Driving jobs

doverarjim · January 23, 2013

There home office is here in North west Arkansas. They seem to have a lot of trucks and keep them moving.

'01LS1 · January 23, 2013

just applied to PAM transport they offer a 1200$ sign on bonus and 3 week cdl training trough driver solutions, i have to call a driver agent tomorrow to discuss training and my application. anyone heard of them before?

You will probably speak with a recruiter, which means believe less than 50% of what you are told.

However, you can read all about them specifically at the link or look around at any other of the major class 8 otr companies on the same site.

http://www.thetruckersreport.com/truckingindustryforum/pam/

SarahsGMC · January 23, 2013

I most likely won't be able to do it I'm sure the schooling cost a ton

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'01LS1 · January 23, 2013

They will more than likely offer to pay for the cdl mill, but they have you for a year or two at or below flippin burger wages.

Many of the local colleges will have a cdl program that you have to pay for with job placement after the four week course.

Talk to those guys before signing anything with any company out there if you are truly interested.

That being said, if you are making decent money at your current job, I would NOT switch to trucking.

Too many regulations & not enough money for the risk you take.

SarahsGMC · January 24, 2013

U start out at 7-800 a week I make 375

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LaserBlueZ71 · January 28, 2013

I was a long haul trucker for years, I owned my own big rig. I pulled virtually every kind of trailer/load there is to pull.

If I can offer any advice, it would be to do anything but trucking. Trucking is extremely low pay, I classify trucking as legal slave labor. Local trucking companies all seem to forget, that a normal job is 8 hours. Almost all of them want you to put in 12, 14 hour days, on a regular basis, everyday. For what? So they can go home and get rich, while your the one steering and gearing?

Northern Ninja mentioned going to work in Fort McMurray. That is a mistake, here is why. Did you notice he has a 5th camper with him? Unless you have one yourself, prepare to pay $2,000 a month for renting a single bedroom dump. Fort McMurray is known as Fort McMoney, and for good reason. Sure, you might make $6,000 a month, you might even make $8,000 a month, but you will spend half of that alone on living there. If you have family elsewhere, you will have to drive or fly back home regularly, which costs a lot. Then, because you made such a nice big income for the year, the Government will take at least 40%. When it comes right down to it, in the details, your making the same money as you would be working locally for $18 an hour.

Work where you live, or close to it.

Long haul trucking, over the road trucking, unless your a single person, do not do it. My father was, and still is, a long haul trucker of over 30 years. He missed me and my two sisters growing up, and missed a real marriage with my mother. They aren't divorced or anything, but you can never replace time lost. He missed birthdays, Christmas time, new years, thanksgiving, you name it, he almost always missed it. Yes, he did what he had to to keep us fed, sheltered and clothed, but he left a great career type job when he was younger for the "thrill of the road" All he ever speaks of is his regret for making that decision, and he spends almost everyday beating himself up over it.

I drove for almost 5 years, and swore I always would. I swore i would never find a good woman, or give up the road. Being raised in trucking, I loved it, more than anything else in my life. Maybe it was fate saving me in some way, maybe I was being taught a lesson, but I met my girlfriend in the spring of 2010, and my mind changed, quickly. Within 5 months, I had sold my truck, moved halfway across the country, and said goodbye to everything and everyone I ever knew. I don't regret it. I have a life now, I have a family, I have a home that isn't the size of a closet. I use the same shower and toilet everyday.

If you want to be a truck driver, even a local truck driver, in some cases, you must be prepared for long hours, and to be married to the steering wheel, not your family. Truck owners rarely give a damn about you, or your family. They want to go home to their own family, while you make the wheels turn 14 hours a day. All they care about is whether or not the truck is working, which means your ALWAYS working. The public hates you and the cops don't like you.

The problem with trucking, is that it is no longer just driving like it used to be. There is thousands of rules and regulations, and constant eyes on you. Driving is only stress free when you can take your time, and go where you please. In trucking, you will be rushed everywhere, and 85% of the time, you won't want to go to the crappy place they will send you.

