there MPG up so they to pocket the extra money off the fuel surcharge base of 6 Mpg.

[Frank]

Kinda off subject, but what is a "glider kit" I have heard of when it comes to trucks?

[Captain Crawfish]

Kinda off subject, but what is a "glider kit" I have heard of when it comes to trucks?

that when some clown gets the keys and descends down a steep grade heating the brakes and positioning the transmission to infinite neutral and glides off the side!

[bigmuskie]

that when some clown gets the keys and descends down a steep grade heating the brakes and positioning the transmission to infinite neutral and glides off the side!

lmao