Where Is The Best Place To Start In The Trucking Industry?
OK I am looking to get into driving a truck for a career but I am not real sure where to start from what I see some companies will help get me through school and help get me a license. How long are most routes and how much money can I REALLY make??? I have searched through all kind of sites and found one that had a lot of schools and information but I would really like to hear from someone with experience. I looked on http://onlinetruckdrivingjobs.com and read their ebook and it makes a lot of sense to get in the trucking business.
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6 Comments to “Where Is The Best Place To Start In The Trucking Industry?”
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By Arwen, February 5, 2010 @ 7:37 pm
What you are reading is old news, think again if you think the trucking industry is the place to go. JB Hunt is the nations largest carrier and the rosy picture you see is not quite so rosy http://www.arkansasnews.com/archive/2008…
It’s not just Owner Ops that are suffering some very large trucking companies that have been around for a long time are closing their doors for good. Manufacturers are not producing so hauling is down for those that are still in business and rates are being cut right and left while fuel prices increase. I know many of drivers, company drivers that were at the top of the food chain earning over a grand a week, they are now lucky to earn a fraction of that. Truckers USED to make good money, keep in mind, out of that money you also have to pay to eat at restaurants 3 times a day and living on the road. Schneider and Swift are laying off, and downsizing. Home Depot is closing stores, who do you think hauls for them? To get into the trucking game now? Good luck with getting a job, too many seasoned drivers out there looking for work. You also might want to look into what a truck driver with zero experience actually makes, deduct food purchased on the road and you may be thinking again. Everyone wants to tell you they make good money but in truth, even company drivers are at risk of being laid off right now and most drivers are experiencing a serious loss of pay right now because of the lack of freight out there. Welcome to the world of sharks, my advice is to stay out of the pond for now.
PS allot of corporate sponsored schools are shutting down, if you read about them 6 months ago don’t be surprised if they aren’t available now.
By Rick, February 6, 2010 @ 1:14 am
Start at the top & have someone else drive for you. Lots of schools, & lots of low paying companies to drive for esp when you are inexperienced. Prepare to spend 24/7 in your rig.
If you buy a rig & you get tired of it, you are stuck cause you have the pymts, and the fuel, maintenence,puc’s etc…so just drive for someone.
By Jenna, February 6, 2010 @ 2:47 am
The trucking business can be good if you drive for someone else and don’t have family because you will be gone often. Don’t get into it now if you are thinking of buying your own truck. This is the market that I am in and the biggest problem is fuel. It keeps going up but actual pay per load is not. So drivers make the same but truck owners make less. Good luck to you.
By red robin, February 6, 2010 @ 7:17 am
with the price of diesel i would look for something else, unless you are going to work for a company and not be independent
By Knightri, February 6, 2010 @ 11:07 am
some of the major companies will help you get threw school and licsence and everything
as a trucker you will most likely be over the road when you get a job with a company they pay usually by the mile
as in the money you can make anywhere from 40 k up to a hundred + just depends on wher you work what you truck and how hard you want to go at it
alot of it depends on your location when starting
i know in the midwest like chicago
most haul cars or steel from gary indiana to the detriot area thats what alot of my family does i assume it would be the same in pitsburg but iam not sure on it
my cousin owns his truck and runs steel 5 days a week and he makes depending on fuel cost right around 70k a year but he pays for his own maintnense and everything else so there is some benifit to owning your own truck and there is some when working with a company
starting out you will prolly not make more that 50k with a company but its one of the best places to learn how to drive as well as more on how the system works
i know down here in miami our fed ex driver that drives a big truck makes right around 65 k a year and hes a local driver in the miami, ft lauderdale, palm beach area
By marc w, February 6, 2010 @ 1:17 pm
you got the first thing right, Get into a school or find a company that will train you , That way you get payed to learn. I don’t know your age but allot of company’s have a minimum age to be a driver so they can keep their insurance cost down. If you get a local route, Home every night you might make 20 to 40 thousand a year Might be a little less your first year or two. Over the road gets an average of 50 to 70 thousand working for someone or you could go the owner operator route, You will make more money but will have to pay for all of the costs out of your pocket, fuel,repairs,tires,registration, the list goes on and on, But then you have the freedom to go on the runs you want but you usually have to do the crap runs until the shippers get to know you. Either way good luck to you