Beginning The Journey

SO, I have another question and hope I get some good honest answers. I am leaving a fairly stable career to follow this new adventure in trucking. Who are some of the better companies to get started with that pay decent and will help with getting the CDL? I understand that one has to start at the bottom then work upwards and that's just the way it is but don't want to start with a company that is just crap from the start! Much like the military the recruiters will tell you anything to get you in the door to meet their quota! Thanks for any info

I understand that one has to start at the bottom then work upwards and that's just the way it is but don't want to start with a company that is just crap from the start!

Hello Tim, and welcome to our forum!

Unfortunately everyone getting started as a new trucker feels the exact same sentiment that I quoted from you. It's not surprising since there are only about ten million rants online about how people started their trucking career only to get totally screwed over by the company they started with! We understand where you are coming from, but it is a completely misguided way to start this career.

Success at trucking is completely misunderstood. Consequently we have all these people who failed at it giving the rest of us advice on how to start our career. Does that sound logical to you? It's outrageous, but that's the reality, and it has kept a lot of new entry level drivers from enjoying this very rewarding career. You've already stepped into the trap, so hopefully we can help you realign your thinking. I'm hoping we can.

First off, I started my trucking career at Western Express. Do the research, and you will discover what all these losers who are influencing you now have to say about that company. It's not pretty, in fact it's disturbing! Guess what? They were dead wrong, because they thought it was the name on the doors of the truck that determined how you will do in this career, and you can't get any further from the truth!

All these trucking companies will treat their best drivers like kings and queens. The others just sort of end up with the table scraps. That's how it works, and that's how they keep the really great drivers on board. So... what should we focus on? We have to focus on being the best we can be. Forget about focusing on which company will treat you the best - it's wasted effort, and produces fruitless results.

If you'll focus on making sure You Have What It Takes To Succeed At Trucking you will do well at any trucking company. I made excellent money at Western Express, and received plenty of recognition as a Top Tier Driver.

Take the time to read those links, you'll find them very helpful. Also I would encourage you to listen to this Podcast about Getting Career Advice From All The Wrong People. We've got a ton of great resources here for you. I hope you will join in our conversations here in the forum. I'm convinced you will learn a great deal by participating in our forum.

Again, welcome aboard!

SO, I have another question and hope I get some good honest answers. I am leaving a fairly stable career to follow this new adventure in trucking. Who are some of the better companies to get started with that pay decent and will help with getting the CDL? I understand that one has to start at the bottom then work upwards and that's just the way it is but don't want to start with a company that is just crap from the start! Much like the military the recruiters will tell you anything to get you in the door to meet their quota! Thanks for any info

Hey Tim...I applied to Prime initially but because I had been unemployed I got rejected. I then applied to Roehl and was accepted into their Get your CDL program. It’s changed since I graduated in 2014, so I won’t go into details. I ask for and was given a dedicated account for one of Roehl’s top customer. I think had I not been in their school I wouldn’t have been so fortunate. I worked off my one year commitment and then some. My first year I made 50k driving for them. Realize I knew nothing about trucking. I did have a work ethic. So when my 10 hour break was up...I was in my way in a short time. A lot of this business is dependent on you and your effort. Good luck

Well thanks for the info so far. I guess maybe it has become so very overwhelming the number of companies that contact you once you get your info out there saying you are interested in driving a truck for a living even without a CDL yet! Just trying to make informed decisions and sometimes you have to ask those folks who have been in the game for a while. Asking questions is how we learn. I guess maybe I did fall into the ole negative Nancy Traps that are littered out there.....but maybe I just wanted a good feel for some companies to help get me started as I really don't know them at all. Some of you out there do. As far as my work ethics I would say I give 110% into what I believe in. I want to make money but I want to learn what it is to drive a Big Rig! Has always been inside of me and I feel its time to turn that loose. I had folks telling me I was crazy for going to be a Paramedic...and how hard it is on the family as well as your own mind. I was even told I will never do it. Not only did I do it but then became a supervisor of my own crew! I have that same drive here.......I want to do this and once I get there no matter where "there" is I will succeed! So I will use whatever tools I can get to take each step in this journey of mine. Those tools sometimes or even most of the time come from all of you who have been there! Thank you again for any input to help me make good informed decisions and even if I have to be straightened out on my approach.......right Old School? HAHAHA.....Its ok and well taken. I need the feed back thank you

Hey Tim, I understand what you're getting at. You would be reasonable in expecting us to help steer you to the right companies based on what you've seen online. Brett started this website because of the very things you're struggling with right now. It's really frustrating for newcomers to read all the trash talking and try to sort it all out. That's why I gave you those links. Make sure and listen to that Podcast, it really lays it all out.

I also wanted you to see that I started my career at one of the most slandered trucking companies around. We have some great professionals in here who started at Swift, and are still happy and making great money at Swift after many years. The stuff you see online is ludicrous because it all come from people who failed at trucking. That is not where you go for reliable guidance.

Here's one more link for ya. It's a great article that helps shed some light on How To Cut Through The Negativity And Select Your First Trucking Company