Profile For Lauren D.

I've always liked travel, being by myself and driving. I've had a rough three years, but I've decided to look into becoming a trucker. I'm a 30 year old woman and I have a lot of fears about traveling by myself. I live with my parents but want to help them live better. I don't have a family of my own. So, I'd like to ask y'all in this forum some questions about being on the road and a few other things I've wondered.

I live in Texas. There's many different cdl's from what I've seen. Whats the best one for a new driver? Whats the best way to earn the license? Through a company or taking a loan for college or grant?

I drive a standard corrola with 6 gears. How is a big rig different? Or will my experience with driving standard help me learn?

I'd like to know how safe it is for a woman to drive a big rig. What are some things you wished you knew to prepare for starting? What are some of the dangers?

How difficult is it to find where you need to be? I can find my way around but I rely on GPS for first time visits anywhere.

How stressful is the job? I prefer being by myself and do a better job working alone than with partners. Are you put on tight schedules?

And, I would like to know how the pay is. You don't have to give exact numbers but I know absolutely nothing about how trucking companies pay their employees. Is it by haul, mileage, etc?

I know its a lot of questions. I found a lot of technical information browsing the web but then I ended up here. I really peoples personal opinions. This is a really big thing for me and its a little daunting thinking about driving such big equipment but I can't shake the feeling that its what I really want to do. I would just like to learn a few things first.

Thank you for reading