Not even a trucking newbee yet

by Brian Asher
(Kansas City, MO)

I currently own a business (carpet cleaning) and am sick of the ridiculous winter slow downs every year. I would like to get my CDL and eventualy do line haul for a LTL but I now that I have to earn my keep going over the road. Do you recomend any companies that hire newbees over any others? I have looked at swift and cr england and Werner. CR england has a stagered pay scale do they all do that? Its the longer the haul the less the rate per mile

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Apr 06, 2009
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Brian wants to quit cleaning carpet and drive.
by: Jimmy

Welcome aboard Brian. First off, trucking slows down in the winter months also. Right now, if business is slow, at least you are home and can sleep in your own bed. If you are trucking, you may be in a small town somewhere waiting for a load for 1-2 days. Picture yourself sitting in a snow blown prairie town in January in Minnesota at a small truck stop that barely has restroom facilities and a small restaurant. The temp is about 5 degrees and you have no idea how long you will be waiting there. Just about now, your carpet cleaning business would look pretty good.

Right now, tons of people are looking at trucking in order to make a living. But trucking is in a funk just as the rest of the economy is. But if you're determined to proceed, yes those companies you mentioned accept newbies. LTL and linehaul are contridictions. Linehaul is long distance, LTL means "less than load" as in local freight with multiple stops and pick-ups. There are companies that haul LTL long distance.

And yes, O/O's sometimes get less per mile if the distance is further vs shorter distance. That is because in a shorter run, you will take time to pick-up your load and time to deliver it, which is unpaid time.

So take your time and be damn sure you want to make the plunge. You will hear tons of horror stories as you investigate. Just keep an open mind. Jimmy

Apr 06, 2009
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newbie
by: brotherhoodogtuckers

I actually fell into one of those drive with us for a year companies. The first six months I had 5 trucks!! The same company!!I couldn't make the miles I needed due to breakdowns, so I had to leave the company early and now have a bill like 7,000 for school because of interest! I much recommend going to school independently to save a bunch of headache. Lots of schools provide a grant so you can even go for free! the company was usa truck

Apr 06, 2009
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new job
by: Anonymous

I actually fell into one of those drive with us for a year companies. The first six months I had 5 trucks!! The same company!!I couldn't make the miles I needed due to breakdowns, so I had to leave the company early and now have a bill like 7,000 for school because of interest! I much recommend going to school independently to save a bunch of headache. Lots of schools provide a grant so you can even go for free!

Apr 06, 2009
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Be advised
by: Anonymous

If you are loooking at long haul trucking with a company like Werner you should take a secound look. A truck driver can work 14 hours a day and drive 11 hours a day. Werner expects you to do just that. If you do the math you will find the tiny pay they offer will net you less than minimum wage. Remeber you will be locked up in that truck 24/7 and not allowed to go home without their pemissiion. You will pay for all of your meals and even showers. It is a misseralble hard life.

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