I didn't intend to give such a personal reply, but I don't want anyone to go into trucking blindly, because its "fun to drive" I know it is, I love driving too. But driving a commercial vehicle for a living isn't driving, it's a job, a highly regulated, unforgiving, thankless, underpaid, overworked, job. If you understand one thing, understand it is nothing like getting into your own vehicle, and taking a relaxing drive, going where you want to go, at your own pace.

SarahsGMC · January 28, 2013

I'm single absolutely hate my home life (bad relationship with mother) broke as f@&) all the time and can't stand living here in this town. I'm at that point in my life where I give absolutely 0 damn about anything I hate my job to death and can't stand being around people for more than a few mins. Essentially I'm miserable now so why not be miserable somewhere else.

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kstruckcountry · January 28, 2013

Well not many people want life advice from a kid... But here goes.

If you want to drive go ahead. It all depends on who you're driving for. I know some that love it, and some that hate it.

I wasn't joking about the farming though. The happiest people I know are farmers and farm workers. If you like driving, and like to take pride in your work it may be for you.

Do what you like best, it may take you a while to find it.

tanked_darren · January 28, 2013

Whatever job you do, if you don't like it keep looking for a new one. Luckily I found mine at 18. I'm 28 now, good luck.

You'll never be happy if you don't like your job, that is my opinion.

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SarahsGMC · January 28, 2013

Exactly I want to look forward to my job not look forward to getting away from home for 8 hours

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chev1guy · January 28, 2013

If there is a one stop career center around where you live, I would suggest talking to them. That is what two people that I know did, I am not 100% what you need to qualify but if you do they will pay for the 3 month training course. Good luck finding something new to do. Find what makes you happy and don’t settle just because it pays the bills.

nick424 · January 29, 2013

Ohio might be different, but we just had a young man get his CDL where I work. He got the books to study for the test from the DOT, studied on his own, then made an appointment, paid the $125.00 for the test, and because he did it on his own, he rented a truck at the test site for another $125. He passed his test, got his medical card through work, and now fills in as a driver. He, and several others, did not take any classes to get the CDL.

'01LS1 · January 29, 2013

Ohio might be different, but we just had a young man get his CDL where I work. He got the books to study for the test from the DOT, studied on his own, then made an appointment, paid the $125.00 for the test, and because he did it on his own, he rented a truck at the test site for another $125. He passed his test, got his medical card through work, and now fills in as a driver. He, and several others, did not take any classes to get the CDL.

OTR companies/insurance are sticky on that. They would rather stuff people through the cdl mills.

LaserBlueZ71 · January 29, 2013

I'm single absolutely hate my home life (bad relationship with mother) broke as f@&) all the time and can't stand living here in this town. I'm at that point in my life where I give absolutely 0 damn about anything I hate my job to death and can't stand being around people for more than a few mins. Essentially I'm miserable now so why not be miserable somewhere else.

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Then maybe long hauling is exactly what you need.

I gave you the negative overview last night, but I can tell you a few positives.

I have trucked all of North America. I have been to every state, and Canadian Province, with the exception of P.E.I. How many people can say that? Not only that, but I was paid to do it.

Long haul trucking is a great job, IF your single. If you value your alone time, and you aren't terribly close with family, living on the road can be amazing. Despite the bad, I loved trucking, until I met my girlfriend. I found something worth more than the road, but, had we not met, I guarantee you I would still be rolling down the highway.

There is no feeling like driving a big truck through some of the biggest cities in North America. Some nice summer nights, cruising through Chicago, window open, music playing, turbo is whistling and tires are humming on the asphalt...you feel like there is nothing better in the world sometimes.

One reason I loved trucking so much, is because of the cab. Yes, being in the cab. The cab is YOUR world. If you want the music on, turn it on. If you want to crank up the heater and cook yourself out, that's up to you. If you decide you need a half hour nap at 2:00 PM everyday, go ahead, pull over. The truck itself becomes home very fast.

Trucking is a disease, it gets in your blood. Back when I was driving, after being out for a month, all I would want to do is go home, and get as far away from the truck as I could. Within 2 days, I was itching to get back out there. It's the white line fever, it calls you. I still have days where I am tempted to go back, but I enjoy having a family life now more than being gone.

If you want a new life, some adventure, and great stories to tell, I say go for it! You have nothing to fear but fear itself.